Grand Day Out

If you’d like to learn new skills from high-calibre photographers, or gain access to locations and subjects normally out of bounds, consider booking a photography event, says Tracy Calder

- Tracy Calder

A wedding is under way – the bride and groom are standing under a colourful arch of flowers, lightly touching heads; the aisle is lined with candles, and rings are about to be exchanged. Somewhere from the back of the church a photographer shouts out, ‘Stop, can we do that again please, I missed the shot.’ Despite appearances this is not a real wedding – it’s a carefully staged event designed to help photographers hone their skills. ‘It’s like shooting a real wedding, but without the pressure,’ laughs Tiffany Tangen, events manager at Wex Photo Video. ‘We have a bride and a groom, but we can say “Stop, bring it back; this is where you need to take your shot.”’

Wex Photo Video is one of a number of companies to see the commercial potential in hosting one-day events, seminars and workshops. By laying on fake weddings, portraiture sessions, and lighting masterclasses, for example, photographers can experiment with techniques and equipment, which ultimately encourages them to invest more time and money in their hobby. Prices for these events can range from £0-£100 or more, so it’s important to be well prepared for the experience. Prior to booking, some photographers might be concerned that their technical knowledge will let them down, or that they will come home with the same images as everyone else, but this doesn’t have to be the case. To alleviate these concerns, I spoke to three leaders in the photo events industry.