Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 9000, ƒ/6.3, 1/100

Jon Franz, senior creative director for Kimberly-Clark, was a joy to get to know on our trip to Romania. For Jon, this is the first time I have had a role reversal while teaching a creative director. Typically creative directors hire people like me and give them direction.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/4.8, 1/160

As you can see from these first two photos, Jon likes to have fun. In the second photo is James Dockery, senior editor with ESPN, on the left; Tom Kilpatrick, adjunct professor of photography at Covenant College and Lee University; and Jon Franz is photobombing. Tom Kilpatrick was one of Jon’s teachers at Temple College.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/5.6, 1/160

Jon is trying to get some moving b-roll from the top of the car as we drive into a Romanian village.

As hard as Jon liked to play, he also put much effort into hard work.

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 1800, ƒ/5, 1/100

Jon spent a lot of time reviewing his work and looking for ways to improve it, and then would go back out and shoot more b-roll to help refine his project. So here he is, working next to Hannah Strayer.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 7200, ƒ/4.8, 1/100

You can see how much Jon reviewed his work with workshop leader Jeff Raymond. Next, Jon went to all three instructors to see how we reacted to the package. Each of us had an opinion, and Jon would decide how to proceed. Sometimes taking our ideas, and other times just inspiring him to come up with another way to help fix a problem.

He had a difficult job of capturing a Romanian pastor who was doing work with the Gypsies. He wanted to capture their poverty but also treat them with honor, dignity, and respect in how he told their story.

Jon found stock photography that he had rights to use for the project to help tell the history. I think he did a great job of blending b-roll with his audio. Could you take a look at his project?

Maybe you are like Jon Franz. Jon had directed significant projects but had never done it all himself. He also realized that if he wanted to help out his church covering missions, they wouldn’t have the budget to send what was his regular working crew for him to direct. So Jon used this trip to learn to do it alone as a one-person communications force.

If you have experience in the industry but haven’t had the chance to do it all by yourself like Jon, then send me an email, and I will put you on the list to tell you about the upcoming workshops I am doing next year just like this workshop. Here is my email address [email protected].