A review that one of my students wrote about his experience taking one of my online courses:
I’ve just completed the “The World, The World: Through Your Lens” at The Compelling Image – Taught by Dan Bailey.
I was a little suspicious at first as to whether this was going to work for me – I Have a busy job, and I live in Egypt, my friend on the same course was in Singapore and Dan was in Alaska… yet the course structure, combined with Dan’s style, humor and professionalism shrunk the time zones. Very quickly this felt like a mentoring relationship rather than Instructor-Student.
Dan’s objectivity, experience and perception allow him to deliver compelling critiques – always fair, always honest and incredibly insightful. If something didn’t quite work, Dan tells you why and gives suggestions as to how a subtle change here or there could produce a different outcome. His style is a mix of gentle encouragement, lots of advice, lots of feedback and lots of empathy. I found myself being pushed – in the nicest possible way – to think differently, to compose differently and my pictures, style and confidence changes rapidly over the course.
The course itself is superb – not an easy course because each week the assignments stretch you further. But you start to view things differently: It becomes about light, composition, use of the right lens, trying something different. You start to see the world around you through the possibilities that those lenses provide and you look at things with a new perspective. Your confidence builds and your pictures become better. A couple of mine got close to being compelling!
It s a great course – it’s really easy to fit in around work commitments; its great fun, you learn, discuss and get support from a great team. But the best thing about TCI – and I have done a couple now – is the quality and access to top professionals. Dan was no exception. Your photography cannot help but improve – and rapidly! Best value I have spent on photography in years!
My next session of online classes at The Compelling Image begins in July.
