A guy contacted me and asked me to critique some photos of an art group ( paid, of course). I arranged to meeting to discuss. He said he had been a military photographer on a base and “just shot crap” for their newsletters, etc., but in the same breath started saying he was going pro and would I teach a lighting class for the group as well? I said, “if you’re going pro, shouldn’t YOU be able to teach your group?” He said he didn’t know anything about lighting. Uh huh. So I said I would think about his offer. Then I got an email where he said he wanted all my notes and reference materials so he could “make sure the class would be suitable” for his group. Yeah, right. I just told the guy I had rejected the offer ago teach due to a scheduling conflict. Now… Get this… He goes out and starts a Facebook page and sets up classes less than a month later and teaches. the best part of this is his logo is “we teach the pros.” I nearly died laughing. He has shot a few ugly wannabe models in scary poses trying to look like fashion shots. This guy is a redneck old military dude who wouldn’t know fashion if it slapped him in the forehead. Christ. He charges $35 per photo session and for a class. Imagine the wealth of knowledge he spews forth onto his unsuspecting students. I feel like I should report him to the state for operating a school without a license. But hey…if you’re dumb enough to think you’re going to learn anything from someone with pictures as bad as his…you deserve what you get.
