My name is Sean and I've been a photojournalist for more than 25 years, freelancing with The New York Times, Getty Images and the Associated Press for the last ten. I also offer private photo workshops. Here's how I build them.

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Order Matters

Most photographers are working on the wrong thing in the wrong order.

But many skills in photography are sequential and we need to walk before we run. My photo workshops are built on this principle.

The most challenging thing about learning photography, is identifying specific skill sets and tackling them in the right order. Exposure, composition, focus, storytelling.

Another big challenge, especially these days, is a confusion of popular terminology, used incorrectly. For example, a photographer risks lifetime plateau if they confuse focus and blur. Most do.

*Photos by workshop instructor Sean Rayford*

Free Consultation

Why Most Workshops Don't Work

Most workshops implement fixed and easily repeatable curriculums with group pacing. I don’t want anyone leaving with unresolved weaknesses. My curriculum is centered on specific goals of the photographers not formulaic itineraries.

As a result, we also create a one of kind photography experience with a high return on investment.

The Private Workshop Difference

There is nothing like a private and personalized photo workshop. One on one direct instruction designed with each photographer in mind.

It Starts with a Conversation

We begin with a free consultation call where we identify your goals and weaknesses. Most folks misidentify their weakness. And when they know the weakness, they often go at it from the wrong angle.

As a photojournalist with more than 30 years behind the camera, I’ll help you break through one biggest challenges for photographers by structuring the process for you at this moment.

How I Build Your Workshop

I learned about photography like most people do. Making lots of mistakes and often tackling the learning process without a curriculum. I mastered composition before I truly understood light — and that's a costly order to learn things in. It set me back years. I will not let that happen to you.

During our consultation calls and throughout the workshop, I’ll be consistently diagnosing your approach to photography with your specific goals in mind. For a beginner wanting to photograph their family, I’ll diagnose their understanding of light and develop a progression of real world exercises to level this up. Then we can tackle composition.

Maybe you’re a blossoming professional and want to self-publish a photo book. As someone who has self published three photo books and more than 20 zines, I’ll walk you through my process and help you execute your project.

Maybe you’re a parent with kids who play sports and want to document this. I’ll take a look a the photos you’re making now and give you the tools and instruction to capture memories that will last generations.

The Workshop Progression in Practice

As photographers, when we skip skillsets, it can create severe long term limitations. This is the most common circumstance where a photographer experiences a plateau. They’ve skipped a skillset or are misinformed on their understanding of photography.

In the modern age of social media, the loudest voices can often amplify the worst advice. We don’t move forward until the required foundation is in place. And I test your foundation.

What the Day Actually Looks Like

Most of the workshop is centered around hands on exercises to help you achieve your photography goals. You bring your camera and I’ll be by your side throughout the day.

If needed, we can adjust on the fly, depending on your personal progression and the logistics of our location. For example, if you’re interested in street photography, we can spend time working on basics utilizing a public event that will fit our needs.

You’ll be making photos a lot of the time and I’ll be giving you feedback in real time.

Where and When

I offer these photo workshops in the Carolinas from April through June 15 and September through December 30. In Florida, January 1 through February 28 and for two weeks in Boston in August. TBA.

Who This Is For

If you are a beginner, I have you covered. If you’re further along in your journey and trying to get more focused, I have you covered. If you’ve been a photographer for years but find your self stuck or unmotivated, I have you covered.

And if you’re a photographer with some goals and no roadmap, I’ve got you covered. A recent workshop student told me she could now “set her gps” when it came to photography.

This is not a photo walk or group workshop. I’m not teaching photography in the broad sense. I’m helping you learn the necessary skills to progress as a photographer.

These workshops are personal, sequential and goal driven.

Ready to Start?

If you want to turn any struggles learning about photography into an amazing real world experience, it starts with the free consultation call and I’ll build you a free proposal. No commitment.