How to Set up Photo Safaris in Your Community
Establishing a photo Safari program in your own community is an excellent way for skilled photographers to earn some sideline income, teaching amateur photographers how to use their cameras to improve their travel and portraiture work.
There is a significant demand in most major communities for hands-on photography instruction, especially among people about to embark on a trip who want to learn how to use their camera to best advantage BEFORE they go. For example, Washington Photo Safari began in 1999 with one instructor, and one itinerary and hosted about 6 clients a month that first year.
By 2001 we had grown to 46 clients a month, by 2005 to 169, and now we are hosting over 280 clients a month, offering 100 diverse itineraries given by 9 professional photographers in such diverse specialties as travel, architecture, portraits, flash, macro, nature, nighttime and pet photography, and at locations as far-flung as Yellowstone, Paris, Prague, Amsterdam, New York City and Buenos Aires. We are now ranked No. 1 in Google and other search engines as one of the largest photography training programs in the country. Over 25,600 people have participated in our Safaris since 1999, 7,100 of them as repeat clients..
While the demand is out there, at the present time there are still very few communities in North America that offer regularly scheduled (i.e. 2-3 times every week, all year long) photo training excursions guided by professional photographer-instructors.
A compendium of all the photo workshops available worldwide is available at www.ShawGuides.com. While it shows many workshops periodically scheduled in cities across the country, there are very few permanent, local, regularly scheduled programs that operate in the field, not in a classroom. In addition to the Washington Photo Safari here in DC, there is the Baltimore Photo Safari, Ottawa Photo Safari in Canada and PhotoWalks in Boston. More recent additions developed with the help of Washington Photo Safari are the Chicago Photo Safari, the San Francisco Photo Safari, the Central Pennsylvania Photo Safari, and the Midwest Photo Safari.
A successful photo Safari operation requires that its director be a person who 1) is highly skilled in photography; 2) has good verbal and written communication skills, especially as a teacher or instructor, and 3) has a thorough knowledge of where all the best photo opportunities are in his/her community. A familiarity with several brands and types of cameras (SLR’s AND point and shoots) is a definite plus as well. While it takes a few years for a safari operation to become established and known in a community, it can eventually yield a tidy six-figure income for its director.
Drawing upon our experience over the past 11 years, Washington Photo Safari director E. David Luria has developed a manual for establishing and running a local photo Safari program. It contains useful tips on organization, site selection, communications, marketing, pricing and teaching. It also has an extensive appendix of sample instruction tips and pre-Safari emails given to clients, and record-keeping worksheets. It will be shipped to the address you provide.
Purchase the Safari Manual:
Recent Comments
“I have been showing off my photographs since I returned and singing your praises. I certainly wish I was a bit closer to DC so I could do more of your Safaris on a regular basis. But I will return! Thanks for a wonderful day and the terrific advice.”
—S.A.
“Today I took the Canon Safari with Melanie Otto this morning and I wanted to let you know that it was a GREAT class!!! As, I’m sure you have been told before, Melanie was an EXCELLENT teacher. She was very personable and knowledgeable and did a great job explaining the ins and outs of my camera (something I have been trying unsuccessfully to do on my own for almost a year!) I know that my photography skills will improve greatly after learning all she taught us. I would recommend that class to anyone who wants to learn more about the camera or just photo skills in general. Thank you for organizing such a great experience!”
—N.R.
“Just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how much I enjoyed your class today. The information you shared today will help me improve my composition and make my scenes tell a story instead of just being a snapshot.”
“Thank you SO MUCH for such a diversified Safari itinerary. The locations you selected for us to practice our photography were excellent. Although I am a native Washingtonian, I admit I rarely travel downtown to view all of the wonderful monuments and museums. I commuted downtown for more years than I care to remember, so it was very refreshing to view the city through the eyes of a tourist rather than a commuuter. You were very patient and shared a wealth of information with all of us, which I will be sure to practice. I am learning to trust my own judgment and not leave the camera on “automatic,” especially since its the latest and greatest in digital photography. I certainly felt I got my money’s worth from this Safari. Keep up the good work!”
—K.P.
“Back home in San Francisco Bay Area, but just wanted to drop you a quick note for leading a most wonderful session of your all-day Washington Photo Safari last Wednesday. I was thrilled to be a participant, found your ten-page handout to be most useful, and learned a few new things that I can immediately apply to my photo taking.”
—Dickson Louie