FINDING THE RIGHT WORKSHOP | WORKFLOW WEDNESDAY | MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | ASHTON KELLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

A little over a year ago, I started offering education and coaching in my photography business. This has been such a big commitment, but one that has been so gratifying. There is no greater feeling than watching someone’s business grow, their successes, and having that support returned. Offering workshops has connected me with so many amazing women, yet I know there are tons of you out there who have never attended one. Being that we started our community in an area where workshops had not yet become saturated, we experienced a lot of first-timers. Having just hosted our biggest event in OBX, we learned so much, and I thought it would be great to share some tips to those of you who are considering attending a workshop. ANY workshop.

Make sure you are paying attention to the content, price point, dates, and locations when you start to plan. Does the course outline appeal to what your business needs? Are you available days surrounding, to ensure you really enjoy it? Is this somewhere you REALLY want to travel? Get all the information, referrals, and questions addressed up front. You should be confident in your decision and know it’s the right workshop for YOU. Don’t jump to register for a trendy experience before knowing it will do work for your business.

2 Budget

Try to pick an event that is within your budget. Many workshops offer payment plans, but require an immediate retainer to save your space. Be confident that you’ll be able to make those on time, so it doesn’t add stress to you at the last minute! Canceling closer to the date of a workshop could result in losing what you’ve already paid, not getting to attend, and hurting your relationship with the photographer who may potentially not have time or resources to refill your space. This can effect the workshop budget, and the experience for other attendees. It’s crucial to remember that events are priced per person, and their budgets typically rely on all seats being full and paid.

3 Inclusions

Know what your workshop is including! Many events do not include lodging, meals, or even a notebook. On the opposing end, some workshops include EVERYTHING. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about this if it isn’t clear. You want to be sure that you can afford the workshop AND everything else required to be there. A hotel room for multiple nights, gasoline or airfare, daily meals, trips out with peers you meet for ice cream or shopping, and more can quickly add up. It’s best to find out, up front, about how much you’ll be spending on the opportunity in question.

4 Styled Shoots

A lot of photography workshops include styled shooting! This is really neat because it can allow you access to elevated content for your portfolio, creative practice, and an opportunity to shoot without the stress of pleasing your client. These shoots are typically a collaboration negotiated by the host, who may be given certain perks with the promise to submit for publication. These dream shoots require a lot of time, care, and resources so you may be asked to hold off on sharing details for a few weeks while submission to a publication is completed. These scenarios greatly vary across the board, as some instructors will simply shoot and let you observe without shooting, some may let you shoot from behind, and some may actually instruct and give you the opportunity to shoot with priority. No matter what scenario you find yourself in, try to take something positive away from it whether it’s a new technique or an image you love.

5 The Unforeseen

One of the most important pieces of advice I can give about attending your first workshop is to prepare for the unforeseen. Whether it be you coming down with appendicitis the day before you leave (this actually happened to one of our OBX attendees last week and I am still so heartbroken over it!), rain all weekend, or forgetting your underwear.. Pack an open mind! Remember that you’re stepping into something new and your expectations play a huge role in those around you. Creatives tend to feed off of one another’s energy, so try to keep it positive. Things don’t always go as planned, and aren’t always what they seem. Being aware that those plans, much like on a wedding day, will have to adapt and may change the course of the event. Optimism is infectious… Spread that stuff around!

6 Swag

If you go to an event that offers something in the form of swag, hooray! This is somewhat common, but there are opposing ends where you receive nothing but a chair for the day and it’s also $5 for a water. However, IF you do attend a workshop that supplies a gift-May I suggest photographing and tagging it? Most times there is a list of vendors who have donated or discounted their items to be included, and they are eager to see them in action. Pop it on your Instagram, blog about it, and always remember to say thank you. These creatives do a lot from behind the scenes and it’s important to pay it forward to them as well.

7 Social Media

Connect with your peers on social media! Your reach is greatly determined by your interaction, and who better to understand than fellow attendees? Be sure to add them all, and be active with their accounts. They will likely return the favor, and create a small community of reliable fans to boost your content.

8 Tagging

TAG YOUR VENDORS! From workshop decor, styled shoots, swag, to your hosts-tag everyone! Your vendors LOVE seeing that you liked your gifts, enjoyed shooting their details, and being at their event. Many are so busy during that time that they aren’t able to get photos of their own, and that can lead to them sharing yours. This cross-promotion can also lead their followers back to you, boosting your reach!

9 1:1 Time

Workshop experiences are group experiences. These events are priced, planned, and executed for multiple people. Events can start anywhere from 5 people workshops to 150+ conferences. It’s important to realize when you walk into a group situation, you may not receive one on one time. You may not even meet the host in person, at all. Value those experiences where you do and maximize your time with them! If you are intent on having that time, perhaps consider booking a one-on-one coaching session with that mentor instead of registering for a workshop.

10 Etiquette

Lastly, Be kind. Be respectful of everyone around you. Keep conversation positive and relevant. Try to be aware that there are lots of wheels in action and things you may not see. Be courteous to the event team, who may be super busy trying to keep things on track and struggling with those unforeseen changes mentioned above. Be aware that many weeks, sometimes months, of planning go into these events to make them special and beneficial to you. It’s as simple as that saying, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” This may seem silly to even include, but how you interact with others can greatly affect the experience those people have. The relationships I’ve made at workshops previous have turned into beautiful friendships, and so much of that was a result of the amazing, happy energy we shared during a workshop.