DEB SCHWEDHELM

BREAK THE MOLD & CONTINUE THE JOURNEY with Deb Schwedhelm | April 18th - May 6th
Registration now open: $375 active participation | $300 silent participation | $150 alumni participation

This interactive ONLINE three-week workshop will include discussion, individual feedback and weekend assignments. You will be encouraged to think outside the box and break the industry mold. This workshop will push you artistically and creatively, encouraging you to explore and critically think about your own unique photography journey and your path ahead. You will be provided with an open and honest environment to share ideas, work on assignments, share photographs and grow professionally and artistically. While all photography experiences are very welcome, the basics of your camera, editing, etc. will not be discussed. Please see testimonials from past students below.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:
Creativity and inspiration
Passion and vision
Previsualization and storytelling
Finding and advancing your style
Creating strong images
Building a strong portfolio
Fine art photography
Showing and promoting your work

PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING:
An honest and intimate look into Deb's photography
Daily, interactive communication
Three assignments followed by individual feedback
Questions and answer section
Workshop content PDF
Option to purchase a 48-page soft cover inspirational photo book
Inspiring private Facebook workshop group, where Deb continues to interact regularly

REGISTRATION: Registration is now open. To sign up for an active, silent or alumni seat, click HERE and select the appropriate April 2016 payment option.

Please note that this workshop is hosted by the Bloom Forum. If you are not already a Bloom Forum member, you can register for a 3-month trial subscription here.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What is the difference between an active, silent and alumni seat?
With an active seat, you are allow to fully participate in the workshop. Silent participants have access to all the workshop materials and can read-along; however, you cannot post assignments or share within the workshop. Alumni seats are available to all previous Continuing the Journey or in-person workshop participants. Due to the interaction level of this workshop, active participation is strongly recommended. 

Can I register for your workshop without being a Bloom Forum member?
Since this workshop is hosted on the Bloom Forum, all participants must be Bloom Forum members. If you are not a Bloom Forum member yet, you can register for a 3-month trial subscription here. 

How is the workshop information presented? 
Lessons are presented daily; however, you can access the information and read at your own pace. Deb will be in the workshop daily, answering questions and providing feedback. Assignments will have specific deadlines but you will be notified in advance and provided time to work on each assignment. 

Do you limit the number of participants in your workshop?
Yes, due to the fact that this workshop is highly interactive, active seats are limited.

Do you have any more workshops planned for 2016?
Deb is currently working on a new 'series development / fine art workshop', which is due to launch this fall. She does not have any more in-person workshops planned for 2016. In 2017, Deb will be relocating back to the US and plans to have a level one, two and three online workshop. She also hopes to have an in-person workshop in 2017 (location and date TBD).

HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION: Feel free to CONTACT DEB with any questions you may have.

Be sure you check out the WISH YOU WERE HERE collaborative project, developed by a group of photographers from Deb's past workshops. 
 

WORKSHOP TESTIMONIALS:

Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the CTJ workshop, I'm still processing everything and reading through threads on the forum.  And I will be moving forward with the neighborhood project that I started in CTJ.  Can't wait to share some images with you once I get a small portfolio together.  
One of my biggest goals this year is to develop a cohesive style across the board, the style of my client work does not match the style of my personal work and I think me catering to 'every woman' (like you said) is holding me back.  I want to fix this disconnect and am hoping that you can help me figure out the best way to do a model call.  I was thinking of offering three portfolio building, lifestyle newborn sessions in an effort to have enough photos to take down the styled newborns on my site and replace them with lifestyle images.  What do you think?
Lastly, a bazillion thank you's for the files from our family session.  What an amazing gift that I am so grateful for!  I really want to leave you with something special of your time in Florida before you and your family move on to your next phase.  Let's make sure we can get together before you leave this summer, I will be available whenever you are ready.
- Kim Turner-Smith

I just wanted to take a minute and tell you something. The other day I saw a friend and fellow photographer and as we were talking she said to me “I hope this doesn’t sound insulting, but I noticed your work is a lot more artistic since you took Deb’s workshop.” I told her I wasn’t insulted at all. I have been feeling that. That something has changed in me. I feel like there is my work that is “pre-Deb” and then “post-Deb”—really. I feel like you gave me the tools to search deep inside myself and find the courage to share and believe in work that was truly me. After the workshop, I still was struggling with believing in myself, but I think the thoughts and tools you instilled in us were there and I pushed through it. It is strange to say but I gave myself permission to believe in my work, and feel good about some of it, and I flipped the switch to believe and shut out the noise. There are days when I want to switch it off, when everything is telling me my work is bad, so and so’s is so much better, but I have resisted it. It feels so good. I also want to thank you for encouraging me to photograph my older boys more, not just my little daughter. Since your workshop I have been photographing them often and creating images that have depth and a deep sense of importance to me. SO I just wanted to say thank you. You really did inspire me during that short 2 week period in an art changing, soul searching kind of way.
- Melissa Lazuka

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Deb’s workshops gave me the tools to look at my photography on a deeper level, getting right to the roots of who I am and who I want to be as a photographer. Deb answers questions and shares with a refreshing openness and honesty. Deb’s workshops are without a doubt substance over style; they are intelligent and authentic, qualities that i have not always found elsewhere. I was left feeling not only inspired but truly empowered.
- Lili Love

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Deb is a goddess of inspiration, strength, and encouragement. She infuses life into us, reigniting our weary souls. So much so, yet so quietly and seamlessly. I know for a fact that I would not be where I am in my work and journey had it not been for her huge influence and encouragement. I have enjoyed the assignments here, but am enjoying a creativity surge overall. I am putting together my first serious series. My own personal project that has been tantalizing me for many months, but only now coming to fruition. I attribute it largely to being in her guidance and stealing a bit of the creative energy all throughout the threads here in CTJ.
- Cate Wnek

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I can't thank you enough for my weekend at the Tampa workshop.  It came at a time when I needed to pause and reflect on life and photography; to connect with others about art and our common journey.  Finally getting to meet you in person and give you a big hug was also so important.  We spend so much time in this digital age limited in our ability to connect in a truly human way.  Getting to see you work, to look at your work in person, and to shoot beside you and the other super talented participants was such a highlight.  And wrapping up the weekend with the portfolio review still resonates with me.  Sitting with you and the others discussing my work was a first and I learned so much from that experience.  I would do it again in a heart beat.
- Jennifer Capozzola

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I am blessed to have found Breaking the Mold and the follow-up course, Continuing the Journey. I am so sad that they have ended, but am so grateful as I am forever changed. I have never been so excited or enthused about the journey that I am headed on, and for the first time I am questioning all of the external "noise" and slowing starting to trust myself and my art. I have been encouraged to "keep going" and to follow my instincts, which I have been hesitant to do in the past. I got more out of this than I ever imagined and if I had to sum up my time in these courses, I would use words such as soulful, eye-opening, inspiring, thought-provoking and last but not least...definitely worth it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
- Becky Venteicher

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Thank you for being so open and forthright with your own journey and with answering the questions we posted.  It was obvious how your inspiration touched so many women in the class.  In your last workshop forum post you said you would welcome feedback, and I wanted to provide that to you.  I think that Breaking The Mold is an introductory class, and that there are some people out there that would benefit from being allowed to skip it and go to Continuing the Journey.  Perhaps a limited few could submit work and background for a review.  I researched your classes quite a bit, along with students' feedback, and I was finally able to take this class over a year after first coming across your work and your workshops.  I've reviewed the description for Breaking The Mold to understand if I misunderstood it at all.  I thought the elements in "topics that will be discussed"  would be more individualized for the participating members; that these specific topics would each be applied to our work that we posted or perhaps from exercises, and then feedback would be given by you, along with the other members.  
And maybe I was wrong to assume that this workshop would be like any of the photography classes I've taken - just crammed in to an intensive two week course.  This was my first online course, and I didn't know what to expect.  I think that you so successfully helped classmates turn inward and gain confidence in their work.  I have confidence already and I am secure in my direction.  I was never overwhelmed by the pace of the forum and threads, and I didn't feel like I struggled with any of it.  I wanted to struggle, so that I could grow.  What I thought I could gain out of the class is how to see my work in a different way, or to understand more.  What I get now is that the class is geared for a more generalized discussion of the basics.  I do not mean that to be insulting in any way...I mean it in a beginner's course type of way.
The class did inspire me to listen to my voice more, and that voice has given me some projects to work on and I look forward to seeing what I learn on my own from this journey.  I've also been successful in quieting the noise, and that's refreshing.  I had a nagging suspicion that the distractions were there, but didn't realize how persistent and time-wasting those extraneous annoyance were until you pointed them out in your post.  I hate that I had to give your course the feedback above.  I absolutely love your work, and I never tire of looking at it.  I do want you to know that I am happy that I took the class and that I don't regret it.  However, if I understood then what I know now about the basic and general teaching of this course, I wouldn't have signed up for it.  I would have emailed you to ask if perhaps the Continuing the Journey course may be a better fit, and if you ever make exceptions.
- C. Roese Ramp

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I just wanted to write and thank you again for the journey that was Breaking the Mold.  I'm not sure I will ever be able to fully explain what a difference this workshop has made, not only with my art, but with everything I put out into the world.  I came into the workshop expecting to be inspired to shoot more and be more authentic, but I left with so much more...the inspiration and confidence to not only shoot from the heart, but to live from the heart and to be truly authentic in all aspects of my life and work.  I am so grateful to you and the other workshop participants for sharing so freely and for making such an experience possible.  I would highly recommend this workshop to everyone regardless of where they are in their photographic/artistic journey.  
- Jodie Carson

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I just wanted to thank you for the truly life changing workshop you did on The Bloom Forum.  That workshop has had such an impact on my photography and my outlook.  I cannot even express with words how grateful I am.  I am now heading out to sessions feeling inspired, creative and excited!!  That had not happened for sometime.  
I am attaching an image named "for_deb" where in the past I NEVER would have thought to use this light during a session, but after you talked about it during the workshop I thought I would give it a try last night during a First Communion session and I'm so glad I did!!  I love the glowing feel it lent to the image.  In the past I never would have thought I could find so many opportunities to be creative at a First Communion session!!  I'm also attaching a silohuette I just love from the same session.  
Lots of Love!
-Ann Westerman

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Dear Deb, Shortly after our workshop, our family packed up and headed to the cottage for a couple of weeks. It was complete chaos and I didn't end up getting the time I needed to honestly reflect on what you gave to me at the workshop. I knew I had walked away refreshed, motivated, and inspired, but also knew that something deeper had happened in those two days.

I am home now and the kids are asleep. I can finally sit down, think, and write.

I can't thank you enough for your honesty and for presenting yourself as a "real" person. Until the workshop, you were some famous photographer that I worshiped. After the workshop you were Deb. Deb who had a dream, worked her ass off and is now one of the most talented photographers I know. You weren't handed your gift on a silver platter. I needed to see this more than you know. I needed to see that an everyday mommy like me, could be great at this art.

You took the time to explain things and teach things that I am sure are very second nature to you. I felt safe those two days knowing that I was there to learn and you were there to teach. No stupid questions could be asked.

An inside look into your work and how you approach a shoot and editing was incredible. I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned during that time!  You inspired me to keep going with this art and be honest and true on my journey. These words have not left my head. Before I arrived I wasn't sure if I should be doing this or return to teaching. I am now committed to this amazing art and have put teaching on the back burner. I understand I have a long road ahead and that there is no end to the journey. Before you, this would have scared the shit out of me. Now I am excited.

More than anything you have motivated me to KEEP GOING.

Deb, you were incredible those two days. I could have listened to you forever. You add so much value to this art and I respect you more than I can express.

THANK YOU for the opportunity to learn from you and get to know you. I would do this all over again in a heart beat. I hope that we will meet again some day but for now know that you have left a really big awesome mark in my world. So grateful for our time.
- Lisa Tullett

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I went into the workshop hoping to learn a whole lot technically to improve my own photography. What I came away with was that and so much more. I saw first hand how it wasn’t magic or luck which got you to where you are – it as a lot of hard work, finding an inspiration and following through with it. Watching your workflow from our discussions on inspiration and visualization, to watching you shoot and post-process. I realized that it is entirely possible that I can follow in your footsteps, put in the effort, and become an amazing artist. I can’t help but feel like I went into the workshop thinking I was a decent photographer and I left feeling like I was blossoming into an artist. I have since found inspiration coming to me so easily and in so many forms. My mind has been opened! I have all these images dancing in my head that I cannot wait to set up and photograph.

There wasn’t a question that was too simple and there was always time for another question. You shared everything that makes you who you are – an amazing photographer and an amazing person. I found inspiration not just in your product but in who you are and the amazing souls that were attracted to you and your workshop. I can’t begin to express how lovely it was that you weren’t just our fearless leader, but also just another friend in our group. I truly feel like I’ve gained a new friend in you!

As terrified as we all were of the portfolio review, I saw a light turn on in each one of us. My fear of discouragement was quickly dispelled as I saw my work in a whole new, positive light. I now feel empowered and excited for this long and amazing journey. I so cherish the time we all spent together and am so excited to now have such amazing people to share in this journey! Thank you!
- Carrie Cheng

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Deb, how on earth do I put it into words…. thank you just doesn’t cut it.

I feel so humbled to have been a part of your workshop. This experience is one I will never forget both for my journey as a photographer and also for me personally.

When I found out about your workshop, I just knew in my heart I had to be there and now that I’m home I just want to thank you so much for your beautifully kind heart, and all the experience and knowledge from your own journey that you so generously shared with us all.

I’m so happy to have met all the incredibly talented and special women that I shared this experience with and have made some wonderful new friendships too! It was seriously so much more than a photography workshop!!

So thank you. For bringing us all together, for sharing so much of yourself with us, and for giving me the courage to find my own path and my own vision…
- Megan Gardner