Eileen and I (Phillip) were honored recently to be invited as special guests of the Canon In Action Tour. We had the opportunity to work at the tour’s Atlanta leg alongside the talented group you see below — a solid mix of professionals, advanced amateurs, and newbies just getting acquainted with their Canon gear. Humorously, we were among the few attendees who do not actually use Canon currently. However, I have been a Canon shooter previously and remain a big fan of their products, especially after observing many of the exciting new features incorporated into their newest cameras (which, happily, were on-hand to view and play with).

The talented trio of artists above make up the tour’s instructors. The experience and sheer talent of this trio is staggering, and we couldn’t have been more pleased to meet them. (Actually, we met only Amina Moreau and Jim Divitale; Jack Riznicki wasn’t present for the tour in our city, and I got the impression he and Jim “switch off” teaching the still photography portion of the course.) As an instructor, Amina (filmmaker from the Emmy Award-winning studio StillMotion) certainly holds the advantage. She is a passionate and clear communicator, who has a knack for simplifying complex concepts. She inspires students to push beyond the technical and embrace the art of storytelling in a way that made everyone’s ears perk up (even if 90% of the room had no real interest in video). Kudos to her for keeping us awake during the laborious first day of otherwise lackluster lectures.

As photography instructors ourselves, we hold in high regard those who not only understand a subject, but who also possess the gift of sharing that knowledge accessibly. When Eileen and I teach at annual conferences such as WPPI (in Las Vegas) or ShutterFest (in St. Louis), we love connecting with other artists who possess this gift. We’ll definitely be re-connecting with Amina and attending her workshops in the future!

Perhaps it was a lack of clarity about who exactly the Canon In Action Tour was meant to target. But, unfortunately, the vast majority of information presented on day one fell on deaf ears — or sleeping ears. (I noted a number of nodding heads throughout the day; and other attendees complained to each other at the coffee counter between sessions.) As I mentioned, the classroom was a mix of pros and novices. The pros wanted application; the novices wanted basics. The curriculum, on the other hand, was a heavy-handed dose of technical jargin, menu shortcuts, and side-tracking stories that disappointed everyone. Again, Amina’s interspersed presentations were an exception to the rule. Unfortunately, several attendees confided in me they would not be coming back for day two after that experience. I say “unfortunately” because day two was in many ways a different story, and I think those who gave up on the course really missed out.

My recommendation:  Yes, attend the Canon In Action Tour. But skip day one and, instead, save your investment and your energy for day two. May I add another detail to this recommendation? Attend the video/cinema portion of the day two workshop. The free copy of StillMotion’s “Know: Field Guide to Filmmaking” that you’ll receive is nearly worth the cost of the workshop. On the downside, there was not nearly as much hands-on learning as I had expected — just two brief exercises, used to drive home technique rather than to create a finished product or build portfolio. In that sense, I prefer my friend Joe Switzer’s classes at WPPI and elsewhere, in which the class work together to create a finished short film. However, I doubt anyone could more ably introduce a class to the theories of storytelling and camera movement as Amina. Having studied cinema theory at university, I can tell you: these are the crucial elements of filmmaking. And whether you know it or not, yes, you do want to learn filmmaking. In my opinion, this is the next big direction that still photographers will be required to move in if they are to remain relevant. Like the move from analog film to digital, you will not easily compete without learning the art of the moving picture. Currently, only about 12 percent of still photography studios offer video services. More and more, clients are seeking out those studios that can offer an all-in-one media package. Blume Photography is among that top 12 percent, and I can tell you the value of being here is immense now. And what can you do to fill this niche? Simply learn a little video! Seriously, get started. And who better to learn from than Emmy Award-winning StillMotion?

The Canon In Action Tour is coming soon to a city near you, with New York, Austin, and Washington DC still on the schedule. If you’re ready to jump into video (or happen to be a nut for Canon tech), don’t miss it!