Attending a photography workshop can benefit your skills greatly. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro with the camera, it’s always great to grow and learn. We’ve compiled a list of five reasons why attending a photography workshop is important for your photography business.

 1. You should always be learning.  

You will learn new skills and techniques. You also can learn from others’ mistakes. Taking a workshop will help you pick up on skills you didn't know. We have taken several workshops that have drastically improved our skillset.

From changing the way, we shoot natural light to helping us right the many wrongs we had when it came to using flash and other artificial light sources. If you can pick up at least one thing that makes your photography better, then the workshop is worth the price of admission.  Many of the photography workshops today also include business advice, and who doesn't want to learn how to run their business better?

No matter how much you know, there is always something you don't know, and taking workshops allows you to gather this information and use it in your business pursuits. Of course, you can watch videos on Youtube on how to do this or that, but you need to go out and try it.

You need to see how and why it works, not just the fact that something someone said works for them. It would be best if you saw how to incorporate these techniques into your shooting style, and YouTube isn't always the best way to figure these things out.   

2. It’s a great place to test out new gear you have wanted to try.

Not all people shoot with the same gear at workshops. Taking a workshop can help you decide on particular equipment you might be thinking about purchasing.

Some shoot Nikon, some Canon, some Sony, and so on. If you have been eyeing that new Sony mirrorless, taking a workshop may allow you to try out that new camera or lens you have had on your list and are tired of your Alien Bees strobe kit? Someone at your next workshop or even the person holding the seminar will probably have a different flash/strobe system that can help you decide when upgrading.

Rent a lens or body for your workshop to take it out for a test drive!! You can get used to how it functions in an informal environment with others there that can help you figure out the ins and outs of your rented equipment before you buy.

3. It’s great to get out there and be with other photographers.

Make friends in the community. It will help your cause. We are all about community over competition. Networking is key to a successful business. We have met other photographers at workshops we’ve attended and at some of our workshops that have shot for us at events and that we have shot for as well. So many of our current friends are people we’ve met through photography.

4. If you want to charge more, you need to be worth it.

You need to invest in your education. We are big proponents of learning as much about our craft. But, to get better, you have to learn from those that are better than you. The more you know, the better you get, and the more you can charge in your business.  A new skill can up your game and allow you to grow your photography company. Be it a new way of posing, better lighting techniques, or learning how to build your business through marketing and better business practices, taking workshops is a way to earn more money, and don't we all like more money?

 5. It’s suitable for your portfolio. By taking a workshop, you can build that portfolio.   

The techniques you learn and images you make allow you to have a better gallery to show prospective clients. Having better images gives you the chance to book better and higher-paying clients. Taking a workshop also allows you to learn the techniques you can take home with you and make the images you took at the workshop all over again.

The ultimate goal is learning and having what you learn to stick with you as you go about your photographic journey. Many of the techniques we have learned in some of the workshops we have attended are the same techniques we teach in our workshops to our attendees. We have burned these techniques so far into our brains that they have compiled our particular style. This style transfers over into our portfolios and our teachings as well.     

They were written by Josh and Erica Hartwig, founders of Organic Moments Photography. They focus on Wedding Photography, Engagement Photography, and Photography Workshops for other photographers. They offer Miami, West Palm Beach, Broward, Boca Raton services and do destination weddings. Organic Moments Photography specializes in capturing their clients’ unique love stories, and they’re passionate about documenting the most emotional times in their lives.