Three Days in New Orleans

The first time I saw a latent image appear on this square piece of card snatched from the side of my Uncle's polaroid, I was hooked. A quiet passion erupted in in me. Unable to purchase a camera at the time, I read everything I could get my hands on in reference to photography. Not only did I fall in love with the art form, but I became a fan of several photographers, studying their work and acquiring knowledge along the way. This was over 40 years ago...

Since then, I've photographed countless portraits, headshots, parties, weddings, artist & musicians. It's been quite a ride. And during all this time I continue to be a fan of photography and photographers. From the documentarian artistry of Gordon Parks to the wedding artistry of contemporary Jerry Ghionis, I remain a fan of this art form.

So, I have a love/hate relationship with social media. On one hand you can connect with people that prior to this medium, you would only see their names as a byline in a magazine. On the other hand, the medium is being used for so much disinformation it's sickening. But I digress...

About ten years ago through social media I stumbled upon an Artist who's worked moved me in a way that I hadn't been moved in years. They say great art evokes emotion and curiosity. Well my curiosity got the best of me and reached out to this Artist with questions. I suggested that he should have a workshop someday and he honestly stated, I haven't the time, I'm on tour. Yes, a photographer on tour, needless to say my interest was piqued.

Fast forward 10 years later and I am in the process of the closing my Brick & Mortar studio and feeling a lull of photographic passion, this Artist announces his very first 3-day workshop for photographers in New Orleans. I love his work and I love New Orleans, no brainer. I booked.

The Artist that I speak of is Saddi Khali. If you're not familiar with his work, you can see it here. I'm an introvert by nature, so meeting new people as I get older has become a bit of a task. Meeting Saddi was like reconnecting with your favorite cousin you hadn't seen in years, again social media breeds familiarity, however you really don't know until you actually meet someone in person.

Day 1 was basically a meet a greet scheduled from 7-9pm. Well, 9pm turned into 1:30 am. We ended the night at Soule' Café with some libations and crawfish. I learned so much about myself as an artist, if that was the end of the workshop, it would have been worth the trip and the cost, but it wasn't.

Day 2 we continued the conversation from the previous evening and was later joined by model and previous client Dyvine. This was unexpected, but an added bonus because we were actually able to interview one of Saddi's clients and shadow Saddi as he photographed her. We also created images of our own and picked Saddi's mind during the process. Dyvine was divine and the consummate professional. We wrapped up the evening over dinner at Mid-City's Neyow's and a trip down Bayou Rd.

Day 3 we reconvened to go over the images we created and discuss the process. Saddi shared so much information and was open to any questions. He shared technique, philosophy and business. We wrapped up this afternoon over lunch at the Ruby Slipper.

All these years in the photography field and this is the first time I've ever attended a photography workshop. I have no regrets...

If you are you a photographer interested in adding Boudoir, Implied Nude and Art Nude photography to your list of skills, follow "The Photovangelist" Saddi Khali on instagram for his upcoming workshops.

One love.

~ Oliphant