CATHERINE KARNOW PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

What are your workshops really about?

My workshops are an extension of my long career as a magazine photographer. I bring my guests to the kinds of people and places I shot on assignment for the best magazines in the world. That means not staging photographs, not shooting clichés, and never going where every other trip goes. “Authentic” and “off-the-beaten-path” are honestly what we experience.

My workshops are also about who I am as a traveler, and how I was brought up. Travel runs in my family, going back to my grandfather who was a great adventurer. By the time I was nine I had been around the world five times. I was brought up by parents who were educated, cultured, and knew how to entertain with manners and grace.

My workshops are immersive journeys built around real connection — with people, places, and cultures — and the opportunity to create photographs with meaning and emotional depth.

How is this different from a tour?

I give workshops, not tours.

We are not tourists on the outside looking in. We go inside — into homes, private places, and communities I know well, often to people I have known for years.

Equally important is the teaching and learning.

We have group projections, private critiques, and close guidance in the field. I teach how to approach a situation, how to see, how to compose, and how to think more deeply about making photographs — including and beyond camera settings.

The teaching is always adapted to each guest’s level and interests.

Who are these workshops for?

All levels are welcome — including beginners. You do not need to be an experienced photographer, and smartphones are absolutely fine.

Non-photographers are also very welcome. They often see differently and bring a perspective that enriches the experience for everyone.

What are the groups like?

Groups are small — 6 to 8 guests.

I think of myself as a hostess as much as a teacher, and I pay close attention to how each guest feels. This creates a warm, supportive atmosphere where people connect easily.

Guests tend to be kind, well-mannered, thoughtful, curious, and engaged.

What is the level of comfort on these workshops?

Traveling in comfort and style is really important to me. We stay in properties that are often the height of pure luxury, and also ones with great character and charm.

Eating delicious, healthy food is also of supreme importance to me. Meals are fresh, regional, and thoughtfully prepared.

I set a pace that feels right, allowing time to settle in, to experience, and to enjoy. The physical level is moderate and manageable.

Schedules are carefully planned, with minimal hotel changes so that you can get grounded and fully immerse, and we dont waste time checking in and checking out.

Individual needs, preferences, and comfort are essential.

We also have a lot of fun! I have a huge enthusiasm for people and life in general.

Is it worth the cost?

One guest said to me recently, “Your trips are worth every penny.”

These workshops are carefully built at a very high level, with a strong commitment to excellence.

We work with exceptional people — local experts, interpreters, and collaborators who are the best of the best.

We stay in beautiful properties — often the height of luxury, or places with great character and charm.

Groups are small, which allows for real teaching and plenty of individual attention.

How do we give back?

Philanthropy is an essential part of my philosophy of photography.

I always share the photographs we make — giving prints, sometimes large framed prints, as well as digital copies to the people we photograph. Sometimes I bring books to our subjects, of our time together on the last workshop.

On many of my workshops, we also have Philanthropy days that are deeply meaningful and make a real difference in people’s lives — both for the guests and for the people we spend time with.

In some places, this includes giving directly to families what they truly need, such as education, medical care, or housing. Their lives are forever changed. It becomes a transformational experience for the guests as well.

This is how I believe photography should work in the world. My workshops are very much about who I am as a person.