PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS 101: Chapter 7: Why Should Someone Attend Your Workshop?

RED ERIC KIM by CINDY NGUYEN
RED ERIC KIM by CINDY NGUYEN
RED ERIC KIM by CINDY NGUYEN

Ok, if you are reading this, you might want to make money from photography, and possibly workshops. But… don’t just think of it from your perspective. Why would someone else want to attend your workshop?

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See it from their perspective

Ok, you gotta think from the perspective of your potential student.

So, I can talk for myself. Reasons why I would want to attend a workshop of a photographer:

  1. I want to meet, hang out with the photographer. For example, I’d love to do a workshop with Bruce Gilden or Martin Parr, purely to just hang out with them. I like BOTH their photos, and their badass personalities.
  2. I want to LEARN from them. Their “secret sauce”. Sure, I can find a lot of information online… but I know that in person, they will probably share new ideas I might have not experienced before.
  3. Distilled experience: There’s too much information online on a photographer I like. I don’t have a lot of free time. I want to experience their knowledge, wisdom, and have a distilled experience. I would rather dedicate a weekend, or a week, just focused with the photographer.

To distill,

  1. Personality of photographer
  2. Information/knowledge/wisdom of photographer
  3. Unique experience

What would YOU want in a workshop?

Therefore, consider it is impossible to know the minds of others. But you know your own mind.

Therefore, be your own potential student.

Who are some photographers who YOU admire, and WHY would you attend their workshop?

Attend a Workshop

For market studying, to understand workshops better… attend a photography workshop.

See what you like about the workshop you attend, and what you DON’T like.

For example, when I attended a Magnum Photography Workshop, I loved learning from Constantine Manos and David Alan Harvey, because they’re just really fucking good photographers, and have over a century worth of knowledge and wisdom. Sitting in their classes for a week, I learned insane amounts of practical knowledge (like taking 100 photos of a scene, that photos without humans are boring, and to STOP and observe a scene, before making photos).

I also loved the brutally honest critique sessions. No bullshit. How to improve.

What I WISH was different was actually more 1:1 shooting time with them on the streets, hands on.

Of course, there are just my personal preferences.

Therefore the suggestion:

Teach a workshop that you would like, If you were the student.

It is impossible to please all different types of photographers.

Therefore,

Teach a workshop according to your own style.

Don’t teach a workshop against your own style.

For example, I’m very extroverted and hands on. That’s how I like to teach. If you’re more introverted and quiet, Teach like that…more contemplative and zen.

Let your students find you, rather than you find your students.

Conclusion

Your style is unique in teaching. Don’t placate to the masses. Rather, seek to stay as true to yourself as possible, and market yourself, and be unabashedly you.

You will probably fail. But the more you hustle, work hard, publish, and add value to society, the higher your chances for success.

BE STRONG,
ERIC


PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 by ERIC KIM

ERIC KIM x HENRI NECK STRAP  by HAPTIC INDUSTRIES // Portrait by Benjamin Thompson

If you want to make a living (or a killing) from photography, download:

PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MANUAL by ERIC KIM


PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS 101

CAMERA MONEY GBP by ANNETTE KIM


KEYS TO SUCCESS

Table of Contents

Learn how to make a living from your passion:


Photography Business 101

How to Make Money with Photography

CAMERA MONEY USD by ANNETTE KIM
CAMERA MONEY USD by ANNETTE KIM

Photography Marketing 101


SELLOUT ERIC KIM

How to Hustle.

Entrepreneurial Principles

How to be a Full-time Photographer

Photography Blogging

How to Teach Photography

Social Media

How to Save Money

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