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Jerry Ghionis Seminar - 23rd June 2008
 Wedding photography guru Jerry Ghionis made a whistle-stop visit to the UK to deliver a marathon ‘sell-out’ seminar to 120 professional portrait and wedding photographers, thanks to an exclusive seminar hosted by Spicer Hallfield.
Ghionis, who started from nothing 15 years ago in the backroom of a Melbourne chicken shop, told delegates at the ten hour-long workshop: “I am on a mission to help re-educate the middle market to spend more money on their wedding photography. When the cake is more expensive than the photographer, something surely has to change.”
The seminar, held on campus at the Luton-based University of Bedfordshire, set out a blueprint for commercial success from one of the most accomplished wedding photographers on the planet.
 Ghionis, who quit a college photography course after a year in 1991 because he ‘was tired of teachers trying to teach me to save the world with one photograph’, now teaches delegates how they can change the world…‘one photograph at a time’.
When it comes to presentation Ghionis uses only Seldex albums, which he sources from Seldex in Australia, but of which also sit in Spicer Hallfield's new EYE brand, as part of Spicer Hallfield's exclusive UK distribution agreement for Seldex products. “I love to be associated with a cool brand and the Spicer Hallfield reinvention with EYE is nothing short of brilliant,” said Ghionis.
The seminar was hailed as a great success, with all feedback from delegates giving very positive comments about Jerry, his course content and presenting style, and the scenic and grand venue.
 A highlight of the seminar saw Jerry demonstrate his shooting techniques with professional model, Katie Green. Using the available from one of the seminar room windows, he captured an elegant shot with Katie gazing out of the window, before then using his Lowel video light to light Katie for a couple of amazing shots featuring a chandelier and spilt water on a table! All done in minutes in front of the 120 delegates, all watching in awe of the man that is Jerry Ghionis.
Letchworth-based photographer and Ghionis seminar delegate Michelle Stzpak said: “I had heard about Jerry Ghionis and I felt compelled to come and hear him speak. He is a truly inspirational character. He puts so much energy into his work – you only have to see his wedding images to appreciate he is a master of the profession. For me the seminar fulfilled his promise to teach us more in a day than we could learn at college in years.”
Photos courtesy of Jerry Ghionis and Paul Wilkinson Photography.
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Top wedding shooter Jerry Ghionis unveils:
The I do’s of great wedding photography
Jerry Ghionis, voted one of the world’s top ten wedding photographers by American Photo Magazine, and an ‘icon of imaging’ by Microsoft, has unveiled some of the secrets of his success at an exclusive Spicer Hallfield sponsored day-long seminar.
Here our website visitors can grab a snapshot of Ghionis thinking.
- I want to re-educate the middle market to spend more money. When the flowers are more expensive than the photographer something needs to change.
- Sell yourself before you sell your photography. Couples want to hire someone they feel at ease with. Couples book you for: personality; quality, experience and value.
- You don’t have to be the best. You just have to be different. Life’s too short to be one of the crowd.
- As a wedding photographer with no employees you’ll have to be a: photographer; sales person; designer, receptionist, accountant, digital artist, colour analyst, quality controller, production manager, cleaner, courier, etc Get some help – at least for unskilled elements of running your business.
- You’re not always going to be able to work with stunning locations. I often challenge myself to work in the worst room in the house and see what I can do with it. Then if I work in an amazing location I know how to bring out the best in it.
- The most important elements of a wedding shot: light; location; concept; technique; action/reaction/expression.
- If you haven’t yet shot your ‘iconic’ shoot. Do it soon.
- Make sure you are constantly building your brand.
- The answer to success: passion and business acumen.
- I still chase business. I don’t just sit back and hope it comes in the door. We all need to.
- Only use very high quality presentation solutions. I use Seldex from UK distributor Spicer Hallfield and I use it exclusively. This range has got the lot. It’s simply the best in the world.
See Jerry’s work at www.jerryghionisphotography.com
Visit Jerry’s blog at www.jerryghionisblog.com
Seminars, Workshops, Educational Products and online learning, visit www.theicesociety.com
His educational website, “The i.c.e.Society” has set the standard for online learning and his various other educational products including dvd’s and picpockets have inspired photographers from all over the world. In March 2008 Jerry released his first luxury coffee table book “Gorgeous” that celebrates his distinguished career in over 100 of his favourite photographs.
Jerry will be presenting 5 day workshops in London, Paris and Florence in June/July 2009.
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