More Than Beautiful Photographs
There are moments at the end of every photography workshop when I finally have a chance to slow down and reflect on the experience. Last week, my Oregon Coast Photography Workshop provided one of those moments.
For five days, our small group explored one of North America's most spectacular coastlines, photographing towering sea stacks, crashing waves, hidden coves, spectacular beaches, and dramatic sunsets. Every day was carefully planned - from photography locations and driving routes to thoughtfully selected restaurants - with one overriding goal: putting the group in exactly the right place when the light was at its very best.
Capturing beautiful photographs is what initially brings us together, but after leading photography workshops for many years, I've come to realize that photographs are only part of the story. Every workshop develops its own personality. Some groups become instant friends. Others are quieter, taking everything in at their own pace. Some weeks reward us with extraordinary light, while others remind us that patience is part of photography.
No two workshops are ever the same, and that's one of the things I love most about leading them. Every week brings new conversations, new perspectives, new challenges, and new reminders of why I started this business in the first place. While I work hard to help photographers come home with images they're proud of, my real hope is that they leave with something more. More confidence. More inspiration. A new way of seeing, and memories they'll carry with them long after the photos are downloaded and the cameras are put away.
A few hours after I returned home, one of my clients sent me a note that perfectly captured what I hope every workshop becomes...
I appreciated your laid-back teaching style and sense of humor. I totally enjoyed it."
There aren't many compliments that mean more to me than that, and when I look back on this Oregon Coast Photography Workshop, the photographs will always bring back wonderful memories but it's the people and the shared experiences that will stay with me the longest. That's what makes every workshop so rewarding and why I still get excited every time a new workshop begins.
Scott Setterberg
Author