A Word on Workshops

Figuring out what workshop is right for you can be overwhelming.  Because workshops are a very lucrative business it seems as if every photographer nowadays holds one.  But, just because a photographer takes great pictures it does not mean they are a good teacher.  As a consumer you need to do your research to protect yourself from a bad experience and from wasting your hard earned money.

1)  Check how long the photographer that is holding the workshop has been in business.  I get so frustrated when I see a “photographer” who has been in business for a very short period of time hold a workshop.  Make sure it’s an established photographer who is holding the workshop.  I promise you’ll learn so much more.

2)  Make sure the photographer’s work is consistent.  And make sure you like it!  This is more for the workshops that photographers offer to mom’s with cameras.  I have seen a lot of “photographers” offering these workshops and their pictures are horrendous and totally inconsistent.  If their pictures aren’t good, they probably won’t be able to teach you a whole heck of a lot no matter how cheap the workshop is.

3)  How many people are attending the workshop?  Will you get one on one time with the photographer?  The less people that are attending the more individual attention you will get and you won’t have other attendees elbowing you in the face trying to get shots.

4)  Does the shoot use “models” or real people?  I would much rather see how a photographer interacts with real people than with models.  Posing models is easy.  I don’t need a workshop to know how to pose a model.  Real people can be hard.

5)  What level of photographer is the workshop aimed at?  There’s nothing worse than attending an advanced photography workshop and having that one person ask beginner questions the entire time.  Make sure you attend a workshop that is appropriate for your skill level!

6)  Don’t trust the reviews on the workshop website.  Of course they are going to post only the best reviews!  Google the name of the workshop and you’ll see plenty of photographer’s who have blogged about that workshop.  I would even suggest contacting some of those photographers and ask them if they’d attend the workshop again.

This website has a section where attendees can review workshops.  There aren’t a ton of reviews yet, but it could potentially be a great resource if enough people knew about it.

If you’ve attended a workshop and have had a bad experience don’t be afraid to say something!  I hear so many people complain about their experiences with workshops.  If you don’t say anything how will the photographer know what to change?  And how will other photographer’s get honest reviews?  I’m not saying you have to go and bash the photographer online.  I’m talking about a constructive review of what you liked and didn’t like.  Nothing will change until people stand up and start giving honest reviews!

7)  Consider a mentoring session instead of a workshop.  Most mentoring sessions are one on one and they will be tailored to you and your business.  They may cost a little more, but individual attention will be worth it!

I hope this helps you to make an educated decision about your next workshop.  With the plethora of workshops available it can be daunting.  There are great workshops out there that will not only help you improve upon your photography skills, but will also inspire you to become a better photographer.  You just have to find them!

*** This picture has nothing to do with workshops, but I love her outfit and wish they made it in my size so we could be twinsies.  Although, I don’t think the jeggings would look quite as cute on me.

Canon 5D Mark II, 50 1.2

F 1.6, 1/125, ISO 800