The three-day Overgaard Photo Seminar & Advanced Workshop in New York is limited to 10 participants.

Location will be The Ace Hotel in the center of Manhattan, a happening hotel in brit-rock style with a first class espresso bar and happening lounge area.

Have a look at:

Overgaard New York in Monochrom
Project

The Story Behind That Picture:
"The Masterclass Experience".

"A New York Minute"

It is a combination of the Overgaard Photo Seminar and the Overgaard Advanced Workshop tailored to bring you up to an advanced level on using your camera equipment, setting up a workflow on your computer, editing and presenting images, and shooting different assignments.

The Overgaard Workshpp is tailored to bring you up to an advanced level on using your camera equipment, setting up a workflow on your computer, editing and presenting images, and shooting different assignments.

Have a look at this page withphotos and testemonials from the Masterclass Workshop!

Use the button to check out via PayPal
if you are sure, or send an e-mail to
thorsten@overgaard.dk for further
info, to reserve a space, or to require
invoice payable via bank transfer.

This event is hosted by:

Photographer Services, Inc. - Hollywood.

Send an e-mail to
psi@photographer-services-inc.com
for further info on future workshop dates.

See Frequently Asked Questions
and reviews from former participants
in the bottom of this page.

Have a look at the
Overgaard New York
in Monochrom Project

Other workshop dates and locations:
See the Overgaard Workshop Calendar

"My new friend Thorsten von Overgaard, world-renowned photographer from Denmark.

"The last four days have been the experience of a lifetime.

"I'm coming home to San Antonio with a tremendous sense of freedom rather than pressure. I feel like the Universe has given me the green light to further develop my own style, rather than copying trends.

"I am humbled by the inspiration of Thorsten and my 9 classmates. Filled with awe at the magic of photography."

"It's really changed my perception on photography and technique as a whole."

"Just a short note to say how much I enjoyed your seminar this past weekend.

You were able to clear up most of my photography questions and give me a
great deal of other things to think about in image capture and techniques.
Confidence in color was the real treat of the weekend".

"Thanks again for a fantastic workshop – it was a highlight of my summer".

"It was a pleasure to work and play with all of you for the last four days or so.
A great experience I won't soon forget. Now I have 11 new friends from round the world.
I'll make sure to let you know if I'm in your neck of the woods in the future …

Many thanks to Joy for dressing up and posing out in the hot sun for our photo shoot.
I'm sure it wasn't easy! Very much appreciated!

And of course many thanks to Thorsten for being so patient and working through the details of being an excellent Leica photographer … Searching out the light and introducing us to his efficient workflow processing procedure over the last four days.  

I will/am approaching my photography in a much different light now compared to my photography life prior to the course. Awesome! Talk soon".

"Thanks to everyone for making this a thoroughly enjoyable workshop 
– very atypical from those that I've taken in the past.

Thorsten, the way you've mixed the practical (technical) and the craftsmanship of making a good image with arguably the best tools out there left me with very actionable takeaways.

Thorsten and Joy - thank you for being wonderful gracious hosts and I hope our paths will cross again.  Best to all ... keep looking at your hand for the good light".

"Here I am, back in Argentina. I've been thinking about the workshop we attended
the last several days, and I'm still thinking about it.

Thorsten's job was very professional and complete. And the style he suggested fitted exactly with my way of thinking photography: Search for the light, then search for the subject.

The use of Leica lenses wide open (with the help of ND filters) - Oh! - the terrific photographs really explode in my computer. Thank you Thorsten, Joy and all of you!

Those four days will be unforgettable to me".

"Simple the best - I learnt a lot from you at the Photo Seminar.
It was great to spend a lot of time with you and your experience.

I am still deeply impressed and these were very memorable days for me.
I highly recommend Thorsten's photo seminar to anyone.
Now it is time for my homework!"

"I certainly picked a unique workshop to attend. It was a three-day high level and informative conversation. Kind of like strolling around chatting with your favorite college philosophy professor...

I'm a veteran of at least twenty workshops in the past ten years. The scary thing about workshops is you really don't know what you've gotten yourself into until you are deep into it, and of course by then it's too late to do anything about it... 

This Thorsten Overgaard Workshop was a gem."

"Photography has become dear to my heart again. Hope we have still some time to spend together."

Frequently Asked Questions
about Thorsten Overgaard Workshop and Masterclass

Where to stay

Hotel and travel is not included in the workshop fee. Usually participants choose the hotel chain which they prefer, or the airbnb.com apartment/room that suits their liking. Some pick a place close to the workshop location, while others choose a very different location so as to experience another area of the city as well. The workshop is pretty draining on energy, so generally I recommend a time-saving location over lofty quality. You'll sleep like a baby and won't have much time or energy to enjoy the luxury of the hotel. 

AirBnb is an interesting way to experience a city and is how I travel 60% of the time:
Use this link to get $25 off: www.airbnb.com/c/tovergaard

How to get around

I prefer to learn the public transportation system in a new place. But not everywhere is it the way to get around. Other times I use Uber.com which is drivers you require via the Uber App on your phone. You don't have to speak the language or be able to read the street names to get from A to B, and when you are done, the trip is charged to your credit card or PayPal. No need for discussing prices, cash or card. Any complaints, their customer service returns to you within an hour with apology and your money back.   

How to book flights

I use kayak.com to research flights and either buy via the links on that website, or I use my travel agent, Caroline, located in Los Angeles to figure it all out (feel free to email me to get her name and contact info).

Often I use what I’ve learned of flight times and prices on kayak.com to go to the airline’s own website and book the flight there, or tell my flight booker what I found and see if she can improve upon it.

I book flights based on flight times and prices. I don't go for the cheapest flights but the ones that have shorter flight times, less stops and the ones that allow me have a good sleep and get to the airport at a civilized time of the day. Often those flights are not more than a few dollars more expensive than the long flights with lots of stops. You just have to scroll down the page to notice them and see what is possible. People who don't travel a lot usually look for the cheapest flights, missing better flights for almost no extra cost.

When it gets too complicated, I have my travel agent research it. She knows who provides the best service, the shortest routes and the nicest people.  

A Workshop in my own city or far and away?

The workshops tend to be a little like a kindergarten. Professional people (who are usually very busy) get to explore their passion for photography exclusively in a place they always wanted to go to. Often the time outside the workshop participants use to explore restaurants, shops or museums they always wanted to visit, meet up with old friends, etc.

On the other hand it is also very practical to do a workshop in your own city.  It's not as distraction-free because the office or spouse might call in the middle of the fun. The advantage is that you will learn to see the possibilities in your own place and never ever again hear yourself say, "there's nothing to photograph in my city".

Workshop or a Masterclass?

In truth, do what fits with the location and date. Here's why:

All my Workshops are tailored for anyone who had a Leica for two weeks or 30 years. We go over the focusing, exposure and other issues that are always a concern. Nobody is left behind and everybody learns something new.  

All my workshops have lots of time for talking and questions, live demonstrations and how to get things to work better.

There is a large emphasis on workflow and sharing in the workshop. That means getting your digital files under control and setting up a way to work that allows you to concentrate on taking photographs and making great results, without spending much time by the computer.  If you hate computers - or even if you love them - you will enjoy the breeze of sanity in your digital life, that Thorsten Overgaard offers.

The participants in the workshop, you will find, are very different, yet very compatible. We all share a passion for photography, and often a passion for Leica. Not surprisingly, we have the same values and viewpoints on many things in life. You will find there is lots to talk about and much experience to share that isn't directly related to photography. 

All participants are professionals in their walks of life, who above all, try to simplify things and are now passionate about becoming just as competent in their photography as they are in the rest of their life.

The Masterclass is different in the way that participants are generally expected to know the basics of photography and cameras and have some experience. It was originally developed to accommodate a wish for "the next workshop". To say it as it is, in the Masterclass we do the same basic theory and training as in the Workshop. Nobody is too old or experienced to learn new tricks and just because you have owned a camera a long time doesn’t mean you know all there is to know. The route to simplicity is to truly understand, so we don’t take anything for granted. 

In the Masterclass you are not expected to be a master, only that you aim to become one.   

Doing a Workshop or Masterclass again

A great deal of those who have participated in an Overgaard Workshop or Overgaard Masterclass come back to do another workshop the same year or some years later. There is no “elevated” program for return students, because each workshop is the same but also a new and different experience. And each workshop is an individual session with Thorsten Overgaard and a new group of compatible, likeminded people.

The workshop if first and foremost indulgence in your passion for photography in such concentrated dozes as you have never experienced before! Return participants often have some certain goals or subjects they want to explore more. Each workshop tends to take the individual participants from where they are now, to a new level.    

Schedule of 3-day and 4-day workshop

Some times the Workshop or Masterclass is four days, some times three days.
Most workshops are 3-day workshops now as it has proven to be a very workable format.

		3-day workshop schedule:				4-day workshop schedule:
		Before workshop study You get a PDF booket with theory and inspirational notes to study.		17:00 - 20:00		Schedule Day 1 Introduction and theory (includes a PDF of paper copy) .
10:00 – 11:30 11:30 – 12:30 12:30 – 13:30 13:30 – 17:00		Schedule Day 1 Introduction and camera settings. Walkabout. Lunch. Walkabout.		10:00 – 11:00 11:00 – 12:30 12:30 – 13:30 13:30 – 17:00		Schedule Day 2 Camera settings. Walkabout. Lunch. Walkabout.
10:00 – 12:00 12:00 – 12:30 12:30 - 13:30 13:30 - 16:30 16:30 - 17:00		Schedule Day 2 Thorsten talk on on workflow. Import of photos from the walkabout. Lunch. Editing of our own photos. Sharing photographs.		10:00 – 12:00 12:00 – 12:30 12:30 - 13:30 13:30 - 16:30 16:30 - 17:00		Schedule Day 3 Thorsten talk on on workflow. Import of photos from the walkabout. Lunch. Editing of our own photos. Sharing photographs.
10:00 – 11:30 11:30 - 12:30 12:30 - 13:30 13:30 - 16:03 16:30 - 17:00		Schedule Day 3 Portrait photography. Model shoot. Lunch. Import and editing. Sharing photographs.		10:00 – 11:30 11:30 - 12:30 12:30 - 13:30 13:30 - 16:03 16:30 - 17:00		Schedule Day 4 Portrait photography. Model shoot. Lunch. Import and editing. Sharing photographs.
		After workshop references We share our selected photos to a hard drive that everyone copy to their computer  before we leave. As notes to the workflow part you get the Lightroom Survival Kit (included in the workshop fee).				After workshop references We share our selected photos to a hard drive that everyone copy to their computer  before we leave. As notes to the workflow part you get the Lightroom Survival Kit (included in the workshop fee).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which computer do I need for photography?

Here are recommendations for your next computer, before or after a Thorsten Overgaard Workshop: Apple computers has traditionally been the ibest for photography workflow. I used to say that, even if you work with a PC for work, consider an Apple for your photography. But well, things are changing. Apple seem to have a hard time to keep up, and meanwhile for example the Microsoft Surface computer prove to be an excellent platform for photo editing. So, if you heard me say "get a Mac" in the past, let me modify it to, "Consider a Mac, but if you're willing to work with the PC interface, consider a Microsoft Surface computer".

The Microsoft Surface Pro computer where you can take off the keyboard and use the screen with a pencil, or a wheel you attach (magnetically) to the screen. They come as 15" with 1TB and i7 Quad-core processors. See MacRumors review of MacBook Pro vs Microsoft Surface.

Generally, I recommend getting the fastest MacBook Pro available, if you want to be mobile, with the 15" Retina screen, or a 13" with external Eizo or other large screen if you want to be mobile, but perform most final editing work at home. Change computer every 18-36 months to stay in the loop with the fastest technology (things change so fast that a 3 year old computer tends to be really slow).

MacBook Pro 15". As of 2018, the Mid 2015 model is still the fastest for photo editing.

Much less computer power needed if you use Capture One, than if you use Adobe Lightroom CC

Adobe Lightroom CC Classic tend to bog down the computer when it (imports and) build previews, and (since Lightroom CC Classic 2018, also) when it exports JPG's. Traditionally, the processor power of the computer is used to build previews and calculate resized exports in JPG or TIFF. That's when the computer sounds like a hairdryer.

Capture One doesn't bog down the computer (at all) when it exports), and the building of previews upon import is very fast and slick. This of course implies that something is not completely right in the way Lightroom works, and whatever that is, the conclusion is that Capture One works faster. Much faster.

With the new MacBook Pro (2018) reaching beyond $8,000 for the absolute power and largest 4TB hard drive, the option to use a 2015 model, or a smaller model of any of them, is relevant.

Speed comparison Lightroom vs. Capture One:

This is how big a difference there is working with Lightroom 7 and Capture One 11. This test was performed with 346 DNG files from 24MP camera (= size 20-30 MB each) using a Mac Book Pro 15" (Late 2016) with 2TB hard drive, 16GB ram:

		LIGHTROOM CC Classic 7		Capture One Pro 11
Import of 346 DNG files from SD-card		2:11 min		2:09 min
Making 1:1 previews of 346 DNG files		13:40 min		3:55 min
Export of files ** (346 web-sized JPG's)		3:45 min		3:20 min
Total waiting time for import, preview and export of 346 pictures		19:36 min		9:24 Min
Delay in showing a full-size preview		1.2 Sec		0.1 Sec

Speed comparison of MacBook Pro using Lightroom:

If you use Lightroom, which many Leica users still does because it traditionally comes with the Leica camera, you should be aware which Mac computer works the fastest. This is how big a difference there is working with Lightroom 6.x. This test was performed with 346 DNG files from 24MP camera (= size 20-30 MB each). The 2017 model is not in this comparison but was tested to be generally 7% faster than the 2016 model (no reason to upgrade from the 2016 to the 2017 model). I will be testing the 2018 model at a later point and expect it to be on level, or better than, the 2015 model.

MacBook Air 11 (Mid 2013) 1.7 Ghz i7 processor 512 GB hard drive Intel 1.5 GB 1 Thunderbolt 2 USB $1,700 in 2013

MacBook Pro 15" (Late 2013) 2.6 Ghz i7 Quad processor 1 TB hard drive NVIDIA 750M 2 GB 2 Thunderbolt 2 USB 3 SD-card reader $3,300 in 2013

MacBook Pro 15" (Mid 2015) 2.8 Ghz i7 Quad processor 1 TB hard drive AMD 2GB 2 Thunderbolt 2 USB 3 SD-card reader $3,100 in 2016 B&H Photo / Amazon

MacBook Pro 13" (Late 2016) 2.9 Ghz i5 Duo processor 512GB hard drive 8GB RAM Iris Graphics 550 4 x USB-C/ Tunderbolt 3 $1,899 in 2017 B&H Photo

MacBook Pro 13" (Late 2016) 3.3 Ghz i7 Duo processor 1 TB hard drive 16GB RAM Iris Graphics 550 2GB 4 x USB-C/ Tunderbolt 3 $2,899 in 2017 B&H Photo

MacBook Pro 15" (Late 2016) 2.9 Ghz i7 Quad processor 2 TB hard drive 16GB RAM AMD Radeon Pro 460 GPU 4GB 4 x USB-C/ Tunderbolt 3 $4,299 in 2017 B&H Photo

Import into Lightroom 6 of 346 DNG files from SD-card

11:31 min (External USB reader)

2:14 min (built-in SD reader)

1:54 min (built-in SD reader)

9:54 min (USB to USB-C dongle)

7:53 min (USB to USB-C dongle)

2:11 min (External USB-C reader)

Making 1:1 previews of 346 DNG files

26:34 min

21:32 min

11:48 min

17:43 min

17:08 min

13:40 min

Export of files ** (346 web-sized JPG's)

24:16 Min

4:44 Min

3:12 Min

7:33 Min

7:30 min

3:45 min

Total waiting time for import, preview and export of 346 pictures **

62:21 Min

28:30 Min

16:54 Min

35:10 Min

32:31 Min

19:36 Min

SSD hard drive/Flash Memory read/write/copy speed *

200MB/sec

800MB/sec

2000MB/sec

1900MB/sec

1950MB/sec

1950MB/sec

Delay in showing a full-size preview in Develop Mode *

3-5 Sec

0.3 Sec

0.1 Sec

2.0 Sec

2.0 Sec

1,2 Sec

* = When you edit in Lightroom on a computer, the computer depend on the hard drive and not the processor/RAM to show previews immediately. ** = Export of files in other sizes than original uses the processor to resize the files.

Big screen

If you want to work on a large screen at home, I recommend getting one or two external screens that connects to your portable, rather than having a "large computer" at home and a "small computer" for travel. It's much easier to have just one computer and not having to sync two computers; and you can invest the money in one really fast computer.

I used to have a workspace with two 30" Apple Cinema screens run by a MacBook Pro. © 2014-2017 Thorsten Overgaard.

I like Eizo ColorEdge screens for the image quality and 98% of Adobe RGB color space shown, as well as the mechanical quality. They connect to the MacBook Pro via a USB Type-C -> DisplayPort cable, and to Microsoft Surface Pro via an PM200 cable (Mini DisplayPort -> DisplayPort).

Always buy the fastest model available

No matter which MacBook model you buy, upgrade the processor to the fastest possible model, and consider to upgrade the hard drive to the largest available.

In the MacBook Air series, they usually come with an i5 processor, but upgrading to the i7 will increase the speed for photography workflow 4X and only cost $150.

The MacBook 12" is cute, has a great screen, but is also the slowest model for photography workflow. My mother has one and loves it, but she's 70 years old and only uses it for e-mail and online banking.

If you visit an Apple store and compare the 13" MacBook Air with the 15" MacBook Pro, you will realize that there's not much difference in size. So, why not get the computer with the largest screen and most speed?

Even I travel 49 of the years 52 weeks, I've choosen the MacBook Pro 15" every time, and I've picked the fastest model available every time. I travel with my computer, but I never really carry it around. I park it in a hotel or apartment, and when I travel to the next place I put it in my bag until I arrive in the next place. Only if you always (or often) carry your computer around town with you does it makes sense to get a smaller model.

Currently, the MacBook Pro 15" (Late 2016) with 2.9 Ghz and 2TB hard drive may be the choice for slick design, better screen and the 2TB hard drive. But in terms of speed, the previous 2015 model is actually 14% faster for Lightroom.

Currently, the new MacBook Pro 15" (Mid 2018) with 2.9 Ghz i9 processor (when you add $300 for upgrade from 2.6 Ghz i7 processor) and 2TB hard drive ($4,699 at BH Photo) is likely to the first of the new MacBook Pro's that is actaully faster than the previous silver 2015 model.

Maybe in an attempt to sell cloud storage, the SSD disk space has become extremely expensive. The 4TH model is + $2,000 for the extra two TB. If you downgrade from 2TB to 1TB, the price of the computer is 'only' $3,899 at BH Photo.

With it the new MacBook Pro's (Late 2016, Mid 2017 and Mid 2018 models) comes the pain of new Thunderbolt 3/USB-C connections and no SD-card reader built-in.

LaCie 5TB harddrive USB-C		LaCie 4TB harddrive USB3 with USB-C dongle

Design

The MacBook Pro does have a slick design. After having looked at Joy using a less-than-impressive in terms of speed 13"' for some weeks, I started looking at my 2015 macbook as a clunky device. The fingerprint opening of the new MacBook is a nice feature together with other things that makes the Late 2016, Mid 2017 and Mid 2018 model a pleasure to use.

The four similar connections is a freedom, once you get harddrives, SD-card readers and all that connects to the Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports. And unlike the iPhone, it still has a mini jack for headphones!

No more SD-card reader in the Late 2016, Mid 2017 and Mid 2018 MacBook Pro computers

	StarTech SD-card reader is $30 at BH PHoto

Apple doesn't even make or sell (in the Apple Store) a SD card reader, so you have to visit BH Photo, Amazon or eBay to find a third party SD card reader that goes into the USB-C plug, or a traditional SD card reader with USB and use a USB-C to USB3 dongle.

Using a USB 3 card reader via a dongle is extremely slow. There are more and more USB-C readers available. The one I got is the StarTech ($30).

Then a few weeks later, I got the SanDisk USB-C reader, and that one is better:

The SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II Card USB-C reader does the job. © 2017 Thorsten Overgaard.

Work simply on a laptop when on the road, and offload to external drives when back home. Here's my hotel room in Jakarta. Leica M 240 with Leica 50mm Noctilux. © 2013-2018 Thorsten Overgaard

USB-C is not the same as Thunderbolt 3

The plug for USB-C is the same as for Thunderbolt 3. The confusion on this is so great that the staff in the Apple Store doesn't always know. They will claim it is the same speed. It's not. Thunderbolt 3 is four times faster than USB-C, and that is important when buying a new hard drive: LaCie makes hard drives with USB-C (USB 3.1) connections and Thunderbolt 3 connections for this reason, but many portable drives have just USB-C connection. USB-C speed is rated as 10GB/sec and Thunderbolt 3 is rated as 40GB/sec. This is so little known, most will claim USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 is the same connection and speed (though it was specified in the 40 page document following the release of the MacBook Late 2016).

Thunderbolt 3 hard drives
Hard drives with USB-C are not the same as Thunderbolt 3. The LaCie 6TB, 8TB and 10TB d2 drives are the first ones with real Thunderbolt 3 cables and speeds.

My LaCie 10TB drives with one USB-C connection (top) and two Thunderbolt 3 connections. It's $500 for this model at BH Photo. The cables for USB-C (has a USB-symbol) and Thunderbolt 3 (has a thunder synbol and 3) are different.

Look at performance, don't listen to the hype

When the new MacBook Pro was announced, it was announced as "Metal on all four sides" and "17% thinner than the previous model" and so on. That's how they sold us Thunderbolt some years ago and that's how the MacBook 12" may sound great (even it is the worst for picture editing).

It's difficult to not get enthusiastic about the new, but make speed comparisons before you go get it all.

Read the numbers carefully below, not the names of the connections!

Which external hard drives do I need for photography?

You need external hard drives for storage, and you usually need two so that one is your storage, the other is your backup. In other words, you always buy two, four, six or eight hard drives at a time.

Portable hard drives have a live span of 12-18 months before you want to replace them with a bigger one. You think they will last forever, but your need for storage grows faster than you think. The good news is that price of hard drive space drops with the same speed as your need more space.

This is how big (or little) a difference there is between USB and Thunderbolt, and that Thunderbolt 2 surprisingly is faster than Thunderbolt 3 (tested with Blackmagic Sped Test):

		USB 3 portable hard drive 2 TB from BH Photo / Amazon 4 TB from BH Photo / Amazon		Thunderbolt portable hard drive 4 TB from BH Photo / Amazon		USB-C portable hard drive LaCie Porsche 2TB BH Photo		Thunderbolt 2 desktop hard drive LaCie 6TB		Thunderbolt 3 desktop hard drive LaCie 10TB BH Photo
Read/write/copy speed *		75 MB/sec		80 MB/sec
Read/write/copy speed with MacBook USB-C (Late 2016) via dongle to USB 3		75 MB/sec		80 MB/sec
Read/write/copy speed with MacBook USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 (Late 2016/Mid 2017)						103MB/sec		137MB/sec		117MB/sec
* = Specifications of USB 3.1 says they can do 1,250MB/sec and specifications of Thunderbolt 2 says 2,500MB/sec. That's in theory. If you test them on your machine with a free program like Blackmagic Disk Speed Test, you will see the actual value ((which of course depends as well on your machine's hard drive (5400 RMP or 7200 ROM or SSD). Specifications for FireWire 400 said 100-400MB/sec and FireWire 800 said 800MB/sec.

As you can see, the extra price of Thunderbolt external hard drives (usually $100-$200 per hard drive) isn't warranted by the 6% faster speed compared to USB 3. Thunderbolt 3 is greatly improved speed compared to USB-C.

With new MacBook Pro 15" (Late 2016, Mid 2017 and Mid 2018) that has four Thunderbolt 3 conncetions (which looks the same as USB-C), you don't really have a choice. You can use dongles/converters for a while, but all future things you buy should be directed towards USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 (when Thunderbolt came out, you could get FireWire to Thunderbolt converters, and they work; but you want clean cables without having to use dongles/converters).

My portable hard drives are currently 4TB LaCie Rugged (USB3) and 2TB Western Digital (USB3) and 2TB USB-C LaCie Porsche.

Remember, you will buy a new one anyways in 12-18 months. Go with USB 3if you can, and don't spend much time reconsidering this decision until portable SSD hard drives come down into a reasonable price range. (There will be coming a new type of SSD hard drives that you can expand unlimited - e-mail me for more info on this so you get a notice when they are available). 

Make sure to avoid portable hard drives that require external power supply! Not much compactness in having a small drive that needs a power supply. A portable hard drive should be powered by the USB or Thunderbolt cable. 

Desktop hard drives are a little different in that they last for 3-5 years. Then you want to upgrade them to larger ones because you need more space and the connections becomes obsolete. FireWire 400 (invented 1995) and FireWire 800 (introduced 2009) have died out. Again, time works for you, the price of a top-of-the-line 120 GB hard drive in 2000 was $400 back then, and a 6,000 GB hard drive today costs $400 as well. 

This is how big (or small) a difference there is between FireWire 800, USB3, Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3:

		FireWire 800 hard drive		USB 3 hard drive		Thunderbolt 2 desktop hard drive LaCie 6TB		Thunderbolt 3 desktop hard drive LaCie 10TB BH Photo
Read/write/copy speed		71 MB/sec		75 MB/sec		137MB/sec		117MB/sec

The lesson on FireWire, USB, Thunderbolt and the new Apple USB-C Port is that it's the size of the connections that change dramatically, not so much the speed. But the hype with each new type makes you buy new equipment, and that's the main feature.

The USB-C is genius in that it is one connections for power, drives, screens and all. But don't believe for a second it's faster.

Some of my external hard drives. FireWire/Thunderbolt in the background, USB backup drives on the front, and USB3 portable hard drives for travel.

USB desktop hard drives vs
Thunderbolt desktop hard drives

You can set up several USB 3 external hard drives via an $18 USB 3.1 Hub so they are all connected at the same time. As the Hub provides power as well, you can actually go with portable drives instead of the Desktop hard drives (that all requires a separate power supply). If you don't depend on speed but use the connected hard drives for archiving (and photo editing, video editing, etc. on the much faster internal SSD/Flash Memory), this is actually worth considering. The USB hub also can charge iPhones and stuff.  

Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 hard drives can be connected in "daiseychain" which means you have one cable going out of the Mac to the first hard drive, then a Thunderbolt from that to the next and from that to the next. They are all connected this way, although it requires that the desktop hard drive needs two Thunderbolt connections (one in and one out).  

One of the problems with Thunderbolt 2 is that the cables go black for no reason. They simply stop working. Some times, after some weeks of rest they may work normally again. If you have a rather complicated setup of drives it's annoying to locate the faulty cable and replace it. Others have reported that Thunderbolt cables caused errors that wiped their hard drives. All in all, it's an easy technology but not a very stable one. We all got into it because "Thunderbolt" sounds so cool, and it's the future (and who doesn't want to be in that?). 

	Sanho 5-in-1 hub for MacBook USB-C is necessary in order to plug in more than one thing. It's a mess..!

Next thing will be USB-C which was introduced on the MacBook 12" in 2015 and that's also what is on the new redesigned MacBook Pro (Late 2016), wich they call Thunderbolt 3 on that one. (It has 4 Thunderbolt 3 connections and nothing else).

Thunderbolt 3 read/write supposedly up to 4X faster than USB-C even they plugs look the same. If you connect a USB hard drive via the USB>USB-C dongle, the speed will obviously be that of the slowest cable.

In the MacBook 12" it's very unpractical as it is the one and only connection for power, hard drives, scanners, phones and all. "Be careful what you wish for", as the Apple CEO said about that feature.

Do what seems most practical. As long as you have backup of your hard drives, the problems will never be bigger than what you can overcome. I very much buy hard drives the same way I buy Xerox paper:  the price per pack for 500 sheets of Xerox paper, and the price for a 1TB hard drive. I simply make a piece of paper where I list and compare the current models: Speed, Connections, price per TB). If I had smaller storage needs, I would use portable hard drives only. Nice, easy and compact. 

As I don't expect any of my desktop hard drives to be with me for more than 3-5 years, I don't invest in one large system or one large 30TB hard drive. I buy a hard drive that will keep me going for a while; and in 6-9 months when I need more space, I compare and get the next one.

Price comparison of hard drives (July 2018)

		USB 3:		Thunder-bolt 2:		USB-C:		Thunder- bolt 3:
LaCie 5TB Rugged portable HD				$50 per 1 TB BH Photo
WD 2TB portable HD		$32 per 1 TB BH Photo / Amazon
LaCie 4 TB Rugged portable HD		$35 per 1 TB BH Photo / Amazon		$85 per 1 TB BH Photo / Amazon		$40 per 1 TB BH Photo
SanDisk 960GB Portable SSD		$499 per 1 TB BH Photo / Amazon
LaCie Porsche 2TB LaCie Porsche 5TB						$46 per 1 TB $32 per 1 TB BH Photo
LaCie 10 TB Desktop HD								$50 per 1 TB BH Photo
LaCie 20 TB Dock RAID w SD card reader and more								$54 per 1 TB BH Photo

Best buy in hard drives:

As of July 2018, the 20TB Thunderbolt 3 DOCK with raid and several connections, as well as memory card reader, is a really good price per TB. See review here. Price $ 1,095 at BH Photo.

In portable hard drives, my favorite is the 2TB LaCie Porsche because it's so slim ($46 per 1 TB). The bulkier 5TB is only $32 per 1TB which is the best price across the lines of portable USB-C drives, but a chunk of metal. It's okay if you have a pocket or place for it in the bag.

The complete workflow of Thorsten Overgaard,
made easy with pre-flight checklists and step-by-step introductions on how to set up and use Capture One Pro.

The Capture One Surival Kit also includes simple and to-the-point tools on how to use Meda Pro for Digital Asset Management catalogs, Photoshop for better clarity, how to do backup and how to organize pictures archives and bakup.

Also: Specialized first-help chapters on how to
escape Apple Photos, how to empty photos out of an iPhone, how to get out of Lightroom CC ... and more.

For computer, iPad, smartphone and Kindle.

Thorsten Overgaard
Capture One Survival Kit 11

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You can download a number of film styles, matte styles, black and white styles and more to use in capture One. Write in "Enter Promotional Code": AMBOVERGAARD for 10% discount on the Capture One Styles download page.

Capture One with discount

You need the desktop software application "Capture One Pro" to utilize my Capture One Pro Surivival Kit and to edit pictures in Capture One. You can download both Capture One Pro software and software updates:
Write in "Enter Promotional Code": AMBOVERGAARD for 10% discount in checkout on the
Capture One download page.

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop:

"The Overgaard Photography Workshop is an investment that pays immediate dividends.

In four short days there was a marked swagger in my step. This may sound irrelevant to photography, but in my opinion it’s one of the unspoken tangibles that make professional photographers like Thorsten so damn good – their confidence is able to make them disappear in a sense, and put their subjects at ease.

The funny thing about this is that it wasn't something discussed during the workshop, it was something that I learned from observing Thorsten work. The way he moved without hesitation, the manner in which he sized up his subject, and got the shot and moved on. Quick, clean, and confident! For me, that was the most valuable part of the workshop – spending four days at the elbow of a professional photographer!

What an experience!

I came away excited, eager, and confident that I could produce the kind of photographs I've always envied!

Thank you to my friend Thorsten! Some time in the future, somewhere in the world, our paths will cross again!"

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshops in Rome and Paris:

"Thank you for the Rome workshop.

The last days I spent with you in Rome I have done once before. So why do it again? Same type of workshop and with the same photographer.

Simply because I was so inspired by the first workshop two years ago, that I felt I would (and could) squeeze even more out of you a second time.

Of course some repetition was present on theory but two photo shootings are newer the same, and you always get new information there either wasn't presented the first time, or that you did not grasp at that time.

My overall goal taking part in the Rome Workshop was to focus much on the light, which I can transfer to future photo and television news stories that I produce.

And I got it!

The hands-on practice and advice from you benefits both experienced pro's like my self, and amateurs who wants to step up a level. So with my tired feet walking around hot Rome, I now will go back to work and let the experiences and inspiration go into my photography works.

You are newer too old, too experienced or (especially) too good to learn. Thank you for good company and learning experiences. Thank you to Princess Joy villa and Robin Isabella as well!"

Review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop in Berlin:

"The Berlin Workshop is still resonating with me. It was truly a great experience, and was really nice to meet you and your family!"

"I wanted to take a moment and thank you again for all of the inspiration you give to so many of us. Earlier this evening I participated in an art show. Now, I have to admit that there are few things more satisfying as an artist than knowing that someone is not only willing to pay for your photographs but display them in their home or office. Thank you for all you do."

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshp:

"I diligently edit and process my images after every shoot as taught in your workshop and am always up to date with my images.

I have had your New Inspiration Course for a couple of days and have viewed all videos. I recently submitted a few images to a gallery in Portland for an exhibit.

I will continue to refine and work on the things you have talked about."

"It was a wonderful time, so many wonderful lasting friendships developed in this workshops!"

"Since we have met in the Overgaard Workshop Amsterdam I have been going wild making photos. Your approach really enabled me to make a steep change in making and processing photos. Many thanks for this!"

"I’m more confidence in doing portraits after the workshop."

"The Berlin Workshop is still resonating with me. It was truly a great experience, and was really nice to meet you and your family!"

Thorsten Overgaard Workshop Review:

"Thorsten, I appreciate the genuine way in which you continue to communicate with your students and admire your success in creating a community of enthusiasts around you.

"I was such a beginner when I did your workshop that it has taken me quite a while to incorporate what you taught us into my photographic life.

"I remember you are not a fan of spending hours on a photo, and nor am I – indeed one of the benefits of the workshop was to show how one could spend more time out and about with the camera".

"Thank you again for sharing the basics of your craft with us in Milano! It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope to find another opportunity to join one of your future classes in a different city soon!"

"Thanks a lot for a great workshop in Stockholm - it was f…… fun and inspiring."

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Paris:

"Thank you for the great days and your hospitality. Besides meeting you, Joy and the others and having a good time, the workshop inspired me a lot and I learnt lots of new things.

I took more photos than I usually take and was more courageous as well in shooting people. That was great! I´m really happy with the results and what I did.

There is also an element of frustration about start working with the photos in a better way, to learn more, to improve, to take more time for photography. Let's see what changes this might lead to".

"It was a good time in Paris, it really inspired me a lot. And good to get to know you."

"Thanks for an inspiring workshop and nice company in a lovely city. It was really great getting together with you and be in the Leica-bubble for a few days. I liked the relaxed atmosphere and learning from you"

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Hong Kong:

"It was a great pleasure spending the past three days with you guys. It was a lot of fun walking around Hong Kong with our Leica. 

Thank you Thorsten for sharing your professional experience with us, it really changed my point of view on keeping data files. With the advancement of technologies, we must keep a set of data which can take the test of times. That's a very important message amongst others that I learned in the past three days.

In the meantime, always carry your camera and be ready for the next shot!"

"First of all my gratitude goes to Thorsten who wants to share his knowledge about (Leica) photography, answering to all our recurring questions.

His methodology is perhaps not what hardware-, software-, cloud-, ...companies want us to do but as a former IT engineer I can only acknowledge his views about preserving our digital "heritage".

Unfortunately the times of the shoe boxes with our 10x15cm photographs are gone (with or without the negatives). Some markings on the envelope and that was it. Some had photo albums for the major events. The advantage of the old system is that anyone could view your pictures without any specialised hardware. I have some 19th century negative glass plates and you can still see what's on it alas in negative.

Recently I found back some negatives my grandfather took in the first WW with his Kodak Vestpocket camera ... In a world full of digital wonders like smart phones we never take so much pictures as nowadays as a society. Most of these pictures are lost or will be lost shortly because of a new smart phone, hard disk crash, incompetence of the user. The chance your hard drive crashes is higher than of your home burns down.

The workflow explained is for me the best I have ever seen. The portrait session; we missed the model but Bengt did a great job. He has FB profile photos for the next 10 years...

Explaining how to observe the light... It was a pleasure to meet you all in this fantastic workshop in Amsterdam, hope we will keep in touch somehow."

"Than you for an inspiring course in Stockholm, and thanks to your expansive personality and great camera knowledge, lightly conveyed.

The Lightroom Survival Kit will help me remember the intricacies of geting the raw file into a great picture."

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Vienna, Austria:

"I would like to say thank you for the workshop. It was a great experience of realizing my potential, capturing important hints and of course meeting you personally.

It was a pleasure for me to join you and the Leica fellows these summer days in Vienna."

"I just wanted to write and say it was a very inspiring three days with you all - I learned a lot from everyone. It was a pleasure to meet you all and hope to see many more of your photos in the future.

Thank you for this Thorsten. It was a great use of three days and you really taught me a lot and inspired me very much, not only in photography but music and life. I look forward to when our paths cross again. All the best man."

Review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop in Rome, Italy:

"I enjoyed myself very much in the Rome Workshop. I learned a lot, and only now the full experience is sinking in.

Thank you. I am trying make the New York Monochrome Masterclass.

All the best to Princess Joy Villa and Robin Isabella".

"This is just to let you know that I had a great time these last three days in Amsterdam. We had a good group and I liked the relaxed way in which you approach photagraphy. I picked up a number of valuable ideas and technical tricks. Thanks a lot!"

"I take the opportunity to thank everybody for having the pleasure of sharing fantastic moments with you all."

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Sydney, Australia:

"Thank you again for the great time in Sydney. It was (and I say this quite seriously) a life changing experience. I'm a lot more confident to take and show my photos now. You should be proud that you have obviously brought knowledge and confidence to so many people. I will see you again some time in the future for a refresher."

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Malmo, Sweden:

"I was participant on your photo workshops in Malmo in 2011 and 2012. My abilities increased beyond imagination after that. Will you be offering a workshop only about portrait photography?"

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Berlin, Germany:

"Meeting you was one of the most memorable things in my life!"

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Bangkok, Thailand:

"I'm one of the luckiest guys in the world who have chance to attend the Thorsten Overgaard workshop in Bangkok."

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop:

"I also wanted to express my gratitude again for the great workshop experience. As you know, I have been rediscovering my love of photography, and I feel that – beyond everything I learned about light, technique and software – I really took a giant step forward in "seeing" again, and in embracing the sheer fun of making photos.

I think your design of the workshop os right on the mark. The full day of ambling around, looking for the beautiful light, and taking (hopefully) great photos. I know it worked for me (since I was up at 3 AM trying to take pictures of the downtown skyline).

I feel energized about my photography, and am planning on getting much more involved with it over the coming months. I've been taking photos of fun things in the countryside on my way to work (I drive through about thirty miles of fields, dairies, falling-down buildings, old and rusting farm equipment and so on). I'm also learning more about both Lightroom and Media Pro.

So, thanks again for a great experience. I hope to take another of your workshops again."

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in Seoul, Korea:

"Dear Thorsten and Joy, I wish to thank you and Joy for a wonderful four days of photography. From the first day of theory to the last day of choosing our best, it was a wonderful experience that inspired me to take more pictures and share them with others.

I learned a great deal from your critical comments and also your showing how to improve the final picture through minor adjustments in Lightroom. Many of my friends have a heavy hand with Lightroom but you showed us how to adjust the camera so that minimal post processing was necessary to have a good final product.

Joy was also such a pleasure to be with. She is such a professional in her chosen field of modeling, entertainment and production. Her sharing of this knowledge with us was a compliment to Thorsten's photographic knowledge. She was also very flexible and willing to share her poetry with us after coming out of the cold of Seoul's winter too.

I will always remember those four days as being very special because of both of you. When you come to Seoul again, I plan to be there!

Again thank you for a wonderful photo experience."

"I'll add my thanks to everyone for making this a thoroughly enjoyable workshop -- very atypical from those that I've taken in the past. 

Thorsten, the way you've mixed the practical (technical) and the craftsmanship of making a good image with arguably the best tools out there left me with very actionable take-aways.

Thorsten and Joy - thank you for being wonderful gracious hosts and hope our paths will cross again."

"If you want to feel more confident with photographing and editing your photos from DNGs to finished pictures and have fun while doing it, I can warmly recommend attending Thorsten’s workshop. Not only did he help me shoot with more confidence, but he also taught me his editing workflow. He has a pleasant way of instructing and he inspires his students to develop a style of their own."

"Thanks for pushing your students to use those extreme apertures more frequently. Fun stuff.
I hope you are well wherever you are."

"It was a great pleasure spending the past three days with you guys. It was a lot of fun walking around Hong Kong with our Leica cameras.  

Let us share this passion and try to get together with each other and share our creations over coffee, lunch or dinner.  

Thank you Thorsten for sharing your professional experience with us, it really changed my point of view on keeping data files. With the advancement of technologies, we must keep a set of data which can take the test of times. That’s a very important message amongst others that I learned in the past three days.

In the meantime, always carry your camera and be ready for the next shot!  Let’s try to get together again!"

"I would like to say thank you for the workshop we recently had. It was a great experience of realising my potential, capturing important hints and of course meeting you personally. It was a pleasure for me to join you and the few Leica fellows these summer days in Vienna."

"Thanks again for a fantastic workshop in Montreal. it was a highlight of my summer."

"Just a short note to say how much I enjoyed your seminar this past weekend in Havana. You were able to clear up most of my photography questions and give me a great deal of other things to think about in image capture and techniques.

I am still quite rusty on the Lightroom use and manipulation, but I suspect that will be secondary to capturing good images going forward. Confidence in color was the real treat of the weekend."

"It was a pleasure to work and play with all of you for the last four days. A great experience I won’t soon forget. Now I have 11 new friends from around the world.

Many thanks to Joy for dressing up and posing out in the hot sun for a few hours for our photo shoot - I’m sure it wasn’t easy! Very much appreciated!!

And of course many thanks to Thorsten for being so patient and working through the details of being an excellent Leica photographer … searching out the light and introducing us to his efficient workflow processing procedure.  I am approaching my photographer in a much different light now, compared to my photography life prior to the course.

Awesome!"

"Thank you for a great couple of days. It has been super fun and educational. I enjoyed our conversations, and now when I’ve looked through your best pics, I feel humble and starting to realise that I have a lot to learn.

Thank you Thorsten and thank you Joy for all support and I wish you both the best of luck with future endeavours.

Fun to meet so many more Leica users. I would love to keep in touch so if you are on Facebook"

"Many thanks for a terrific workshop! Cannot tell you how much I enjoyed learning from you and with colleagues (and new friends) from around the world. I feel that my skills improved, and everyone learned in a very relaxed manner. Joy was extraordinarily gracious to work with all of the students."

"what a magical three days!!! I greatly appreciated being with such a terrific, interesting and compatible group, and learning not only from Thorsten and Joy, but from each other."

"I've had some time to reflect on the Perth workshop and wanted to send you a note to say a big thank you for everything that you taught me over the four days!

It was fun, relaxed, informative and a really positive environment. You and Joy complimented each other perfectly, your collective enthusiasm is infectious and you've changed the way I look at the world. 

The three key things I took away from the workshop are:
1) love your gear,
2) keep it simple, and
3) just do it!

I now understand why people who attend one workshop are likely to do another one. I think attending a second workshop would be like listening to your favourite song with really good headphones - you get so much more out of it! I will definitely be back!

I can't recommend your workshop highly enough - if anyone is even considering it they should definitely do it (although, be prepared to want more Leica gear)!"

"Enjoying my photography more than ever since the workshop. Love the monochrome Leica."

"Thanks again for the GREAT workshop experience.

It is going to take me awhile to return to (almost) normal after the last several days. I have photo and software details swirling around in my brain, and am trying to assimilate it all. I hope the three of you had a good trip this morning and that you have a wonderful time in Florida as well."

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop in Perth, Australia:

"I've had some time to reflect on the Perth Workshop and wanted to send you a note to say a big thank you for everything that you taught me over the four days.

It was fun, relaxed, informative and a really positive environment. You and Joy complimented each other perfectly, your collective enthusiasm is infectious and you've changed the way I look at the world.

I now understand why people who attend one workshop are likely to do another one. I think attending a second workshop would be like listening to your favourite song with really good headphones - you get so much more out of it! I will definitely be back!

I can't recommend your workshop highly enough - if anyone is even considering it they should definitely do it (although; be prepared to want more Leica gear)!

Since finishing the workshop I've bought a light meter and ordered a WhiBal card and a Rock'n'Roll camera strap from Tie Her Up. I've downloaded the workshop notes and saved them to my iPad for holiday reading and will get a new Apple laptop and some hard drives in the new year, start going through all my photos and set up the workflow you taught us.

Most importantly, I'm now carrying the Leica X Vario with me more often!

Until we meet again, keep having fun and spreading the love!"

"I’ve been several days thinking about the workshop we attended, and I’m still thinking about it!

Throsten's job was very professional and complete. And the style he suggested fitted exactly with my way of thinking photography: search for the light, then search for the subject. The use of Leica lenses wide open (with the help of ND filters) - terrific!

My photographs really explode in my computer. Thank you Thorsten and Joy, those four days wil be unforgetable to me."

"Three pleasant days have changed forever, years of strong image production.

Congratualtion to Thorsten who could immediately create a team spirit maintain everybody's 3 days 110 % focus on improving ."

"I had a great time also. Since I only bought my first Leica about 3 months ago, I know I have a lot to learn, and I really feel I have a superb jump start with all of you help. Thanks Thorsten, Joy and everyone else. Please let’s stay in touch."

"Thorsten, thanks for another great experience. I look forward to one in Toronto or Montreal!"

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop:

"Thanks again for the GREAT workshop experience!

It is going to take me a while to return to (almost) normal after the last several days. I have photo and software details swirling around in my brain, and I am trying to assimilate it all."

"I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for a really fantastic workshop and the time spent together. This weekend will always be very well remembered!"

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop in Hong Kong:

"Thanks again for an amazing experience. Definitely keen to do another workshop with you both in the near future to hone my skills. Apologies for having to run out constantly. Thanks again for everything."

Review of the Thorsten Overgaard Workshop in London:

"I was in a flat spot with my picture making, I was reading your blog which I follow with great interest. Your blog said 'wear your camera and get out and do something'.

Well after a bit of thought, I went out and put on an exhibition of 80 pictures in our local library exhibition room. This turned out to be very successful with photographic societies and others visiting the exhibition.

Thank you for having inspired me!"

"Now, 10 days after of our workshop I am feeling even much more grateful to your three days of relaxed lesson. I have been shooting every day and I can notice your legacy more present in my photos .

I have been changing all my image workflow and now it is simpler , faster and much better final result
Many thanks and congratulation your teaching system that keep people improving, it doesn't finish when at workshop ends."

"Thank you Thorsten. I'll try and get at least one image everyday. "

Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop Review:

"Towards the end of 2012, I purchased a Leica M9P camera and Leica 35mm lens; I did not know how much this little black box was about to shape all of 2013 for me.

In Jan 2013 I attended a four-day workshop in London with Danish photographer Thorsten Overgaard. It was, not only, an incredibly informative few days but also tons of fun and I met some wonderful people. The encouragement I got from Thorsten and everyone else gave me an incredible boost to get 2013 started. In fact I loved the workshop so much I immediately enrolled on the Sept 13 session which turned out to be even better.

I found Thorsten's straightforward approach to both using the camera and towards editing extremely refreshing but it was the way he taught me how to look for light that, honestly, changed the way I view the world.

I see differently now and because of that I also think differently. I've started to compose and record music in a way that is much clearer and for the first time in my career true to how I want to hear it."
(Feel free to see images on my blog).

User review of the Thorsten von Overgaard Workshop in Sydney, Australia:

"First of all I would like to thank you for some very educational and inspirational days in Sydney. I feel that I've grown a lot as a photographer, not only through what you taught us, but also by just observing how you move and interact with subjects on the street. And your "All you need is love" approach to photography is the best advise I've ever received as a photographer.

I'm still aiming for my "less is more" approach to photography. If something doesn't add to the story you’re trying to tell then try to crop it out (preferably in camera) or wait for the right moment when there are no distractions. I just had another look at your website and one of my favorite photos is of the Sikh reading a book shot with the 80mm Summilux-R. There must be hundreds of people in that photo but they all add to the story and therefore not a single one should be cropped. Very inspiring indeed!

Hope to see you again in the future, in Australia or somewhere else around the world. All the best."