Case Study: How Nelli Huié runs her own profitable photography workshops (+ how you can too!)
Recently I've been doing a lot of research about the various ways that emerging photographers can earn extra money from pursuing photography 'side hustles'.
My research led me to a very talented photographer who I've had the pleasure of featuring on the Whim website before, Nelli Huié.
Nelli has been running her own successful and profitable photography workshops for some time now and I wanted to find out how she does it, what planning goes into these events, and her advice for helping other photographers follow in her impressive footsteps.
Speaking of photography side hustles, this is just a quick reminder to let you know that lifetime access to our Photography for Profit course (which also comes with a bonus premium course about how to become an internationally published photographer) will increase in price in a few days' time from just $247 to $297. Places are filling up quickly, so you'll have to be quick to secure yourself a spot at this special 'early bird' price! Find out more at: http://whim-academy.teachable.com/p/photography-bundle/
Now, back to Nelli's profitable photography workshops!
You'll find our full Q&A below!
Q: When did you first begin teaching your own photography workshops and what motivated you to do so?
A: I started back in 2014 as I was frequently asked if I ever taught workshops by people who enjoyed my work, plus I felt like it was an opportunity for me to branch out and share some of the skills and techniques I had refined over the years. My assistant at the time was studying photography at a really well known Melbourne photography institution and I was shocked at how much actually doesn't get taught in those curriculums. It's almost as though the students are simply taught how to be good assistants to full time photographers, which makes me sad for them!
Q: What kinds of topics do you currently teach or have you previously taught in your workshops?
A: I have taught introductory workshops, studio lighting intensives, advanced post-production techniques, natural and available light, technical and creative studio lighting, and also my favourite which is Old Hollywood techniques.
Q: Approximately how many people attend each of your workshops?
A: I prefer to work with smaller groups, the maximum amount of places I have at photography workshops is 12, and post-production seminars are 20. I find that any more than that, and the people attending the workshop don't get enough hands-on time, and I like to make sure they walk away happy and full of new knowledge!
Q: Do you provide them with additional resources (such as worksheets) or equipment etc. or is it largely up to each student to bring their own materials?
A: I provide everything except the camera. It's a basic requirement for my workshops that the attendees know how to operate their own DSLR in manual mode.
Q: What planning goes into organizing these workshops?
A: I am fortunate that public speaking has always been second nature to me, so I work off a dot point structure sheet, and just roll from there. I have a meeting with the model/s ahead of time and make sure they are familiar with the style and flow of the way I teach, and I encourage them to contribute their stories and experience with the attendees so they can learn better communication skills and shoot etiquette. A lot of people who come to my workshops are first-time model photographers, so it's good to get them off on the right start.
Q: How has teaching your own photography workshops assisted you with becoming a full-time photographer / being able to make additional income doing what you love?
A: I'd been a full-time photographer for many years before I started teaching workshops, but I had hit a point where I wanted to give back and share with people after I saw how excited my assistant or partner would get when I taught them something new. I gave my partner Aaron Stevenson my backup body about two years ago for a holiday, and he's already a better photographer in his field than I am in mine!
Q: What advice would you give to other photographers also interested in running their own photography workshops?
A: Know your craft inside out. Be passionate about what you do, and make sure you are a people person to begin with (or make sure you can convincingly fake it for six hours straight!). Be genuine, be humble, and know that you don't know everything. I still learn new things when I teach, and I really encourage my workshop attendees to share their own ideas and experiences to make it a really collaborative experience.
Like anything with photography, don't do it driven by just making money. Make sure you have something unique to add to the workshop market that nobody else has - ask yourself: What do I really specialise in? Is it something unique that people may not be able to learn somewhere else? Can I split my energy between ten people for four to six hours? Can I work between Nikon and Canon? Am I a confident public speaker? If all of the above apply, go for it. And remember, a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle!
You can find out more about Nelli's workshops here or take a look at her wonderful photography via her website.
Running your own profitable photography workshops is just one of the 23 'side hustles' we look at in the Photography for Profit course. The price to enrol in this course (and the premium bonus course that you also get lifetime access to) increases from just $247 to $297 in only a few days.
If you want 2017 to shape up to be your most successful year as a photographer yet, then you won't want to miss out on this deal! Find out more HERE.