How to host a photography meetup
This post is to help people who enjoy organising but don’t really know where to start with a photo meetup. Come back next week for the follow-up, How to Be a Good Photo Meetup Attendee.
Only meet in public places. Tell someone where you’re going. Don’t have meetups of just two people. Don’t offer lifts to people you don’t know.
Why meetups fail
Most meetups fail because people’s expectations weren’t met. They might have been expecting a big hike in a small group with someone to tell them what to do and instead they got a small wander in a big group with no leader. As long as you make it clear ahead of time everybody can decide whether they think they will enjoy it or not: and if they don’t it won’t be because they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into.
As meetup host nobody can complain (well, they might do anyway, but you’ve done all you can) if you explain clearly ahead of time what is involved.
What to explain ahead of time
1. Where will the meetup take place?
Give an exact location using an app like What Three Words to avoid confusion over car parks or cafes.
Say if an entrance fee is payable.
Describe the route you will take (if you will be moving around) so people can research their own accessibility requirements and check it is suitable.
2. What time will it start and end?
Give a window of time to arrive and make it clear what time you will be moving off, e.g. “Arrive from 10.30 for a prompt 11am departure.”
You don’t need to wait for late arrivals if you have given a clear description of when you will be leaving. If you don’t mind giving out your phone number you can offer to share that so people can get in touch if they are delayed, or you can use the private messaging option in the A Year With My Camera app. You shouldn’t feel obliged to share personal information or hold the group up for latecomers.
Say what time you plan to finish.
3. Anticipate needs
Depending how long you are meeting for and what time of day, people may need to stop to eat or drink, or use the toilet. If there are no food outlets or toilets at the place you are going to, tell everyone ahead of time.
If no picnicing is allowed at the venue tell attendees they can’t bring their own food/drink with them. Equally, if there are no food outlets warn people to bring their own supplies.
People will have different fitness levels. As the host you set the pace but do be careful to communicate your plans. A long hike in the wild with no stops is a different experience to a gentle potter around a garden with lots of benches. Neither is better but someone expecting one will be dismayed by the other.
4. Wet weather plan
What will you do if the weather is bad? Do you have an indoor option, will you cancel completely, will you move to a different venue or will you carry on regardless? Make sure everybody knows what to expect, what wet weather gear to bring and how to find out about a change of plan.
5. The photography
If you are working to a theme or following a plan (see below) then tell people in advance.
Check whether groups, especially large groups are allowed. You might need a special group ticket.
Check whether photography is allowed, or if there are any restrictions (e.g. no commercial use).
Are tripods allowed? If they are, would they be useful or should people leave them at home?
6. Looking after new people
If a new attendee is also new to photography they may suffer with the mixture of new hobby anxiety and social anxiety. Do what you can to help new people by reassuring them they don’t need to share their images and nobody will be watching them while they photograph.
If you have a big group of people who already know each other and only one or two new people do what you can to introduce new people and encourage existing group members to include new members.
Tips for the meetup itself
The host doesn’t need to teach or be the best photographer or have any kind of expertise. Your only role is to co-ordinate a group of photographers to be at the same place at the same time and (ideally) not lose any during the day.
It can be hard work to keep everyone together and moving at the same pace. An easier way to arrange the day is to have one or two hard meetup times and places and then let everyone do their own thing in between. e.g. If you are setting off at 11am from a cafe you might say “I’m following this route to XYZ cafe and I plan to be there at 12.30 - stick with me or see you there.” Or you can publicise the actual route ahead of time and give it out so people can stop/start along the way as they prefer.
You don’t need to have a photography theme but it is often fun to try:
- split people into groups and give each group a different colour to find and photograph
- give everyone the same prompt like “shadow”, “reflection” and “texture”
- do a “1 Day 12 Pics”
After the meetup
This is an essential part of the whole experience: seeing what other people did. You need a place to share your images whether it’s in a Facebook group, a private messaging platform or using an Instagram hashtag.
Choose an easy place for everyone to share and remind people that nobody is judging their photos. The unexpected benefit from a photography meetup is simply seeing what other people saw. You can get a good insight into your own image-making just by looking at what everyone else was drawn to in the same place on the same day. You don’t need to copy anybody else but it will definitely improve your photography if you do this.
If possible get a volunteer to organise the next meetup before you all go your separate ways. Point them to this post if they have not done it before.
Free online photography course
A Year With My Camera is Emma’s beginner’s photography course. You can join here and get started today:
