Looking for a photography workshop to help hone your skills? Great decision!
Sure, it’s true you can learn a lot on your own—whether through reading tutorials, taking online courses, or by good old-fashioned trial and error. But getting up close and personal with a professional photographer as you shoot is a valuable educational experience that can help take your photography business to the next level—and make the shots in your online portfolio website really shine.
This list includes photography workshops hosted by some of today’s most renowned photographers, along with photographic workshops that will take you to some of the most stunning destinations on the globe. There are options for all different budgets and skill levels.
While many of our selections are highly reputable institutions, remember to always check for reviews and testimonials of the organizers before committing to a workshop, especially those that require a more significant expense and travel. Additionally, verify if the workshop’s style, subject matter, and approach align with your interests and skill level. Always research and ensure the workshop is still active and available before making any bookings.
Have fun exploring!
General and festival-based workshops
Aperture
Created in 1952, Aperture is a non-profit that has been advancing the photographic arts for decades through a magazine, exhibitions, awards and other publications. They also run photo workshops! Check out current and past workshops to get a flavor of what Aperture workshops are like and stay informed by signing up for their newsletter to hear about new educational offerings.
Contact Photo Festival
Likely, if you live in a major city, there may be a recurring photography festival. This is a great way to find and connect with local photography professionals and develop skills closer to home. Contact Photo Festival is one such opportunity headed in Toronto, Ontario. The yearly festival hosts a handful of workshops centering around topics and techniques likely explored in the exhibition.
Exposure Photography Festival
Exposure Photography Festival is headed in Calgary, Alberta and is now over 20 years old. It features an international exhibition and emerging photographer showcases. The festival also hosts a portfolio review that coincides with the festival itself as well as yearly programming and learning opportunities. Like other photography festivals, workshops gear up during festival season.
Gulf Photo Plus (GPP)
Dubai’s Center for Photography (GPP) is a respected international photography community that leads exhibitions, photography workshops, free artist talks, state-of-the-art printing services, and the region’s longest-running international photography event, GPP Photo Week. With many workshops held right in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, GPP provides workshops led by renowned photographers from around the world, covering a wide range of photography styles.
International Center of Photography (ICP)
Located in New York City, USA, ICP offers a variety of workshops covering diverse photography genres and techniques. While the majority of workshops are in-person, ICP occasionally hosts online sessions. Workshops range from beginner to advanced, introducing participants to iphone photography to the process of creating a photo book.
Magnum Photos
Co-created by Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1947, Magnum Photos is a highly regarded photographic enterprise representing leading photographers and advancing the art of photography for decades. Luckily they also run workshops! Locations are as diverse as the topic of the workshop, and they also run occasional online programs.
Rencontres d’Arles
This renowned photography festival in Arles, France, features workshops, exhibitions, and portfolio reviews, attracting a large international audience. Similar to Contact Photo Festival in Toronto, these offerings largely coincide with the festival itself, but Rencontres d’Arles also offers online sessions and year-round programming.
Santa Fe Workshops
Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, Santa Fe Workshops offers a diverse range of workshops for photographers of all levels with offerings both in-person and online. Now operating for over 30 years, in-person sessions are primarily in Santa Fe, but the team has also began to offer sections in Mexico and Cuba. Scholarships and mentorship opportunities are also a part of this organization’s footprint.
Travel and Nature Photography Workshops
National Geographic Photography Expeditions
National Geographic hosts a variety of photography expeditions that involve traveling to remote locations where you can capture beautiful photos. National Geographic photographers accompany each photography workshop, so you can get some hands-on instruction from them. These excursions may not be cheap, but they sure sound memorable!
Alex Strohl Retreats
Photographer Alex Strohl’s award-winning photography has been featured in publications like National Geographic, Forbes, and Vanity Fair. He offers in-person excursions and online workshops you can access any time you need. His retreat-style workshops feature places near and dear to his heart, from his home country of France, to his chosen home of Montana. With a massive social media following and hundreds of 5-star reviews, Strohl’s workshops are likely to impress.
Muench Workshops
This company specializes in wildlife and nature photography workshops for small and private groups. With workshops based all over the world, from Paris to Yellowstone, Vietnam to New Zealand, the chance to photograph unique wildlife and stunning surroundings seems to be a given. Besides in-the-field instruction, these photo workshops also include classroom time so instructors can review images and discuss photography techniques.
Portrait Photography Workshops
Andrew French Workshops
Andrew French is a New York-based portrait and lifestyle photographer, with clients including publications like Time, Esquire, and Women’s Health. He hosts a variety of photography and lighting workshops to share his knowledge, but his portrait photography educational sessions seem to be his bread and butter.
Princeton Photo Workshop
This New Jersey-based company holds a diverse range of classes, workshops, and photo field trips, all with the goal of teaching people to take better pictures. Their offerings include workshops to suit photographers of every skill level and they holds many workshops for kids and teens. Don’t trust us, trust their 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor. The bulk of Princeton Photo Workshop’s in-person sessions are in Princeton, NJ and New York City but the company also offers a plethora of online courses.
Wedding Photography Workshops
Twig and Olive Photography
Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the Twig and Olive Photography studio specializes in custom editorial weddings, family photography and portraiture. They also do a lot to educate photographers with a range of wedding photography workshops, tutorials, and seminars and have both in-person and online sessions. In addition to photography skills, they also teach soft skills and client management–invaluable expertise to help any photographer, especially within this genre of photography.
Online Photography Workshops
Masterclass
Masterclass is a great way to dip your toe into further education in photography by familiarizing yourself with the photography greats and their tricks of the trade. From relative newcomer Tyler Mitchell, to the legendary Annie Leibovitz, there is something for everyone without even having to leave your desk (or couch!).
Coursera
Coursera is an accessible online catalog chock full of photography workshops and courses, along with many other areas of art and design. Another option for those with limited funds or who aren’t able to organize travel, Coursera is a fantastic option for self-placed, online learning, so you can polish up on your skills and learn new things, and stay engaged in your photography craft.
Want More Photography Workshops?
If none of the photography workshops above seem like a good fit for you, there are a number of websites that provide listings of photography workshops around the world. They let you search by category, skill level, location, and more. Two of the best are the Photography Workshops Directory and the International Directory of Photography Workshops & Tours.
Just remember our advice, be sure to find reviews and recommendations of any workshop before you put a credit card down. Even exploring their social media accounts to see if you have followers in common can go a long way.
Once you’ve taken enough workshops and mastered your craft, you can top up your income by hosting your own workshops! Check out our guide to learn how to market your own photography workshops.
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