15 Reasons to Go On a Photography Workshop
11. The Luxury of Time
On a landscape photography workshop, there is the most wonderful opportunity to become much more acutely aware of light; the great catalyst to photography!
There is almost unlimited time in which, with the help of an experienced leader, the student can have revealed to them the nuances of light. Learning the relationship between shadows and highlights and getting to grips with the ever-shifting lighting ratios that fall between them is simply fascinating.
Everything one can possibly think of connected with light and the way in which light can grace the land is engaging: the behaviour and performance of light when it is absorbed or reflected by different surfaces; the quality of light - harsh or soft; the colour of light - cool, warm or neutral. Becoming intimately acquainted with the look and feel of an area and working for often a week or more photographing continually ensures that by the end of the period your photography standards have risen. Your expectation of your own ability may even have been hugely surpassed.
12. Let us take care of the arrangements
When you travel with a reputable tour company the logistics will be handled for you - from planning your flight and where to stay through to getting to the best locations at the best time of the day.
When booking, always check the company holds your money in trust or is bonded in some way (such as the Travel Trust Association stamp or ATOL). That way you know your money is safe until your trip is complete. Also check about insurances - especially when traveling abroad - all vehicles should be properly insured and with approved drivers.
13. Camaraderie, friendship and FUN!
Landscape photography is often thought to be an activity that is carried out independently from others. Yet, the crucial processes of recognition, defining objectives and subsequent execution of an image can be enhanced by the energy and dynamics generated by working within a group environment.
We often find on our Light & Land tours that groups bond and become lifelong friends - with many meeting up on future tours or online at our Facebook group. They love being together, making new like-minded friends who share the same passion, enjoying the exchanges of good humour and conversation and quite simply relishing a few days, a week or more of uninterrupted landscape photography. Landscape Photography is good for us!
14. Your chance to spend time on location with your favourite pro photographer
You no doubt admire the work of some photographers above others. Wouldn't it be a fantastic experience to spend time with them on location and find out how they approach their craft, dip into their particular knowledge and use what you have learnt to improve your own photography? I would suggest that it's far better to travel with someone who's work you admire than to travel with an unknown. Of course it wouldn't be as cheap to learn to drive with Jensen Button as it would with BSM but you should perhaps ask yourself which would be the more life changing experience.
15. Investment
Whether you decide to book a one day workshop or a trip to the other side of the world, do your research thoroughly and travel with the best. If you admire the work of a particular photographer, then follow them for inspiration. Be prepared to make the most of every minute - the very best tours are not cheap but will deliver the best possible experience and learning for your landscape photography. Time is a precious commodity for all of us with busy lives, so immerse yourself, engage with your surroundings and enjoy the spiritual uplift that outdoor photography can provide.
Biography
Charlie Waite was born in 1949 and worked in British Theatre and Television for the first ten years of his professional life. Throughout this period he became fascinated by theatrical lighting and design. Gradually the landscape and the way it can be revealed to us through light and shade stole him away from the acting profession.
Over the last twenty five years, he has lectured throughout the UK Europe and the US. He has held numerous one man exhibitions in London, including two shows in London’s National Theatre and three at the OXO gallery and held further solo shows in Tokyo, New York, Carmel and in Australia, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. He has published 27 books on the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany; all exclusively of his photography.
Charlie Waite is now firmly established as one of the most celebrated international landscape photographers. Aside from his own photography, he also enjoys introducing photography to others. Through his company, Light and Land the leading photographic tour company in Europe, Charlie Waite and his specialist photographic leaders, all at the very top in their field, run worldwide workshops and tours dedicated to bettering photography.
All images in this article © Charlie Waite
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