How to make money from photography, part 2: run a workshop

jmeyer — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 02:00:29 +0000

Last week, in the first installment of our new series on the many ways to make money from photography, we told you about how to sell your photos online via stock photo agencies. This week we’ll leave the internet behind and look at one of the more traditional ways of making money from photography: running a workshop.

Planning and hosting a workshop is a lot of hard work, but it can be one of the most fulfilling things you do as a photographer. What better way to find out more about workshops than to ask someone who does it regularly.

We talked to photographer Chris Weston about his own experience, having walked away from his nine-to-five to pursue a career as  a wildlife photographer and running workshops to share his passion.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to start running  a photography workshop?

There’s intense competition,  so you need to find a niche. And  you must be confident that you know what you’re talking about. Being published in magazines or authoring books, for example, will help you gain credibility.

What would you recommend as the maximum number of students for a workshop?

Numbers can be limited by logistics – the number of seats in your transport, for example – and the level of tuition; the higher the level, the fewer people attending.

What’s the best way to advertise your workshop?

Like any business, you need to explore multiple channels such as magazines, online and a website. Social networking sites are also becoming popular because they give people the chance to get to know you and your style before they commit to spending money.

How much should you charge?

You need to work out the per person cost to run it, including fees to outside contractors, travel, advertising and so on, and set it against your desired profit.

Digital Camera magazine regular joins Light & Land

gharris — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:38:02 +0000

David Clapp, a leading pro photographer and regular contributor to Digital Camera, is joining photographic training company Light & Land as a tutor. David, who’s written a variety of features and tutorials for Digital Camera, will be running both landscape courses and workshops based on short city breaks. “Unlike other photographers, I am as at home shooting in the frenzy of a capital city as I am in the wild,” David says. For more information on the courses David will be running, visit www.lightandland.co.uk.

Digital Camera World » photography workshops

How to make money from photography, part 2: run a workshop

Digital Camera magazine regular joins Light & Land