I was in a used camera store today and noticed an ad for a LF workshop up island. Got to talking with the guy running the shop and he said he'd sponsor one here if I wanted to do one.
Any suggestions as to what to charge? how long? and what things should be covered and where to obtain easily accessible resources?
Many thanks,
Bob
Depends on what you're doing. I've been thinking about the same thing here in Victoria. Some people have no idea how good film can look as they feel anything digital is always better....and that isn't always the case. I was thinking of incorporating some shooting and scanning workflows into a small workshop. Maybe a capture to printing workshop would be a nice way to go.
Pricing will depend upon how long you wish to run and your expenses. Maybe $250 - $350 a day per person, limiting it to 4-6 people. People wanting to learn everything from basic VC use, processing film and scanning to print may be willing to pay to have a proven workflow demonstrated.
Just my .02
David,Originally Posted by David Luttmann
I don't dispute your assessment of the cost of such a workshop, but based on my experience with artists and an art school in Victoria, $350-$375 total for a 5 day workshop is about the limit of what people in Victoria are likely to pay. Getting even 6 participants would depend a great deal on how well the instructor is known and respected, time of year etc. There is no rhyme or reason to whether a workshop gets enough students in order to run in this town.
Paul
The first thing I'd do is ask the store owner what he means by "sponsor" your workshop. Does he mean pay your expenses, does he mean provide free space, free gear, etc., or does he just mean he'll put up a flyer in his store with his name on it as the sponsor? If you have to pay the costs out of your own pocket I'd probably forget it because it doesn't sound like you have any experience with this sort of thing and once you announce the workshop and someone signs up you pretty much have to conduct it.
FWIW (very little) I've attended about 15 different workshops over the years. They've ranged from two days to two weeks, the cost has ranged from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, they've been located as near to me as 10 miles and as far away as Ireland. The subject matter has been everything from pin hole cameras to advanced darkroom techniques to the BTZS system and all sorts of things in between. All of that kind of thing is strictly up to you, nobody can tell you what to cover, what to charge, etc. But if you want ideas, it should be easy enough to go to the web sites of well known LF photographers and see what they do, most of them conduct workshops of one kind or another.
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
My Friday evening through mid-day Sunday workshops are in the 275-375 range. I cover basic and intermediate large format photography - camera styles, formats, lenses, exposure techniques, films, filters, etc. and then we spend at least 1.5 days shooting. I limit the enrollment to 10.
steve simmons
I guess it depends on what is being done and where you are photographing. I know that workshops in the southwest average over a $1000 for less than 5 days. But Victoria may not have that draw and a VC workshop is going to be more niche player than a generalist workshop.
I have a basic LF class in Farmington Hills Michigan. It's 2 day for 5hrs a day cost is $60.00 a person. We will talk about cameras, load film and shoot a few sheets. For me the class is a good chance to get more people to my web page and buying prints, or using my services. It's also fun to teach people and get them interested in photography. I work with the city to put on the class, they pay for film and put adds in the local papers, I have them add my www.jfnphotography.com web page in the adds. The local papers love to have photographs, it fills space and draws people to the paper. I have a spike in hits on my web page before my classes. Another way of looking at it.
Since "Feedback" relates to the operation of the forum itself, the Business sub-forum seems a more appropriate spot for this thread.
My observation about (technical) workshops would be that what one can charge relates more to name recognition and reputation than to content. As such, most people will barely cover out-of-pocket expenses when the price is "affordable", making the effort more of a public service endeavor. But, teaching can be fun, and, as others have mentioned, it can be a good marketing tool, as well.
I might be the person putting on the workshop up-island you've mentioned in your first posting.
I'm running a one day "Intro to LF" in Duncan on the island towards the end of the summer. The cost is $295 for the day and includes the cameras and film. There are brochures at many of the stores on the Island.
This is what I've learned putting on LF workshops across the country. (Canada)
First ... I have much greater interest in my "Gatherings" than I do my workshops. The "Gatherings" are usually free although sometimes I charge $10 if we're having pizza afterwards. I got the idea from Per in California and give him all the credit for the idea. It makes no money but is a great way to meet other LF photographers. So these I do to meet other photographers and have no financial return.
Most of the workshops are run through my studio in Burlington, Ontario. The one this weekend has two participants.... so the most money generated would be less than $600. We use Ebony 8x10 cameras for the workshop. Although I'm an Ebony dealer, the cameras are still very expensive. If you added up all the money I've ever made on workshops it wouldn't go far for paying for an Ebony 8x10. Plus the 8x10 film is included and they're not giving that away either.
About half the workshops never run because no one signs up. A lot of them only have one person. Whether they run or not the cost of the brochures are still there... this year I paid around $600 for the brochures and a couple store posters. I still give the workshop if only one person signs up... but that's because I love to teach and spread the word.... I'm a very busy guy and would be better off spending the day doing other work BUT I love to teach LF so I choose to put the workshop on with only one student.
This is the first year I'm taking the show on the road giving a one day workshop in Edmonton, Calgary and Duncan. I have a least one person signed up for each workshop... and two or three for Duncan. I expect a few more to sign up but it's important to know I was going to be in those cities anyways. The workshops are a great way to meet people interested in photography.
So this is how I look at the workshops I give. I charge people because I couldn't afford to do them for free. Few people sign up anyway and I've been told on the Island it's very difficult to get people to sign up and actually give a deposit and take the course. Sometimes people contact me to see if they could pay $40-$50 or not pay anything but help out. Not a bad idea but it doesn't work that way.
No matter where you hold the workshop there is always much more interest than there will be people actually signing on.
I happen to love large format photography.... I think it's great, I think it's important, in fact I think about it all the time. It's what I love. I give the workshops with the hope of generating this love of black and white photography in everyone I teach.... it's like a crusade to pass on the good word.
So if you want to put on some workshops I think it's a great idea... but it helps if it's for the love of the game since the money isn't there.
-Photo Rob
PS. I've been told that Intro to Digital Workshops do sell out and have been money makers.... I haven't gone there myself.
Rob,
I greatly admire your spirit, and willingness to put on a workshop even if only 1 person has signed up. I hope you get a few more registrants for your workshop in Duncan. If it had been even a year ago, I would have been signing up myself. Lacking any access to instruction in large format in Victoria, I finally just took the plunge and taught myself the basics a few months ago.
Paul
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