I have been fortunate enough to be at photography conferences for the past 15 years. My focus is usually on lighting for beautification, but I’ve covered other topics as well as how to pose subjects so they look natural on camera. I have also attended many seminars from famous photographers as well as lesser known names. From being on both sides of the podium, I have a clear understanding of what makes a good photography workshop. Here are 3 tips you can consider if you find yourself tasked with presenting a photography workshop.
Don’t tempt your audience to be granted
Make sure to deliver everything promised in the workshop description. I once attended a workshop presented by a photographer who promised to take a head shot for each participant. The photographer is a sponsored photographer who regularly presents workshops on a variety of topics. I don’t think he even knew about which particular workshop he promised to present at the event. Because I gave several workshops at this particular camera shop where this was being presented, I was invited to attend the free seminar. Near the end of the presentation, one of the attendees asked the presenter when he would take the headshots of the participants as promised in the workshop description. The presenter said he did not bring a light and was not prepared to take pictures of the attendees. Participants indicated that the description said each participant would receive a free headshot. Since I haven’t paid for this seminar I don’t mind, but I’m shocked that someone can casually promise something and not deliver it.
Another situation I run into frequently is that the presenter runs out of time and is unable to present some aspect of the promised workshop to paid attendees. I recall being at a workshop on using colored gels for creative looks. The presenter begins with a monologue about having 2 gels – creation and repair. He explains how you can use a green gel to counteract the tones of the ambient fluorescent light. Then he talked about the CTO gel and informed everyone that the initials stood for orange temperature. None of this is relevant to the topic the audience wants to learn about. As expected, the audience limited the time to take pictures of the model under the color gel because they wasted so much time talking about things unrelated to the subject that the audience wanted to learn.
In a shooting, posing, or lighting workshop, the audience is there to find out a solution to a problem they’re having, or they’re there to learn a new technique. Your job as a presenter is not to show how much you know about photography. Your job is to provide the specific information your audience needs to improve their photography. Running out of time is an unacceptable excuse for why you didn’t deliver on what you promised. Create a schedule for what you will present and stick to it. During the photo session of the workshop, walk around and connect with as many participants as possible. Thank them for attending and ask them if there is anything confusing so far. Guide them through the shooting process.
Make sure your participants are having fun
Create a balance between instruction and practical application. For me, an ideal workshop provides instruction on a particular topic and also allows participants to take pictures. I attended events for nothing more than a paid opportunity for amateur photographers to take pictures. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially since the host isn’t qualified to teach anything. Many photographers never get a chance to shoot in a studio and some have never worked with an agency model, so giving these photographers the opportunity to take pictures they otherwise wouldn’t otherwise have been able to take. valuable. However, this type of event should not be labeled as a seminar or seminar. This is a shooting opportunity and nothing more. Towards the end of my studio period, I started offering these types of photography opportunities and I describe them as the Rock and Roll Illusion Camp for photographers. However, if something is labeled a workshop, instructions are required.
Tutorials are not the be-all and end-all of a photography workshop. Having a photo opportunity is exciting for any photographer, and having a presenter there to critique images and assist with photo setup is invaluable. Workshops may also provide an opportunity for participants to use lighting equipment or cameras that they do not have permission to use. However, the presenter must ensure that everyone gets a fair amount of time to shoot. That means the workshop should not be overbooked. And when the shooting time is given, the workshop should give enough time for everyone to get a decent shot.
You are the presenter, but not about you
Keep “Helicopter” stories to a minimum. Helicopter story is a term I coined to describe a self-centered, weird, boastful story that serves no purpose other than to tell you how great the narrator is. . It sounds like this, “…and they have told us many times that the area is closed to all photographers. But let me tell you something, at 7:15 p.m., I’m hanging from the window of a helicopter with a Nikon Z 9 and a 70-200 f / 2.8 VR lens, 20 feet above that volcano, with sweat dripping down my camera, and I took that picture. “
Photography is a sport with many participants. Not a spectator. When people attend seminars, they do so because they want to learn how they can shoot. They care less about how you shoot. There’s a place for the presenter to show off his work and explain all the elements that come together to create the final image. And that information can really be valuable to attendees. There’s also a point where these things, the way I get footage stories are just self-serving and overbearing. When the focus of the story is on telling you how interesting the storyteller is, it’s not fair for the listener to pay to hear that story. It’s best when personal stories provide some insight on how to do things when things don’t go well or offer a perspective that may never have happened to participants.
Extra tips
As a workshop moderator, it can be helpful for you to take pictures for the participants. They can learn from watching your progress. If you are presenting a lighting setup or talking about methods of posing for your subject, it is better to demonstrate that you know what you are talking about by taking some photos during the workshop. However, the attendees didn’t pay you to sit and watch you take pictures for your portfolio. So make sure your footage serves a purpose that benefits your audience.
Have a lesson plan for what you will teach, but be flexible with the needs of your attendees. If the focus of the workshop is posing, but you find attendees weak in the lighting arena, you can spend time on a topic that you know will benefit your audience. The audience will feel like you are teaching the people in the room. If it seems like you’re just moving and presenting the same workshop to them that you’ve given 100 times in the past, they may feel disconnected. You may feel like you have no real connection to the people in the room. You are just there to do what you did in Ohio last month and your main concern is getting the check when the workshop is over. It’s better to have a plan for what you’re going to teach, but monitor your audience to gauge how you can tailor your presentation to maximize the benefit of the people in the room on the day. this. You can even do a quick oral or written questionnaire before the start of the workshop asking what attendees hope to learn. This exercise can also help you determine the skill levels of the people in the room, and that information can be used to further tailor your presentation to this particular group.
Share focus. Let your audience ask questions and allow your answers to become discussion. Let attendees share brief stories of their experiences behind the camera. In the clip below, note how willing I was to share the spotlight with attendees who were acting out a chilling approach to a stranger. Remember that audiences can also be great sources of knowledge for each other. You may be a lighting expert for beautiful footage and everyone in your audience is eager to learn from you, but that doesn’t mean you’re the only one in the room with knowledge to share. If you position yourself as a knowledgeable person but are still willing to learn, you will find that your audience is willing to share their knowledge.
If you have ever attended a photography workshop, how would you find the experience? What are some suggestions you would give a presenter?
