Flash Masters
Welcome to the Flash Masters Podcast! Flash Masters recognises and celebrates the best flash photography in the world through education, awards and community. Hosted by Helen Williams and Neil Redfern, we talk all things wedding photography - from the equipment we use to the funniest things which have happened to us whilst photographing weddings - and we have a lot of those stories! To join the community, please visit Flashmasters.co
Flash Masters
Christian Cardona is coming to the UK! The first Flash Masters in-person event
Embark on a journey through the highs and lows of photography as we re-emerge, energized and ready to rock! We update you on all the latest news from the Flash Masters community - as well as what we have been up to personally.
Plus, we announce our very first in-person 'Flash Masters presents' workshop as the incredible Christian Cardona will be coming to Manchester UK all the way from Colombia to hold his two day wedding photography off camera flash workshop and it will all be hosted by Flash Masters! This will be an exclusive event for Flash Masters members so if you aren't a member and would like to come, please join us so you can secure your place - and as a thank you to our members, this workshop is a crazy low price.
And get ready to feast on the thought-provoking potential of AI in photography, as we sit down with Justin from Aftershoot to dissect the innovative updates to Aftershoot software. This isn't just a talk about tech; it's a deep dive into how these advancements are shaking up our workflows and uniting us in the spirit of friendly competition. We're discussing the industry-shaping power of AI and sharing tips on how to harness it to elevate your craft. With Justin's unique insights and a community-led contest sparked by his intriguing profile photo, this episode is packed with laughter, learning, and a hint of friendly rivalry. So, join us for a session that's as rich in community spirit as it is in cutting-edge discussion.
Join us in the Flash Masters community:
Website: https://flashmasters.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flashmasters/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flash-masters
Flash Masters is hosted by:
Helen Williams: https://www.instagram.com/helenwilliamsphotography/
Neil Redfern: https://www.instagram.com/neilredfern/
Welcome to the Flash masters podcast. Flash masters recognizes and celebrates the best flash photography in the world through education, awards and community. To find out more and to join the Flash masters community, visit flashmasters. co. Here are your hosts, helen Williams and Neil Redfern and Neil Redfern Guess who's.
Helen Williams:Back back, back, back again Flashers, back, back back. Tell a friend, friend, friend, I'm not going to interrupt you Guess who's back guess who's back For something a little cooler at the top. Guess who's back. Guess who's back. Guess who's back.
Neil Redfern:Na na, na, na na na na na, I'll stop it there. Hello there everyone.
Helen Williams:Hi everyone welcome to episode 64 of the. Oh, it's 63, no, it's 64. It's 64. I don't even know what time it is. It's episode 64 of the Flashmasters podcast 64, when I'm 64.
Intro:With helen Williams.
Neil Redfern:Will you still need me? Of course I will. Will you still feed me?
Helen Williams:I get it. It's a song reference.
Neil Redfern:It is well you started once, why I thought I would. This is what happens when we don't do a podcast.
Helen Williams:I'm just a bit excited to be back.
Neil Redfern:We are back. Yes, First of all, apologies everyone. I don't know what happened.
Helen Williams:I don't know.
Neil Redfern:I mean, we've been busy, but we're always busy. Woe is us. We're always busy. But yeah, we missed one week and it just shows you if you miss one week, it becomes quite easy then to miss another week, like going to the gym, yeah, but not going to the gym. Exactly, we've stopped that too, we've got a Peloton, though we do have a Peloton Peloton news. So, yeah, it's been, I think, four weeks since our last podcast, so apologies, we will be back next week for a guaranteed oh, yes, only because we've already recorded it.
Neil Redfern:Let's be honest don't let them in behind the curtain, don't let them in.
Helen Williams:But yeah, we've totally cheated. We've already recorded the next episode, so I know that one's not going to start with us going. We're really sorry because I'm pretty sure the last few episodes we've been like we're back and then we've not really been back.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, we'll try to be back this time. Yes, I'm confident. I'm confident. The next three weeks are already in the can.
Helen Williams:Well, if we've got any more listeners after my interesting opening. Apologies, but I just wanted to do it.
Neil Redfern:But I'm sure everyone has been waiting with bated breath for four weeks now. Helen, we left the last podcast on a bit of a cliffhanger. Oh, because I said that by the time that the next podcast is out, you should have launched news of your forthcoming workshop. Have you done that?
Helen Williams:Was it that long ago?
Neil Redfern:Yeah, not only did you launch your workshop, you sold it out and you've done the workshop, so that really tells how long it's been.
Helen Williams:Yeah, sold it out with literally minutes over an hour. All congratulations, thank you, and did that yesterday, so as much as I should be absolutely exhausted today, I'm absolutely buzzing instead and very excited and on a high yeah, I mean, I'm very, very impressed that you have the energy that you do, because I know how tiring workshops can be.
Neil Redfern:Mentally. They are really, really overwhelming, aren't they? You know, physically obviously they're quite tough, but certainly the mental strain of the preparation, not just the workshop and then obviously you're on, as it were. You're talking to people for 10 hours or whatever it is on the day.
Helen Williams:Yeah, the sleepless nights before, the anxiety dreams, dreaming that I turn up with no triggers, which really is going to hinder an off-camera flash workshop.
Neil Redfern:Wouldn't be ideal, yes, but yeah, well done on it. So how do you think it went?
Helen Williams:I loved it. Yeah, it went really well. Thank you. So many amazing messages from the attendees. I don't want to talk too much about me because I feel like we've already taken up time with my different educational offerings, but I will say as someone who, at the start of the year, even though I've been offering education for a few years now since 2019, it's been on the back burner post COVID because too many weddings. But yeah, I'm so thrilled at how everything's gone this year, from the mentoring to the one-to-one shooting days, which have been a huge success as well, to the group workshop. Yeah, I'm buzzing, I'm like smashed it.
Neil Redfern:So what we'll do then? We've got a lot to get through in this episode.
Intro:obviously we do A lot has happened in four weeks.
Neil Redfern:So we'll come back to your workshop and ask you more about it. If we've got time at the end, then the end, then don't worry, it was great that'll do.
Helen Williams:The plan was to talk about your workshop at the end. Oh well, why did you get to it now? Because I was just just opening it up.
Neil Redfern:We'll start off then with some flash masters news. Oh, do we have any deal? We've got lots, so should we talk about some of our recent live streams yes, yes, let's do that so since our last podcast we have had four live streams and we have another one today. So by the time this podcast is out tomorrow, there'll be five that we haven't actually spoke about, so we won't dwell on them. But, helen, would you like to give a bit of a run down of who we've had on Flashmasters live streams recently?
Helen Williams:oh, I now want some like Top of the Pops music or like Chart show music. At five we had Chris Garback from Studio Ninja.
Neil Redfern:Are these in order? Oh, they're not in order. Oh, I shouldn't say that. Oh, chris, no, I'm lying. I apologise wholeheartedly. You're not my number five, chris, you're my number one.
Helen Williams:Oh well, he's my number one too.
Neil Redfern:We were getting married. That's a ninja that people won't understand.
Helen Williams:No, yeah, no, we were just getting married for the terms of, like, setting up an inquiry on Studio Ninja.
Neil Redfern:So, chris, Garbat, is the founder and the leader, the head honcho, at Studio Ninja. We love Studio Ninja. We both use Studio Ninja to run our photography businesses and Chris very kindly came onto the live stream and gave an introduction to Studio Ninja and how it can help you in your photography business and improve all your workflows. Quickens everything up, takes away all the stress you in your photography business and improve all your workflows. Quickens everything up, takes away all the stress from running a photography business. And in his demo he put in a, dare I say, fake I think it was fake bride and groom Helen and Chris getting married.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it was beautiful. And then that leads on almost to another live stream that we did with Moira LaPlante as well, not that I just want to skirt over Chris's, but we were.
Neil Redfern:Well, he's your fifth favourite.
Helen Williams:that's why Well but then we were getting married or fake married from Moira.
Neil Redfern:Where's Moira in your list One to five?
Helen Williams:Oh, but Moira's my bestie, so like Moira's going to be number one. Oh, I just love my Moira. But yeah, we did also have a live stream of Moira, who was talking all about finding your ideal client and how your brand is so much more than just your logo, and that was a fantastic stream and we did a live inquiry meeting.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, we did, and that was brilliant. Helen and I were the bride and groom for Moira in her meeting. I must admit I came up with a couple of questions to try and throw under the bus, basically Asking her questions like do you mind if my Uncle Robert comes along on the portrait shoot with his little point and click? We call him Uncle Bob, but he's harmless. And her response actually I'll just say what it was, because it will always stick with me was do you want him to come? And it's like, oh God, she's put it back on all of them. No, I don't. That was genius.
Helen Williams:It was you asked for discounts and all sorts, didn't you?
Neil Redfern:And the way that she not batted these questions away but she responded to those questions was so clever.
Helen Williams:An absolute masterclass yeah it really was.
Neil Redfern:And again, if you've not had chances, watch that live stream, go back and watch it. It is now up in the Flashmasters community. It was brilliant. Moira is a genius when it comes to marketing and how she was handling those questions and how she, almost like, planned out that meeting and the questions she was asking us to give us the feels.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it was brilliant. I was so, honestly, I came off a bit like disappointed because we basically planned our fake wedding and talked all about it and I got really excited. But yeah, that's not happening anytime soon. Anyway, I'm wondering if there's another tedious link to another stream, but I don't think tedious.
Neil Redfern:Oh well, you know what I mean. Next stream okay, do you want to announce these?
Helen Williams:Oh yes, the next one we had was Hiram Trillo from Geekoto.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, was he in your list?
Helen Williams:Oh no, I can't do this. I'll start doing it now.
Neil Redfern:I'll start doing it. Yeah, that was really good. Hiram came on and introduced Geekoto to us and told us well, yeah, we won't go down the route, so we weren't comparing, we were comparing and why they're better. But, yeah, really good, especially for us in the UK who maybe aren't familiar with Geekoto at the moment. I'm sure that will change in the future, but it was fascinating to hear about what Geekoto can offer to photographers.
Helen Williams:So, yeah, thank you, hira, for joining us yes, and then we also had and I will say I'm gonna always name check my sister for this one. We had a live stream with Amber Henry last week and I will say that even my mum called me the next day to go your sister, who is starting her own photography business and the flash masses.
Helen Williams:Member and flash masses member and was on the stream, but my mum phoned me just to go. Your sister hasn't stopped going on about this live stream. Last night, apparently, my sister was absolutely buzzing after it and and we were too, whilst watching it live. It was an incredible display of so many behind the scenes and a huge inspirational live stream that, regardless of where you are in your photography journey, I think everyone was absolutely astounded and wowed with Amber's work.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, amber very kindly shared lots of her recent images, and not just the photographs, but every single image that she was talking us through had an accompanying video, behind the scenes video which just really elevates, I always think, the photograph. Because you see the photograph, I think that is brilliant. But when you see some of the places and the venues that these photographs were created, you think how, just how, yeah, have you done that? And amber's use of off-camera flash and gels in particular, to transform something that looks so boring and plain into something so vibrant and energetic and beautiful. It's just unmatched. And I was so inspired talking to amber I know I said it lots of times on the stream itself, but genuinely I was like I want to try this, I want to try this, and so, yeah, it's a brilliant stream and, amber, if you listen, you've made it because Emma was phoning up Helen's mum to rave about you.
Helen Williams:Yeah, she genuinely was. Don't get me spitting that. No, my mums, do you just pick up the phone and just moan at your mum for half an hour. But my mum was like I couldn't shut her up. She wouldn't stop talking about it. She wanted to go out and shoot. She was really excited and was like wow, you wouldn't believe some of the images. So, yeah, really good feedback indeed. So thank you so much for your live stream.
Neil Redfern:Amber's a rock star. So that's all the live streams that we've done to date. Yes to the recording date, but tonight, so when you'll listen to this, what also will be live in the Flashmasters member zone is a live stream with do do do Justin from Aftershoots whoop, whoop. What have you called that live stream, helen?
Helen Williams:I'm disgusted well, I didn't call it, it's called Culling. Wow, oh, that's what Justin's got. He's even got.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, but he's just cool, he can say it.
Helen Williams:Oh well, I say that F-bomb way too much. But yeah, I don't sound cool.
Neil Redfern:The man with the coolest moustache him and Tim Kamppinen fighting it out in top spot for the coolest moustache in the game. And yeah, we're really looking forward to Justin coming on. I mean, I'm sure that many of our members already use AfterShoot I think everybody does these days. It is so good, but Justin will be coming on and introducing AfterShoot to those people who maybe haven't heard about it. If you have been living under a rock, aftershoot is an AI software that will call for you. Imagine that, taking that away from you, it will edit your images in Lightroom as well, which is incredible. And just in, if we can prize him a little bit, poke him a little bit where we talk about some of the updates that Aftershoot have recently announced, including masking.
Helen Williams:Oh yeah, it's crazy how far Aftershoot's come since we jumped on board, because, in terms of asking Aftershoot to become sponsors for Flash masters, we did that because we used Aftershoot and we were like this is absolutely incredible value for money. And then, since we became, you know, actual paying customers of after shoot, every few months, something new is coming out. So I think, for anyone who might have even tried it a few years you know, a few months ago, six months ago where after shoot now is completely different again and they're constantly pushing the bar, taking the next steps and constantly updating, so it's going to be really, really good to be able to ask Justin live on the stream questions about the updates, how to make the most of the AI and the software as well, because there's been so much change within the AI industry. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to that.
Neil Redfern:Yep, definitely, and Justin also takes away the award for so far. Anyway, we'd love it if somebody could oust him from Topspot of having the coolest profile photo wearing a Flashmasters hoodie.
Helen Williams:Oh, definitely without a doubt. So if anyone who's, or everyone who's listening, that should be an unofficial official competition. Oh yeah, let's make that.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, it's a good idea. Yeah, it's a good idea.
Helen Williams:Yeah, we should do that. But yeah, anyone who is listening, hopefully, is signed up to our mailing list on the Flashmasters website, even if you haven't joined us as a member, so you should receive an email. As I'm speaking here, I think the email's due to go out in the next 30 minutes, and on the top of that there's an amazing. It is that photo of Justin in the snow, looking cool as.
Neil Redfern:Yeah.
Helen Williams:With his F Cullen glasses and, yeah, looking very, very cool in this Flash, masters merch.
Neil Redfern:Awesome. Okay, so that's all the live streams. We said that we're going to fly through those and we're already 13 plus minutes in. Oh whoopsie, we have two Actually. Do we talk about both pieces of news, or is the second? When is this one being announced?
Helen Williams:Tomorrow, tomorrow.
Neil Redfern:Tomorrow, but the podcast is out in the morning, so let's hold off on that piece of news.
Helen Williams:Can you really turn this round and we do a live stream tonight? We're talking about that news tonight. No, tomorrow night.
Neil Redfern:Wednesday, but this is out on Wednesday morning.
Helen Williams:Can you really edit this whilst we've got a live stream tonight?
Neil Redfern:Helen, we've done podcasts in the past at 11 at night that I've turned round and put live at two in the morning.
Helen Williams:Okay, if you think you could do it, babe, let's stick with that.
Neil Redfern:Helen doesn't understand this, because she never edits a podcast. She will leave this room once we've recorded it and in her head the podcast is just live. It just happens itself, whilst I've had to edit every single one.
Helen Williams:Well, that's a lie, because I bet I'm checking. Do, but I'm checking, do you have enough time to do that? Yes, so we won't talk about our seven-piece news, because I don't want another podcast to slip again. Right, okay.
Neil Redfern:Especially after our big spiel at the beginning. We're going to go back to weekly.
Helen Williams:Okay, so instead of two pieces of news, we have one. We've got one piece of news.
Neil Redfern:But the other piece of news will be announced tomorrow. So Wednesday, the 27th of March, live. The 27th of March live in the Flash masters members group there you go, there you go.
Neil Redfern:So if your listeners on the date comes out, which is Wednesday, the 27th of March, that evening if you're in the UK, that afternoon is for in the US, the Americas, in the Americas Helen will be going live in the group. I don't know if I am as well yet, we'll have to see to announce Helen will be going live in the group. I don't know if I am as well yet, we'll have to see To announce our other big piece of news. But anyway, we do have one other piece of news we're going to say now and this is genuinely massive and this is something we're very, very excited about and it's a great step forward being a bit like Neil Armstrong here In the advancement of Flash masters. It's a giant leap forward for Flash masters. Yes, it's a giant leap forward for Flash masters, helen. I'll let you announce what this is.
Helen Williams:So we have our all-time favourite Colombian Flashmaster God flying to Manchester UK in September of this year for our first ever Flashmasters Presents workshop. So we are over the moon to pronounce. The Pronounce, that is the word, is it no? Announce, announce, oh yeah, so we are over the moon to pronounce pronounce.
Neil Redfern:That is the word. Is it no announce?
Helen Williams:oh yeah, not pronounce. I knew it was wrong. We are very pleased to announce good god, I should have done this myself oh, dear. We're very pleased to announce that the one and only Christian Cardona is coming to the UK.
Neil Redfern:Baby whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop so, if you want me to to put it, I'm going to translate from Welsh On the 2nd and the 3rd of September 2024, christian Cardona will be coming to Manchester to hold his two-day workshop, and it's being hosted and presented by Flash masters. So this is brilliant for us because we want to grow the Flash masters brand and do that in a number of different ways, one of which is in-person events, and this is the very first one that we have ever held. So this is Flash masters Presents. As Helen just said, flash masters Presents Christian Cardona Again the 2nd and the 3rd of September 2024, in Manchester, uk, so just an hour away from here, and Christian will be presenting his two-day workshop.
Neil Redfern:We are huge, huge fans of Christian. Again, his use of gels, his creativity, is unparalleled. The man is a wizard he really is, and I can't wait to A meet him and B see him in action in the capital of the world, manchester. So it's going to be amazing and that will be exclusive to Flashmasters members at least for a month, and only then, if there are any places left, will we open it up to non-members, but I don't think there will be. I think it's going to stay a very exclusive Flashmasters members only event and we're so proud of that. And again, we want to do this because we want to give more value to our members. And I will say as well, it is dirt cheap it's crazy if you're listening to this, I agree.
Neil Redfern:If you're listening to this, have a guess how much you think it will be for a two day. These are long days as well. I've been speaking toian quite a bit. The workshops will run between 8 am and 6 pm on two days for one of the best off-camera flash photographers in the world. Christian is an ambassador for multiple brands. He is recognized as being one of the leading off-camera flash experts in the world. So what would you pay for that two days?
Helen Williams:I think, literally, I feel like, yeah, we need to do they, do they. Oh well, I just say god, I can't even speak today.
Neil Redfern:My head's gone, there will be an early bird offer for flashmasters members of only 345 pounds, which is a dirt cheap. It's genuinely an incredible opportunity to learn from one of the very best, and it's not like Christian's going to be over in the UK every year. To my knowledge, he's not been to the UK before. I don't know if he's been at all, but I certainly think he's not hosted a workshop here before. So whether this will happen again, we don't know, probably unlikely. So this is your chance.
Neil Redfern:If you're based in the uk or europe, I mean, you're welcome to come from the us as well australia, whatever but certainly if you're based in europe, this is your chance to learn from one of the absolute best for a price that is next to nothing. You know, you think about what we spend on a lens, on a camera, and this is 345 pounds. It is peanuts. And again, exclusive to flashmasters members. Those places will go on sale. You can book on from monday, the 1st of april, and the link to book will be in the flashmasters member zone. So to book, you need to log into the flashmasters website, go to a new page which we've just set up, called offers and discounts, and in there will be a link for you to book onto the workshop.
Helen Williams:And yeah, we are so excited yeah, I think, yeah, I might faint. Who knows what will happen when I see christian, he's an absolute god. Uh see, I'm very, very excited, and just apologies for all of my stuttering, and I think I'm just a little tired from yesterday's workshop you're allowed to be.
Neil Redfern:you're allowed to be a bit workshop hungover. Yeah, there's been other things going on as well there has. Yeah, in the past four weeks we've been on a holiday. Yeah, fancy that an actual holiday.
Helen Williams:It doesn't actually feel like we've been. It's almost like a distant dream.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, we went to Madeira for a week, which is a beautiful Portuguese island, closer to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic than it actually is to Portugal, but it was really nice.
Helen Williams:It's beautiful as an island. Yeah, you can see why they call it the Hawaii of Europe, little Hawaii of Europe, yeah.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, it's got a microclimate as well, so we could be in our hotel and it was sunshine, although often quite windy, but still sunshine and sunbathing weather. But yet half an hour in a car driving up into the hills and the mountains and it was raining and cold. Yeah, crazy place and so photogenic. Yeah, we did a lot of walk in there. We did a full tour of the island with our, with our driver oh, what's his name? I want to give a shout out yeah, carlos. Thank you, carlos, he was brilliant. And the one disappointment we had is we wanted to do a sunrise hike and see the sunrise above clouds, and we had to get up at four in the morning for this, which never happens.
Helen Williams:No, but we were all prepared.
Intro:We got everything ready.
Neil Redfern:We went to bed early and, unfortunately, just as we were going to sleep, we got a call to say that it had to be cancelled.
Neil Redfern:And that happened three times out of seven, which is very annoying because the weather wasn't good enough and, to be fair, when we went up to the top for another walk, we could see why the visibility was next to zero when it was cloudy. So it would have been really disappointing to go to the top to do a two-hour hike at 4 am just to see cloud. So yeah, but it means that we'll go back again.
Neil Redfern:Yes, we definitely will, and yeah, we got to stay in bed instead, so that wasn't all bad. Exactly one thing I want to say, though, is, helen, when we were I think I'm right saying when we're getting on the plane and we sat on the plane waiting to take off you were in tears. Why this? Genuine? It's like a comedian. This this happened to me on the way to the theater, but this genuinely did happen, helen was crying when we sat on the plane.
Neil Redfern:Wait and take off. Wait and take off for our long-awaited holiday together to madeira. I feel really bad why were you crying, helen?
Helen Williams:because I wanted to go to vegas and wvpi and as I was sat on the tarmac, all I could see on my stories was everyone else flying into vegas and got really bad FOMO.
Neil Redfern:Genuinely everyone. Helen was so wanting to go to Vegas and so disappointed that we didn't go to Vegas that when we were about to take off on our own holiday, she was crying, which made me feel great.
Helen Williams:Do you know what baby? As soon as we landed, I was like yay, holiday.
Neil Redfern:That's more so the Prosecco that you had when we first arrived.
Helen Williams:Yeah, as soon as you put a Prosecco in my hand, I'm like okay, a week's all inclusive, I can manage with this Prosecco breakfast.
Neil Redfern:I'll be fine, but it is good to talk a little bit about WPPI, I think, because we spoke to so many of our Flashmasters members about this and I want them to know that we're not just saying, oh yeah, we'll go next year, like we really, really, really want to go.
Helen Williams:Yeah, like I said, I literally cried this year because I couldn't.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, we did look at it, probably a bit too late in the day realistically. You also had a wedding very soon after we came back.
Helen Williams:Oh no, before we left yeah, Before we left. And when we got back yeah, so there wasn't much time, so it was going to be.
Neil Redfern:yeah, it was sandwiched in between two weddings and when we did look to price it up, the flights were eye-wateringly expensive. It was actually cheaper, I think I'm right in saying, for us to go for 10 days with a package.
Helen Williams:With accommodation.
Neil Redfern:With accommodation, just to get the van to go when we wanted with flights alone. So we couldn't make it work.
Helen Williams:And flights. One way actually it was cheaper to have the whole 10 days with flights and accommodation than the flight. One way for us to make WPPI and be there.
Neil Redfern:Yeah. So what we'd have had to have done is go there, pay an arm and a leg and then put, say, £2,000 on red in the hope of doubling it. But I don't think that's a sound financial decision.
Helen Williams:I don't gamble.
Neil Redfern:No, we couldn't make it work this year, but next year we genuinely will. That's all been exacerbated as well by, as Helen says, looking at the stories and all the tags that Flashmasters was receiving at WPPI of our members, the ambassadors all getting together having the best time and we weren't there. So if that was a ploy, I'm looking at you, Amber, I'm looking at you, Moira Ben. If that was a ploy, I'm looking at you, Amber, I'm looking at you, moira Ben yeah, jason.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, it definitely did work. Yeah, I think it was one photo in particular. I think we had Arno on it. I don't know if the Laplantes were on that one, but Tim Campion was on it, sondra Amber Ben Connolly was on there. Yeah, there was lots of our members and ambassadors it was, and it was just like all like taking a photo as being like the flashmasters gang, it's like oh, it would be good to be there it would.
Helen Williams:But yeah, this year just wasn't the time. But, like I said, yeah, I genuinely I felt like a right idiot. I had this bloke sat next to me on the other side and he was like why are you crying?
Neil Redfern:I want to be in vegas, yeah and just to see not even just to meet up with people to see what goes on as well. Like there was one video again I think it was Jessie Mora that shared it. I think it was from their photo walk where Ben Conley's holding a light for them, jason Vincent's behind with a smoke, ninja spraying smoke. It's like this is like a dream team working together.
Neil Redfern:It just seems like a place where all these amazing artists are coming together, collaborating, shooting together, hanging out and everything, and it's like, oh, I wish we had something like that in the uk, yeah, but we don't but instead we have the photography show.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, so the photography show. I've got to say, for those that aren't aware, that's what I say a lot. So, if you're listening, in the us we do have our own event. So, yeah, up yours to be PPI. But our event is like to be PPI, just, I would say, with less casinos, less drink, less fun, less laughter, less cool, but more concrete Because we had the photography show in Birmingham.
Helen Williams:Photo and video show. I shall let you know.
Neil Redfern:And we went to that one at least.
Helen Williams:Oh, we did, and it was wild.
Neil Redfern:It was wild, wasn't it?
Helen Williams:Did you enjoy the photo walks? There weren't any photo walks.
Neil Redfern:No, what did we buy, though? We must have bought loads. It was so exciting.
Helen Williams:Oh, actually I did buy a lens. Oh, you did buy a lens. Sorry, you did.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, we were about to go out sarcastic.
Helen Williams:Yeah, loads of people bought Studios Smoke.
Neil Redfern:Ninjas.
Helen Williams:Smoke Ninjas, so they seem to be the big trend of purchase this year. No, I just got a replacement 85 mil, because mine's just. I just kill all my kit, don't I?
Neil Redfern:I tell you what you did do. Very well, though, you bartered a little bit. Oh, I did, which is not something that I think comes naturally to you, but I was very impressed.
Helen Williams:Oh, thank you very, very much. I was playing off two stands against each other. We went on the last day and I left it till the last hour or so before they started packing away. I was like what's your best deal? So I went to site A. They gave me this price, went to the second one. They were a little bit lower. I was like, ah, they said they can do it cheaper, walked away cheaper, walked away nice. And then, um, literally then I couldn't remember the prices, what the other one offered anyway. So I got really confused, turned around, went back and then suddenly it's like oh, we've had updates on our pricing and I can knock another 30 pounds off. And then I got this lens for 150 pounds cheaper than it was selling on amazon.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, very well done very well yeah, it's really nice to meet up, though, with lots of Flashmasters members, patreon members. So, yeah, that's the good thing, I think, for us for an event like that. It's not so much about going and buying things, but meeting up with people is lovely, genuinely really nice. It was nice to see a few Flashmasters hoodies walking around as well, with people in them, not just what he's walking around.
Neil Redfern:That would just be a bit weird. Yeah, we caught up with chris from shoot up. Met chris for the first time in the flesh, that was really nice. Met with the guys the two michaels from n photo, that was really nice. Went, tried to see you, justin, if you're listening, but justin wasn't there. I don't blame him. I think he went to vegas. I thought I'm not going to birmingham and you made the right decision, justin yeah, I don't think you missed much.
Helen Williams:That's a bit mean, isn't it though?
Neil Redfern:I just remember speaking to chris about wppi. You can just see his eyes lighting up what he's talking about.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it doesn't happen when you talk about the photography show as much no as much yeah, just by hoping that anyone at the photography show doesn't listen to this and one day we're like well yeah, we did talk about exhibiting there.
Neil Redfern:Maybe we will, if they can turn it into WPPI, we'll rave about it like we will WTPI, but it's Not that year no. Yeah, and in fact next year it's going to be in London, so that's a whole different discussion.
Helen Williams:Is that good or bad? I don't know.
Neil Redfern:Insightful.
Helen Williams:Yeah, do I think it's good or bad? Well, I'm sure they're trying to do it, possibly with the look of thinking it'll be more international, or in terms of visitors, maybe in London, because otherwise I'm not really sure why they're moving it from Birmingham.
Neil Redfern:We were speaking to some of my Patreon members yesterday on something I call Midmorning Chatters, where it's like an audio stream where we just chat. What we deduced was being a bit of a detective like you is that. Do you know what Photokina is? Yes, Well, Photokina's stopped being held now, so there's a big pause on Photokina. That's a huge trade show that is held every year in Germany that is temporarily postponed. So I wonder whether the photography show are trying to step into Fotokina's shoes. And if you were going to do that, you would be trying to draw Fotokina's crowd, which would be mainly coming from Europe, so that would make more sense to go to London. That's my guess.
Helen Williams:Yeah, I suppose it's got a few more airports, but Birmingham's got a big airport as well. That I suppose it's got a few more airports, but Birmingham's got a big airport as well. That's an international one.
Neil Redfern:But yeah, I understand, but it is true. Drew Dodd, who's on next week's podcast, made this point, which is if you're trying to sell the photography show to somebody outside of the UK. So if I flip it to you now and say, do you want to go to the photography show? It's being held in Berlin or it's being held in Stuttgart, where are you going to think is better? Berlin? But do you even know?
Helen Williams:Yeah, no, it's exactly the same yeah.
Neil Redfern:It's exactly the same. I mean, I think it's just all in Manchester, it's just better all round. But they're not looking to do that, unfortunately.
Helen Williams:And I also think you're a little bit biased, but I'm going to go with it.
Neil Redfern:Facts. So that's our holiday, that's doing PPI, that's the photography show Done, nailed it Done. So, yeah, let's just go back very briefly and just talk about your workshop, because it is a big deal. This was the first solo workshop you've held, which is huge. Not many people ever get to the stage where they hold their own solo workshop and you've done that. You sold it out instantly.
Helen Williams:Actually, my first ever workshop in 2019 was solo. It was sold just for me, but I then did get my friend chris to be my bitch on the day.
Neil Redfern:Sorry so that wasn't sold as williams and wallace at the time.
Helen Williams:No, that was sold as helen williams back in 2019 I apologize, this was your second solo workshop it was but my first one in a very, very long time, and even on that first one I did have a bitch. But yeah, yesterday no bitch, just me.
Neil Redfern:I offered, you rejected me.
Helen Williams:Yeah, you make me nervous.
Neil Redfern:I did go, though I was the delivery driver, so my job on the day it was an important one was to pick up some pizza, drive it to the venue. Don't forget the chips, and the chip drive it to the venue.
Helen Williams:Don't forget the chips.
Neil Redfern:And the chip, drive it to the venue, drop it off and then leave. Yes, done.
Helen Williams:But yeah, don't forget. You did then get to have a look and this isn't anywhere on the notes you did get to put into your hands.
Neil Redfern:No, don't say, don't say, oh, don't say. Oh, let's leave that as clickbait thing, at your workshop. It is true yeah yeah, I dare say that would be a good topic for a future podcast if and when the thing that I caressed. Oh, the mic. The mic got excited. Then the thing I caressed does make it into a video, oh, we'll see, but anyway yeah, so going back to your workshop. So, being serious, how did you find it?
Helen Williams:oh, I don't even know how to summarise it. I've been through. It's been a rollercoaster since coming home. I walked through the door last night and I think you were expecting me to like be like bouncing off the ceilings, but I was dead.
Neil Redfern:You just seemed exhausted. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's draining, it's draining.
Helen Williams:Yeah, I walked through the door, poured myself an extortionately large glass of wine. I poured a normal size glass, put the bottle down thought I'm literally going to top this up very quickly and just filled it to the brim. Yeah, no, it was absolutely fantastic. I did enjoy it. It's been very different from everything else that I've done this year. So my one-to-one mentoring are obviously one-to-ones and I've done in terms of in-person and flash training I've been doing. One-to-one mentoring are obviously one-to-ones and I've done in terms of in-person and flash training.
Helen Williams:I've been doing one-to-ones with other photographers and I will say that absolutely just lights me up to give one person the undivided attention and to look at every minuscule thing that they're doing to be there to cheerlead and support and obviously I did that yesterday, but to try and spread it out, even just six people. People, you know it. Just you know you do have to spread yourself slightly when you're doing that and obviously that's the benefits in terms of pricing et cetera. When you're going on a group workshop or paying for a one-to-one, it's. You know you just can't be everything at every point to every member who's there. Obviously I did my absolute best and I've had some fantastic feedback from the attendees. I will say as well, though I have thoroughly enjoyed doing the one-to-one shooting days as well.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, it's difficult because you did a one-to-one on Thursday.
Helen Williams:Yes.
Neil Redfern:And then you did your workshop on Monday, so we're talking three days before your workshop, four days before your workshop, four days so you, before your workshop, you had done a one-to-one. So it's very difficult to copy the feeling and the knowledge that you've given someone eight hours of your time, one-to-one, yeah, and replicate that at a workshop where there's another five people, so six people in total, yeah. So that's quite hard in your head, I guess. So you're trying to compare that.
Helen Williams:You can't you can't yeah six people, a one-to-one experience.
Neil Redfern:You could only do what you did and that's why you know your feedback was brilliant yeah, really, really pleased.
Helen Williams:So many lovely messages and I've had messages from other photographers who've worked with some of the photographers who've been on the course and gone.
Helen Williams:They've, they're absolutely raving about you so um, yeah, it's really nice to know that you know my attendees aren't just saying nice things to me because they feel like they need to say something nice and be kind. Uh yeah, I have heard on the grapevine from other photographers too that, uh yeah, there were attendees who've who've been raving about me to other people, so I can't ask for anything more really no, out of interest as well.
Neil Redfern:You said your first solo workshop was 2019. That's five years ago now. Has anything changed in your approach? Don't have to say too much, but like, is there anything that you think? Oh, actually I teach that a bit different because I'm thinking, you know you would have been on mirrorless back then. I'm assuming yeah, you would have been. A9 was released in 17.
Helen Williams:I've got I'm wondering if I've got the first year wrong, because I'm pretty sure I was still on my canon 5d mark 3 you.
Neil Redfern:You might have been.
Helen Williams:Yeah, no, there wouldn't have been EVF. I remember my first one.
Neil Redfern:That's what I mean. Things like that. As technology changes, so does the content of workshops. It has to. It's like in the future, if the global shutter that is within the new Sony A9 III becomes more widespread, we won't be teaching sync speeds. They won't exist, won't be teaching sync speeds, yeah they won't exist you know. So as technology adapts, so does our teaching. So I just wonder if you noticed anything major between those two workshops.
Helen Williams:I just know that. You know it's just becoming a lot more easier. I believe it's. It's obviously very difficult to master flash and anyone who joins flash masters knows the umpteen hours that goes into perfecting your skills where to place the lights, when to use them, the use of grids, gels, modifiers there's a lot to it. It's not easy. However, I do believe as a process and learning it as a process, it's much easier than it was back in the dslr days. You know when we look back.
Neil Redfern:So we had our first triggers, oh, oh yeah, in the sense of that, the equipment we use now is more reliable yeah, we don't have receivers anymore no, you could.
Helen Williams:You just connect straight to your flash. You can see from your trigger what power each one's on. You're not running back and forth which you used to do. You know, when you're looking now through uvf to set your ambient it's so easy, whereas years ago you were constantly. You know, you know, sometimes it would take people three, four, five, ten times just to take a shot and get their ambient right and dive back and forth yeah.
Helen Williams:So I do think, as a process, it's much easier to learn the basics now and to make flashes work with cameras. However, obviously, as we know anyone who who is a flash master or someone who uses flash regularly there's still a huge amount of time to then refine and become very good at using flash. But I do think the basics and the fundamentals and this being a introduction to off-camera flash I do think to access off-camera flash and to use it in a basic way is a lot easier. But I will say yesterday we had two, three live setups before we finished and everyone was using poles and sticks and modifiers and soft boxes. It was, yeah, it was really great to see and I had students there yesterday arriving who had never used their flash off camera. So to see the progress from the start to the end was incredible. Very, very proud.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, you should feel very, very proud. Yeah, it's a huge achievement to host not only to host a workshop like that, but also to do it very well. So, yeah, well done.
Helen Williams:Oh, thank you.
Neil Redfern:But I did it, you did. Okay, I think we'll finish the podcast there. We actually did a podcast, woohoo, and we can already tell you, as Helen mentioned earlier in the podcast, that next week's podcast we are joined by one of our favourite Flashmasters members, mr Drew Dodd.
Helen Williams:Aw yeah, you just say his name and I just go aw. I love Drew.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, we're not even going to say like, oh, I'm really looking forward to that or anything, because it's actually already happened.
Intro:It's pre-recorded.
Neil Redfern:Well, you won't realise that when you listen to it appear live. So, yeah, drew, thank you so much for coming on to the podcast, or, you know, for next week, we're really, really looking forward to that one getting out there, because you were brilliant and we went off on a lot of tangents with drew. You ask him a question and you sit back and then you take it on a journey then which can involve all sorts of different subjects, including turnips, gondolas, chimney sweeps. We go all over the show with some really, really enjoyable chat. So, yeah, really looking forward to editing that one. It's not edited yet, but yeah, that will be next week's podcast. But yeah, thank you so much for listening. If you'd like to join us in the Flashmasters community, you can do so at flashmastersco Helen over to you to close us out, out.
Helen Williams:You know what I really miss doing this.
Neil Redfern:Oh God, it's going to be a big one.
Helen Williams:Oh it's going to be a big one. Don't forget to keep flashing.
Neil Redfern:And remember, Kristin Cardona is coming to Manchester on the 2nd and the 3rd of September. Places go on sale on the 1st of April. Make sure you get your ticket. It's going to be an incredible experience. Thank you again, everyone. Speak to you soon. Goodbye.
