What do you need to attend a workshop?
I receive questions around the world regarding workshops.
The most common questions are:
I have no experience can I attend a workshop?
I don’t have an expensive camera is that ok?
What do you need for a workshop?
I am not sure which class to take.
Hopefully this article will help guide you a bit. I know that attending a workshop can be super intimidating. If you are new, you are afraid you will look stupid. If you have been around awhile you will be afraid that you don’t know the right things to attend.
First..the point of a workshop is to learn - it’s that simple. My job is to teach you what I know. This means I am not expecting you to know anything and the things you do know may not be helping you.
In almost every workshop I see…
brand new newbies that have not ever photographed a newborn for a client
seasoned photographers that have been around awhile but struggling on workflow, wrapping or booking clients
photographers that aren’t brand new but have only been trained online
Who is easiest to teach? Honestly the brand new newbie! It’s way easier as an educator to train someone who has no experience because we can guide them in the proper way to do things, vs having to untrain bad habits. Over the years I have had many photographers that rented a camera for the workshop or bought one and just took it out of the box! If we are doing our job right - and I say “our” because now Alex helps me - then we should be able to help all levels.
The idea is for the student to have an open mind. If you are coming to a workshop it’s because you need help right? So this is the time to leave egos at the door and just come in with an open mind and be prepared to learn. It’s super helpful when you ask questions.
You do not need to know anything- it is helpful if you know your camera, but we can help with that. We explain the settings and show you were to find things.
Finding the right class may be tricky. Our clinics are only four hours and a good introduction to my teachings. They are not hands on though and the time goes by very fast! They are great for those wanting to know more at a good price and great for those who need images for your portfolio. Our 1:3 clubs are hands on, which means we have you wrap and help pose the newborns. This is great for any level because we can perfect the technique and there are only 3 photographers in a class. The academies are four days and are intense and perfect for anyone needing to really either dive into newborn photography or level up their existing business. Masterclasses give you maternity and newborn and are also good for any level.
The camera you use should have a hotshoe on top so you can add a transmitter to fire the light. We provide the transmitters, so you do not need to bring one. It should have an M on the dial for manual mode as we tell you the settings. It can be any brand, new or used.
The lens you use can vary. I use a 24-70mm because I like the range. I am usually shooting at a 24mm or 35mm focal length. Some only have the 35mm, or 50mm and that’s ok too. It’s best to bring what you have so we can help you and then you can decide if you need to change your lens.
In all of our workshops you can use the images for your own marketing and we pretty much promise you will have fun!
You need a camera, lens and an open mind - we can provide the rest!
Ana Brandt
Find a workshop here - https://www.anabrandteducation.com/workshop-products
Reserve your world tour spot here - https://www.theanabrandtworldtour2025.com
