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<\/a><\/p>\nSecond, good workshop leaders will freely share their \u2018secrets\u2019 with you.\u00a0 They have acquired a vast amount of knowledge, not only about the area but also about photography in general.\u00a0 They have their own personal approach to photography.\u00a0 There can be a lot you can learn from them and they are willing and eager to pass it along to you.<\/p>\n
Third, good workshop leaders will spend time working with you one-on-one to help you develop your skills, whether they be creative or technical.\u00a0 They will spend time working with you in the field on things like exposure, focus and composition.\u00a0 They will look over your shoulder as you work and offer constructive comments and tips.\u00a0 They will also take time to review your work and provide you with ongoing feedback. They will also not confine their help to techniques in the field but help you with the critical post processing where the true potential of the photograph is ultimately realized.<\/p>\n
The best workshop instructors will also probe you a bit to find out what you want to work on and help you with it.\u00a0 If you\u2019re not sure, they can help you identify areas of focus.\u00a0 Their assistance will be very much personalized to your specific needs<\/p>\n
How to Select the Workshop for You<\/h3>\n
There are several things you should think about and look for when selecting a workshop.<\/p>\n
Start by thinking what you want to get from the workshop.\u00a0 Are you primarily interested in a new and exciting location?\u00a0 Do you want want to grow as a photographer?\u00a0 Are there specific skills you want to work on?\u00a0 Is there a photographer whose work you particularly admire?\u00a0 All of these factors are things you should consider when you start looking for a workshop.<\/p>\n
Finding Candidate Workshops<\/h4>\n
Search engines such as Google and Bing are very effective in helping you find a workshop.\u00a0 Often people will search for a workshop in a particular location such as \u201cphotography workshop, Utah\u201d or \u201cphotography workshop, Eastern Sierra.\u201d\u00a0 This works well if your goal is to photograph in a specific area.\u00a0 These search sites can produce pages and pages of workshops, especially for the more popular workshop destinations.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re interested in a time of year such as \u201cphotography workshop, Napa Valley, fall\u201d or \u201cphotography workshop, Death Valley, winter.\u201d\u00a0 Searches like this can get you to locations when conditions are most favorable and also when you can take enough time off for the workshop.<\/p>\n
Finally, you may be interested in the work of a particular photographer.\u00a0 Searches like \u201cphotography workshop, Ralph Nordstrom\u201d or \u201cphotography workshop, Jack Graham\u201d will prove effective.<\/p>\n
Selecting the Workshop for You<\/h3>\n
Once you have a list of candidate workshops, how do you go about narrowing it down to just one?<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll find lots of information about the workshops on the web.\u00a0 Based on what it is you determined you most want to get out of the workshop, review the information.\u00a0 The following are factors you can consider.<\/p>\n
Location<\/h5>\n
This is almost always an primary consideration.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve searched for workshops by location you should have lots to choose from.\u00a0 Some websites will post itineraries.\u00a0 Some will be general while others are very specific.\u00a0 Take these itineraries with a bit of a grain of salt, especially the very detailed ones.\u00a0 Rarely does a workshop follow the itinerary.\u00a0 Conditions will change and the good workshops will adjust to make the most of them.\u00a0 Itineraries are good, however, to give you an idea of what sites you will be photographing.<\/p>\n
Time of Year<\/h5>\n
This is often another important consideration.\u00a0 The workshop schedule need to fit with your availability.\u00a0 But more importantly, they need to be scheduled when the light is the best for the location.\u00a0 Again, if you searched for this you should have a sufficient number of workshops to choose from.<\/p>\n
This is where some workshops start to stand out from others.\u00a0 This is the single most common reason workshop attendees are not totally satisfied with a workshop.\u00a0 Review the information carefully to see what it says about one-on-one attention.\u00a0 Read the references from past workshop attendees.\u00a0 If the workshop leader does not call attention to this either in the information they provide or comments from past participants, chances are you\u2019ll be disappointed in the level of attention you receive.<\/p>\n Will the leader review your work?\u00a0 This should occur early and often.\u00a0 This way you can incorporate the feedback into subsequent photographs and practice the things they share with you.\u00a0 Another aspect of this is print reviews.\u00a0 Does the leader invite you to bring along prints of your work for review and feedback.\u00a0 Again, review the information carefully looking for some mention of this.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t see it you may want to strike that workshop from your list.<\/p>\n Will you be given assignments during the workshop?\u00a0 Assignments with the follow-up reviews are terrific learning tools and you could benefit greatly from them.\u00a0 Again, if this would be of interest to you review the information to determine if assignments will be offered.<\/p>\n You may admire the work of a certain photographer and want to study with them.\u00a0 In that case this could be a primary consideration.\u00a0 Chances are excellent that they will be going to great locations at the best times of the year.\u00a0 If the photographer is well known, one thing to keep in mind is their workshops fill quickly (often a year in advance) and they can be pricy \u2013 supply and demand you know.\u00a0 Also, some of the big name photographers will give you lots of personal attention, some will make themselves available for questions but not necessarily reach out to you with suggestions and still others, it\u2019s sad to say, will spend virtually all their time photographing along side you.<\/p>\n No discussion of workshops would be complete without a word or two about cost.\u00a0 As mentioned above, the big name photographers will charge commensurate prices.\u00a0 A few include transportation from the meeting point, lodging and meals but this will usually run several thousands of dollars for a three to five day workshop.\u00a0 Some of the really high end workshops run as high as $10,000 and more.\u00a0 Others will charge four figures but leave all the transportation, lodging, meals and fees to you.\u00a0 You\u2019ll have to evaluate these workshops to determine if you\u2019ll get want you want from them and if it\u2019s worth the price.<\/p>\n There are a lot of lesser known photographers whose workshops are terrific values.\u00a0 Many of these are very talented photographers in their own right.\u00a0 Because they\u2019re not as well known their workshops will be more affordable, often half that of what the better known photographers are charging.\u00a0 And many of them will work very hard to add value that may be missing from the big name photographers.\u00a0 Generally, this value will be in the form of more personal attention.\u00a0 When selecting a lesser known photographer\u2019s workshop, be sure to check out his or her work to see if it\u2019s what you like.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t make a lot of sense to take a workshop from a photographer whose work you\u2019re not particularly impressed with, no matter how inexpensive it is.<\/p>\n If you think a particular workshop is for you but you still have questions, don\u2019t hesitate to contact the photographer.\u00a0 Send an email or make a call.\u00a0 Ask your questions.\u00a0 Don\u2019t pass up this step.\u00a0 The photographer will be happy to explore the suitability of his or her workshop with you.<\/p>\n Photography workshops are excellent ways to take your photography to the next step.\u00a0 But workshops can be costly.\u00a0 So, when you\u2019re ready to take that step it\u2019s important to make the right decision.\u00a0 Following the suggestions discussed in this article will help you select the workshop that is right for you.<\/p>\n Join me on an upcoming workshop.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nPersonal Attention<\/h5>\n
Reviews<\/h5>\n
Assignments<\/h5>\n
Reputation of the Photographer<\/h5>\n
Cost<\/h5>\n
Contact the Photographer<\/h5>\n