Workshops are also hard, rewarding work
The one thing I can say without hesitation that I’ve enjoyed most about my previous lives working in big business settings, some of them quite corporate and cutthroat, has been teaching. I believe good leadership at any level requires helping people to develop not only into better teammates around common goals, but also into improved versions of themselves.
I have no formal training in teaching or mentoring, so I certainly don’t consider myself an expert. I don’t even think of myself as a great photographer, especially creative, or particularly interesting. I just try to plug away at things that bring me a sense of joy and peace. Still, I have always felt a pull to mentorship and lifting folks up when I’m lucky enough to find myself in a position to do so.
That’s why, last Thursday evening, I felt very honored to lead an introductory workshop at Outdoor Chattanooga, an amazing organization headquartered downtown whose mission is to “spark a contagious love of the outdoors through adventure and action sports, nature exploration, and community partnerships.” Outdoor Chattanooga is a division of the city’s Parks and Outdoors Department so, being a government facility, I wasn’t allowed to charge admission. Regardless, I was still happy for the opportunity to serve the community and spread my love for the outdoors in this small way. I’m super grateful to Chloe Krueger for her help getting the workshop scheduled and set up. The world needs more folks like Chloe!
While I did teach one rudimentary class a couple years ago, this time felt like a completely new experience. I think that was because my photography has grown alongside me as a person and artist, and public speaking is still just as nerve-wracking as it ever was. In a way, though, I think of teaching as a kind of social counterweight to all the time I spend alone with my camera, exploring the woods, very much in my own head. By my nature I’m not an overly social person, but I certainly recognize the value of community to mental health. Balance is everything, and it’s crucial to venture out of the woods every so often (even if the path leads clearly outside of my comfort zone).
I kept the class small - just ten participants - so I could give each person individual attention during the outdoor portion of the two-hour session. Before we headed outside, though, we spent some time in the Outdoor Chattanooga building going through a few slides together. We talked about technical topics like gear, composition, and exposure, as well as some helpful habits I’ve picked up in my own photography practice over the past couple of years. Most of the time was spent photographing around Coolidge Park, and we even played a “numbers” game I came up with that introduced creative constraints based on location and subject. I was honestly surprised by the great feedback on the game - it's simple and a bit rough around the edges, but I’m genuinely proud of it.
Feedback was great, the people were interested and engaged, and I felt privileged to have made so many new, meaningful connections with local photographers. The positive responses from my students made it a very rewarding experience, and perhaps doing workshops could be something I grow into more in the coming cooler seasons. It does feel natural to be slowly stepping into the world of photography and creative education, in ways that hopefully foster deep appreciation for the beauty of the land we deeply need.
For now, my plan is to continue building on the material, particularly the creative and hands-on portion for my next workshop, which will take place July 19 at Crabtree Farms (registration required). I think the trick will be to keep things accessible for newcomers to landscape photography, because every single one of my bullet points could be its own bottomless rabbit hole that would be tempting to dig into at length.
While my Outdoor Chattanooga class was free, the workshop at Crabtree will be $50 for a four hour immersive experience. My hope is that that class will provide some helpful nuts-n-bolts tips for new photographers, but also wade into the creative waters even more. It would be a real shame to overlook the farms many wooded and grassy areas. A portion of the admission fee will go to Crabtree Farms whose mission I resonate with quite deeply. To say the least, I feel really good about the opportunity.
I hope to see you there!
- Kenny
