Ross Harvey’s Workshop for Wedding Photographers: A Review
Why Did I Pick Ross Harvey’s Workshop?
After experiencing my first wedding photography workshop back in February with the 9 Dots crew I’d learnt how this form of education could completely transform your business. So when an opportunity came along to learn from the master that is Ross Harvey in my very own London town, it was a no brainer.
Why refer to Ross as the master? In short, he has an award winning portfolio (including Fearless & Junebug), has been named the UK’s Best Wedding Photographer by the wedding industry awards for several years now and appears to spend most of his time jet setting around the world. Yep we’re all very jealous. So you can image I was going in with a lot of excitement.
How was the Workshop Day Run?
The day was split up into several sections covering a wide range of elements relevant to running a photography business. There was also time to mix with the other photographers attending during a pub lunch and several pints in the evening. Ross was clear in his communication and never held back from sharing his wealth of experience and learnings. He was a pretty good laugh too.
Key Takeaways For My Wedding Photography Business:
1. Composition techniques
Loads of different composition techniques were covered. Some I was familiar with, some I had heard of but hadn’t fully understood and others were brand new to me. It really got me thinking about how the camera sees things and how to take a good photo and turn it into a great photo.
2. Editing techniques
Maybe not the most exciting part of being a wedding photographer but certainly a very important part. Ross’s work is recognised for being consistently clean with bold colours, so we were all curious to know how he did it. Turns out his technique was pretty simple and has now been made at home in my process.
3. Philosophy
This is a big part of Ross’s Workshop and something (from what I’ve seen so far) that is quite unique to him. For this part of the day you really need to go in with an open mind. Even if you don’t agree with everything he shares it will certainly widen your thinking (always a good thing in my book). It was especially interesting to see how Ross applied his philosophy to his work and journey through the wedding industry.
4. Tools
Turns out Ross has a little bit of a nerdy side to him which really came out in his description of gear and tools (both business and photography related). His knowledge and matching excitement in this area was impressive. I walked away with a better understanding of my Nikon D750 and with a list of cool tools to introduce to my business. Btw if you have or are thinking of getting a D750, make sure you check out Ross’s review of the camera. It also comes with some great setting recommendations.
5. Network
As I learnt during my last workshop, building up a strong network in your industry brings with it so many benefits. There was an awesome crowd at Ross’s workshop, many of whom I’ve stayed in contact with. One has even sent me a referral for a truly epic London wedding next summer. Thanks again Julian!
6. Inspiration
In a job that depends on creativity, new ideas and a positive attitude, inspiration is so important. I left the workshop feeling a fresh level of excitement and fully inspired to take on the rest of the wedding season.
Conclusion: One of the best investments I’ve made for my business this year. I came out of Ross Harvey’s Workshop feeling inspired, with a better understanding of my work, a list of new things to add to my business and a bunch of new photography buddies. Look forward to seeing Ross speak again at the 9Dots gathering next week!
