A story has it that someone once asked Pablo Picasso to do a drawing. Five minutes later, after he was done, he asked for $5,000. “Why, you only took five minutes”, said the customer. “No – I took my entire life”, said the artist.

I know how he felt. I am getting ready for tomorrow’s all-day workshop in Mono, an hour north of Toronto.

Like the last ones, it will be a lot of fun, as students learn and practice with light, modifiers, camera techniques, modern hardware, and more.

Evanna Mills; photo Michael Willems

But I realise it is taking me all day to prepare: packing up the entire studio, getting the presentation materials and hardware ready; deciding on the shots, doing the logistics.

But that is the half of it. The best part of teaching is that if you do it well, you bring a lifetime of experience to the table. That’s what makes it satisfying. And that’s what the secret is, more than the day itself.

Back to packing lights, backdrops, softboxes, pocketwizards, cameras, and more.