DOC GLIDEWELL'S SHOOTING BEAUTY - CAPTURE

Shoot The Centerfold Seminar

Reviewed by Doc Glidewell (doc@shootingbeauty.com)



By fortunate happenstance, I choose to write an article about Arny Freytag, a venerable master of Playboy centerfolds, just as Arny was about to begin a new educational venture with fellow photographers Jarmo Pohjaniemi and David Mecey. Called Shoot The Centerfold, the project offers seminars, workshops, and other products designed to pass on the techniques behind Playboy images to a new generation of photographers.

At Arny's invitation I attended their first presentation, a one-day seminar/workshop at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida and got a first-hand look at an extraordinary event: Extraordinary because one seldom has access to teachers of this quality, but also because of each instructor's openness in revealing their knowledge of the craft. I'm not sure one can say there are secrets in this business, but these men displayed a depth of knowledge that few photographers can match. The success of the event - and the student's consensus judged it very successful - hinged on the revelations of the instructors, their completely candid and detailed explanations of their work, as they did it.

Arny constructed his characteristically beautiful set with elaborate lighting and explained every piece, every light, in detail. Arny doesn't take photos, he assembles them. Jarmo likewise followed his instincts and put together a dramatic, high-contrast set featuring a vanity mirror with clear bulbs. His demonstration of how to balance the reflections and direct light sources was worth the price of admission alone. David built his set on an elevated platform and demonstrated his more aggressive style of moveable lights and the exploration of multiple angles. Mecey explained his high-energy, spontaneous shooting style and how he visually "roams" the set looking to catch the moment, the perfect image.

This was a "shakedown" event for STC, a prelude to their first two-day presentation upcoming in June, and a few rough edges showed. The projectors used to display camera images to the audience were not adequate to show the tonal subtleties the instructors were describing, and some lighting equipment, destined for Arny's mega-light set, was held up in shipping. But these shortcomings were trivial. By any standard, the seminar was a benchmark event and the audience reaction was uniformly enthusiastic.

In short, Arny, David and Jarmo's extensive knowledge made this seminar uniquely informative. Their willingness to freely answer questions and perform hands-on one-to-one assistance with each student made the event exceptional. Their tell-them-how-it's-done followed by help-them-to-do-it is clearly a winning format.

Next Stop: Vegas

The next STC event, a longer, two-day seminar and workshop, adds an extraordinary new feature: Gary Cole, Playboy's long-time Director of Photography, will offer scheduled evaluations of participant's portfolios, a unique chance to have one's work seen through the eyes of Playboy.

Three Playboy centerfolds: Ashley Hobbs, Kassie Lyn Logsdon, and Shanna Marie McLaughlin, will model for Arny, Jarmo, and David and for the workshop participants.

Scheduled for June 4th and 5th at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, the event costs $995 ($795 when booked on or before March 31st) and should be an even more valuable opportunity to learn the art of glamour photography from world-class photographers shooting the best of models. Contact them at www.ShootTheCenterfold.com.

Copyright 2011, R. A. Glidewell
Doc Glidewell can be reached at doc@shootingbeauty.com
Doc's OMP ID 15389