Who is the workshop suitable for?
This workshop is best suited for professional pet photographers or those preparing to open a pet photography business. Whether you are an established pet photographer or at the beginning of your pet photography journey we are certain that you will gain valuable insights into your craft and business. All attendees should have knowledge of how to handle their camera in manual mode and be able to create consistent exposures in manual mode.
Why is it called a pet photography workshop when we’re only photographing dogs?
In our experience, the majority of the subjects that come before our lenses are dogs. They are often the “bread and butter” of a pet photography business. Due to the environment and setting of a workshop with multiple people shooting simultaneously, we believe dogs are the most suitable pets to work with as they are best able to deal with these kinds of situations.
What if the weather doesn’t co-operate?
We take careful consideration of the weather averages when choosing locations for our workshops. It will be fall in Queenstown, with generally lovely daytimes and cool evenings, but we have no control over what the weather decides to do at the time. We’ll still shoot if it’s cloudy or raining very lightly, but if it is raining moderately to heavily we will either re-shuffle the shoot times or move to our plan B undercover location. Unfortunately, we cannot offer refunds based on weather but we promise to make the best of any weather situations.
Why is the workshop priced higher than other workshops I’ve seen?
Please remember that the entire workshop is all-inclusive. Not only will we be staying in beautiful private homes in Queenstown, but all meals and transportation throughout the event will be included. The only expenses that attendees will be responsible for are transportation to and from the house, as well as any alcoholic beverages during your stay. We are happy to assist you in arranging transportation from the local airports or train stations to the house.
Can special diets be accommodated?
Yes. After you are accepted into Barkzealand, we will send you a form asking for any medical or dietary needs. No worries if you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or have a dietary allergy or medical restriction. Every effort will be made to accommodate you.
How many people can attend the workshop?
Barkzealand is limited to only 10 students. This will be a small and intimate group workshop and the students will have direct access to each of the instructors. It will also allow us to avoid group shooting as much as possible. We don’t appreciate having to elbow your neighbor to get the shot so this is NOT a workshop in which all 10 students will be photographing the same model. We will be breaking up into much smaller groups for the hands-on portion of the shooting, which will allow you to work directly with each instructor during the event.
Can I bring my husband / wife / partner?
Yes! If your significant other needs some convincing as to why you should attend, you can offer to bring them along for a little holiday! There is room to allow a limited number of participants to bring their other half. Guests are welcome to enjoy the home and the grounds while you are busy learning. The house is located in Queenstown, but we will be outside the city center, so we recommend renting a car if your guest plans on enjoying activities throughout the region. There will be a $1000 additional charge for a guest in order to cover the additional accommodation and meal costs. This includes an upgrade to a private room.
What are the different types of rooms available?
Regular registration includes a shared room with one or two other students and a shared bath. There is the opportunity for a few students to upgrade to a private sleeping room with a shared bath for an additional $1000, with limited guest availability. Additionally, there is the opportunity for one student each week to save $500 on their registration by opting for an upper bunk in a shared room.
Can I attend the workshop without staying at the venue?
All students should plan on staying on the property from Monday morning until Friday after dinner. Staying at the home with everyone is what makes this workshop unique and creates many lasting relationships. We will be eating, sleeping, and talking pet photography all day every day and there will be many opportunities to connect with each other outside of the scheduled programming.
Do I need to get a hotel the night before or after the official workshop dates?
No! We have rented the home long enough to allow all students to arrive late in the day on Sunday to get settled into the home and stay until Saturday morning.
What airport should I fly into?
Barkzealand is closest to Queenstown, New Zealand – (ZQN). We can assist you with securing transportation to the home from the local airport.
I can’t make it to the workshop, can you recommend another way to improve my pet photography?
We are sorry to miss you! All of the instructors offer private one-to-one mentoring in all aspects of running a pet photography business. Check out Charlotte’s e-books and mentoring here, Nicole’s private mentoring here, and contact Kaylee directly about hers. If you want to get started right now be sure to look over all of the free resources at Learn Pet Photography and Hair of the Dog.
Will you be holding more workshops in other states / cities / countries in the future?
It’s always hard to say what the future will bring. Hosting these workshops is an incredible amount of work for the three of us, so we just can’t guarantee future options. If you are interested in learning from these three instructors at one location then we strongly suggest submitting your application to attend as there is room for only 10 students per week!
How do I apply?
Due to the limited seats and high demand for this workshop, we will be taking applications for the 10 student openings. Applications will be accepted from August 11-18, 2018. After registration is closed, we will be selecting students based on a variety of factors such as; current skill level, previous experience, intention to run a pet photography business, and room selection.