In March, we set out to find 6 creative photographers to participate in our in-studio audience during “Crazy Stupid Light” - a course taught by award-winning photographer Scott Robert Lim. We asked those who felt up to the challenge to submit a video describing how long they had been working with flash photography and why they wanted to join Scott Robert for his "Crazy Stupid Light" course in San Francisco May 13-15. We had many whitty, fun and creative submissions. Thank to everyone who participated.

The in-studio audience will watch and participate in all 3-days of Scott Robert's workshops including shoots on location both inside and outside in San Francisco.

The selected participants are:

Join Ben Willmore this month and become an adjustment master by learning how Photoshop thinks about color and tonality. You'll go way beyond the basics and learn how to use the most powerful, precise and versatile adjustments. You'll also see how all of Photoshop's adjustment options relate to one another so that you'll be able to easily pick the best tool for the job at hand. 

Letting your imagination run wild in the studio is easier said than done. The studio walls are often too tall and strong for your creative vision to break through or leap over. Props and lighting techniques can help, but most every photographer will tell you it’s hard to recreate a nature scene when you aren’t... well, in nature. Lucky for us, Joey L. doesn’t necessarily agree.

Earlier this week, Joey L. blew us away with a realistic blizzard shoot inside our studio during his Commercial Portraiture course. Using simple lighting techniques and a handful of props, he created a fascinating frozen world in under an hour, all the while teaching a massive audience on the Internet how to recreate his magic. Take a look at this video clip below to see the results: 

Earlier this week, famed photographers Chase Jarvis and Joey L. sat together on the set of creativeLIVE to discuss the current state of commercial photography. They shared personal experiences and fielded questions from an eager internet audience looking for advice on how to bring their businesses into the limelight.

One of the more inspiring and motivating moments of this hour-long segment was their dialogue about what it takes to be different and successful in commercial photography. You can check out the clip for free here: 

Joey L. got his first camera when he was 11 years old, and started shooting professionally when he was 16. Now, at just 23, he’s a world-renowned photographer — most notably for shooting the iconic poster for the first Twilight movie. During his 3-day Commercial Photography workshop, Joey shared his advice to other young photographers starting out. In short: Ignore critics, because your talent will stand on its own.

Talent and dedication — not age — are the only true litmus tests, Joey explained. “I’ve been working since I was 16, it’s not that many years, but whether I started at 16 or 30, it’s the same effort that you put into it. So my thing would be, you’re never going to be able to change those opinions, but you can prove them wrong.”

Asked how he responds to ageist critics, Joey said, “It’s impossible to change people’s opinion of you if you’re not being taken seriously. That still happens to me. You can never change that about people; they’re always going to judge young people in that way — but what you can do is excel, and just prove yourself.”

Joey added that even he is guilty of judging photographers based on their age. “Even when I meet a young person — I started when I was 16 professionally — when I see them doing the same, I’m like ‘ugh, dumb kid.’ Even I do that, right? And I came from there. But if you can prove me wrong, then I will judge [you] like a professional.”