Something quite exciting will be taking place in January 2013 – so there will be no post-Christmas blues in the photography world this year.

For one week only, from the 23rd to 27th of January, the Photography Farm will be flinging open its doors for the first ever Farm Week – five days of talks and workshops to get creativity flowing, streamline your business, and fill any knowledge gaps.

Farm Week not only aims to provide a freer timetable than the usual Photography Farm workshops, so that interested photographers can select the talks/masterclasses they want to attend, or which fit into their timetable, but it also aims to be more budget friendly.

The Photography Farm workshops usually start at around £950, whereas at Farm Week talks start from £50 and prices go up to £200 for some of the masterclasses. This allows for more people to attend and gain the knowledge they need/brush up their skills to streamline their business.

What is the Photography Farm?

Award winning photographer Lisa Devlin launched the Photography Farm in 2011 after running a series of small workshops which had always left attendees wanting more. Fuelled with a desire to create something with a more social aspect, which would challenge and inspire photographers in equal parts, the Photography Farm provides attendees with a more interactive and ambitious timetable.

After having the idea, Lisa had to find a fitting venue. Luckily, the perfect piece of creative history fell into place. A 12 acre farm near Gatwick, used as a recording studio in a previous life, provided the inspirational atmosphere that Lisa needed [it had played home to a Bohemian Rapsody writing Freddie Mercury- what more could you want].

The Photography Farm aims to throw photographers in at the deep-end and helps them to learn on their feet – photography can be a high pressure job, so the farm aims to prepare attendees as much as possible for ‘real world’ shoots.

Since its conception the Photography Farm has hosted 5 workshops with a different theme for each shoot, from a modern-day Dickensian Miss Havisham, to a more Roald Dahl Rainbow Ice Cream Sprinkles shoot. Over 50 photographers have taken part in these workshops – the alumni are referred to as Farmers – and the shoots tend to happen on day one.

Day two of the two-and-a-half day workshops covers post-production and business school, as well as time to wind-down and get to know the fellow Farmers and take advantage of the in-house chef and heated pool. Everyone then has a one-to-one session with Lisa and her team on day three before they depart.

The Photography Farm has something to offer any photographer who wants to attend, from those starting out in business, to anyone who wants to streamline or refresh their business plan. At £950 the Photography Farm workshops can be out of reach for some photographers – so Farm Week is intended to bridge the gap and provide affordable talks and masterclasses for anyone who feels they need inspiration, lack knowledge in a certain area, or if they just want to brush up on their skills.

Guest speakers range from the fun and innovate Brooke Davis [famed for her Non Wedding shoot] to the amazingly creative Kirsty Mitchell who will present on her Wonderland series, and even Folio’s own Stewart Randall will be explaining how the Barefoot Running craze can become a powerful business ethic. You won’t be required to kick off your shoes for a run [but I’m sure if you want to Stewart will happily join in!] but you will learn how to run your business in an efficient and effective manner.

You can sign up for a pick and mix of talks and masterclasses depending on what catches your fancy. Prices range from £50-£400 so there will be something for everyone. With an expected 200 attendees per day, you are sure to meet a range of exciting people. Since photography can be quite a solitary job, the Farm aims to boost the social aspect, bringing everyone from brand-new to well-established photographers together for the chance to get in the zone and pick up some skills.

All in all the Photography Farm, whether through its workshops or through Farm Week, aims to innovate, inspire, and allow you to enjoy your photography and love your business.

You can view the full timetable here, and the event is already open for you to book your place on any talks that take your fancy. You don’t have to sign up for a full day of seminars, you can create a pick and mix itinerary that sparks your interest and inspiration. The masterclasses are limited to a total of 10 attendees, so make sure you book your place early!