Review: Jared Platt & Lightoom Workshop

Photography education is a difficult subject to teach; Jared Platt does it well, very well.

For a photograph, there is no map or formula for what is correct. In music the “G” chord is agreed upon that either play it correctly or you don’t. In writing, usage of grammar is agreed upon.

In photography there is no agreed upon definition of what makes a correct exposure. The correct exposure is the exposure that you want to create. A poorly exposed photograph is easily agreed upon, but the correct exposure is subjective to the photographer and the viewer.

This is why photography concepts and photography education is a hard subject to communicate; limitless outcome, no agreed upon map.

In creating a photograph there is one concept that we share. That levels the playing field, no matter what equipment or time spent behind the lens. What is that concept? The frame. Jared Platt taught me that.

In a world where thinking outside the box is praised, photographers have to share the four walls that frame the subject. We must think inside the box.

In a Jared Platt workshop you will learn Lightroom 3, more than that you will understand the concepts of the “why “ of your workflow. These lessons of the “why” of your workflow are priceless in themselves, not to mention all the tips, shortcuts and time saving information that Platt educates on.

Platt educates. Not in a follow-my-lead type of workshop. He educates about how to think inside the box, be it the frame in the camera or the square box of your computer that houses Lightroom.

Platt delivers his workshop from the mindset that only great photos get to live. A photograph is only truly a photograph when you purposefully select it.

“Be a harsh editor, your clients deserve only your best work. You were hired to make decisions, make them.” ~ Platt (Survey mode in Lightroom will become your friend after this workshop.)

I am a good photographer; I have been honing my craft for nearly twenty years. After attending Platt’s workshop I now feel like a “complete photographer” and that is limitless.