Do you know the difference between a photography workshop and a photo tour? In a workshop, you learn many different things about your craft, from studio-related skills to business ones. A photo tour, on the other hand, will bring you to places at the best time of year so that you can snap the best picture of that location. A tour is made to allow you to enjoy the best photo-taking opportunities with little to no instructions. In other words, a workshop will help you prepare for a photo tour.
If you didn’t know this, then you’ve probably signed up for a “tour,” expecting it to be a workshop. We can’t blame you either, as many tours have been mislabeled as workshops.
That said, let’s talk about what you’ll have to consider before taking on a photography workshop:
Table of Contents
1. Know what you want
It is imperative that you know what you want to take out of a photography workshop. Do you want to learn new skills and techniques, or do you want to spend time with a famous photographer?
Whatever it is you want, make sure that you take a look at the itinerary and look if what you want is included. If something isn’t there, don’t assume that they’ve forgotten it, and don’t think that it will be offered either. A good leader of the workshop will stick to the plan unless unexpected events occur, causing changes to the itinerary.
2. Follow the leader
A good workshop leader will train each individual, including you, in your craft and give feedback while you learn. They will keep an eye on you and offer tips and tricks to help enhance your work. In other words, you can always expect the leader to be teaching you and not be caught up with taking photos unless stated in the itinerary.
3. Consider the different factors
You may be tempted to follow a well-known photographer around. However, before you do so, figure out if their style matches yours. Most importantly, do you even like their style?
Many students sign up for workshops hoping that professional photography will spark some motivation in them. Remember that though workshops are a great place to learn new things, sometimes it isn’t worth paying the extra cost just to have a famous photographer lecture you on how to take good photos.
Choose a workshop that you know you like—one that fits your style—and stick with it. You will learn more this way.
Thanks to today’s technology, social media has been a platform that allows many underrated photographers to share their photos. Use this channel to uncover hidden talents that you want to learn from.
The workshops they provide may give you the same knowledge you would’ve gotten from a well-known photographer, and at a lesser cost! These types of workshops also tend to allow leaders to have more personal one-on-ones with each individual.
Conclusion
Don’t choose a workshop just because there’s a well-known photographer there. Select the workshop that fits your style, and that can come from less famous photographers who can offer you more knowledge and a lower cost.
We’re a photography workshop in London, get in touch today to see how we can help!