gdanmitchell
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 Re: Best photography workshop for first timer? | |
Here's the thing. This has been an interesting thread. But I think the most important thing it reveals is that there's no one right answer to any of this. Sorry.
If one is the autodidact type, reading and watching online videos might get you where you want to be and do so at a lower cost. But maybe you are not that type of learner, in which case something else will work better taking classes, finding a mentor, attending good workshops.
(I learned about this issue years ago in a different context. I tend to be the autodidact type in many ways. I was working on a project with another person a very bright and competent person who did excellent work. But this person's learning style was completely different than mine. My autodidactic, "screw around and figure things out" approach was a non-starter, aeir nd this person learned very, very well by doing things like working methodically through manuals and similar.)
So, question #1: What is the ideal way for one to learn more about photography? Without knowing your personal level of development, goals, and affinities for different ways of learning it is really hard to say. (It may be a good idea to think carefully about how your learn best first.)
There are some good workshops out there. In fact there are some really great and potentially transformational workshops. There are also some run by folks who "got into photography recently," are good publicists, and who know not all that much about photography. (I've known more than one.) Some know a lot about photography but are mediocre to poor teachers. Some see workshops as the only way to make enough money to support their photography habit, and are less than invested in their students' learning.
So, question #2: If a workshop is what you are after, how do you pick good workshop teachers/operators?
That's a tougher question than it seems. If you know people who took workshops that they thought were great (and the object and approach of those workshops aligns with your expectations), their personal reports may well be the most useful thing. If someone says, "I recommend workshop X," don't stop there. Ask them what happened at the workshop, what it was that made them like it, and what was the least satisfying aspect of the workshop. The answers will help you figure out whether or not that is for you.
Another issue is that there's a rather loose relationship between the costs of the workshops and their quality. I have photographer friends who teach very expensive workshops that sell out months (and sometimes years) in advance. I'm utterly certain of the quality of what they do. (We'll leave aside for the moment the question of the alignment or not of their workshops with what you are looking for.)
From the previous paragraph you might be tempted to extrapolate and think that a workshop will be good if it is offered by "name" photographers, it is expensive, and it always sells out. Unfortunately, that isn't necessarily a total guarantee of quality either, since there are some "names" that manage to capitalize on their renown yet offer workshops that have issues. (If you think I'm going to name any such people in a public forum... nope, not going to happen. This is why you need to poke around. A lot.)
(I'll name good folks in the right context, but I'm going avoid going there here, for a variety of reasons.)
Question #3: If you have decided you want a workshop and you have identified some that are reputable, which one should you sign up for?
Here it comes down to (price and travel aside) a question of what you are looking for. One kind of workshop can be appropriate if you are looking for high quality and useful critical feedback on the photographs you make. Another sort is appropriate if you are looking for an introduction to photographing a particular subject or place. Yet another could be good if you are looking for general knowledge about how to use a camera. And in some cases you might be most interested in the specific photographer who is teaching the workshop.
If all of this sounds way to complicated, I get it.
If a workshop or class is what you are after and you have a hard time figuring all of this out and most will have a hard time! it may be better to start elsewhere. Some of the suggestions in this thread about local photography groups and clubs can be pretty useful. For one thing, the groups may offer some training themselves that could be useful. But perhaps even more useful is becoming part of a community of folks interested in photography, who share and discuss these things... even including their real-world experience with... workshops.
Community colleges often have photography departments and offer classes that you can sign up for. Yes, the quality (and the focus) varies considerably, but this is an option and some of them are excellent staring points.
Good luck, and sorry that there isn't one right, easy answer.
Dan
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