What is a photography meetup – It’s your chance to learn, network and grow

Have you ever been curious about photography groups or wanting to join a photography meetup?

You might think it’s just a bunch of photographers coming together to walk around and shoot, and you’re right. But it is also so much more.

What is a photography meetup

A photography meetup is a local event organized by creatives including: photographers, models, makeup artists, videographers and more. The purpose is to meetup on a specific time and day to collaborate, network and shoot photography as a group in a small event setting. Once the meetup is complete, you share your images with your social networks and other attendees from the shoot in order to gain more exposure with different people.

It’s exactly how it sounds. If you’re curious about joining a photography meetup, then check out my personal experience with an Austin photography group and a meetup hosted last summer.

I documented the 3-4 hours we shot in downtown Austin, TX.

I met people from all over south and central Texas and we all had a blast. This shoot was a perfect way for me to get out of my bubble and meet some new people.

Why join a photography meetup – 4 reasons to join

There are three reasons you should join a photography meetup.

First, it allows you to network with other like-minded creative individuals. It’s important to get out from behind your computer and meet new people from around your local areas. This will expand your network and give you a chance to gain more exposure in your local market.

Second, you get a chance to learn from other people and ask question while shooting photos. There is no better way to learn than when you’re on the spot taking pictures.

Ask for help and ask how other photographers are shooting their photos. Use those observation skills to listen and learn.

Listen how other photographers direct their subjects and move them around for posing ideas. You get to see the other photographers in real-time.

Third, you grow as a photographer as you experience new events and learn new skill sets. Growing your network and skills in a social setting is just as important than watching YouTube videos for hours a day. Get out and shoot with new people.

Fourth, you can build your portfolio of images. If you don’t have much content for your portfolio, this is a great way to get a variety of new images. It can also make for great new content for your profiles on Instagram or Facebook.

Scared or nervous to join a photography meetup

If you’re like me, you might be introverted, but don’t feel like you have to go by yourself.
Bring a friend or family member as an assistant. They can hold your reflector or help with lighting equipment.

Also, understand that many people in the meetup might be just like you. Looking to learn from others. In my experience the skill-sets range widely in these types of small events.

Introduce yourself to others when you get onsite and let people know your experience. You might be surprised when others take you under their wing and help you shoot during the meetup.

I’ve done this many times with events that I hold in the Dallas, TX area. If you’re a more experienced photographer, don’t forget to give back and share you knowledge with the newbies.

When the photography community in general gets better, everyone wins.

How do you join a photography meetup

Try checking out your local photography groups, Facebook groups or networking and asking around online. Let people know your experience level and that you would like to join any future meetups.

This photography meetup was pulled together and advertised on Instagram. When I saw it, I messaged the host and let him know I would like to attend.

He made sure I had the info I needed and I joined the day of the shoot.

Some meetups are paid and some are free. I recommend trying both. Paid shoots are normally smaller and you get more one-on-one time with the models.

You can also visit apps and websites like meetup.com.

If you’re in a big city, then you most likely will be able to find photography clubs and other photography groups that meetup on occasion.

Local Photography group meetup – What to expect

It’s a Saturday, and I pull into Austin, TX with a good photography friend of mine.

We stop and grab a bite to eat before heading to the capital building in downtown Austin where we will be meeting up with other creatives.

The clouds start to gather as it starts to sprinkle outside before the shoot. Nothing major, but I still walked cautiously up to the capital building before taking out my camera.

I expected a very rigid event, but it was very relaxed. People were in small groups until the host of the meetup called us all together and explained a few simple guidelines like safety and expectations.

Many events will start this way before the creative collaborations start.

Photography Meetup – Meeting local photographers and models

Little did I know the rest would be a blast! The ATX photography meetup was hosted by local photographers led by @Portraits_by_G and friends.

They smashed this meetup and I know everyone had a great time. It was free to attend and was all put together and advertised on Instagram.

Word of mouth is a powerful tool in the creative community. When I saw the event being advertised, I quickly shared it with my followers.

Even if I was in Dallas, I knew people from Austin, San Antonio and other surrounding areas.

It was the least I could do to help the creative community.

Photography meetup – Outdoor natural light shoot

The meetup was more of a photo walk that happened to start at the Capitol building.
Since we were going to be moving often, the majority of the photographers shot with natural light.

This made it easier and faster to move to different locations without having to take tons of equipment.

There were a few shootings with small strobes, and we all pitched in to hold the lighting. It was about being apart of the event and not just watching it from afar.

I wasted no time getting started right after the introductions. I met a local model named Tyler and she did an amazing job.

I just went up to her and asked if she wanted to shoot. No formal rules, just friendly faces to meet.

She had beautiful long hair that just danced in the wind during our shoot. I also got to work with a few other models before moving to the next location as well.

How did I ask models to shoot?

I was a little nervous at first to ask the models to shoot, but I got over that really quick. With my camera in hand, I walked up to the many different models on site and introduced myself.

I told them I would love to take a few portraits and 100% of them said yes.

Once I finished shooting, we exchanged Instagram handles and followed each other online.
This was key to getting the photos to the different models after the meetup.

You want to make sure to get your final edited photos to the people you worked with.

We used a custom hashtag and tagged all our photos on Instagram for everyone to see.

Shooting time with each model

I spent around 3-5 mins shooting photos with each model and then signaled the next photographer to be ready to shoot.

This made for the best process with so many people on site. Some photographers were also shooting at the same time but I maintained the models focus on me.

Be patient with the models or subjects and realize they’re doing their best to help everyone get the shots they want.

What gear to bring to a meetup

I brought my small camera backpack with my main Sony a7ii mirrorless camera. I also had 2 prime lenses with me. The Sony 55mm f1.8 and the Sony 85mm f1.4 G Master lens.

These are both favorites of mine for shooting portraits with natural light. I didn’t want to bring any strobes with me because I didn’t want to haul around the light stands or extra equipment.

I did bring a small speedlight just in case since I knew the sun would be setting within the hours of the shoot. I didn’t end up using it, but I was glad I had it with me.

If you want to learn why I recommend these 2 lenses, check out my detailed article here for more information.

I also have a few recommendations on other smaller items you should keep in your camera bag any time you join a photography meetup.

• Speedlight – just in case
• Water bottle
• Extra SD cards
• Extra batteries
• Portable USB photo charger with cord for your phone
• Small snack or some gum in case you get hungry
• Sun glasses or a hat if you’re going to be in the sun
• USB speaker to play some music
• Small flashlight (in case you get caught in the dark like we did)
• Leatherman or multi-tool – These always come in handy

Photo walk – Moving to different locations

The next location was a few blocks down the street on Congress.

The Paramount theater was pretty busy so we casually walked across the street and still made the best of the location in the background.

This often happens when you are shooting in public spots. There are businesses that stay busy on the weekends, especially when in a popular downtown area.

This is where I worked with Gabby, a local Austin model. She did an awesome job posing for me in front of the colorful buildings and textures around the area.

I walked up to her and asked her if she wanted to shoot again as I had grabbed a few portraits in front of the capital building at the start of the meetup.

Be mindful of businesses and the public

As a photographer (beginner or professional) you want to be respectful and mindful of the businesses around you. Especially in public spots.

We did our best not to interrupt any businesses as we stayed on the sidewalks and in public areas.

We didn’t venture into any buildings or stores and worked to spot each other when we were taking photos in the streets and crosswalks.

Again, it’s all about community and helping each other by keeping people safe.

Photography meetup – Shooting in parking lots

The last location (technically second to last) was a 7-story parking lot off of Congress.

We all packed into 2 large elevators and headed for the top floor. It didn’t even cross our minds to take the stairs.

The sun was already setting so we rushed to get our shots in with the beautiful sunset.

Again, I jumped at the opportunity to work with Gabby while she had fun dancing around.

Within 20 mins a security officer came out and asked us to vacate the premises. It happens, and we wanted to be respectful of the location and property.

This happens sometimes and we didn’t press for more time. We stayed respectful and left as requested.

Ending the photography meetup at the park

Across the street from the parking lot was a small park that we used to finish our shoot.The

sun was pretty much gone by this point so we said our final goodbyes to our new friends and we trekked back to the capitol building parking area.

By this time my feet were hurting and we had been shooting for almost 4 hours. Time flies when you’re having fun.

In a meetup like this, many people will come and go as they please. There is no set time for the creatives on site.

This can be a great thing when you are limited on time but still want to join some of these events.

Photography meetup sample portraits

The importance of collaborations at photography meetups

This meetup was more than just a small group get together. It allowed people from all over the Austin area to come out and showcase their creative skills.

Photographers, models, makeup artists and even videographers were onsite and friends and family members as extra help.

We drove for 3.5 hours just for this shoot from the Dallas area, and we went to support local artists and meet new people.

There were many Austin models, photographers, and close friends to support the group but we wanted to represent the Dallas photography community in the process.

This was about coming together as a creative community and sharing knowledge and experience in front and behind the camera.

Photography meetup bonus – I won a prize

Funny to think about it, but there was a raffle for all attending this meetup. The prize was a small Bluetooth speaker from JBL and I won.

It is perfect for playing music on location while shooting. I thought this was a fun bonus for the shoot.

Post photography meetup – Editing and posting photos

Within a few days after the event, I started posting photos onInstagram. There was a special hashtag that was being used to help track all the photos and people from the event.

I edited my photos and made sure to tag my models and also hashtag each post so that others from the event could see them.

I tried to edit at least 3-4 images from each model I worked with. I also loaded the final photos to Dropbox and sent each model a private message with the links to download the photos.

Since this was a TFP (trade for photos) event, I wanted to do my part in delivering final edits to the models who showed up and gave their time to the events.

TFP shoots are a great way to build your portfolio. If you’re interested in learning more, make sure to check out this detailed article I wrote on TFP shoots.

Photography meetups get you out of your comfort zone

The biggest takeaway I can give you from this experience is getting out of your comfort zone.

Don’t be afraid to mix it up and meet new people. If you’re like me, you don’t like interacting with too many new people at once.

I like to stick to my small personal circle of friends and colleagues but I know I will need to grow beyond this foundation.

All experience levels were onsite, but everyone had smiles on their faces.

What would I change for my next photography meetup

I would honestly invite more people the next time I join a meetup.

This is a great chance to meet new people, but also introduce your close circle of friends to other people as well.

This would also make it easier and more relaxing onsite as you will know more people and won’t be so uncomfortable with introductions.

What I didn’t like about the photography meetup

The walking! Hahaa…

We walked for a small distance but it felt like miles.

I know this was hard on the feet of some of the models wearing high-heel shoes. I could not complain if they were making it work.

I think next time we could stay in a smaller area and shoot around the same time. We don’t have to venture out for blocks at a time to get different locations.

This would also allow people to use off camera flash and other equipment on site.

Photography meetups – Not everyone is nice

The majority of the meetups that I have joined, everyone participating in the shoot does their part to collaborate and work together.

Unfortunately, there are some people who don’t play nice with others. This does happen and we are all adults and should watch how we act around others.

If this does occur, I would recommend finding the hosts of the event and give them a heads up about what’s going on.

When multiple people are considered about the same individual, then most likely the host will intervene as needed. Again, it does happen, but it is rare.

Conclusion and why you should join a photography meetup

If you get a chance, take a quick look at Instagram and search with the hashtag #ohsnapatx2 to see all the great photos from the meetup.

After reading this article, I hope me sharing this experience with you helps answer some questions about what it’s like to join a photography meetup.

The investment was time and gas money but I am still friends with all the people I met at the event to this day.

We still support each other online and they are a great resource for asking questions about photography.

Invest in yourself but help invest in the community be giving back and joining the meetups.