next workshop: San Francisco State University, November 8 from 10am-4pm
Welcome To
The Premier Workshop For Freelance Photographers
Founded in 2013 by Todd Bigelow, the course has been hosted by universities & professional organizations nationwide.
next workshop: San Francisco State University, November 8 from 10am-4pm
Founded in 2013 by Todd Bigelow, the course has been hosted by universities & professional organizations nationwide.
I've proudly worked in collaboration with the following universities, colleges and professional photography associations nationwide:
This business minded photography workshop is open to the public & geared toward photographers with an interest in a career producing images for various media outlets, nonprofits, foundations and corporations. Open to the public, it provides practical, timely advice and information addressing the many business issues that freelancers must contend with on a daily basis and provides you with knowledge to help you manage your freelance career. I have a strong desire to maintain small classes to maximize discussion time over traditional lecture time. From my experiences in the classroom, a smaller learning environment facilitates better teacher/student interaction.
There is no disputing that the evolution of the profession has resulted in a fundamental shift in employment standards in this country. In years past, photographers emerging with newly minted degrees, or veteran photographers merely wishing to change locations, could readily find employment as staff photographers at any number of newspapers, wire services or non-profits and concentrate almost entirely on creating strong images. That is no longer the case. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the vast majority of photographers will forge their way as freelancers without the safety net of a guaranteed paycheck. As a result, a strong foundation in skills that go far beyond just creating striking photographs are required if photographers wish to financially sustain themselves.
As I see it, your skill set as a photographer will be instrumental in gaining clients, but your business skills will keep you in business for the long run.
The continually evolving photography and photojournalism professions have clearly shifted the employment standard from employee based to freelance based. As a result, it is now more imperative than ever for independent photographers to possess a solid understanding of managing their own business if they expect to support themselves and/or their family. The workshop addresses core issues that freelancers consistently face on a daily basis while also recognizing new topics as they become relevant:
MISSION: The course is taught in person only and based on real life experiences. I keep class size small to facilitate asking questions and participation in the conversation. The workshop is continually evolving and you will leave with a sound understanding of the significant and specific business matters you will face daily as a professional freelance photographer. The workshop was listed as one of the 50 Awesome Photo Workshops Worldwide on several occasions by Photoshelter.
“I’ve got to tell you just one more time how wonderful it was to have you here. You played a pivotal role in the resurgence of our chapter. You probably don’t realize that yours was the first event our chapter has sponsored in three years. I’m going to do my best, as acting CP, to keep the energy flowing and create more opportunities for growth but what you had to offer was downright beautiful. And you can quote me on that.”-
George Long, Acting Chairperson, American Society Media Photographers, New Orleans,
Courtnay Robbins, Workshop Student
Drawing on my decades of work as a photographer, speaker, author, professor and workshop founder, I’m pleased to offer personal and corporate consultation services including expert witness services in copyright infringement cases. Consultations are also available for universities and college photography programs interested in incorporating a freelance business practice curriculum into their classes.
For more info or to book, please see Online Appointments Below.
After years of developing and teaching my Business of Photography Workshop to photographers across the country at professional conferences, organizations and universities, Taylor & Francis, a division of Routledge Publishing, published my book guide.
The book is available wherever books are sold and in all formats.
For more information, please click here. To order a copy, please visit the Amazon store or the publisher's site.
Below are just a few common questions, but please contact me with any other questions you might have!
My principal income is not derived from this course, so I do everything possible to collaborate with the host to keep the tuition as low as possible. That said, I know it's far more affordable than many two day, 15 hour courses! UCLA typically sets the tuition around $300 for the two days.
It's easy! Just reach out by email and I'll provide all the information. I don't charge a per student fee. Instead, I charge a flat fee and work with you to determine a fair, affordable tuition to charge attendees. Any income earned by the host that exceeds my flat fee is kept by the host to (hopefully) use to advance their mission to help photographers.
The full workshop covers about 15 hours of instruction. Typically, that is done over two, full days of classroom instruction. However, universities and conferences, including those hosted by NPPA and ASMP, often prefer to have shorter talks and sections devoted to specific topics. So, the course is easily formatted to fit whatever time frame is seen as most beneficial to you.
To request to host a workshop, or with questions about consultations or speaking engagements, please contact me. References from universities and professional organizations who’ve hosted the workshop are available upon request. I look forward to hearing from you!
Todd Bigelow
Founder
Business of Photography Workshop
Business of Photography Workshop
Copyright © 2024 Business of Photography Workshop - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.