There comes a point in every photographer’s journey when it’s time to kick it up a notch and add some new skills or perspectives to the mix. A photography seminar might be just the ticket for a little inspiration or some hands-on training, or maybe you have something more serious in mind like a degree in photography. There are MANY photography classes, schools, seminars and trade shows out there, and it’s really a matter of figuring out which is the right for you. Here are some ideas:

Classes at Photography Schools

The first stop for photography classes are schools that specialize in photography.

My all-time favorite photography school is The Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine. When I worked there in the mid 1990’s, it was a wonderful little school specializing in 1-week classes for filmmakers and photographers. It was like summer camp for grown-ups. The school has since expanded to include a full degree program and extensive multimedia facilities. The catalog makes me drool every year, and my dearest wish is to someday be able to take one or two classes there every summer. Here is a list of classes and dates.

If the Southwest is more to your taste, try the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. This school offers week-long seminars, 2.5-day intensives and photo excursions to places like Provence, Venice and Bangkok Here is a list of classes.

Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA has an Art Center at Night program with classes for those not enrolled in the college. Classes include introductory photography, lab classes, fashion photography, lighting fundamentals, and creative sketchbook. The semester-long classes are held on evenings and weekends and range in price from $475-1100.

There are tons of photography seminars and photo excursions out there. Here are a couple worth noting:

• National Geographic Travel Seminars
• National Geographic Expeditions
• Digital Days Photo Seminars is brought to you by the people at Popular Photography and Imaging Magazine. They are offering short seminars in a variety of cities.

Trade Shows

A visit to a photography trade show is a great way to get re-inspired. Most photography conventions offer seminars and speakers, plus a bevy of vendors selling their wares.

Next month, the Photo Plus Expo is taking place in New York City at the Jacob Javitz center from October 23-25. Over 50 seminars are being hosted, from topics ranging from working with Adobe Lightroom, to how to sell yourself in 20 minutes, to finding your place in the art world, to lighting for commercial productions. There’s something for everyone, but act fast because seminars are filling up fast. Here is a list of classes and the schedule for the show.

Other popular trade shows include:

• WPPI Convention for the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International group takes place February 15-18, 2009 in Las Vegas. Here’s a list of the master classes being offered this February.
• The ProPhotoWest Expo will be held in Pasadena, California from March 19-23.
• The PMA Expo takes place in Las Vegas from March 1-5 in Las Vegas. This imaging organization focuses upon photographers, framers, printers and scrapbookers.

To be continued on Wednesday, October 2, 2008…