Maybe OSP should go down more often! I've been wanting to do this forever and finally found the time to get started. Thoughts?? Ideas? I'm so excited about this! The blog's been up one day and I've already gotten almost a dozen serious inquiries.

http://mamarazzischool.blogspot.com

I registered mamarazzischool.com and will be working on it in the next month or so. So here's a question ... as a photographer, would you be willing to teach MWACs?? I'd LOOOOVE to have this be more than a local thing. If I could find other photogs around the US to teach in their area, I'd love to list you on the site! Email me if you're interested!

For what it's worth, I know some of you will think this is an awful idea. I know some old-school photogs think helping MWACs is evil. Obviously, I disagree! The people I'm targetting are not budding photographers, just DIY-style moms who want to take better photos of their kids. I know sooooo many moms who have awesome cameras that stay on Auto all the time. It drives me CRAZY! These moms won't pay for photographers 'cause they feel like they already paid enough for their awesome camera, but they have no idea how to use that camera to take really great pictures. That's where I come in I really think it's gonna be a big hit around here!

Comments/Suggestions/Ideas DEFINITELY welcome!

XOXO, Sarah Q

Sarah,

I for one think the idea is awesome. I work as a nanny, and the families I always work for are always amazed with the pictures I take on vacations, or just when the kids are playing in the backyard. I try to help them learn to get comfortable with their cameras (which is what I think the main issue is...), and just encourage them to get out there and take more pictures. I lived in with a family for a year (way before I thought about doing this for real), and she still gushes that that year is the most documented in her boys' lives.

Anyhow, ROCK ON with your amazing self!

Mandi

Sarah, check out Me Ra Koh's blog... she is doing something very similar. I think she just release a video called: Refuse to Say Cheese, teaching parents to take better pics of their kids.

I think it is a great idea and new untapped market. Go for it!!!

Maybe a definition, "dictionary style" of Mamarazzi for those of us who haven't seen Jules' tagline or seen it somewhere else.

Mamarazzi
\Pronunciation:
\ˌmä-mə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sē\
Function:
noun
1: a mom with a camera who pursues great opportunities for the purpose of taking candid photographs of her child(ren)

Sarah,

great idea. can't wait to hear how everything turns out.

E

Sarah,

Digital is spelled wrong. You didn't send that out yet right?

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!


I was going to launch something almost just like this in San Diego.

It will be a shorter, cheaper, less extensive version of the workshop that Mera & I are doing, but I want to do it SOON!

I just haven't gotten the time to launch it.
I have the domain name (and a second one as well), I have a site up, but I haven't gotten the planning done yet!

The site I have now is http://www.myfuncamera.com
It's a good resource for gear, books, software, Mera's DVDs, etc.
I just want to add in some more San Diego things soon!

Awww, CRAP! Thanks for noticing that Matt! I can't belive I missed it!

I've booked three classes already in the FIRST DAY of this being posted on my blog! I'm SOOOOO EXCITED!

Carey - you'd do SOOOO great at this! Can I add your info to my blog? I'm trying to post up similar stuff for people who aren't in Texas and obviously can't come. I'm PMing MeRa to ask if I can sell her stuff, too. This is so much fun!

Thanks for the support everyone! You all ROCK!
XOXO, Sarah Q

I was just thinking about doing something along those lines with some women I know. They have nice cameras, but feel intimidated by the controls and the oh-so-not-fun manual. They want great images to go in their painstakingly crafted scrapbooks.

I think this is an AWESOME idea Sarah. I wish I were in TX.... isnt that a song?

This is awesome! I totally was thinking of doing this in my town. You have some great ideas on there. Maybe this will give me the push to do this myself.

Thank you.

Okay, so this is a CRAZY awesome market to get into! I've had a great response today from SOOOO many people! I have a feeling this is going to be BIG Whoo HOOO!

PS ... Check out http://www.cafepress.com/mamarazzishop. Yeah, baby!

I think that's a super cool idea. The only similarish classes I know about locally are through the college's continuing education. The scheduling is not flexible at all, and there were 60ish people in it when I took it as a pre-req for the advanced photoshop class, so no individual attention or photo critique.

I've GOT to get that! People in my town actually CALL me "Mamarazzi" because of my blog. Everywhere I go, it's "Hey Mamarazzi, how's business?" But I got no time to teach a class right now. Maybe some day.

Isn't "Mamarazzi" the most fun word ever?

UPDATE!!!! I posted my Mamarazzi School blog early this morning at around 6:00am. I sent an email to about 25 friends saying "Hey look at what I'm doing. Pass it around" and, as of ten minutes ago, I've had more than 500 HITS on the blog, three class bookings and a ton of inquiries. I've even sold a couple of t-shirts already!

So what have we learned here? Mamas want to LEARN! They have snazzy new cameras but no idea how to use them. They have money to burn but don't want to spend it on photography by someone else (who probably has the same equipment they do). They want to document their own children's lives and will JUMP on the opportunity of someone willing to teach them, even for a price.

This is a market I wish I had thought of getting into a long time ago. I think it's going to be a HUGE hit around here! The next step for me is getting an offical website up and running. After that, I'm hoping to add links to other photographers willing to teach around the country in their home cities. If you're interested in being involved, shoot me an email (sarah@roxyandkai.com)

A very excited Mamarazzi,
Sarah Q

Great idea! I've been seriously considering doing this. Another idea is to teach the highschool yearbook classes. I know there is a calling for it here. One of our local public schools sent their kids to atlanta (6 hour drive) to learn basics. The class wasn't even very good!

Anyway - i think this would be a great thing for me to do while i'm out of wedding shooting commission during my pregnancy. I was actually thinking of using the mamarazzi term before I saw this post... would you be offended if I used it?

Another thing to procrastinate about!

b

I actually just applied for a trademark of the name. I really want to start up a network of photographers with the new site. I'll keep OSP posted so stay tuned!!

XOXO, Sarah Q

YUP YUP YUP
Be sure to add links to http://www.refusetosaycheese.com
The DVDs are great, and the workshops are really cool.
I will be doing lower-cost, shorter versions in San Diego, too, I just need to get the time to launch it. The MyFunCamera.com was the start.
Feel free to link to MyFunCamera from your site, and I know that Mera would love you to link to refusetosaycheese.com as well!
Good job on the site! I'm excited for you!
Quick question though: Are the classes one-on-one? Just you & the person who signs up? Or are those group classes?
I am going to do group classes, maybe 5 or 6 moms TOPS, for a morning class (3-4 hours) that includes camera how-to, real-life shooting, and a little bit of Photoshopping.

Hey, thats awesome! I hope you are successful with that.

I was actually going to edit that part out of my post. I realized it really wouldn't fit what I want to do anyway since I want to teach other people other than moms.

Thanks for helping to get the ideas rolling!

b

Will do Carey!! I'm hoping to have a "real" site up and running in the next few weeks. I'm so excited about all the positive feedback!!

My "classes" are going to be one-on-one. I've thought about letting two or three moms split the cost and do a full day class together, but I haven't gotten that far yet. I'm not sure I could handle a big class by myself. Maybe. We'll see how the one-on-ones go first!

Hey Sarah! Love your marketing for this workshop! The color, the image, it's AWESOME!!

I'm SUPER excited for you!!! Brian and I started targeting the "aspiring moms" with our first workshop last January (07). And can I just say that the last 12 months have blown us away b/c of how big this need is in the consumer market!

In 12 months we went from trying out a local workshop in our hometown to having the next four book out and an average of 7 of 10 women always flying in from around the country. In the mix we produced a DVD series for moms that others have referred to already on this thread, launched a website for our other products for moms and aspiring photographers and launched a City Tour of workshops for women in 2008. In the midst, moms have gone crazy with passing our blog around and Brian and I almost fell over backwards when our blog stats said that we're averaging 10,000 unique visitors a month!

It's seriously insane! To say that you're jumping into a great market is a serious understatement!

Adobe has jumped on board also and are now official sponsors of the workshops. They totally want to reach this population. They're even running a two page ad in a photography magazine just on our workshops with some of our attendees photos. Isn't that fun, the moms are SO EXCITED to have their photos in print!

We've also been approached by TV producers and another large corporation (which fingers crossed) could be the BIGGEST news we've ever posted on OSP. (prayers, prayers, prayers--we'll keep you posted!)

If there is anything Brian and I can do to help you get your wkshps off the ground let us know. We've definitely been learning a lot about teaching workshops and marketing to the consumer market. We're actually doing a workshop in TX in October as part of our City Tour. If you wanted to sit in you could see how Brian and I do it, what we give them, structure of the day, etc. Just let us know!!!

Honestly, the demand in this market is so crazy and overwhelming. We just did a local workshop this last weekend, and I still can't believe moms are flying in from Florida, Maryland and CA to learn how to use their cameras. It's almost mind boggling, but so fun at the same time! And yet, a whole different business aside from weddings!! Ahhhh! Our heads are spinning.

To see our workshops, DVD and 101 Kits (these are more for Prof. Photographers), check out the Refuse site!

And Carey, your new site www.myfuncamera.com is AWESOME!!! I'm so liking it!! Been trying to IM you, you silly girl!!

Me Ra! I'm so glad you jumped in here!!! I sent you an email earlier asking about possibly selling your DVDs and books through my (not quite up yet) website. I would ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOOVE to sit in on your workshop in October! Where in Texas are you going to be? Not that it matters - I'll be there, no matter WHAT. Thanks so much for offering your support! I'm going to email you again ... you need to be my friend, girl! (Not like you have time for new friends!)

XOXOXO, Sarah Q

Hey Sarah!

Just got your email and emailed back!

I had a session booked, contract signed, retainer paid before Christmas, session scheduled for March. Mom called me the other day wanting her money back because her husband gave her a nice camera for Christmas and now she'd changed her mind and doesn't want to spend money on photography. My contract says "no refund" on retainers, so she's still going to do the session, but not until fall. We talked for a long while about how she can learn to use the camera, and learn to use editing software to create books and slide shows. I was very helpful and positive with her.

AND, I pointed out that by fall she'll probably like to have a few pictures of her family that actually show HER in the pictures. She hadn't thought of it that way.

There is still a need for a photographer to capture the entire family once in a while.

And I will add that there is still a huge market for professional services like custom-designed high-end albums that don't require mom to lift a finger (literally).

I'm not putting down the idea of teaching. It's just that there's way more to it than learning all the buttons on on your fancy new camera.

Sarah... this is a great idea! I have friend and acquaintances asking for camera and photoshop help all the time. I have been asked to speak at mother's groups as well, and the mom's are so hungry to learn all this stuff.

Nice site girlie!!

Just jumping in on this because I just got back from taking Keira to the pediatrician (she's got an ear infection in both ears) and the doctor and I got to talking about his kids and how he wishes he could take better photos and bam, next thing I know, he's willing to market classes for me to the moms of the doctor's office and there are SEVEN doctors in the practice.

Than I jumped on OSP and saw this thread! How fun is this. It's seriously an untapped market and I'm excited about helping out fellow mommy's in need!

Edit: Sarah, I just emailed you.

ooh oooh Krystal, you are only 4 hrs from me. If you have a class and I am not broker than a joke, I would definately love to learn from u.

keep checking the blog! i'll put an announcement up as soon as i can get stuff figured out.

this is so funny, a year ago my husband (who has no photography interest) told me to start dong these locally due to the number of calls I was getting. I decided to start them this year and just read him this post. (he thought he was so unique he he. I am excited to hear how yours work out, my site launches soon.

Would I be a total dork if I ordered something... I think its SO cute, especially the kids stuff

Of course not!! Go for it!! I got a shirt and have been wearing it all the time!

awesome