My Street Photography workshop and the social media problem
Social media is more and more dominated by haters and trolls, trying to who always try to attack people to get reflected light. That is why I prefer to write here.
Through the creation of my student profiles some interesting data has emerged and we want to analyze them.
My Street Photography workshops suggested a fact and an opportunity for reflection
I have noticed a change in the photographers who take my workshops: before many came with Fujifilm cameras, lately more photographers are using Leica and Sony. I don't know what this means, whether in terms of the general market or specifically of the people who are attracted to my photographic courses.
A small note here: after I written that a hater came to write saying “your photography is boring”. Aside from the thought that if my photography is boring, can you imagine what life is like for someone who writes this on social media out of obvious envy and resentment at the success of another photographer?
But let's go back to our analysis of the data that emerge. The photographers who decide to take a street photography workshop with me are usually at an intermediate stage of their photographic knowledge. Several of these are photographers who are good photographers in other genres of photography and are interested in extending their range of action, perhaps also introducing the street approach that often proves useful to make even the simple photographic experience more stimulating and fun.
Quite a few of these have taken other street photography workshops in the past, even with very important photographers, names that are considered masters of the genre. This data surprises me because it shows that a photographer does not necessarily stop at the first experience with a photography workshop, and even if he has already taken part in workshops with very famous authors and considered to be of the highest level, then they decide to take a workshop with me. If this is a fact that honors me in some way, I have to say that in my opinion it has not only to do with me but also because I offer this type of service in a fantastic city like Mexico City. Although it is clearly not only for that.
Some people think that street photography workshops are useless, that it is an experience to do alone. This is not a completely wrong opinion, in fact I respect it. While not everyone needs parents and photo coaches, because they simply don’t work for them, for others it is essential. There is not a universal way to make photography and there is not a unversal way to learn and this depends how we are made as individuals.
Difference between taking a workshop and a photography expedition with me
Another difference is the audience assisting to my workshops, that can be 4/8 hours or the masterclass available with a 3 or 5 days formula and the expeditions. The age of the participants of photo expeditions is significantly higher. And this is explained by the greater wealth of older people. We have several retired people, who have made photography their hobby but also retired photographers. Here too, Leica is the dominant brand.
It is interesting to note that I also count among my students some who have participated in Leica Academy courses in the past. As you know I worked on assignment for Leica in 2013 but I don’t think that is anymore influent in their decision.
The worldwide workshop panorama
I consider Leica the only true brand that knows the differences between one photographic genre and another and what it offers with the Leica Academy is always very serious, counting for example in Italy with great professionals such as Eolo Perfido and Toni Thorimbert. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for other brands with 9-hour workshops offered at a cost of 25 euros and proposed by people who do street photography with a bazooka and who are not even real street photographers (Nikon in Italy) or Canon Mexicana, which I recently reported for proposing as a street photography workshop what was in reality very clearly a street fashion photography workshop, highlighting that not even their instructors have any idea what they are talking about.
In this context
After more than ten years of activity as a photo coach I can say that what I bring is not only great experience but a quality certificate that brings real results to the participants of my workshops. Some have truly achieved significant results, including solo exhibitions in art galleries, publications and major awards.
I believe that the job of a photo coach/mentor is rather to be a facilitator. It should limit itself to providing solid foundations, always respecting the inner voice of each assistant photographer. In this way, massive courses/paths are avoided and the workshop experience is given a truly useful integrative tool in a training path.
