{"id":36662,"date":"2016-12-23T00:36:50","date_gmt":"2016-12-23T08:36:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?page_id=36662"},"modified":"2016-12-23T02:27:05","modified_gmt":"2016-12-23T10:27:05","slug":"how-to-make-a-living-teaching-photography-workshops","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-living-teaching-photography-workshops\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make a Living Teaching Photography Workshops"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_36694\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36694\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"36694\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-living-teaching-photography-workshops\/eric-kim-large-format-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format.jpg?fit=1638%2C2048&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1638,2048\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"eric-kim-large format\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Portrait by Sang Cho&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format.jpg?fit=640%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format.jpg?fit=1600%2C2000&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-36694\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format-1600x2000.jpg?resize=800%2C1000\" width=\"800\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format.jpg?resize=1600%2C2000&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format.jpg?resize=640%2C800&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format.jpg?resize=768%2C960&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/eric-kim-large-format.jpg?w=1638&amp;ssl=1 1638w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36694\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portrait by Sang Cho<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Dear friend,<\/p>\n<p>I once read the proverb\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he can feed himself for a lifetime.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>The point of this guide is to share with you everything I personally know and have learned about teaching photography workshops for a living.<\/p>\n<p>Always,<br \/>\nEric<\/p>\n<h1>Download<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=0BxslI7nEWY93b2puMzBSaVhRYWs\">PDF<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=0BxslI7nEWY93WE1LaEs1dXFaRDA\">.ePub (ebook format)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1s8IlT7PRIh1_-IXGzl3GlLoapwU6PbCYbqj3g-3zzs0\/edit?usp=sharing\">Google Docs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=0BxslI7nEWY93VWdGVHdiX29MWGM\">Text File (.txt)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=0BxslI7nEWY93YkZDamM2MGhNZ2s\">Microsoft .docx<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h1>Chapter 1: Why teach photography?<\/h1>\n<p>In today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world, there are a billion photographers. And that number will still keep growing.<\/p>\n<p>The downside is that the market for professional photographers is dying off. In the past, it was difficult to learn how to shoot professional photography. Now with the lower cost of high-end digital cameras, automated technical settings, and access to the internet\u00e2\u20ac\u201d any college student can easily shoot \u00e2\u20ac\u0153professional\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photos (that are actually quite good). The market is (unfortunately) dying for lower-to-mid-end professional photography (commercial, portraiture, and wedding). I still think the high-end professional photographers will do really well, but if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153general\u00e2\u20ac\u009d professional photographer, your future prospects will be quite grim.<\/p>\n<p>However the benefit that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153everyone is a photographer\u00e2\u20ac\u009d now \u00e2\u20ac\u201d is that there is a <em>huge<\/em> market for teaching photography. Everyone wants to learn photography. And now with access to Google, there are billions of people wanting to learn how to make better photos, build their confidence in making photos, and how to find more personal meaning with their photography.<\/p>\n<h2>My personal story<\/h2>\n<p>I fell into teaching photography workshops for a living by chance.<\/p>\n<p>To start off, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always had a passion for teaching. I remember ever since I was young, I had a hard time learning. I was a mostly visual learner, and wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t good with abstract ideas. Everything I learned had to be self-taught. I never understood what my teachers were trying to teach me.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore I knew the personal difficulty of learning. I tried to keep things simple, not to over-complicate things. I felt that my personal difficulty of learning from a young age, helped me to better teach in simple language. Oh yeah, and I think I had mild dyslexia growing up (I think I learned this in my mid twenties).<\/p>\n<h2>Empowering others through teaching<\/h2>\n<p>I also found out that I came from a long background of teachers. My mom taught physics as a high school teacher in Korea. Many of my uncles and grandparents taught at the university-level. Perhaps teaching is in my genes.<\/p>\n<p>Anyways, I always loved teaching\u00e2\u20ac\u201d because of the empowerment it gave to those I taught. The best feeling is trying to teach a difficult concept to someone, and then you see it in their eyes\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153click\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d they get it, and the concept sticks.<\/p>\n<p>This is the same joy I get from teaching photography. When you teach someone something about photography, and they just \u00e2\u20ac\u0153get it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>I personally find my passion in teaching street photography workshops \u00e2\u20ac\u201d even more specifically, helping people overcome their fear of shooting street photography. For me, teaching confidence is something you can teach. And overcoming your fears is also something you can teach. And it is something that can help people (not only in photography) but in all forms of their life \u00e2\u20ac\u201d whether personal, whether work-related, or emotional.<\/p>\n<h2>Building your teaching skills<\/h2>\n<p>First of all, before you decide to teach for a living, you need to learn skills <em>how<\/em> to teach.<\/p>\n<p>For me, I taught myself how to teach ever since I was in middle-school\/high-school. I often tutored my friends, and even tutored part-time as a high-schooler, to make some extra cash.<\/p>\n<p>To be an effective teacher is all about getting feedback. Often the feedback is non-verbal.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re trying to teach someone something in real-life, you look at their expression in their face whether they understand or not. The worst thing you can ask a student is, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you understand it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d because they will always nod their head, because they are afraid of looking stupid. Therefore, it is important that you communicate and teach in the simplest way possible, and also have a safe environment to allow for students to admit that they \u00e2\u20ac\u0153don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get it\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, or that they need a little bit of help.<\/p>\n<p>A practical tip: instead of asking, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you understand?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d you can say something like, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<strong>Can you tell me which parts you are still having a difficult time understanding<\/strong>? Or, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<strong>Can you tell me which concepts are a little bit unclear or fuzzy to you?<\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d This way \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you frame the question from: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you get it, yes or no?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to asking: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tell me <em>which parts<\/em> you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>I feel as a teacher, we should generally assume that the students don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re trying to teach them 100%. Therefore to always slow down, and give them a safe space to share their insecurities or what they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know.<\/p>\n<h2>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Facilitating\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, not \u00e2\u20ac\u0153teaching\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/h2>\n<p>When I was a college student at UCLA, I taught a 1-unit seminar titled: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Sociology of Facebook and Online Social Networks.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Cindy encouraged me to apply for this special \u00e2\u20ac\u0153USIE\u00e2\u20ac\u009d program (undergraduate student initiated education, or something like that) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d which allowed juniors\/seniors to teach a 10-week university-level course.<\/p>\n<p>Before teaching the course, we enrolled in an honors \u00e2\u20ac\u0153pedagogy course\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (pedagogy being\u00e2\u20ac\u201d learning <em>how<\/em> to teach).<\/p>\n<p>The biggest takeaway I got from this pedagogy course is philosophical. The idea is that you aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t \u00e2\u20ac\u0153teaching\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather, you are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153facilitating\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the students for self-learning.<\/p>\n<p>A \u00e2\u20ac\u0153teacher\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is someone who lectures for 2 hours straight, and expects you to intake all the information. The idea is the teacher is the center of knowledge and power, and the students are just the peons, consuming the wisdom from the teacher.<\/p>\n<p>However the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153facilitator\u00e2\u20ac\u009d model assumes that the student already knows what they need to know (in their own brain). Your job as a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfacilitator\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 is to unlock their own mind. You \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfacilitate\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 their self-learning. Therefore it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t telling them what is best for them, but helping them discover (on their own) what is best for them.<\/p>\n<p>So when it comes to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153teaching\u00e2\u20ac\u009d photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really teaching them anything. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re rather giving ideas, suggestions and helping guide your students. You spend more time listening to their needs, wants, and challenges\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and trying to give them customized (bespoke) ideas on how to help them become the best version of themselves.<\/p>\n<h2>Anyone can be a teacher<\/h2>\n<p>Okay, teaching philosophies behind\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I am going to continue to use the term \u00e2\u20ac\u0153teaching\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (you can assume I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m talking about \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfacilitating\u00e2\u20ac\u2122).<\/p>\n<p>Anyways, a lot of people are not confident in their skills, and think that they can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t teach.<\/p>\n<p>I think anyone can be a teacher. The secret is finding how to teach <em>according to your own style<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, some of us prefer to teach in smaller groups. Other people prefer to teach in larger groups. Some people like to teach by example, and others like to teach with words, or text.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you have a passion for photography, and you want to share that passion with others\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you are a teacher<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1>Chapter 2: How to build a following<\/h1>\n<p>Okay, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you have a passion for teaching. But one of the most difficult parts of teaching photography workshops is getting students. So in this chapter, I will share some thoughts on how to find students, how to build trust, and have people sign up for your workshops.<\/p>\n<h2>Build trust<\/h2>\n<p>The one thing you need to build is a sense of <strong>trust<\/strong>. Trust is the universal human emotion which binds all of us together.<\/p>\n<p>Trust is what holds families together. Trust is what makes commerce and trade possible. Trust is what allows a bank to loan money to an individual. Trust is the cement which holds together friendships.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to teach a photography workshop and have people spend money to attend, you need to build up trust with your audience.<\/p>\n<p>And <strong>you cannot build trust overnight<\/strong>. Think about it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d how long did it take you before you trusted your friends, or those who you are really close to?<\/p>\n<h2>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Branding\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/h2>\n<p>Nowadays, we think of big \u00e2\u20ac\u0153brands\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that we trust\u00e2\u20ac\u201d like Nike, Apple, Tesla, and BMW.<\/p>\n<p>A \u00e2\u20ac\u0153brand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a company. A \u00e2\u20ac\u0153brand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is a concept we have in our minds\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and we trust brands. So essentially, you can replace the word \u00e2\u20ac\u0153brand\u00e2\u20ac\u009d with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153trust.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>I \u00e2\u20ac\u0153trust\u00e2\u20ac\u009d certain brands, because I believe they are superior. For example, if I have a really bad headache, and I really want to cure my headache\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I will spend $5 on Tylenol instead of $2 on the generic product (even though it is the same ingredients). The irrational human in me thinks that the Tylenol will help alleviate my headache. And the power of a brand is so powerful is that I will fall victim to the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153placebo effect\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d that indeed, if I <em>think<\/em> the Tylenol is superior than the generic, I will actually feel better.<\/p>\n<p>Brands aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t built overnight. They are built over years, over decades, and sometimes even centuries.<\/p>\n<p>Nike took several decades before it built the cult-like following it has. The same with Apple, Louie-Vuitton, and all these other desirable brands.<\/p>\n<p>So if you want to teach photography workshops for a living, <strong>you need to build up your personal brand\u00e2\u20ac\u201d or a sense of trust with your audience<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>How to build trust<\/h2>\n<p>One of the biggest misconceptions is that if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re just very good at advertising and marketing, people will easily be suckered into paying money for whatever you offer.<\/p>\n<p>Wrong. You need to build up your presence, and your own personal legitimacy.<\/p>\n<h2>How to build an online presence<\/h2>\n<p>Google rules the world. It is the #1 used website in the world. Whenever people are trying to search for anything, they will use Google.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore for the purposes of this guide, I will focus on building your <em>online<\/em> presence. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know how to really build an offline presence. There are the basics\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you can become popular in your local community by giving free talks, by networking, and showing up at local photography events.<\/p>\n<p>However I feel that by limiting yourself to the local area \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you are limiting yourself.<\/p>\n<p>For me, I use the analogy of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153crop rotation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d If you keep trying to harvest fruit from the same plot of land, you will eventually run out of minerals. You need to let certain ground run \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fallow\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d let it replenish itself. You need to visit other places to teach (different cities in your own country, and even internationally).<\/p>\n<p>For example, if I kept trying to teach photography workshops in LA, people would eventually stop attending. Because there is a certain point where a student won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t keep signing up for my workshop.<\/p>\n<p>And to be honest\u00e2\u20ac\u201d your purpose of a teacher is to have your students <em>not<\/em> attend multiple workshops.<\/p>\n<p>Why? The purpose of teaching a workshop is to give your students the tools they need to guide themselves in their photography. You do <em>not<\/em> want your students dependent upon you.<\/p>\n<p>In the early days of Google, they judged their own success by how little time people spent on their site. Which means, if a person was searching for something online, the <em>less<\/em> time they spent on Google\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it meant they found what they needed to find. So they wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to go back to Google to keep searching.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want your students to become dependent on you. Like a good parent, you want to teach them the skills they need to succeed on their own. Like the analogy we used earlier on, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to keep giving them fish to feed themselves. You need to teach them how to fish themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Anyways going back to the point at hand, I feel <strong>it is desirable to build an international presence<\/strong>. And the best way to build an international presence is to use the internet.<\/p>\n<h2>Build a blog<\/h2>\n<p>I feel one of the best ways to build an online presence is to build a blog. Not to be a slave to social media platforms. Why? Because if you build a blog, it will be easy for people to find you on Google. If you only build a social media platform, you severely restrict the ability for people to find you online.<\/p>\n<p>In the beginning, I got too caught up in the social media hype. I thought if I could get enough social media followers, I would become successful.<\/p>\n<p>And as I did become more popular, I misattributed my success and popularity to social media. In reality, 99% of people found me through Google, or YouTube (another Google product).<\/p>\n<p>The benefit of building a blog is that it is an open platform. Anyone can access your blog. It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter if they have a Mac, a PC, an iPhone, or an Android smartphone. Whereas if you build a social media following, what if someone doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have that social media app? Then they can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t access you.<\/p>\n<h2>But isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t blogging dead?<\/h2>\n<p>Blogging has been around for a long time. And it will continue to exist for a long time.<\/p>\n<p>The unfortunate thing is that a lot fewer people blog today than in the past. Because it is hard. It is much easier to upload photos and text to social media.<\/p>\n<p>But if you share things on social media, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t own your own platform. Rather, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re contributing to another platform. And you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t build your own personal equity.<\/p>\n<p>For me, the #1 most valuable asset I have is my blog. Because my blog is in my control. I pay the server fees (around $60 a month), I own my own domain name, I can upload files to it, share them easily, and I am easily discoverable on Google.<\/p>\n<p>Another analogy I can use is consider your website or blog as your tree trunk. I still recommend you to use social media\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but social media are the branches, leading you back to your trunk.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to build a strong tree, you want a strong trunk (foundation). You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to build up strong branches.<\/p>\n<h2>How to build a blog<\/h2>\n<p>Honestly, if you want to really teach photography workshops for a living, or perhaps make a different living through your photography \u00e2\u20ac\u201d there are going to be some startup costs. But these costs are a lot lower than you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d imagine.<\/p>\n<p>To start off, I recommend starting your own website\/blog. That means registering a domain name (www.yourfirstnamelastname.com), and paying money for your website.<\/p>\n<p>A quick rule: to know whether you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re building your personal equity or not, consider whether you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re paying for your service or not. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not paying for the product, you are the product.<\/p>\n<p>I recommend signing up for <a href=\"http:\/\/bluehost.com\">bluehost.com<\/a> to build your website or blog. I personally use <a href=\"http:\/\/1and1.com\">1and1.com<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really like them. Unfortunately at this point, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m trapped on their server, because migrating all my information to another platform would be too much work.<\/p>\n<p>After you signup for bluehost.com (or any other website), I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d recommend installing <a href=\"http:\/\/wordpress.org\">wordpress.org<\/a> on your website.<\/p>\n<p>What is WordPress? WordPress is an open-source platform for building your website and blog. I read some random statistic that over 50% of the internet is currently powered by WordPress.<\/p>\n<p>What is the difference between wordpress.org and wordpress.com?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>WordPress.org is an open-source and free platform for you to host your content. You will download the wordpress.org \u00e2\u20ac\u0153framework\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and self-host it on your website. This is what you want.<\/li>\n<li>WordPress.com is a paid service, good for hobbyists or people starting off. This is free for anyone to register, but there will be advertisements on your website (not desirable). Also if you sign up for the free service, you will not be able to have your own website \u00e2\u20ac\u0153domain\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (www.yourfirstnamelastname.com). Instead, they will give you a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153free\u00e2\u20ac\u009d domain (yourfirstnamelastname.wordpress.com) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d which doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look as professional.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Assuming you use bluehost.com, there is a function that allows you easily install wordpress.org (directly from their site). Setup should be an ease. If you have any issues, you can just Google how to install it (you can search: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How to install WordPress on Bluehost\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) or something like that.<\/p>\n<h2>Customizing your website\/blog<\/h2>\n<p>When you register your website or blog, I recommend choosing a simple URL (website address) for yourself.<\/p>\n<p>For example, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make a website like:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n  darkmysteriousphotography.com\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d rather recommend:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n  jeremysmith.com\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And if that domain isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t available, do something like:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n  jeremysmithphoto.com or jeremysmithphotography.com\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>It is better to brand your name. Be a Calvin Klein, a Hugo Boss, or a Louie Vuitton. People remember names instead of these obscure cheesy-sounding brand names.<\/p>\n<h2>How do I get started blogging?<\/h2>\n<p>Okay, the reason you want to start blogging is because the more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153content\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (blog posts\/articles) you have on your website, the more likely Google will rank you higher. And also the more often you update your website (the more often you upload blog posts), the higher Google will rank you.<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t over-think blogging. The great thing about blogging is that it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to be perfect.<\/p>\n<p>To be honest, <strong>focus on quantity over quality when you start off in blogging<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As an experiment, try to blog everyday for 30 days straight. It can be anything. Just upload 1 photo a day to your blog. Upload 1 inspirational photo quote to your blog a day. Or write 1 article a day, anything relating to your photography.<\/p>\n<p>Some ideas:<br \/>\n&#8211; Interview another photographer<br \/>\n&#8211; Share a famous photograph, and analyze it<br \/>\n&#8211; Share a compositional tip<br \/>\n&#8211; Share the story behind some of your favorite photos<br \/>\n&#8211; Review your camera<br \/>\n&#8211; Review your travel photography experiences<\/p>\n<p>The more you produce as a blogger the more likely you are to hit a home-run. Every time you upload a blog post, it is like you are swinging your bat. And the more you swing your bat, the more likely you are to hit a home run.<\/p>\n<h2>How do I get people to find my blog?<\/h2>\n<p>When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re starting off, nobody will know who you are. For me, I blogged almost daily for a year before anyone found out who I was. And honestly, it took me 6 years of consistent blogging before I became \u00e2\u20ac\u0153internet famous.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>A good strategy to have people find your blog \u00e2\u20ac\u0153organically\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (without paying for internet advertising) is to interview other photographers. Find a photographer who inspires you, and interview them via video, via email, or maybe even in-person. And then publish an interview with them, posting their images, and transcribing the interview. Then when you publish their interview, the photographer will share that interview with their friends. That is a great way to get started.<\/p>\n<p>Another idea: do \u00e2\u20ac\u0153guest blog posts\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for other more popular photography websites. Photography websites are always hungry for more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153content\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and if you offer to write a free guest blog post for them, who would say no? The secret is to put your heart and soul into these guest blog posts \u00e2\u20ac\u201d because if it is really good, you can link back to your own website\/blog \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and build up a following this way.<\/p>\n<p>Another strategy: remember the saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<strong>content is king<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Content relates to anything relating to information, blog posts, articles, videos, ebooks, etc. Essentially you want to create the most useful, valuable, practical information that will empower your viewer\/reader.<\/p>\n<p>For me, when I started off in street photography, I was frustrated by the lack of information on the internet about <em>how<\/em> to shoot street photography. I saw a lot of great street photographs online, but nobody told me <em>how<\/em> they got the photos. Nobody shared their secrets. So I started my own blog as a way to discover the truth for myself.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore I started to try to learn how to shoot street photography myself\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and shared this information with others.<\/p>\n<p>To be honest, I had no intention on doing photography full-time for a living, nor did I think it was possible to be a full-time blogger\/photography workshop teacher. I started my blog as a hobby, and a passion\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and it later morphed into my living.<\/p>\n<p>But going back to what I was talking about, I started a street photography blog to fill in the gap on the internet. I tried to create the most useful, valuable, and practical street photography tips, advice, and information. And I was lucky. I had good timing (there were no other street photography websites on <em>how<\/em> to shoot street photography at the time), and a lot of luck. But I hustled my ass off, writing with my heart and soul, and also hitting the pavement as often as I could (to improve my own street photography).<\/p>\n<p>Now this blog is one of the most popular street photography websites\/blogs on the internet. I would factor the success of this blog to timing, luck, hard work, and perseverance. It took me nearly 6 years of blogging (2,000+ blog posts) before I hit #1 on Google for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photography.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>So know that success will not be overnight. It might take you 1-2 years before you build a following. Or maybe 5-6 years. But if you blog daily for 5 years, how can you not succeed?<\/p>\n<h2>Social media vs blogging<\/h2>\n<p>I think it is still valuable to use social media as a supplement to get people to find your blog and website. Yet in terms of the focus, I would say focus 90% of your focus on blogging, and only 10% on social media.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is most bloggers focus on the opposite. They focus 90% on social media, and only 10% on blogging.<\/p>\n<p>But at the end of the day, your blogging content is the most valuable asset. So if you really want to build up your following, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t waste time trying to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153network\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on social media. Rather, focus on creating. Focusing on building value. Get your hands dirty, and try to create as much as you can.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When in doubt, blog<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>How to stay motivated in blogging<\/h2>\n<p>One of the hardest things as a blogger is to stay motivated.<\/p>\n<p>But honestly, I think \u00e2\u20ac\u0153motivation\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is overrated.<\/p>\n<p>Do you need to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153motivate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d yourself to eat everyday? To drink coffee everyday? To talk everyday? To shit everyday?<\/p>\n<p>No. Whatever is essential to you, you will do it naturally.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t force yourself to blog all the time. And while I do think it is important to blog consistently when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re staring off\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t necessarily need to blog everyday. You can blog 3x a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Or you can blog once a week. Or you can blog once a month. Whatever you do, just <strong>don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t die<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to be a successful blogger, and build an online presence, <strong>you need to blog until you die<\/strong>. We are seeking longevity, not short-term success.<\/p>\n<p>Some practical strategies to stay motivated in blogging:<\/p>\n<h3>1. <strong>Accept 80% \u00e2\u20ac\u0153good enough\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n<p>Perfection is the death of blogging. Write, blog, or create blog posts that are 80% \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcgood enough\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 in your eyes, and just hit publish.<\/p>\n<h3>2. <strong>Drink lots of coffee<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sorry, but if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not a coffee drinker, please get started. For me, no coffee (or caffeine) = no blogging. Furthermore, I find cafe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a great place to write, because of the creative environment. So if you want to blog consistently, drink coffee consistently, and visit as many coffee shops (or tea shops) as you can.<\/p>\n<h3>3. <strong>Disable distracting websites<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n<p>I always get the best blogging and writing done when I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m offline. And I have no self-control. Therefore I have website-blockers installed on my computer to prevent myself from getting distracted. Like Ulysses, I tied myself to the mast of the ship, and plugged my ears with wax, because I know I cannot personally resist the sounds of the sirens. I have \u00e2\u20ac\u0153WasteNoTime\u00e2\u20ac\u009d installed on my Safari web browser, which blocks distracting social media websites and blogs. You can install \u00e2\u20ac\u0153StayFocusd\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on Google Chrome. And if you really want to focus, turn off your wifi, or go to a coffee shop with no wifi. For really extreme measures, install \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<a href=\"http:\/\/freedom.to\">Freedom<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to turn off your wifi for pre-allocated times. For example, you can turn off your wifi for 2 hours (and no matter how many times you restart your computer, it will stay offline). <strong>To stay focused means to kill distractions, not to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153focus\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>4. <strong>Find inspiration from everything<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n<p>I find sources of inspiration for blogging everywhere. I find inspiration through reading philosophy books, by seeing inspirational interior architecture, by listening to rap music, by intense conversations I have with friends, by traveling, by being frustrated (often writing about what frustrates you is a good motivator). The secret is just to pay attention. That means <em>not<\/em> always looking at your smartphone. The next time you wait for the bus, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just take out your phone. Rather, stop, listen, and look around. <strong>Let your mind relax, that is the best way to get inspirational ideas<\/strong>. This is how to be imaginative, to be creative\u00e2\u20ac\u201d to <em>not<\/em> constantly bombard yourself with external stimuli.<\/p>\n<h3>5. <strong>Write down your ideas<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n<p>For me, whenever I get an idea, I write it down. I usually write it down in Evernote on my laptop, or write it down in Evernote on my smartphone. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve found out the more ideas I have, the more likely I have something to write about.<\/p>\n<p>For example, this a current list of ideas I have written down (for potential blog posts). I wrote these all down while reading \u00e2\u20ac\u0153On the Shortness of Life\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Seneca. I find reading books (especially ancient philosophy) to be the greatest source for ideas:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be afraid to offend others<\/li>\n<li>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to be humble<\/li>\n<li>How to tell stories in photography<\/li>\n<li>What is good for photographers?<\/li>\n<li>How to change the world with photography<\/li>\n<li>How to change yourself with photography<\/li>\n<li>How to be less depressed with photography<\/li>\n<li>Photograph what you want to see<\/li>\n<li>Build what you want to see<\/li>\n<li>Be a builder<\/li>\n<li>How to be a builder<\/li>\n<li>Avoid mimicking others<\/li>\n<li>How to Teach a Photography Workshop<\/li>\n<li>How to Make a Living Teaching Photography Workshops *** (BOOK?)<\/li>\n<li>How can I teach men to fish (to make a living what they love?)<\/li>\n<li>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Photography 101\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (my 1 book?) *** \u00e2\u20ac\u201d take bits and pieces from old blog posts, from old ebooks, etc? \u00e2\u20ac\u201d combine and remix, and distill down!<\/li>\n<li>How to Be More Ambitious in Your Photography<\/li>\n<li>How to Be Less Ambitious in Your Photography<\/li>\n<li>How to Be Less Ambitious<\/li>\n<li>How to Focus on Action in Life<\/li>\n<li>How Would You Live Your Daily Life if You Were a Billionaire?<\/li>\n<li>How to Achieve Great Things in Your Life<\/li>\n<li>What is Your Real Purpose in Life?<\/li>\n<li>How to Break Yourself Free From the Shackles of Addiction<\/li>\n<li>How to Kill Desire<\/li>\n<li>How to Stand Up For Yourself<\/li>\n<li>What is Your Single Worthwhile Goal in Life?<\/li>\n<li>How to Use Your Time Properly<\/li>\n<li>What if You Lived to Be 120 Years Old?<\/li>\n<li>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Delay Your Life<\/li>\n<li>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Have Expectations in Life<\/li>\n<li>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Delay Your Life<\/li>\n<li>How to Focus in Life<\/li>\n<li>How to Imagine ***<\/li>\n<li>How to be less busy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The idea-taking system I have is this: I write any random ideas I have in Evernote, or any simple text-editor, and whenever I think a certain idea is really good (I add ***) to it. This helps me filter some of my ideas.<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, for me, every 50 ideas I write down, I might have 1 good idea.<\/p>\n<p>I also feel that when it comes down to writing down ideas, use the simplest tool possible. It might be a piece of paper, your smartphone, or just a simple text editor.<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, the best minimalist tools I use include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Evernote<\/li>\n<li>IA Writer (use this to write everything, this is what I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m currently using to write these lines)<\/li>\n<li>Notes (the default Mac app)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I use Evernote to sync my ideas between my smartphone and my laptop (I have an Android smartphone, but a MacBook laptop)<\/p>\n<p>I use IA Writer to write everything (I use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153markdown\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to write my articles, which is a minimalist syntax format\u00e2\u20ac\u201d easy to create headers, italicize, and bold text). I also use the full-screen \u00e2\u20ac\u0153focus\u00e2\u20ac\u009d mode, so I am not distracted by writing.<\/p>\n<p>I use \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Notes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d when I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m reading books on my laptop (I usually use the iBooks app on my laptop to read book), and then I write down notes and ideas in the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Notes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d app.<\/p>\n<p>So to re-cap, write down as many random ideas you have. And highlight the few good ideas you might have.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Listen to the same soundtrack<\/h3>\n<p>A practical tip to get into the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153zone\u00e2\u20ac\u009d while writing or blogging\u00e2\u20ac\u201d keep listening to the same 1 music album, or the same 1 song.<\/p>\n<p>For me, this gets me into a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153zen\u00e2\u20ac\u009d state of focus. I also do the same when I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m at the gym.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I currently have Kanye West\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Life of Pablo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on repeat while I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m writing these lines. And specifically, I have probably listened to his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Saint Pablo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d track at least 50 times, to write not only this\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but half a dozen other e-books, and articles I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve written.<\/p>\n<p>The secret is to find an album or soundtrack that you can keep on repeat\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which <em>shuts off<\/em> your brain. Which drowns out the noise and distraction outside.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Turn off your phone<\/h3>\n<p>When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re trying to write, or blog, my suggestion: turn off your phone completely. This is the biggest source of distraction. Because one little notification, text message or phone call can disrupt your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153flow.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<h2>This is what worked for me<\/h2>\n<p>Of course to re-iterate, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m just writing down practical \u00e2\u20ac\u0153recipes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that work for me. These might or might not work for you. My suggestion, just keep experimenting until you find what works for <em>you<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2>Build an email list<\/h2>\n<p>Another mistake I made when I started off blogging\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t create an email list.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d recommend building an email list as quickly as you can, I prefer using <a href=\"http:\/\/mailchimp.com\">mailchimp.com<\/a>. They are free when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re starting off, but once you reach a certain subscriber base, you need to start paying money.<\/p>\n<p>Why email? Because email is the most ancient form of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153digital communication\u00e2\u20ac\u009d we have\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that will (unfortunately) exist forever.<\/p>\n<p>The benefit of email to contact your viewers or readers is this\u00e2\u20ac\u201d they are much more likely to see your email, rather than a random social media post. Social media platforms constantly filter your posts.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I have 80,000 people following me on Facebook. But whenever I post something, only 1,000 people might see it. That is only 1.25% of my followers seeing my message.<\/p>\n<p>However I have around 10,000 email subscribers. Whenever I send an email, about 50,000 people might open it. That is nearly a 50% open rate. That is a MASSIVE difference.<\/p>\n<p>Personally, I hate email. I think it is a horrible communication platform which encourages people to over-communicate. Not only that, but most of us are addicted to email. We check out inboxes every 5-10 minutes. It is the first thing we check when we wake up, and the last thing we check before we sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Yet email is also wonderful. I can communicate with anyone on the internet. It is free. It is an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153open\u00e2\u20ac\u009d platform. Email (for better or worse) is the <em>least bad<\/em> form of communication on the internet.<\/p>\n<p>I still use email, although very infrequently. I have got lots of important messages via email (wedding invitations, business opportunities, messages from old friends), yet I also get a lot of junk.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore for me, I try to check my email as infrequently as possible. That might mean once a day, once a week, or once a month. The less frequently you check your email, the more likely you are to find \u00e2\u20ac\u0153signal\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (an important email) rather than get distracted by \u00e2\u20ac\u0153noise\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (irrelevant emails).<\/p>\n<p>Therefore for me, when I send out email newsletters to my followers, I try to do it as infrequently as possible. Usually this is once a week, or once a month. Currently it is around once a month.<\/p>\n<p>I send out an email newsletter whenever I have a new product, a new free ebook, or new workshops. And whenever I send out these emails, I get tons of people buying my new products, reading my free new ebooks, or signing up for workshops.<\/p>\n<p>So to re-iterate, focus on building up your email newsletter (instead of building up your social media following). I think 1 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true follower\u00e2\u20ac\u009d via email is 10x more valuable than a random \u00e2\u20ac\u0153follower\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on social media.<\/p>\n<p>And in terms of how often you send emails, send it whenever you think it is something valuable. That might be everyday, once a week, once a month, or once a year. But the general rule is this: <strong>don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do unto others as you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want others to do unto you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like getting too many emails. So I try to send them as infrequently as I check my personal email.<\/p>\n<p>Another example: I hate it when people have these pop-up ads on their website to get me to signup for their newsletter. So I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do that to my followers or blog readers. Rather, I have an unobtrusive email signup module at the end of each my blog posts.<\/p>\n<p>But once again, just do what feels right to you. We all have different personal ethics.<\/p>\n<h2>It will probably take at least a year<\/h2>\n<p>Usually, when students signup for my workshops, they have been following me for at least 6 months-1 year. Because that is how long it takes them to trust me before they signup for my workshops.<\/p>\n<p>Most students who signup for my workshops have watched several of my YouTube videos, like my photos, like my articles, and have read some of my free ebooks.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore my practical suggestion is this: don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t try to monetize your photography website or blog with annoying ads. Rather, use it as a platform to build your platform to build trust.<\/p>\n<p>Create as much useful and valuable information for your followers, in the form of articles, ebooks, or YouTube videos.<\/p>\n<p>You also want to employ \u00e2\u20ac\u0153pull\u00e2\u20ac\u009d marketing, rather than \u00e2\u20ac\u0153push\u00e2\u20ac\u009d marketing.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pull\u00e2\u20ac\u009d marketing is when you gently pull people towards you. Kind of how gravity works \u00e2\u20ac\u201d planets naturally are drawn to one another. Or how magnets work.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Push\u00e2\u20ac\u009d marketing is aggressive \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and when you are shoving things in people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s faces. This includes annoying pop-up ads, flashing banners, or anything that is annoying.<\/p>\n<p>Think about it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d who do you prefer to hang out with at a dinner party? Do you want to talk to the person who is a good listener, who is interesting, and isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t self-centered? Someone who is interested in learning about <em>you<\/em>, instead of just talking a bout themselves all night?<\/p>\n<p>Marketing is not evil. Marketing is just a modern word for communicating. If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153put yourself out there.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Great artists are also great marketers. Just ask Andy Warhol, Steve Jobs, or Picasso.<\/p>\n<h2>Give more than you take<\/h2>\n<p>Another practical tip \u00e2\u20ac\u201d try to give 10x more than you take. This is how you build and add value.<\/p>\n<p>For example, as a blogger, for every 10 blog posts you write that are helpful to your followers, write 1 blog post that is self-promotional.<\/p>\n<p>And it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t bad to be self-promotional. It is bad to be <em>overly<\/em> self-promotional to the point it get annoying.<\/p>\n<p>There is a saying there is a reason why God gave us 2 ears and just 1 mouth. We should listen more than we speak.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly \u00e2\u20ac\u201d when you are at a dinner party or meet your friends, ask them more questions, rather than talking all the time.<\/p>\n<p>And with internet marketing and blogging, create more value than you take.<\/p>\n<h2>On collaboration<\/h2>\n<p>As an entrepreneur, you need to collaborate. That is what makes us human, and successful. It is cliche to say (but true) that it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t <em>what<\/em> you know, it is <em>who<\/em> you know.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re starting off, collaborate as much with others as possible. Write guest blog posts for others, and have others write guest blog posts from you. Attend photography lectures from other photographers, and learn from others. Co-teach a photography workshop with someone else.<\/p>\n<p>However at the same time, know when <em>not<\/em> to collaborate. For example, often when you try to over-collaborate, you just get nothing done.<\/p>\n<p>For example, you might talk to a friend about starting a YouTube channel or a blog together. But if you are overly reliant on the other person, you might not get anything done.<\/p>\n<p>For me, all of my best blogging is done solo. When I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t rely on an editor before publishing things. When I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to get someone to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcapprove\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 my guest blog post. This is why I like blogging on my own blog, and my own platform.<\/p>\n<p>However early on, it is good to collaborate as much as you can with other photographers, and brands. I know that when I started off, I got a lot of help from Leica (thanks to JJ and Christian), my local photography friends, photography friends online (Charlie Kirk, Josh White, many others), Invisible Photographer Asia (thank you Kevin Lee), Digital Photography School (thanks Darren Rowse), and countless others (you know who you are).<\/p>\n<p>I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t attribute any of my success to myself. It is rather the help I got from the titans I met along the way.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1>Chapter 3: How to design a workshop<\/h1>\n<p>Okay so in this section, we will talk about the practical tips on <em>how<\/em> to design a workshop, and how to teach a workshop.<\/p>\n<h2>What need are you fulfilling?<\/h2>\n<p>Okay, before you teach a workshop \u00e2\u20ac\u201d think about what need you are filling in.<\/p>\n<p>For example, one of the best ways to discover this is to figure out your own personal needs.<\/p>\n<p>When I started off in street photography, I was scared shitless. I was so afraid to photograph strangers, especially without their permission.<\/p>\n<p>It took me a long time to overcome my fear of shooting street photography (at least 5 years). But now, I am pretty fearless when it comes to shooting street photography. And the point of me doing my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Conquer Your Fear\u00e2\u20ac\u009d workshops is to help others overcome their fears.<\/p>\n<p>I feel this is a great workshop to teach, because as long as we are human, we will have feel fear.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think about what your students \u00e2\u20ac\u0153want\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d think about what they might \u00e2\u20ac\u0153need.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>You might think your students <em>want<\/em> to learn how to take better photos. But in reality, they just might <em>need<\/em> to learn more self-confidence in their photography. You might think that your students <em>want<\/em> to attend a travel photography workshop to take good photos, but what your students might <em>need<\/em> is a break away from their crazy 9-5 jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, think about what <em>need<\/em> you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re trying to fulfill in the lives of your students.<\/p>\n<p>And often, the best need to fulfill is the one that you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve needed yourself in the past.<\/p>\n<h2>The workshop format<\/h2>\n<p>There are a lot of different formats in terms of workshops you can teach.<\/p>\n<p>For me, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done 1-day, 2-day, 3-day workshops, and 5-day workshops.<\/p>\n<p>It seems that the best \u00e2\u20ac\u0153bang for the buck\u00e2\u20ac\u009d workshop (in terms of time spent, and value added for the students) is the 2-day workshop. It gives you enough time to get to know the students, discover their needs, and also share with them some knowledge or ideas about photography.<\/p>\n<p>I will try to share some practical blueprints for these workshops in the section below:<\/p>\n<h3>2-day workshop<\/h3>\n<p>At the moment, I am focusing my efforts on the 2-day workshop, so this is what I will outline below.<\/p>\n<p>Usually the workshop is on a Saturday\/Sunday, as that is convenient for people as most people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t work on the weekends.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, you meet the students, give a brief lecture\/activity, and then go shoot with the students, give them 1:1 instruction and guidance, and then usually have dinner with them.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, you meet in the morning, have a coffee with them, and do some more shooting with them, grab lunch with them, then do mostly classroom time (reviewing images, and critiquing photos), then having dinner with them.<\/p>\n<p>That is a basic blueprint for a 2-day workshop. I will try to get more into the nitty gritty:<\/p>\n<h4>Saturday<\/h4>\n<p>Usually I have the workshop from 10am-6pm. The outline looks something like this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>10am: Meet students, ice-breaker activity, for students to get to know one another<\/li>\n<li>10:30am-12pm: Start \u00e2\u20ac\u0153official\u00e2\u20ac\u009d workshop. You can use this hour and a half to give a lecture, a practical engaging activity, or some sort of educational information.<\/li>\n<li>12-1pm: Have lunch, chat with students, get to know them, and allow them some time to be social with one another (a very crucial part for the workshop)<\/li>\n<li>1-6pm: Time shooting in the streets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Sunday<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>10am: Meet students for coffee, recap previous day<\/li>\n<li>10:30am-12pm: More time shooting on the streets<\/li>\n<li>12pm-1pm: Lunch<\/li>\n<li>1-3pm: Classroom lecture on how to choose your best photos, and giving students some time to choose their best images<\/li>\n<li>3pm-6pm: Putting all the best student photos on the projector, and giving an honest \u00e2\u20ac\u0153feedback and critique\u00e2\u20ac\u009d session. Usually limit the students to share their 1-3 best photos, and let the students give one another an in-depth analysis on what they did well, and how they could improve.<\/li>\n<li>6pm: Hugs, laughs, group photos, and have dinner with students<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Basic 2-day blueprint for workshop<\/h4>\n<p>This is a basic outline of a 2-day workshop. Of course, you can edit this blueprint however you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d like.<\/p>\n<p>Some ideas: You can start earlier, or end earlier. Another thing I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done is to spend <em>less<\/em> time in the classroom (and more time out shooting) you ask the students to watch a pre-recorded lecture video <em>before<\/em> attending the workshop. I generally send out the students a 1-hour video lecture (that I pre-recorded on YouTube) on practical tips how to conquer their fears of shooting street photography. Then in class, I have them do a practice assignment in photographing one another, to make them comfortable shooting. I think the most useful part of a workshop is hands-on practice, rather than just listening to theory. So try to organize your workshop to spend the least amount of time possible in the classroom, and the most time actually practicing with the students.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you are teaching a portrait workshop. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t spend too much time lecturing on how to shoot portraits. Rather, maximize the time for the students to actually practice and shoot themselves. People learn while they are doing, not when they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re listening.<\/p>\n<p>Or if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing a travel photography workshop, spend less time lecturing, more time actually traveling, shooting, and getting feedback on their photos.<\/p>\n<p>The purpose of a workshop is to put students to work. Otherwise I think a lecture-based \u00e2\u20ac\u0153workshop\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is probably more of a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153seminar.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<h4>Ways you can modify a 2-day workshop<\/h4>\n<p>Things I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done in the past included doing a \u00e2\u20ac\u01532.5 day\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or 3-day workshop, by having the students meet Friday evening, and give feedback and critique to their portfolios <em>before<\/em> the actual workshop. So on Friday evening, the students would share their 3 best photos from their portfolio from 5-8pm. Then we would have dinner, to get to know one another.<\/p>\n<p>Or you can start on Friday morning at 10am. Then perhaps use the first half of the day to critique their portfolio. Then the rest of the day to shoot. And then on Saturday, you can use that morning to review more of their portfolio.<\/p>\n<h3>5-day workshop<\/h3>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve also done a few week-long (5-day) workshops, where it is usually more travel-based.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done a week-long workshop in Venice\/Verona, Calcutta, Saigon, and other \u00e2\u20ac\u0153exotic\u00e2\u20ac\u009d cities where students want to fly out, and do a workshop \u00e2\u20ac\u0153experience\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (not just photography, but the thrill of traveling, having good food, and building memories with other passionate photographers).<\/p>\n<p>For the 5-day workshop, I usually start them on a Wednesday, and end on Sunday evening. I think this is easier for people to take off 3 days from work (instead of 5 days, if the workshop started on a Monday).<\/p>\n<p>For the 5-day format, the blue print is something like this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wednesday: Meet, ice-breakers, portfolio review, time shooting on the streets<\/li>\n<li>Thursday: Each student shares their best 3 photos from Wednesday, brief feedback and critique session (either in classroom or coffee shop), then more time shooting.<\/li>\n<li>Friday: Morning critique \/ afternoon shooting \/ dinner with students<\/li>\n<li>Saturday: Morning critique \/ afternoon shooting \/ dinner with students<\/li>\n<li>Sunday: Morning shooting \/ classroom time to choose best 3 photos from <em>entire<\/em> week \/ final critique<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The great thing about a week-long workshop is that it gives you more time to get to know the students. To connect with them deeper. To not only get to know them as photographers, but human beings. This is because you have more meals together, more coffees together, and more life sharing together.<\/p>\n<p>One of the benefits of doing a week-long workshop (instead of a 2-day workshop) is that it is less intense. It is more relaxed. Because you have a week together, instead of just a short intense 2-days.<\/p>\n<p>There is no \u00e2\u20ac\u0153better\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153worse\u00e2\u20ac\u009d method. Just try to be flexible, and figure out what works best for you.<\/p>\n<h2>What should the student cap be?<\/h2>\n<p>In a workshop, you want to find an ideal balance for students.<\/p>\n<p>For some teachers, that might be 6 students. For other teachers, that might be 20 students. Whatever you can personally handle.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve found that it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t necessarily matter how many students you have\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but how you divide them.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in a workshop, I always pair students together. This helps them teach one another, and always have someone to interact with (when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re teaching other students). Not only that, but having a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153photo buddy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d during the workshop, you get to know 1 person really well.<\/p>\n<p>Another strategy that works well, when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing 1:1 or hands-on time with the students, break them into smaller groups.<\/p>\n<p>For example, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you have 16 students. Before you go out and shoot, pair them together (either randomly, or based on what camera system they use, so they can teach each other technical settings). And you can make \u00e2\u20ac\u0153small groups\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of 4 students (two pairs together). Therefore you can have 4 groups of 4 students (Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Group 4) will be 16 students in total.<\/p>\n<p>This is a lot easier to manage. Because when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting on the streets, you can arrange an hour of 1:1 time with each small group.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in a 2-day workshop, on a Saturday, the blueprint would be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1-2pm: Group 1<\/li>\n<li>2-3pm: Group 2<\/li>\n<li>3-4pm: Group 3<\/li>\n<li>4-5pm: Group 4<\/li>\n<li>5-6pm: Meet at coffee shop, recap the day, and look at some student photos on the back of their LCD screens<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also the good thing about making small groups is that you build some camaraderie. I usually like to make small groups of 4 depending on what camera they use. For example, the Fujifilm group, the DSLR group, or the Leica group. And the benefit is they can borrow lenses from one another, share technical tips on their cameras, and learn from one another.<\/p>\n<p>One of the difficult problems as a teacher is that you cannot always be with all the students, all the time. Therefore by breaking them off into pairs, and small groups, you make it more possible for you to effectively use your time, to interact with as many students as possible.<\/p>\n<h2>The importance of sharing meals together<\/h2>\n<p>I think it is really important to share meals with your students. Whether that be breakfast, lunch, coffee, or dinner \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is the time for you to connect deeper with the students.<\/p>\n<p>Also you can use meal times to look at their photos (that they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve shot during the workshop), or look at their social media accounts, and give them feedback on their work. Not only that, but during meals, people are more relaxed, and social.<\/p>\n<p>One of the biggest benefits of a workshop isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just learning how to take better photos. It is also to make new friends, to meet other passionate people, and to build a network and community. A lot of my students have stayed in touch after the workshops, which brings me great joy.<\/p>\n<h2>Teach your students what is practical<\/h2>\n<p>When you teach a workshop, you want to give students practical information. For example, when I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m teaching a street photography workshop, I will give them practical skills, tips, and assignments which I think will help them.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I will teach the students how to shoot layers, how to shoot street portraits, how to use a flash, and how to make simpler compositions. I will show them ways to setup their camera, use exposure-compensation, use manual-focusing, or address any other questions they may have.<\/p>\n<p>I also feel it is beneficial to give them assignments and directions. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just tell your students to go off and just do whatever they feel like. Students need focus, and direction. And you need to give it to them.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in my street photography workshops, some assignments I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve given to students include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Approach a bunch of strangers to take their portrait, and keep asking until you get 5 people to say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and 5 people to say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153no.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/li>\n<li>Take 1,000 photos in a day (to overcome photographer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s block)<\/li>\n<li>Practice shooting candid street photos by taking at least 5 photos of every scene they find interesting.<\/li>\n<li>Practice composition by focusing on diagonals, lines, curves, leading lines, focusing on certain colors, or using a flash<\/li>\n<li>Stand on one street corner for an hour, and photograph anyone who comes to your corner.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on a theme, or a project. Only photograph old people for the weekend, or young people, or the color red, or animals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You want the assignments to be practical. Because if the assignments are too theoretical, it will be difficult for the students to actually put the assignment into practice.<\/p>\n<h2>Love your students<\/h2>\n<p>This is a bit cheesy\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but the most important thing in doing a workshop is to show love to your students. To actually show that you care and give a fuck.<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, a lot of photographers are turning to teaching workshops because it is an easy way to make a buck. And a lot of these teachers don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really care about the students.<\/p>\n<p>You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t guarantee whether your students will have a good experience at the workshop or not. That is out of your control. Because no matter what, you will always let some students down.<\/p>\n<p>However, the one thing you can control is how much you care for your students. The effort you put in. The ability for you to listen, empathize, and show attention to your students. That means really putting in effort when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re teaching your workshop. That means not always checking your smartphone, and talking about yourself. It means encouraging the students to share <em>their<\/em> photos with you. It means giving them practical advice or suggestions, which you think will be valuable to them. It means giving them lots of fist-bumps, hand-shakes, high-fives, hugs, and kisses.<\/p>\n<p>One of the lessons I learned being a teacher from my mentor Michael Lee is this: \u00e2\u20ac\u015310 years from now, your students won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t remember anything you taught them. However, <strong>they will remember whether you loved them or not<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>And it is true. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t remember anything my past teachers in school has taught me. However, I do remember whether they showed love to me. Whether they cared. Whether they put in effort. Whether they engaged us or not.<\/p>\n<p>The teachers I loved the most were the ones who challenged us, who asked us a lot of questions, and engaged in debate and open-discussions. Thank God to my Sociology professor at UCLA (Terri Anderson) who encouraged us Sociology students to question our beliefs, to speak up, and to share ideas.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately as a teacher, you want to love your students. Care for them. Share them what you think will be useful to them, but do it sincerely, from your heart.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1>Chapter 4: How to make money from teaching workshops<\/h1>\n<p>If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve made it this far, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re probably interested in the practical moneymaking part of workshops\u00e2\u20ac\u201d how to literally make a living from teaching workshops.<\/p>\n<h2>Making a living vs a killing<\/h2>\n<p>The first thing I want to emphasize is this: there is a difference between making a <em>living<\/em> doing something, and making a <em>killing<\/em> doing something.<\/p>\n<p>Making a <em>living<\/em> doing something you love is having enough for the basics. To pay rent, to pay for your food, your basic expenses, and of course\u00e2\u20ac\u201d your coffee.<\/p>\n<p>To make a <em>killing<\/em> doing something you love is being able to live in a fancy apartment, driving a BMW, and having a Rolex (and perhaps a Leica).<\/p>\n<p>Our goal is to make a <em>living<\/em> doing what we are passionate about. <em>Not<\/em> making a killing.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re looking to become rich and making a killing from teaching photography workshops, you might want to look elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>But still, I have been fortunate enough to make a comfortable living from teaching photography workshops. I have enough to pay my rent, not worry about paying the bills, and saving some money for the future. What more do I need?<\/p>\n<h2>How much money should I charge?<\/h2>\n<p>The first question you might wonder is: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How much money should I charge from my workshops?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Generally it makes sense to start off charging less (when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re starting off), and slowly raising your prices, the more experienced you become, and the more popular your workshops become.<\/p>\n<p>Generally as a rule, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve discovered that most beginner entrepreneurs and photographers under-sell themselves. Meaning, they under-charge. They don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t charge enough money.<\/p>\n<p>The strange thing is that as humans\u00e2\u20ac\u201d <strong>we think that if something is more expensive, it is more valuable, and is a better quality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, we assume that a $100,000 car is superior to a $30,000 car. We assume that a $5000 camera is superior to a $500 camera. We assume the $100 medicine will work better than the $10 medicine.<\/p>\n<p>The human mind has a lot of information to process. So it is easy for our minds to make a shortcut: higher price = higher quality.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re charging for workshops, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t charge too little. If you charge too little (let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say $50) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d that is far too cheap. I would even say that $100 or $200 is too little for teaching a workshop. My personal suggestion would be <strong>start off charging at least $300 for a 2-day workshop.<\/strong> At least. Then the more popular your workshops, you can decide whether to charge more money.<\/p>\n<h2>Focus on value, not money<\/h2>\n<p>When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re advertising and selling your workshop, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t focus on the price. Rather, focus on the <em>value<\/em> you plan on providing to your students.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t focus on the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153features\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of the workshop (what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to do at the workshop). Rather, focus on the <em>benefits<\/em> of the workshop. What will the students gain from attending your workshop? Will the workshop help them build more personal confidence and creative confidence?<\/p>\n<p>If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re teaching a business-related photography workshop (commercial photography, wedding photography, or even a workshop on how to teach photography workshops) think of the <em>added value<\/em> you can provide.<\/p>\n<p>For example, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say your workshop costs $500. If your student attends the workshop and eventually earn $1000 in extra money (from teaching the workshop), the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153added value\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of the workshop will be $500. So essentially, your student is <em>investing<\/em> in themselves by attending your workshop. Sell them on that benefit.<\/p>\n<p>Of course you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t guarantee that your student will earn that much extra money from attending your workshop. But as a general tip, I recommend giving your students a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<strong>100% money-back guarantee<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Why? Because more students will sign up, because they have less to lose. Not only that, but if you have confidence in your skills, you shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be worried whether your students ask for their money back. And even if your students ask for their money back, you technically haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lost\u00e2\u20ac\u009d anything. You should never calculate how much profit you earn until after you teach the workshop.<\/p>\n<p>For example, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you charge $500 for a 2-day workshop, teach 20 students, and 2 students ask for their money back at the end. Then you shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t treat it like you lost $1000. Rather, think that you <em>earned<\/em> the income from 18 students ($9000). Cheat yourself mentally by adding to the benefit, and subtracting from the downside.<\/p>\n<p>And very rarely do people ever ask for their money back anyways. In the 6 years I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taught workshops, only 2 students have ever asked for their money back. For one student, I ended up giving him free online 1:1 Skype lessons, and turned one dissatisfied student into a satisfied student. The other student wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t satisfied with the workshop experience, and I only have myself to blame.<\/p>\n<h2>How to have confidence in yourself<\/h2>\n<p>The biggest barrier to starting a business is confidence in yourself. Trust me, I suffer this myself. I under-sell myself, because I often don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t believe in myself and my capability. But honestly, a lot of this negative self-talk is B.S. This is because we are taught that we should do art for art sake, and somehow by charging money, we are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153selling out.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>In truth, the greatest art is to make money from doing what you love. And it takes great skill, personal confidence, and courage. Whoever that claims you for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153selling out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is just projecting their own self-insecurity to you. Those people probably want to make a living doing what they love. And to see you pursue their dreams hurts their own self-esteem. So like Ulysses and the Sirens, simply ignore them by stopping up your ears with wax. Just ignore the haters, and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t acknowledge what they say \u00e2\u20ac\u201d just how a noble steed (horse) ignores the barking of dogs.<\/p>\n<h2>What if nobody signs up?<\/h2>\n<p>There is no \u00e2\u20ac\u0153failure\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in business, only feedback.<\/p>\n<p>If you advertised a workshop, and nobody signs up \u00e2\u20ac\u201d don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be discouraged and think you are a failure or something. Rather, treat this as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153feedback.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Maybe your feedback is that you charged too much. Try charging less next time. Or perhaps you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t advertise it enough. Or perhaps you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sell the benefits and added value enough. Or perhaps you aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t popular enough, or don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have a strong enough following (yet).<\/p>\n<p>The secret is to constantly tweak, iterate, and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fail forward.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take it personally if nobody signs up, or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153not enough\u00e2\u20ac\u009d people sign up. Just think of how you can keep tinkering with your advertising language, what you offer, and the content on your blog (or social media).<\/p>\n<p>When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re starting off\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the great thing about doing a workshop is that the startup costs are very low. You can start off by teaching a workshop at a coffee shop, and you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even need a venue to rent. But once you get more students, it is generally nice to have a venue, where you can rent a projector, and easily work on photos while drinking coffee.<\/p>\n<p>However with technology, you can innovate. Perhaps the entire workshop will be shot on smartphones, and you can quickly review and critique photos that way. Perhaps you can somehow integrate tablets and laptops, and make your workshop very mobile.<\/p>\n<p>The biggest tip I have is this: <strong>keep your expenses as low as possible<\/strong>. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seek to increase your profits, but lower your expenses.<\/p>\n<p>This way if anything goes wrong, your maximum possible loss is very little. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t go off renting expensive studios, classrooms, or spaces if you are starting off. Be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lean\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and scrappy \u00e2\u20ac\u201d invest in the minimum possible, and focus on maximizing your value for your students through your instruction, practical knowledge, and 1:1 time.<\/p>\n<h2>How to handle payments<\/h2>\n<p>Personally, I handle all my payments through PayPal, and get people to signup with their information via Google Forms\/Sheets. It has been a pretty seamless way to charge money, and also organize the students.<\/p>\n<h1>Chapter 5: Transitioning into doing what you love for a living<\/h1>\n<p>For this chapter, I will try to give some practical tips how you can end up doing what you love (let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say teaching photography workshops) for a living.<\/p>\n<h2>Lower your living expenses<\/h2>\n<p>If you really want to make a living from teaching photography workshops, my practical suggestion: <strong>lower your personal living expenses as much as humanly possible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>That might mean cancelling your smartphone plan, moving into a smaller apartment (or renting a room), it might mean moving to a cheaper city or country, it might mean not eating out as much, it might mean selling your car, or getting rid of any superfluous expenses in your life.<\/p>\n<p>If you really want to do what you love for a living, you will have to make a lot of personal sacrifices.<\/p>\n<p>As a practical assignment, see how cheaply you can afford to feed yourself for a week. Elon Musk survived on $1 a day in food when he was starting his own personal business, eating only hot dogs and spaghetti. My personal experiment has been surviving only off eggs, water, and coffee. So don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t worry, you won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t starve to death.<\/p>\n<p>And even regarding your rent (the biggest source of stress for most people), imagine your worst-case scenario. You won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t become homeless. Perhaps you move into a cheaper studio, you rent a room from a friend, or move back in with your mom (sometimes this can be an advantage, like free food, and your parent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s love).<\/p>\n<p>Everyone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s irrational fear is a fear of death. So if you plan on pursuing photography for a full-time living, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t fear death. You won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t die. You won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be rich, but you won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t necessarily be living in poverty either. Your assignment is to make enough to live on the basics, and to focus all your creative energy on what you are passionate about \u00e2\u20ac\u201d photography, teaching, and creative work.<\/p>\n<h2>Should I quit my job?<\/h2>\n<p>My practical suggestion: Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quit your day job, until you start earning enough from teaching workshops, where you think you can literally make a living from teaching workshops.<\/p>\n<p>The benefits of having a 9-5 job is many. You can use your down-time at work to blog, build up your social media following, and also save up money. I personally had a full-time job when I was building up my blog. I blogged before work, during lunch, and after work. I used dead time at work to build up my social media following, and do research. I used my lunch breaks at work, and time after work to take photos. And on the weekends, I devoted all my physical and mental energy to building up my blog \u00e2\u20ac\u201d because I so desperately wanted to (eventually) do what I loved for a living (street photography).<\/p>\n<p>If you have a steady job, and you really want to do photography workshops for a living \u00e2\u20ac\u201d start saving up money. That doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean you have to earn more money at your job. It just means lowering your expenses. Pack a lunch to the office, and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t drink $5 lattes at Starbucks. Brew your own coffee, go out less with your friends, and stop buying stuff you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need. And the biggest error we make as photographers: stop buying gear you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need. Honestly, I have some friends who are even making a living teaching iPhone\/smartphone photography workshops. So don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t thin that not having a good enough camera is preventing you from doing photography for a full-time living.<\/p>\n<p>My personal story is that I was building up my blog, and had a full-time job. Fortunately, I got \u00e2\u20ac\u0153made redundant\u00e2\u20ac\u009d after about a year of working there. And fortunately enough, I worked up enough on my blog, to have a strong enough following.<\/p>\n<p>When I got laid off, I had no idea how I would make a living from street photography or my blog. I experimented with the idea of doing workshops, and from 2011-2016 I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve made it my full-time living.<\/p>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m one of the lucky few. And honestly, this guide won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t guarantee any success for you. My honest hope is that it helps push you in the right direction, and has some practical ideas, thoughts, and formulas for you to try out.<\/p>\n<p>But times are always changing with technology. So a lot of this information might not be relevant in the future.<\/p>\n<p>However the principles remain the same.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You need to build up trust with your audience (personal branding)<\/li>\n<li>You need to offer <em>value<\/em> in your workshop (what will the students benefit from attending your workshop?)<\/li>\n<li>You need to charge money (how can you make a living if you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t charge money?)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>But the truth is\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the harder you hustle, the more hours you work, the more connections you build, and the more heart, blood, sweat, tears, and soul you put into your work \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the more likely you are to succeed.<\/p>\n<p>Does a world-class boxer become world-class without sustaining punches, bruises, bleeding, sleep deprivation, starvation, and getting beaten up? No.<\/p>\n<p>Entrepreneurship is the same. You will go through emotional highs, lows, bouts of self-doubt, anxiety, frustration, fear (of going broke or death), and possibly depression.<\/p>\n<p>Elon Musk once said starting your own business and trying something risky was like eating shards of glass and staring into the abyss.<\/p>\n<p>But your life is short. Why spend your short (and only) life on doing shit you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to do for the rest of your life? If your passion is at the intersection of photography, teaching, and technology (like it was for me) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d why not try to make your passion(s) your living?<\/p>\n<p>I know for me personally, once I was able to make my passion for photography my living\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I have been able to flourish so much more creatively, personally, emotionally, and spiritually. I now have more time to think, meditate, write, create, and share valuable information and knowledge with others. It is incredible how much more you can accomplish in life by having an extra 8 hours a day of mental, physical, and emotional energy. And the fact that you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to stress out about office politics, worries about pleasing the boss, or getting ahead in the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153rat race.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>But once again, there is no point in complaining about reality. Rather, take reality to your advantage, and pursue your dream with all your heart and soul. Do the absolute possible minimum work at your job without getting fired, and spend all your spare time and energy pursuing your passion.<\/p>\n<p>Nobody has enough time, but we all have distractions. So rather than trying to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153find more time\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, relentlessly prune away the superfluous in your life. Stop watching Netflix, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t waste time with games (video games, smartphone games, etc), don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t waste time on superfluous office or networking opportunities that won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t help you, and learn how to ignore, and say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153no\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (in a nice way) to others. If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take control of the steering wheel in your life, others will always steer your boat for you. And the sad thing is that nobody has your best interests in mind.<\/p>\n<h2>Think about death<\/h2>\n<p>Honestly, the best way I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been able to focus in life, doing what I love, and entrepreneurship is thinking about death. To literally imagine like every day were your last.<\/p>\n<p>If you went to sleep tonight, and you knew you wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wake up the next morning, what would you <em>not<\/em> do today? And what would you do instead?<\/p>\n<p>What kind of positive action can you take in your life, today \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to take a step in the right direction towards your dreams?<\/p>\n<p>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let society crush your dreams, your ambition, and your idealism. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Reality\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is just a false reality. It is like Plato\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s allegory of the cave\u00e2\u20ac\u201d we are all prisoners, staring at shadows on the wall, rather than trying to free ourselves from our shackles, and go outside and see the true light.<\/p>\n<p>So friend, follow your dreams with your fullest passion, heart, and soul. There is nothing holding you back. Believe in yourself, have confidence, and pursue your dreams with your upmost ability.<\/p>\n<p>Always,<br \/>\nEric<\/p>\n<h2>Learn more how to teach photography workshops<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/17\/guide-teach-street-photography-class-workshop-course\/\">Guide: How to Teach a Street Photography Class, Workshop, or Course<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/15\/why-i-teach-street-photography-workshops\/\">Why I Teach Street Photography Workshops<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear friend, I once read the proverb\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he can feed himself for a lifetime.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The point of this guide is to share with you everything I personally know and have learned about teaching photography [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36694,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-36662","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/36662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36662"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/36662\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}