Tips for leading a photowalk?

Question

I am leading a photowalk for a small group

I have not done this before.

Can you give me any suggestions for what to do?

The walk will be about an hour, in a mostly rural area.
The group covers a wide range of abilities, from beginner to pretty serious amateur.

Questions I am thinking about are:

• should I start with a pep talk?
• should I start by showing a few example pics?
• how fast should we move? (Or: how do I tell that we're ready to move to the next location?)
• is it appropriate to share tips / suggestions as we go along?
• anything else!

As you can see, I really have very little idea how to do this, so all advice will be very welcome. Thank you!

Answer 1

If I were doing one I'd:

1. Talk about the area, including some of its history, from a non-photographic point of view.
2. Stick to an itinerary of a fixed number of places to stop, with a little chat at each one, before sending people off to take pics for 10-15 minutes
3. Allow for plenty of overrun so people aren't rushed
4. Give people one-to-one advice as they're taking photos
5. Set up a website or flickr group so everyone can share their photos afterwards.

Answer 2

This may fall in the 'obvious' category ... but know the area you are going to be walking through ... the history, the people, the layout, etc.

Also, if you are going to be walking through natural areas, scout ahead to know where hazards are (muddy areas, rocky paths, poison ivy, etc).

And, if you are going to be even near private property, give the property owners a heads up. Even if you don't go on their property, you don't want to spook them. If you talk to the property owners, you might even be able to get permission to go on their land and/or talk to them about interesting things in the vicinity.

Answer 3

I'd suggest also going around the circle and asking each person to tell a little about themselves w.r.t photography and what they hope to achieve on the walk.

Answer 4

Again this is probably obvious but make it very clear questions are welcome, perhaps by saying so at the start and asking at the end. You might be surprised how many people need a bit of a nudge before they'll ask a question!