portrev

So last week Joe McNally was down here at the Kelby Training Studios recording a new online class, and between tapings I asked Joe if he would mind sitting down with me for a few minutes to give me a portfolio review (gulp!).

This wasn’t my first portfolio review with Joe; he had given me one about two years ago, and it was a real turning point for me, and I wanted to have him take a look at some of my more recent work. I told Joe not to sugarcoat it or go easy on me because we’re friends, and he assured me he would give it to me straight.

He spent about 25 minutes with me, and I have to tell you; it was incredibly helpful, and I learned things I couldn’t have learned any other way. He absolutely gives you the straight scoop; the good and the bad, but that’s exactly what I needed, and I honestly believe what I learned in that 25 minutes will change how I approach my photography from now on. I was really frustrated with an area of my photography, and Joe helped me see things in a different way, and mentally break through that barrier.

Now, the reason I’m telling you this is this; you might be thinking to yourself, “Oh yeah, sure, it must be nice to be able to have someone like Joe McNally sit down and give you a one-on-one review,” and honestly it is. But the thing is; you can have Joe review your portfolio, too. Believe it or not, Joe does one-on-one portfolio reviews, for free, at Photoshop World. Every Photoshop World, including the one coming up at the end of March.

It’s not just Joe, it’s people like Moose Peterson (shown above during a portfolio review), and Jim DiVitale, along with some of the top photographers in their fields, and while they give you the straight scoop on your work; they’re not there to tear you down, or make your feel bad—they’re doing this to help you become a better photographer, and if you’ve never had a portfolio review by a pro; I promise you, it is an amazing experience that (if you follow their sage advice), will make you a better photographer.

When I’ve done week-long workshops, I always include a one-on-one portfolio review for my students, and when I read the final evaluations at the end of the workshop, invariably the students note that having their portfolio reviewed was one of the most valuable parts of the workshop.

Anyway, if you’re going to Photoshop World, I just can’t encourage you enough to take advantage of this, and have your portfolio reviewed by one of these experts. These are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure you sign up in advance for these free, yet absolutely invaluable insights into your work. If you’re not going to Photoshop World, it’s not too late (here’s the link).