The Portland Metro Photographic News

A Guest Commentary by the Santa Fe Photographic Workshop Director, Reid Callanan

Editor's Note:  Reid Callanan is a long-time friend and the founder of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops.  Reid's career-long mission has been to provide the very best in photo-educational opportunities to the worldwide photographic community.  The Workshop he has created is among the most respected private institutions in the world.  His devotion to providing student's with a unique and inspirational photographic experience as well as his ability to attract the industry's most respected photographers as instructors speaks volumes about his organization and its place in the world of photography.

©Victoria Williams

During the summer of 1975, I took my first photography workshop.  That short, intense experience changed my life forever. It confirmed my love of photography, and catapulted me into a creative community of like-minded people that I would know the rest of my life.  Today, 35 years later, I remain passionate about image making, and the workshop experience often drives this love affair.

In 1975, there were probably 5 workshops spread around the country to choose from.  I traveled from Baltimore to the coast of Maine to attend the Maine Photographic Workshops.  Today, there are probably 5 photography workshops in every state to choose from.  Everybody seems to be in the workshop business – full-time workshop programs, college and university photo programs, photography magazines, photographic manufacturers, and even individual photographers.  

So, how does one choose from so many options?

©Ryan Heffernan

Location – Even though it will be more costly, I suggest getting away from home and traveling to a different part of the country to take a workshop.  Taking a workshop is supposed to change the way you look at your world and your life.  So getting out of the familiar "here and now" is critically important.  Workshops by their very nature are supposed to be intense, all-consuming experiences (think getting 4 hours sleep per night), so make sure you take full advantage of the opportunity by removing yourself from the obligations of home and career by getting out of town.  It is also important to see a new place with fresh eyes, so travel to a part of the world you think will inspire you.

Reputation – With so many workshops to choose from, how do you decide which one might be the best fit for you?  I suggest you ask people who had attended workshops to give you feedback from their personal experience.  Word-of-mouth is the best way to evaluate any business, and the workshop business is no exception.  The Internet is a good place to start this search, and chat rooms on photo sites are valuable information gathering tools.  You want to know if the workshop can deliver on it’s marketing promises, if they are organized so you can concentrate on the learning process and not on the logistical concerns, and if they can support you with trained staff and state-of-the-art equipment.

©Jen Spelman

Teachers – Choose a photographer whose images you admire and inspire you.  Choose a photographer that is making work you would like to make.  Choose a photographer who images are very different from yours, as these are the ones who can teach you something new.  However, you have to do your homework when choosing a photographer to be your instructor because not all good photographers make good teachers. 

Actually, the skills needed to be a successful photographer are quite different than the skills to be a good teacher.  Teachers have to be articulate, open to share everything they know about a particular subject, have their egos in check, and be patient.  Again, do your due diligence on picking the right instructor by talking with people in the photo community.  Often times you can speak directly to the photography instructor.  Ask them questions about the workshop, and share your particular needs and goals.  You will get a clear sense after this conversation what kind of a teacher they will be. 

Most workshops worth their reputation will put you in touch with a prospective teacher.  If a photographer is willing to take valuable time out of their busy schedule to teach a workshop, they should be willing to spend 5 minutes with you talking about their thoughts and plans for this experience.

©Jeanie Adams-Smith

Topic – You can choose to take a work shop with a photographer whose work you admire, but what if you are just getting started in photography or don’t know the images or reputation of any photographers?  You have to choose a workshop based solely on the title, which denotes the topic – ie. Photographing People, Basics of Digital Photography, The Art of Seeing, Photographic Lighting Techniques, and so on. 

The key to making the right decision is self awareness.  Where are you in your photography, and what is the next thing you need to learn?  Do you need to hone a certain skill such as artificial lighting or getting more proficient with Adobe Lightroom?  Or is your technical foundation pretty solid, and you now need to be more creative and develop a personal style?  Choosing the right workshop topic will lead to your next step in your passion for photography. 

So, be honest with yourself, and what you know about photography.  Think long and hard about where you want to be with your photography.  You can get help making this decision by speaking with staff at the workshop office you are considering attending.  Hopefully, these staff are well aware of the topics they offer, know the strengths of their teachers, and are good listeners to properly advise you.

I have found a photographic workshop experience to be one of the best ways to move your photography to the next level.  It is a short, intense learning process where you focus entirely on photography with a group of people as passionate as you are about making images.  And if you choose the right workshop, it will be the most fun you have had in a long time.  I often call a workshop summer camp for adults! 

Enjoy . . . . .

Reid Callanan

Director, Santa Fe Photographic Workshops