If you’re considering taking a photography workshop this year, but don’t know where to start – sometimes it’s best to look in your own backyard. Here we’ve compiled a list of over 50 workshops, organized by location so you can find one happening not too far from home – or, if you’ve got the travel bug, dive in and explore a new place.
From travel to sports photography to business tips, there’s an entire community out there willing to teach and help you reach your professional goals. Take a look and find your perfect match – and if you’re running a workshop, or have another suggestion to add – leave them in the comments below!
Major Workshop Organizations
Santa Fe Workshops
The renowned Santa Fe Workshops are at it again this year, hosting classes in Santa Fe, San Miguel de Allende, Cuba, and many more. Santa Fe Photographic Workshops instructors are among today’s most influential photographers and participants of all levels are welcome. They host various classes through out the year, and below are a few highlights coming up:
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Multimedia Storytelling with Ami Vitale. March 15 – March 20, 2015
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Movement in Fashion, Beauty and Dance with Sarah Silver. March 22 – March 27, 2015
Sitka, Alaska: Crossroads Alaska: Where Photography and Philanthropy Meet with David Middleton and Brenda Berry. August 4 – August 10, 2015
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico: Easter Week in San Miguel de Allende with Jennifer Spelman. April 1 – April 7, 2015
Momenta Workshops in partnership with Leica Camera
During Momenta’s workshops, which are a collaboration with Leica Camera, each student is paired with a nonprofit organization for the duration of the workshop to produce a photo story or package of documentary work on their outreach efforts. The nonprofits range from schools, orphanages, hospitals, animal shelters, advocacy and arts organizations. Students on these workshops have the opportunity to shoot with a Leica M camera, which also features HD video capabilities. Students truly get the documentary experience in the field while having 1-on-1 mentoring sessions every day with an instructor for at least an hour.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Working with Nonprofits, April 8 – 12, 2015
San Francisco, California: Working with Nonprofits, September 16 – 20, 2015
Medellín, Columbia: Working with Nonprofits, July 12 – 24, 2015
Freetown, Sierra Leone: Working with Nonprofits, November 01 – 13, 2015
Within The Frame Photographic Adventures
Within The Frame Adventures are about the passionate discovery and photography of people, place, and culture. They emphasize the importance of going slow, lingering, experiencing, absorbing, savoring, and taking the time necessary for the excitement of the new and exotic to blend with an understanding and appreciation of the surroundings in order to find one’s personal vision. Here are some highlights for the upcoming year lead by Jeffrey Chapman, Elizabeth Opalenik, and Winslow Lockhart:
Bali Within the Frame June 6–16, 2015
Kathmandu, Nepal Within The Frame Sept. 27–Oct. 6, 2015
Oaxaca, Mexico Within The Frame Oct. 28–Nov. 3, 2015
Eyes in Progress
Eyes in Progress prioritizes their quality of training with a limited number of participants in each workshop, experts reviews after the workshop, and a strict workshop organization. Here’s a few highlights from their 2015 calendar:
Paris, France: The Sensitive Eye Workshop with Claudine Doury, Feb. 11-14 2015
Barcelona, Spain: Visual Storytelling Workshop with Ed Kashi (Partnership with VII Photo), April 8-11 2015
Paris, France: Wedding Photojournalism with Franck Boutonnet, March 26-30, 2015
National Geographic Adventures
While many of the Nat Geo trips are travel-only (not a photo led trip per se), a great handful are photography workshops, taking you on the perfect photographic journey. Here’s some highlights for this year:
Greece: Greek Islands Photo Adventure with Jim Richardson. Sep 05 – 13, 2015
Tanzania: Photo Safari with Jay Dickman. Mar 07 – 17, 2015
New Zealand: Photo Adventure with Ralph Lee Hopkins. Mar 17 – 28, 2015
In the US
Arizona
There are a number The Arizona Highways Photography Workshops happening across the US this year, but here a few happening right in AZ:
Creepy Crawly Critters: March 21, 2015
Fall in Northern Arizona: Sept. 28 – Oct. 2, 2015
Grand Canyon Winterscapes: February 6-8, 2015
Kit Frost also leads photography workshops in Arizona, and around the Southwest. Various dates, April – Oct. 2015
California
El Capitan Canyon, CA: Field Trip is a summit created for those who want to grow their business, expand their unique voice, connect with the community, and explore the new frontier of photography and image creation. March 5-9, 2015
Orange County, CA: Sports Shooter Academy’s Lighting Workshop is a hands-on, educational program that will take participants step-by-step through the process of creative portrait. Instructors this year include Tim Mantoani, David Honl, Matt Brown, Shawn Cullen, and Robert Hanashiro. April 16-19, 2015
Yosemite, CA: Photographer Phil Hawkins teaches 2 to 5 day landscape photography workshops in Yosemite National Park throughout the year until Sept. 2015.
Various locations, CA: Photographer Todd Bigelow teaches the Business of Photography Workshop throughout the year, teaching valuable lessons regarding understanding the freelance market, copyright basics, licensing for revenue, contracts (real and redacted), and much more. Here are few upcoming dates:
Los Angeles at UCLA on January 24-25, 2015
ASMP Oregon (held at Pro Photo Supply in Portland) on Feb. 21-22, 2015
Santa Barbara at Brooks Institute on February 28-March 1, 2015
Florida
Palm Beach, FL: The Palm Beach Photographic Centre provides various classes taught through out the year, including photo basics and classes for youth.
Montanta
Missoula, MT: The Rocky Mountain School of Photography teaches a handful of workshops in Missoula. Various dates, May – Oct. 2015
New York
Brooklyn, NY: MediaStorm hosts intensive, hands-on educational experiences in advanced multimedia storytelling at their location in Brooklyn. One day workshops focused on the art and business of digital storytelling are happening:
Feb. 7, 2015 *Apply by: Jan 1, 2015
March 7, 2015 *Apply by: Feb 14, 2015
April 11, 2015 *Apply by: Mar 13, 2015
Sept. 19, 2015 *Apply by: Aug 28, 2015
Oct. 17, 2015 *Apply by: Sep 18, 2015
Nov. 21, 2015 *Apply by: Oct 30, 2015
New York, NY: Photography Intensive at Columbia University is being taught by Thomas Roma and Inbal Abergil. May 26 – July 2, 2015
Oregon
Astoria, OR: Landscape photographer Art Wolfe is hosting a workshop along Oregon’s historic and scenic coast. July 9 – 12, 2015
Wyoming
Jackson, WY: Rich Clarkson is leading The Adventure Photography Workshop again this fall. Come and spend a week learning from top adventure photographers and editors while enjoying the outdoor paradise of Jackson, WY. And special bonus, a tuition discount of 10% is offered for full-time students and photography educators, workshop alumni, and members of their partner organizations, NPS, NPPA, NANPA and ASMP. Sept. 19-24th 2015
Jackson, WY: Summer in the Tetons – with Bret Edge & Jason Hatfield. June 18 – 21, 2015
Vermont
Stowe, VT: The FotoVisura Summer Editing Sessions are 2-day intensive workshops that pair two photographers with a guest editor and are one-on-one and group sessions focused on the editing, sequencing, and/or layout of a project. Various dates, May through Sept. 2015
Virginia
Fairfax, VA: NPPA’s Northern Short Course is a three-day event packed with more than two dozen workshops on a variety of topics relevant to professionals and students in the field of visual journalism. Learn from and network with industry leaders, as they share their work and discuss what makes them successful. March 12 – 14, 2015
Outside the US
Bahamas: The second ever Fstoppers Workshop will take place at Atlantis Resort on the Island of Nassau in the Bahamas on Wednesday May 13th – Sunday May 17th, 2015
Bolivia: Photographer Sergio Ballivan takes photographers for one week to the world’s largest salt flat – The Salar de Uyuni – for the flooded mirror spectacle. January 18-24, January 25-31, March 15-21 & March 22-28, 2015
Canada, Saskatchewan: Branimir Gjetvaj takes you on an instructional photography tours, which is less structured than a full workshop or a course. The main idea behind the tours is to take participants to exceptional locations, and to explore and photograph in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. Suitable for intermediate and advanced photographers. Oct. 23 – 25, 2015
Dubai: Gulf Photo Plus (GPP) is the heart of the Middle East’s photography community. They believe in the art and science of photography as a medium of creative expression, and exist to inform, educate and inspire people across the region. They host workshops and classes throughout the year.
France, Auvergne: Kristel Schneider is teaching a 5-day workshop in Tuscany of Auvergne, a photo-holiday and learning experience wrapped into one: 19 July – 25 July 2015
Iceland: Ken Kaminesky & Patrick DiFruscia lead you on an epic adventure in Iceland. May 20th – 30th, 2015
Iceland: Tim Vollmer partners up with various photographers, including Martin Bailey to lead workshops in Iceland through out the entire year. Various dates, Feb. – Oct. 2015
India, Ladakh: Join Travel Shooters to capture the people, the culture and the high Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh. June 3 – 17, 2015
Indonesia, Bali: Foundry Photojournalism Workshops goes to Bali this year, July 19-25, 2015
Japan: Photographers John Paul Caponigro and Seth Resnick lead various workshops throughout the year, but their adventure through the sacred places in Japan looks incredible, and only 4 spots are left! Nov. 3-20, 2015
New Zealand: Photog Petr Hlavacek leads photo workshops throughout New Zealand, and hosts one on one courses by appointment.
Tanzania: This private small group photo safari lead by Art Wolfe provides a rare opportunity to photograph three of Africa’s icons in untouched, untamable Africa. Oct. 10 – 20
Thailand, Chiang Rai: Hone your photography skills, and enjoy Thailand’s majestic elephants in a responsible manner, while staying in 5 star accommodations in the jungles of the Golden Triangle. Workshop led by Lee Cracker, various dates, make reservations for private lead tours.
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Are you running a workshop this year? Leave a link in the comments below with information!
Feature image from Sports Shooter Academy’s Lighting Workshop