If you’re looking for a way to level up your photography, you may have considered a photo workshop. These workshops are designed to help elevate your photography skills by allowing you to shoot alongside a professional or expert in your field. With that being said, these workshops are generally not cheap, and photographers may consider whether or not attending a workshop will yield sufficient results for the cost. While there are workshops of all types, the most common workshops are catered towards landscape or portrait photographers, which happen to be two of the most popular genres of photography. In this guide, we’ll be diving into discussing the benefits of attending a photo workshop, how to choose the right fit, and how you can prepare once you’ve made a decision.
Benefits of Attending a Workshop
If your ultimate goal is to improve at photography, a workshop is one of the fastest ways to do it. While there are practically unlimited resources available online, learning via YouTube or other premium video courses or books can be a much slower process. The main benefit of the workshop is being able to be in the field with an instructor who can assess your skills and cater to you personally, answering your questions on demand.
Additionally, many workshops help you build a portfolio of images. Most will bring you to a beautiful location at just the right time, and hopefully, the workshop you attend will be led by an instructor who knows the area you’ll be photographing very well. In addition to improving your skills, your workshop may also have some guiding aspects to it, where the instructor can ensure you are in the right place at the right time.
Finally, don’t underestimate the value of the relationships you’ll build while on a workshop. Many of the other participants are likely at a similar level to you in their hobby, so you can make real connections and friendships that last a lifetime.
The Difference Between a Workshop and a Tour
People often use the words ‘workshop’ and ‘photo tour’ interchangeably, but they describe different events. A photo workshop provides education and learning, which helps photographers improve. A photo tour, on the other hand, takes photographers to special locations without offering instruction. Ensure you know what type of workshop you’re signing up for if you want the best fit!
How to Choose the Right Photo Workshops
Selecting the perfect workshop can look different for everyone. However, two of the most important aspects should be the location and the instructor. First, selecting a location that you’d like to shoot is very important. Once you nail down the location you’d like to visit, there may be multiple instructors who offer workshops at each location. I’d recommend selecting the instructor who you’d most like your work to look like. Also, consider if you think the instructor would be a good teacher. If possible, look at the social media channels and even YouTube of the photographer whom you wish to go with. Finally, I’d recommend finding a workshop that includes some sort of post-processing component. Photographers these days do much of the process in editing. So, a workshop that includes both in-field instruction and post-processing will help you improve even further.
What is a Workshop Like?
Portrait photography workshops generally take place in a studio or on location. The organizer should have hired models to come in and help you capture portfolio-quality images of the model. Oftentimes, engagement, wedding, or elopement photography workshops will create a mock-up event with models to replicate a scene. This can be perfect to help you build a portfolio alongside an industry expert and professional models that will help your photos look fantastic. You can then use these images in the future to book real clients.
Landscape photography workshops will take place in a particular location or area and can range from a single shoot to multiple days long. Typically, the photographer organizing the workshop will take you to different locations each morning and night. It allows you to capture numerous great images of the area you’re shooting in. These workshops are usually done at a particular time of year to offer the best shooting conditions in the area you’re photographing.
How to Prepare for a Workshop
Your workshop instructor should tell you the items you need to bring on the workshop. However, there are also a few other things you can do to prepare to maximize the value you get from the workshop.
Learn the Basics on Your Own
While a workshop may seem like a good way to learn how to use your camera, you’re wasting a lot of time if your instructor has to focus on the basics. This information can be found easily online, and then you can spend your time focusing on some of the more creative aspects of photography, which is much more difficult to learn on your own. The same goes for editing, and while I’m sure your instructor would be happy to help with the basics, you’re leaving a lot on the table when it comes to some of the more advanced techniques that they could show you if you already come with a base understanding.
Have a Feel for Your Equipment
While a workshop might seem like a great time to rent a new camera, this can get in the way of your creativity. Knowing the buttons on your camera is crucial, as spending time having to flip through the menus takes up valuable time. Remember that your time with the instructor is limited, so try to have a feel for how to use all of your equipment well prior to the workshop.
Overpack
Nothing is worse than running out of camera batteries, or being too cold because you didn’t bring enough layers. Make sure you pack plenty of shoes, batteries, layers, and anything else you may need for the workshop.
Is It Worth It?
Attending a photo workshop is an exciting way to improve your photography skills and create lifelong connections. Whether you’re brand new to photography, or a seasoned veteran looking to hone your skills, a photography workshop is well worth attending. With this guide, you’ll be all set to make the most of your opportunity to shoot with a professional and improve your skills.
