Photography workshops: Pros & cons
Photography workshops our popular these days. After organising those workshops for several years I wanted to share some of my thoughts.
Travel at the right time!
Looks obvious! But it is insane how many workshops don’t go at what is for me the right time (for instance going to the rolling hills of Tuscany when the hills aren’t green). You should always ask your guide why they go in that specific week! If they can’t give you a good answer, you should worry…
But let’s give a good example for people who want to book a photo workshop for northern lights! If I want to go on such a trip I want my chances to see the aurora at a maximum… The max chances to see the northern lights is at the new moon around the equinox. You have 2 equinoxes a year, 1 in autumn (september-october) and 1 in spring (march). As you take pictures of the northern lights at night and high up in the north, you have a far greater chance for snow in spring which gives you scenes that are less dark and therefore are more suitable for northern lights photography. So there is only one week a year that is the absolute best for northern lights. At the new moon around the equinox in march! If you have booked a northern lights trip and don’t go in this week, you should ask the guide why! And hopefully they have a good reason…
Aurora and milky way! Picture taken around the equinox in March! At this time of the year you can see the combination of the milky way and aurora a few hours before sunrise.
Post processing lessons on a photo workshop
I believe it can be useful on beginner workshops, learning the basics of photography and post processing.
On multi day workshops however, I believe you could spent your time far better then sitting in a room with some laptops! If I want to go on a workshop with a certain guide/photographer, it’s because I want to learn from that photographer! Let’s say your ‘favourite’ photographer goes on a trip on his own. He is probably taking pictures at sunrise and sunset. He probably also has some ideas during the day with certain weather conditions. But there will also be moments during the day he isn’t taking pictures. However, I don’t think he is post processing pictures at that time! No, the short time he has on his trip, he is most likely searching for new compositions, new scenes to photograph. And that is exactly what you should do on a workshop. You can learn so much by seeing how your guide is finding compositions (or you can find them in a group). And it’s this that is making you a better photographer…
Galaxy arc above a quiver tree in Namibia. We scouted this composition in an afternoon stroll when the light wasn’t good for photography.
Should the guide also take pictures?
Without a doubt, Yes! You can learn so much by seeing how your ‘favourite’ photographer handles a scene. Why is he taking that composition? Why is he changing lenses now? What is he looking for at the moment? Answers you won’t know when he is not taking pictures with you!
Again, it’s different with beginner workshops, then the guide should really focus on the people helping them with settings etc…
Professional photographer guide vs hobby photographer guide
As a participant, be social to the guide
Ask things to the guide
Why do you go with that guide (compositions, post processing, digital artist)
I should always go with a photographer who always has fantastic compositions. Post processing you can learn at home… I would never go with a digital artist because that has nothing to do with photography, at least that is my opinion.