Is it still worthy to attend an in-person food photography workshop?
Most importantly, is the investment worth it?
In this blog post, I’ll share our last workshop highlights and my 2 cents on the pros and cons of different learning investments.
I’m talking to you both from the perspective of a food photographer who taught in the industry for 7 years and as a fellow creative who questions expenses just as you do.
Images from my last worshop with Aimee @twiggstudios
How do we knock your socks off with our workshops?
1) Learning curve
The in-person workshop offers a shortcut to forwarding your skills; in this sense, there are all pros and little cons.
We typically divide the workshop into 3 phases, show and tell, hands-on (that includes editing session) and Q&A time. And this’s exactly what we did in our last event.
During a show-and-tell demo, the students can witness the process of styling light work and photography of the professional photographers. And also receive full explanations of the techniques and reasoning behind the composition and light choices. In this stage, students mostly observe and listen. There’s a lot of clarity coming from seeing someone else process, plus you can ask questions and revise the process with professionals at your complete service.
In the second phase, hands-on, you are put in charge of a full styling and photography sets. This’s such important moment because when you try to apply what you just saw you deepen your understanding. This is the moment of real learning and when your struggles surface.
The combination of show and tell and hands on creates the perfect opportunity to fast forward your growth. You have right there the professionals you choose at your service answering your questions and solving your problems right away.
This particular 1 day workshop was quite intensive, so we organised a supper club style lunch for a relaxing pause before the last part of the workshop.
We concluded the day of learning with the editing session focused on creating the skills to keep the images consistent and bold and a final Q&A session.
Pictures of the students stylings in my last worshop
2) Prices
In person workshops price point is typically a higher investment compared to most e-courses or general photography lessons. However the difference in learning gain between the in-person experience and online course is ocean-wide.
If the workshop is a residential with accommodation (retreat) the costs can easily reach the price of a proper vacation. If a workshop investment is a few hundreads a retreat goes by the thousands.
Workshops tend to be intensive with combination of inspirational creativity, practical techniques and business talks and the opportunity to be guided by professional photographers. E courses learning is independent which means you decide the pace but you are also working by yourself.
I usually need a few days to recover from a workshop, teaching is not enough, we need to be fully present for each student needs for the duration of the entire course.
We really want to get you to the next level no matter what. And man, if it’s a satisfaction at the end to see our student leaving fuelled with clarity and inspiration.
Images of the lunch and students at the workshop with Aimee @twiggstudios
3) But how do you know what you need?!
Let’s forget about money for a minute. How to know what to go for your growth in this given moment?
Here some info that hopefully will help you get some clarity!
To conclude, your investment in yourself should reflect the value you want to put in your unique creative journey at this given moment. What is right for your journey might not be what is right for that majority and sometimes is goof to go against the grain and invest in us before we are ready.
I hope this brief article helped a bit in your journey my friend!
Love
Silvia B.
silvia@salvialimone.com
Add a comment
0 Comments