Photographer Quinn Kirby is teaming up with Sewickley's Sweetwater Center for the Arts to provide a class teaching artists how to photograph their own work. The inaugural workshop will take place from 6-9 p.m. on June 14 and will serve artists 15 years of age and older.
"Many creative business owners are solopreneurs, which means folks are wearing several different hats at all times and they've likely had to figure out the pattern for creating each hat on their own," says Kirby. "For artists who create physical pieces, it's invaluable to have photographs of their work set in spaces representative of those belonging to potential clients. This helps interested parties visualize owning that piece and placing it in their home, or wearing that piece of jewelry with a particular outfit."
Kirby, an award-winning journalist and photojournalist, is bringing years of professional experties working with businesses and creatives on the same topic to show other artists how to succeed using their learned tips and tricks.
The three-hour workshop will be $35 for members of Sweetwater and $45 for non-members. For those worried they'll have to have a separate camera to participate, don't fret. Another aspect of Kirby's teaching is smartphone photography, in addition to working with cameras. They will teach the basics, as well as more advanced topics like the best export settings for a portfolio and how to use social media to engage with your audience.
"Established artists with a marketing budget can simply hire out this sort of work, but folks in the beginning stages of owning a creative business will likely need to start by creating these images themselves," says Kirby. "My goal is to help equip folks with the foundational knowledge needed to have confidence behind the camera (or smartphone!) so they may take another independent step toward making their dreams work."
DIY: Photographing Your Artwork. 6-9 p.m. Tue., June 14. Sweetwater Center for the Arts. 200 Broad St., Sewickley. $35-45. sweetwaterartcenter.org