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top tips for booking the right photography workshop for you

I am very proud to have been running photography training and workshops for over 5 years now (and am close to reaching my 100th workshop) and there are some excellent courses and training days available throughout the UK. I thought it would be useful for me to write some suggested tips on what to look for and questions to ask to make sure you get the most from your investment.

 Tip 1: Be clear on what you are looking to  get from the photography workshop 

At the start of each year I work on a top-line plan of what i want to achieve in my business over the coming 12 month – I break it into separate areas such as branding, marketing, editing and shooting, I also include creative inspiration and personal projects. Start with a plan to decide where you need to grow *(this blog post here might help you get started) and then look for workshops that meet these needs. 

Tip 2: Ask for the maximum number of attendees on the course  

Group photography workshops are a great way to get a feel for how other photographers work, how they style their subjects and their lighting set up. If you want any one on one time with the photographer it’s really good to know the maximum number of people on the course.  Too many photographers can ruin a workshop experience as inevitably the stronger personalities will step to the front and demand more attention. Ask how many people are currently booked on plus what the maximum numbers will be. 

Tip 3: See whether you are able to use the images in your portfolio or whether you have your own creative time on the day to practice and use what you have learnt 

This is a very important point – no images taken on workshops or training should ever be entered into competition but more often than not most workshops will not allow you to use the images in your portfolio and you must credit the trainer at all times. Some trainers now offer training in the morning and then a creative session in the afternoon where you design and set  up the images so you do own the shots and can use them in your portfolio. 

Tip 4: Ask if there are any course materials to take away 

I have to admit this is a challenge for photographers who run the training as we really want you to leave with materials  but also want to make sure they aren’t shared,. Its especially unfair for photographers who have paid to come along to the course to find that others have been passed the materials for free. On my courses I now aim to give printed materials or overview summary sheets as a take away. 

Tip 5: See if there is any support after the course 

Its also great to know if there will be any support after the photography workshop if you have any questions. I run a number of Facebook communities and on my outdoor workshops I keep a private group open for 2 weeks to share edits and discuss ideas after the workshop. 

Tip 6: Speak to a couple of photographers who have been on the course 

To get a real feel for how the workshop impacted the photographers shooing or business ask to speak to a couple of people who have been on the course. All good trainers should be able to give you contacts of other photographers to speak too. 

Tip 7: Check into the trainers credentials 

If the course is around Business & Marketing you are absolutely allowed to ask how about theirs business model before they trained, their pricing strategy etc. You can ask about volume of clients, average sales, website visibility etc. 

Tip 8: Check the cancellation and refund policy in the Terms & Conditions 

Make sure you read up on the cancellation and refund policy – both for you and if the trainer cancels. There will come a point where you are still liable for the full payment if you cancel close to the training date as the trainers will incur costs for hotel hire, food etc. Also ask if you were ill for example could you sell the place onto another person and whether there will be an admin fee attached Read the terms and conditions of the photography workshop. Image usage and whether you intend to train at any point are very important. These will also include whether you need to credit the trainer in any images used. 

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