This summer I decided to take the plunge and do something I’d been considering for some time—take a photography workshop. As a member of Nikon’s Internet team for the last eight years, I’d been to the Nikon School and taken some classroom workshops, but I’d never shot in the field with a mentor. When the workshop was over, my only question was, “Why did I wait so long?”

Nikon sponsors a number of wonderful workshops, and I chose a three-day Mentor Series Trek to Montreal for my first outing. There were two mentors on this trek, Mark Alberhasky and Rosanne Pennella, photographers whose work I’ve admired for some time and who have been featured on Nikon’s Learn & Explore website.

Those three days in Montreal were jam-packed. We started early each day and went late into the evening. There was classroom time as well as shooting excursions, homework and image reviews.

The range of shooting opportunities was great. We visited the Montreal Botanical Garden where wide-angle and macro photography were both appropriate. There was a walking tour of Old Montreal with lessons on using fill flash and slow shutter speeds to capture the city at night. A visit to the International Fireworks competition gave us all the chance to try our hands at photographing a magnificent display of pyrotechnics, and an early morning—very early morning—excursion to a hot-air balloon festival provided the opportunity for some unique images.

It’s fabulous to be in the field shooting and have two wonderful teachers at your side to offer advice and instruction. Even on the bus going from one location to another we were getting lessons on what to expect, what to look for and things to experiment with.

Our review sessions on Saturday and Sunday were invaluable. Each participant made a best-five selection for review by Mark and Rosanne. Not only did I get a review of my images, I got to see the other students’ work and hear their reviews. You can learn a great deal from viewing the work of your fellow photographers.

I learned so much in such a short period of time and came away eager to continue shooting and trying new things. I also came away with some advice for people who are considering going to a workshop.

• Choose a workshop that focuses on the kind of shooting you most like to do whether it’s nature and wildlife or urban street photography.
• Spend some time shopping for the right camera bag. Size and weight can make a big difference when you’re carrying your gear for hours at a time.
• If you’re traveling with a tripod it helps to have one that fits in your suitcase—it could save you an additional baggage charge.
• It’s a good idea to keep a granola bar or some other snack in your camera bag. You’ll be glad you did when the shoot runs long.
• Put a small flashlight in your bag as well. It will come in handy when you’re shooting outdoors at night and trying to find that extra memory card. (Credit goes to Mark for this tip, and it’s a good one.)
• You don’t want to carry more gear than you need, so ask your instructors what they suggest for shooting at a particular venue. That 105mm Micro-NIKKOR will be great if you’re going to the botanical garden, but it’s just extra weight if you’re going out to shoot fireworks, and by the end of a 12-hour day of shooting those extra lenses in your camera bag get really heavy.
• Be sure you have your camera manual with you. Menus and dials differ from model to model and having the manual can help you and your instructor find the setting information that applies to your specific camera.

A workshop is a great time to try new things, and with an instructor to guide you, you can experiment with different techniques. If you always shoot auto, try shutter priority or manual. Take some outdoor shots using fill flash or put your camera on a tripod and take some long exposures at night. Get creative with blur and motion. But most important of all, do what the pros do—take lots of images. A good day’s shooting is not 30 or 40 images, but three or four hundred. There’s always time to review and edit when you get home.

My best advice, if you’ve been thinking about taking a workshop, go for it. You’ll learn a lot, increase your skills and be inspired to take your photography to the next level.

Click here for more information on Mentor Series Treks and other Nikon-sponsored workshops.