Quavondo + Solstice Retouch: Photography Lighting and Retouching Workshop, Day 2
As we sat there in the hot windowless conference room, I could feel the heat and the mugginess trying to attach itself to my skin. Amazingly the 15 photographers and retouchers who packed themselves into the dark room for our photography lighting and retouching workshop were intently listening to Pratik give detailed step by step explanation of the current technique at hand. The contours of their faces were lit by the glow from the projection on the wall. Am I the only one feeling this heat I wondered? Or are they oblivious to the heat because they’re so into the course?
The moment that I was waiting for was about to happen, the moment when Pratik pulls the rabbit out of the hat, the moment when the light bulbs over everyone’s heads go on. I patiently waited. Pratik had chained himself to his computer desk at home for months trying to discover a better method for retouching skin. After the countless hours and a year of perfecting it, the hard work had paid off. He did it. He had found the magic recipe. Instead of spending 3-4 hours editing on an image, he’s now able to do it under an hour. How is that possible? I doubted it…until he sat down with me to show me first hand. I was speechless but I had a grin from ear to ear. I knew what this meant.
The Retouching Reveal
After hours and hours of sharing the industry’s most secretive retouching techniques, Pratik was about to reveal his own. Like a kid on Christmas Eve, I was getting impatient. I wanted to see the reaction on everyone’s faces, the same one that I had last night…and there it is! =)
“Totally worth the price of admission!” exclaimed an attendee. The smiles were all around. They could see how this was going to change the way they work, elevate their photography and retouching careers to the next level, and change their lives.
“Wow! I would have paid $1500 for this.”
Another photographer was on his phone texting his wife, giddy with excitement. “She’s my retoucher” he explains, “she should have been here to see this. This is going to blow her mind!”
The buzz was in the air. For a brief second, everyone forgot about their sore butts, aching backs, and the oven we’ve been slow cooking in for the past 6 hours.
Thanks to the Pilot Photography Lighting and Retouching Workshop Attendees
Pratik and I have been talking about doing a photography lighting and retouching workshop together and giving back to the community for quite some time now, but with our busy schedules getting together was difficult given that I’m in Portland and he’s in Houston. To make things a little easier, I invited him to Portland. Portland was to be our guinea pig. We offered the classes at a discounted rate (lucky them!) since this was a trial run to get people’s reactions, feedback, and just simply iron out any wrinkles.
I don’t think I could have scripted it any better. Our test subjects were wonderful to be around. They brought their passion and desire to learn, their enthusiasm was unmatchable, and their gratitude at the end was very much appreciated.
Day 1 Photography Lighting Group
Day 2 Retouching Workshop Group
Final Images From the Photography Lighting and Retouching Workshop
Here are samples of the seven different lighting setups I taught at the photography workshop and the final retouched images done by Pratik and myself. If you would like us to bring our photography lighting and retouching workshop to your city, please leave a comment and let us know.
Special thanks to Amy Gillespie, Jessie Brown, Alex Roosevelt, and Erika Ellis. 
Please bring your workshop to Los Angeles! There are plenty of photographers here that would really benefit from it, myself included.
Would love to attend another workshop. Milwaukee or Chicago! I bet I could find another friend or two to bring as well!!!
North Carolina is in desperate need of workshops. Preferably the Raleigh area!!!!
Q, you put on the best workshops with the most amazing people! I was stunned when I saw that tool that Pratik was using. Like I said, it puts all of us on a level that will take the industry a year or two to catch up. It is a great marketing advantage to have this in my arsenal of tools. Like I said, this workshop would easily be worth $1500.00. The ROI is simply there for the taking.
Q and Pratik, thanks for the amazing workshop!
I learned so much, the lighting class was great and refreshing to see the way you do it Q. The lighting set ups were easier then I thought, and showed me that I have been over thinking it for too long. It help take away the magic, and showed me how Q does it. Well worth the time and cost!
Pratik, that retouching class was mind blowing! I learned a similar work flow after hundreds of hours of digging through forums. Which you told me was the old version and the new version is faster and a ton better, which it was. Those new secret techniques made my work flow way more enjoyable and a few hours faster! Now I can actually spend the time and do it the good way instead of cheaping out for quick plug-in fixes that are not anywhere close to what you taught.
Q, and Pratik thanks for the amazing work shop worth much, much more then it cost.
-Nathaniel Allen
I can’t say enough about the workshop. I’ve been editing for almost 5 years and shooting for 2 and I was never interested in going to a workshop until I came across your work. I was under the impression that I would know most of the stuff already but I can’t begin to explain how much I’ve actually picked up. Lighting setups were simple and very nice to see that you can get fantastic shots from one light or 6. I’ve spent a TON of money on equipment/programs/lights and the list goes on but this was by far the single best thing I’ve spent my money on. I hit a plateau with my work recently and this was just the thing to push me over that hill and on to something I’d never thought I’d be able to produce.
For those interested, it’s worth the cost of the class and then some. Right after the first day of shooting I went home and did my usual workflow and I was stoked. Then I took Pratik’s class and went home and re edited the same shot and wow. It’s night and day. I learned more in these two days than I’ve learned in countless hours of shooting/editing. Thanks again guys!
-Chris Goddard
Amazing work as always Q!
This weekends workshop was incredible.
From the instructors to the models to the methods -wow. My head is still buzzing. I’m really excited to continue to use the content that I learned from this workshop. Q and Pratik are amazing. The cost off class was nothing compared to the information they shared with us. Saving time- check. New and better methods of retouching- check. Killer course in lighting- check. Models, comrades, contacts.. It was all there.
A big thanks Q and Pratik and also to everybody I met in class, it was really cool. See ya on the flipside,
Matte Hanna
Q and Pratik were just awesome. I used to think I was a decent retoucher but Pratik’s techniques set that straight! I’m really glad I was able to attend both days. The energy, inspiration, and amount of information was great. Well worth the price of admission
- Pete Springer
I want to thank Q and Pratik for putting on such a good retouching workshop (I didn’t attend the photography workshop). It was so worthwhile. Pratik’s secret techniques will cut down my retouching time so much without sacrificing any quality. It’s hard to put a price on that. I thought his method of teaching was well thought out and enjoyable and he took so much time to patiently answer all questions. You guys rock!
Thanks guys so much for the wonderful feedback. It was a great group of people and we enjoyed having you all in our Lighting and Retouching Workshop. I create a group on Flickr if you guys are interested in sharing your photos. It doesn’t have to be from our workshop, it can be stuff that you’ve taken after the workshop, it’ll give us a chance to keep “tabs” on you. =)
http://www.flickr.com/groups/lightingretouchingworkshop/
I wasn’t going to go to the work shop this last weekend due to the fact that I didn’t really have the money for it. I had then put it out of my mind and went about my work. Days before the workshop started to got a message from Q asking me if I was going to sign up or not. I let him know I wasn’t really thinking about it nor had it off work. However, he warned me that I should come and it would be worth my time and money…he was right. I got myself there for both days and my brain is still mulling over what we learned and how I can apply it to my work! Though I am a little more broke…I know what I learned will improve my work and skill 100 times over…and its just money…nothing beats knowledge!
-Eric Wainwright
Wainwright Images
Dallas would be great!
Quavondo and Pratik’s energy and knowledge was incredible. Q’s lighting techniques were well thought-out and done effortlessly. Pratik’s demonstrations were easy to follow and image quality was unmistakable. His techniques will definitely change the way I edit.
Thank you both for putting this together!
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Quavondo and Pratik’s workshop is the single best thing I have done to advance my photography work in the 5 years I have been applying myself to create the best images I possibly can. But first let me just say that these two are some of the nicest, most approachable people I’ve had the chance to meet. Their enthusiasm and willingness to share their knowledge and help each attendees personally was contagious and inspiring.
The lighting section with Q. was loaded with tips, tricks and lighting concepts. All together extremely educative and exciting. With every set up Quavondo put together and explained in details came the hands on portion where we all got to shoot and experiment that specific type of lighting. Not only this made a huge difference for me as I am a very hands learner on but it was also a blast! If there’s another thing that Q. does extremely well, it’s to put together amazing talent. Each of the models where fantastic and I can’t believe the amount of awesome images I’m taking home so effortlessly.
The second day with Pratik on retouching was literally mind blowing! From simple efficiency steps and concept to his big high end retouching secret, I can say without hesitation that this day has revolutionized my photographic work! There was the Pre-Pratik Era and now I’m entering the Pratik Era
Needless to say that Pratik just as Quavondo, is also a fantastic teacher, attentive to each and every question and mindful to answer each issue brought up by the participants to satisfaction and with tremendous insights and knowledge.
All in all those two days are a huge corner stone for my photography and I cannot recommend this workshop enough for anyone who holds their photography/retouching work to a high standard. If you strive on the quality of your work this the Quavondo and Pratik’s workshop is priceless!
-Daniel Bendjy
Thank you Quavondo and Pratik for a wonderful workshop. From the first moment it was clear we could ask any question that was on our mind. That was a huge benefit to the learning process.
I so appreciated seeing Quavondo set up his different lighting set-ups. He showed us that even just one light can create a fabulous effect. And the 6 light set up was absolutely magnificent and still very do-able. Pratik, since the workshop I have used a few of your tricks and am eager to delve in deeper. I am delighted with the experience and am eager to start experimenting.
Pauline Zonneveld
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