FILM IS NOT DEAD 2013/2014

So, we are down to the last couple of spots left for the FILM IS NOT DEAD workshop in 2013. As of today (9.30), this is what is left :

New Orleans LA | Nov 12th-14th | 1 spot left
Miami FL | Dec 10th-12th | 5 spots left

This is also the official announcement that after 2014, FIND will no longer be traveling. After 2014, the workshop will be here, on Oahu. So if you have been waiting for FIND to come to you, 2013/14 is your last chance. That is unless you come to Oahu :).

It is not hard to find what past attendees have said about this workshop. A little google will go a long way (Exhibit A | Exhibit B). I'm not one to really try and sell you on it through my own words..

I just got back (as in last Friday night) from FIND (FILM IS NOT DEAD) Minneapolis and last month wrapped FIND Tahoe. I wanted to share a couple reviews for you if you are on the fence about this workshop...



I really don't want to write a review for FIND Tahoe, because that will mean that it is over. I waited for over a year to attend FIND, so there was a lot of anticipation! It is hard to admit that the workshop has come and gone. Who wants to let go of a life changing opportunity?

And FIND did change my life. From the very moment I paid the deposit, and became a “FINDer”.

I am not in business, I only shot film as a hobby, for myself. I am a mom who homeschools three kids, and often can't remember what I ate for breakfast. I thought I struggled to get others to take my
photography seriously. But really, the problem has always been me. I didn't really believe in myself.Oh, I knew I took pictures, and I knew I was learning to shoot film, but I didn't think I was worth it. And isn't that what it all comes down to? What we think we are worth?

Plunking down the $500 deposit for FIND was hard. It was like outing myself. Suddenly I couldn't hide that I really wanted to be a serious photographer. I was worried that those other photographers
would realize that I wasn't one of them.

It wouldn't have mattered even if they had discovered I was an amateur. FINDers have, hands down, without exception, proven to be the coolest group of people I have ever met. Something about Jon, or
about shooting film, has drawn together this eclectic group of photographers who genuinely want to help each other. The knowledge that resides in this group of people astounds me. The level of sharing
is amazing.

The cost of FIND would have been worth it just for the community.

The workshop itself was very intense. There are plenty of online reviews that detail what goes down, day by day. All of that is important, I guess. I learned a TON. But the part that changed my life
wasn't about f-stops or ISOs, it was about being taken seriously, and being shown my worth. Jon teaches from a place of incredible authenticity and passion. He wants every FINDer to love film, and
to succeed in whatever they are trying to achieve. Jon isn't trying to make everyone into “Jonathan Canlas”. He is trying to reach inside you and pull out the best of you, and make it better.

You don't have to be a pro to attend FIND. Jon will meet you where you are. And then he will teach you, and push you, and push you some more. And at some point you will find yourself thinking “I had
no idea I could do that.”

I think it will take a long time for me to process all of the lessons of FIND.

Should you attend FIND? Absolutely.

--Rebecca Boxwell



It is hard to put into words all that make up the FIND workshop. It is film, and the love of a medium that speaks straight to the soul. It is years of Jon’s business experience, of mistakes made, learned from, and shared so that you too can learn and grow. It is photography expertise, both from a technical and personal standpoint, and stunning imagery that tells so many stories. It is being surrounded by a group of people who share the same passion that you do, regardless of where each of you is in your photographic journey. It’s the chance to stand back and learn from other photographers in action, doing what they love and then getting the opportunity to do the same. It’s shared experiences, meeting wonderful people, couples, and families. It’s taking the time to slow down to truly see and appreciate the place you are in. It’s support and encouragement that last far beyond the length of any workshop.

As I look back on my time at FIND, I have realized it is about these things and even so much more. Over the course of those three days there is more information than you can imagine, presented in a way that is helpful, rather than completely overwhelming. I worked to soak up as much information as I possibly could and on the closing day, all of this information clicked for me in a way I never expected. One of the things that makes FIND so different is that Jon not only shares what he knows, he shares his heart. And in that closing moment, as he shared why it is he does what he does, FIND turned into exactly what I knew I needed more than anything else. It became exactly what I was there to find. All of the technical and business know-how are the essentials to what this workshop is, but in the process, they also take on a whole new meaning. They become the tools to support something so much greater. Without all of these things…business, technical, heart…working together, with clear purpose, something is missing. And I know that is what I had been missing for so long. Watching Jon at work and listening as he shares, it is obvious. Nothing is wasted. Every frame, every movement, every instruction is full of intention, with purpose behind it. Each image created is working as a collaboration, telling a story through details. To tell the greater story that makes up who Jon is and what his life is about.

That one main purpose in your heart. The intention that drives all else. Your voice. Your why. That is the heart of FIND. Film. Business. Passion. Each working together. As Jon says, you have to define what “home means to you, when you find that, you will find your voice.” He makes it clear. Go and shoot. Shoot what you love because in the process of looking, your voice finds you. And because of FIND I now have both the passion and the tools to share my why with the world. For that I could never say enough... Jon Canlas. Thank You.

Morgan Alexander



Is it a film vs digital thing? No. Is it trying to be cool? Nah. Is it going backwards on the road of progress? Not at all. So, what’s this all about?

This trip is about more than choosing the medium (film or digital) that your image is captured on and how to run a business doing it. Yes, the foundations of how to shoot film and run a successful business are covered, and I’ll add that they are covered better than I could have imagined. It goes beyond that though. It’s taking a look at how you spend your time, what your intentions are, the attitude you have, and what it actually means to love photography. It’s about discovering, refining, and forever moving forward with your ‘voice’.

This whole idea/community/brand of FIND was created by Jonathan Canlas. He is an extremely talented photographer and business man, an advocate for shooting film (placing a heavier focus on the principles of shooting film, rather than pitting digital and film against each other), and has become someone I am proud to call a friend. He’s been graced with a big heart full of passion for his family, his ‘voice’, and the life that he gets to enjoy them in.

The most saturated portion of what I’ve talked about happens on these FIND workshops. He has them all over the world about once a month and mine was in Lake Tahoe, CA, this past August. This was essentially a 5 day intensive trip with 11 strangers where Jon poured out everything he knows, along with anything any attendee asked for, in regards to those three things; shooting film, running a business, and using your voice.

One of the best parts about this trip, and this was echoed by other attendees who had been to other photographer's workshops, was that Jon wasn't there to be adored for his successes. Yes, he's wildly talented and would rightfully be able to get a few pats on the back for the work he produces, but that's not him. He works as hard as he can, loves his job, and goes home to be with his biggest passion, his family. He genuinely wants each FINDer (someone who attends a FIND workshop) to love what they do and succeed at doing it. He wants every person to find their voice, apply it, and continue to develop it. He challenges and encourages each person to figure out their goals and then supplies every single tool he possibly can to help them get there. The whole trip is very challenging and yet extremely uplifting.

We learned together, shot together, and ate together. These strangers became friends as we all took a few steps further in our individual journeys as a family of FINDers.

You can look at the workshop schedule, pricing, the day to day activity breakdown, and any other questions you may have by visiting filmisnotdead.com or emailing Jon personally. At the end of the day though, if you call yourself a photographer in any way, I would strongly recommend going to a FIND workshop and becoming a part of this lovely FIND family.

It’s true. Film is not dead.

Bryce Souve

Ready to sign up? Do so HERE.