THE COST OF WORKSHOPS: AN OVERVIEW

 

Workshop fees range from the lower end of approximately $40 for select non-model casual events and can be as high as $150+ or so for top model shooting workshops.

 

If the cost of workshops seems high to you, please consider the following factors that impact the rate. I am not defensive about my fees, rather, I am mentioning these factors so that you may better understand why I charge what I charge and hopefully help you understand the true value of these workshops relative to the cost.

 

I understand that in the end, no matter how I justify the expense, it may not fit within your budget for photography related experiences. If you can not afford an event but desire to attend, please contact me to inquire about options for free or reduced attendance. While less of an option at model events, I may make exceptions and certainly non model events have more flexibility.

• This is a side job for me and I spend hours behind the scenes organizing and scouting models. If I worked full time, I would not have as much time to create and plan so many events. The workshop two hours we spend together doesn’t show the behind the scenes efforts to get to the event and post event follow-up work.

• I pay select models during the scout phase and almost always pay models at workshops. I have recently increased the pay rate for models as I am attracting more talented and top models and this increases my overhead. I could find low/no cost models, but my guess is I would not get the interest in working with them and I would waste a lot of time scheduling and then cancelling events. One way to keep the fee I pay models on the lower end is I promise them edited images after the workshops. While this adds to the burden of the photographers, it allows me to get more models to attend.

• Workshop fees help cover my meetup membership fees (they charge me annually and also per transaction).

• I don’t charge members a membership fee. You only pay for what you desire and use (no annual cost otherwise) and there is value to simply being a member even when you don’t attend events as you can still network on the meetup event page. Other groups charge a fee just to belong, even if you don’t go to an event. Also, some groups remove members that are not active and I do not do this, allowing people to stay engaged on the meetup site until they find an event that works for them in person.

• I aim to deliver high value education/support and quality models in a professional environment in well organized events. Most people seem happy after attending a shoot/event and many return. Many view the workshops as an investment in their professional development.

• If the cost was very low, I would have to hold many more events to meet the demand, and it would be too time consuming and costly for me to do. Also, events would fill up faster and be unavailable for all but the fastest responder to register. Likewise, I could add more people to the shoots to reduce the cost per person, but I feel the lower max attendance at model shoots give all who attend a better experience.

• I cover studio overhead/supplies, taxes, insurance as I operate my studio as a licensed and insured business.

• I spent years developing my studio and expertise in male model photography and I happily share my knowledge and contacts with other photographers. This has value beyond the two hours we spend together. It is also somewhat unique in the market as someone who specializes in male models and nude photography.

• If you were to rent studio space and hire a model for your own shoot, you might likely spend more money and/or not have the benefit of learning from others.

• Ultimately, I deliver a chance to learn from others and meet other photographers and male models which I believe is rewarding to all and has a high value.