It can be tough to advance our skills as an amateur photographer. We have questions about our camera and all the menus and “gadgets”, but we don’t know who to ask for help. We tell ourselves we are going to get up early tomorrow morning and take some photographs, but the next morning we turn off the alarm and roll over for more sleep.
Occasionally we get out and take some shot that we think are pretty good, but when we get home we can’t be sure they are good and wish there was a warm-kind-understanding buddy to tell us what they think. Sometimes we are intimidated by post-processing and wish we could learn how to use Lightroom or Photoshop without feeling intimidated. Do any of these concerns sound familiar to you? Have you ever asked for help with photography and then felt intimidated and “stupid” for asking?
We have an answer for you.
Peer Mentor Program Overview
The Peer Mentor Program (PMP) of the Teton Photography Group (TPG) started in March 2016 and has been very successful for the dozen people who have been part of the program. We are a very diverse group in many ways including our photographic skills and our understanding of the menu and gadgets of our cameras. We meet monthly for a photo shoot to share ideas about composition, exposure, and how to use the gadgets; our commitment to the program also helps us to get out to be with our colleagues in the field, even to get up early in the morning when we’d rather sleep. And we meet monthly shortly after our photo shoot to help one another by answering questions, supporting and critiquing one another’s photographs, and learning to use Lightroom. We are committed to developing a comfortable learning environment in which every question is respected, where everyone is at ease sharing their photographs for our critique, and where our goal is to help everyone improve their photography.
Connect with the Peer Mentor Program
And we are interested in expanding our Peer Mentor Program while also maintaining our goal of developing a comfortable learning environment. If you would like to join the Peer Mentor Program or have questions, contact Randy Isaacson (risaacso@iusb.edu or 208-270-4298) for more information.
Resources and Motivation
If you are interested and need a few more reasons for why you should get involved with others to improve your photography, you might want to read these article in Light Stalking –
“Photographers! Why you should Buddy Up” (http://www.lightstalking.com/photographers-why-you-should-buddy-up/) or
“Photographers stick together – 3 reasons collaborating is definitely a great idea” http://www.lightstalking.com/how-to-be-a-better-photographer-with-others/
We hope to hear from you and see you at our critique. We meet for our critique on the 2nd Wednesday of every month with a photo shoot the Saturday before the critique. Take a few minutes to read the Light Stalking articles and/or send Randy an e-mail or give him a call. We’d love to have you join us.
Monthly Activities
Each month the Peer Mentor Program has a Photo Shoot and a Critique. The Critique meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month in the conference room of the Art Association. The Photo Shoot, typically in Grand Teton National Park, is on the Saturday before our meeting. The location for the photo shoot will be listed in the events calendar.
Comments from present Peer Mentor members
“The Peer Mentor Program helps gets me to places I might not otherwise go and it puts me in the company of others who understand the joy of pointing a camera at landscapes or wildlife or both. The folks in the peer mentor program are just fun! We have multiple opportunities to learn during our shoots and our meetings. No one’s judging except in a useful and gentle way. Happily, the Peer Mentors get me out into the wild and I very much enjoy sharing the experience.”
“I firmly believe this group has helped me strengthen my photography.”
“I have benefited from having the opportunity to go out shooting with other photographers in our group. And definitely getting to know everyone has been a plus!”
“ Nothing moves you forward like being involved with others who share a similar passion. Before the Peer Mentor Group I couldn’t spell fotografer now I are one. 🙂 “
“I feel much more comfortable with my camera in terms of its versatility and function and mechanics. The Peer Mentor Program has gotten me out to places I wouldn’t have known myself or would not have explored. And most of all the groups has widened my visual horizons as to what is a beautiful image and how to try to achieve it.”