Workshops are not for portfolio building
Pet photography is lonely. In almost every conversation I have with fellow pet photographers, loneliness is referred to as the biggest struggle. It was the driver behind founding The Pet Photographers Club five years ago and still today it’s the reason we host events like the members meet ups, the Conference and of course The Retreats.
Interestingly though, the reason many of you attend these events is not for the friendships you will form. Instead, your primary reason for signing up is for learning, and in the case of the Retreats, “portfolio building”.
That’s what I want to address today, perhaps, controversially.
Portfolio
As a professional photographer, clients come to you because they like the images on your website and in your feed. By accepting their money, you must, at a minimum, be able to create images for that client that aligns with the style and quality of your portfolio. In a workshop environment, you will typically first watch your instructor work with the subject, background, light and so on. They’ll explain their thought process as they make decisions and build the scene. You’ll ask questions. And then you’ll capture that scene yourself.
That image that you take, is it really yours? Most of the time the answer is no.
You released the shutter. Maybe you even chose your camera settings. But otherwise, the image was created by someone else.
Is it truly fair to your clients to showcase that image as your own?
Now I know what you’re thinking.
But afterwards, you also took the subject, framed it in a new way and without any guidance, you built and captured your own image. That is then your own right? Yes, I agree. That is your image and can and should be used as you wish.
And if that happens, that should be an added bonus for you. However, attending a workshop purely for portfolio building doesn’t make any sense. That means that you are not taking full advantage of learning from the instructor you paid to learn from. Why not instead, fully embrace that opportunity and when you get home organise some portfolio shoots to further practice your new skills, in locations your clients can actually book?
Awards
So what about awards? Aren’t awards the opportunity to express your creativity? To push yourself artistically? Yes. And can you honestly say that photographing under instruction, or in a scene that was set up by someone else, is expressing your creativity or pushing your artistry? No of course you can’t. That is simply adapting someone else’s vision.
But what about those images taken entirely on your own, but in that awesome environment? Yes, those images are yours and if you did capture something totally unique it would be worth considering entering it into an award (just check the competition guidelines for images taken at workshops). However, I encourage you to be truly objective and consider if it really is unique. Because if it’s not, there’s a high chance that another participant of that same workshop is also entering their photo. Each time a judge see’s a similar image it loses it’s “wow” so you really want to aim to enter something unique.
Take full advantage of the workshop
By forgetting about portfolio and awards which can easily consume your focus, workshops provide the perfect opportunity for growth. You get the chance to watch, you can ask questions, you will practise and then refine.
Set your workshop goal as growth. You’ll improve your skills so much that when you get home and practice (and portfolio build) those images will truly be next level. A level which you’ll have the skills to consistently reproduce for your clients.
And better yet, having really immersed yourself in the workshop environment, you will have grown alongside your new lifelong friends who “get it”. Friends who you can turn to at any moment to discuss your images, business, or anything else.
A Retreat Reimagined: Australia Edition
If you’re looking to truly improve your photography skills and make great friends, we’d love for you to join us at the Retreat Reimagined in Australia next year. There’s daily shooting workshops to learn how Jess McGovern sees a location. You’ll learn how we both work with our subjects for a stress free experience, and there’s tons of time for practising too, as well as image review and discussions. We’ve also got a printing workshop and a dog behaviour workshop planned. Otherwise, it’s mostly dog shoots but there will be a horse workshop too! And best of all, our dog models are real pets just like your clients have, so you’ll be learning valuable skills to make your client sessions easier!
“Booking the retreat was the best decision! Not only because I’ve learned so much from the instructors but also from the other participants. I would’ve regretted not booking it. It brought me so much further and I think if I hadn’t come I would be hiding in my own little bubble for so long.”
There’s a couple of tickets left, so if you’re keen, register now and we’ll see you in Adelaide.
Author
Kirstie McConnell |
Founder
The Pet Photographers Club
When Kirstie launched her pet photography business in Australia in 2012, the genre was barely a thing. She spent the next years at the forefront of this niche, marketing not just her own business, but the concept of pet photography. Each year she photographed around 100 dogs, cats and horses per year to create wall art and albums for pet-parents.
Now based in Italy, she continues to offer pet photography to her clients back in Australia on return trips, but otherwise spends her energy helping other pet photographers build a business which will allow them to follow their dreams.
Internationally recognized as a leader in the industry, she hosts the podcast, workshops, courses and business events for The Pet Photographers Club which she co-founded.
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