An intensive program for photographers focused on personal growth and development. Prioritizing community, experimentation, hands-on learning, and commitment to help you reach your artistic potential.
The Winnow Collective begins in January 2024 for photographers in Colorado. You'll have plenty of opportunities to practice and explore your creativity in a supportive community, including curated photography sessions, interviews with other artists, and optional assignments. Check out a sample month here.
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Styled shoots (aka Curated Sessions) are scheduled where participants can photograph different subjects in various environments. These are kept intimate, slow-paced, and highly curated.
Members can also look forward to participating in our “book club”, where we have an assigned book and then talk about it on a Zoom call at the end of the month. January boasts an especially exciting cameo from Joy Prouty as we read her book Practicing Presence and will talk to her about the book!
A small, intimate space where members are encouraged to enhance their creative skills in photography. This may involve exploring new techniques, experimenting with different equipment, or engaging with various artistic styles. Meetups are held both online and in person.
Interviews and Q&A sessions with established photographers and artists from various art disciplines, providing valuable insights and inspiration to members.
Members can work on small assignments in their own time. This helps them practice and apply what they’ve learned during the curated sessions.
A private social media group for members to connect, share their work, ask questions, and collaborate on photography projects. This fosters a sense of community and ongoing support.
See a sample month here!
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Someone who would be a great fit for the Collective is most likely knows or is adequate in operating their camera, has a basic grasp of photo editing using software like Lightroom, and sees growth in in-person learning.
That said, our target audience is elopement, engagement, family, maternity, birth, senior, documentary, hobbyist, editorial, and fine art photographers in the Colorado area.
Also, photographers looking to go into business or intentionally not in business would be a perfect fit for this intensive.
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$325 is paid via PayPal invoice at the time of signup.
In January a new live calendar of scheduled activities, discussions, etc. is released to members to plan accordingly.
In February access is granted to the private Facebook group page where members are encouraged to introduce themselves and say hello.
*Transportation to and from styled shoots is not provided. If meeting at a coffee shop food/drink is not provided and must be purchased separately. Books are not provided and must be purchased separately.
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Discover and enrich your distinct visual storytelling.
Expand your photography expertise.
Foster a supportive community within the photography field.
Learn creative techniques and ways to photograph that makes your brain and heart happy.
Leave with a diverse portfolio stemming from carefully curated photo sessions.
Learn more about business, marketing, and focusing on your target audience.
Acquire new skills in shooting, editing, independent session curation, and client styling!
Start the Application Process.
FAQs
What if I have a full-time job outside of photography?
Curated sessions are on weekends and group meetings and live Zoom interviews take place after the 9-5 workday. See the sample calendar here to understand what a typical month might look like. We ask that you make at least one in-person event per month (this might be a coffee chat, a curated session, etc.) to make the investment work best for others and yourself. Also, for busy parents, our editing chats are held at spots where your kids will be welcome.
What is the cost?
The Collective is $325 a month or you can invest in all three months with discounted pricing for returning members. This provides access to the scheduled experiences and materials and can be split into monthly payments. This also pays for curated shoots, editing videos, recorded interviews, online materials, etc. What is not included would be any food/drink while at a coffee chat, the book for the reading assignments, a journal to write in, etc.
Can I sign up for all three months?
You can plan on signing up for all three months, but for now memberships are released just one month at a time.
Do I have to live in Colorado?
Yes. Photographers should live in the Colorado front range corridor to get the most out of this intensive. Does that mean that someone in Breckenridge can’t join us? Absolutely not, but please take into account some driving time to travel to our events accordingly.
How many spots are there?
This is catered towards all kinds of photographers with all kinds of backgrounds. That said, the target audience is elopement, engagement, family, maternity, birth, senior, documentary, hobbyist, editorial, and fine art photographers in the Colorado area. Also, photographers looking to go into business or intentionally not in business would be a great fit for this intensive. There are limited spots open to provide optimal learning to a few attendees.
When does this start?
The first run of the Winnow Collective starts in January 2024 and runs through March 2024. I have found that the “off-season” is the best time for busy photographers to engage in continuing their education.
Hello there! I’m Meg, a kind of cruise ship director for the next three months as we embark on the Winnow Collective’s heart and soul; community, creativity, and upward growth!
I created this intensive to fill a need that I keep seeing as photographers come off the “busy season” and find themselves in a redundant cycle of burnout that doesn’t have a refueling opportunity in sight. There are retreats and online courses, but they lack the longevity and sustainability of long-term growth that is needed to create change and regrowth in creatives like myself; enter the Winnow Collective!
I am passionate about hands-on learning and community and have always strived to find a way to create a space that supports both.
Along with being your overzealous cheerleader for all things creative growth, I am a solo mother to four beautiful children, a family photographer, a lifelong learner, and a full-time dreamer. You can expect lots of segways about my own journey with ADHD, being a nonstop creative, and the latest podcast I’ve listened to about creatives.
What People Are Saying About Working with Meg:
"My heart is full of gratitude for the time I spent mentoring with Meg Koning. I was feeling stuck in my photography and struggling to find a meaningful personal project. Through journaling, meaningful conversations, and art exploration, Meg helped me break through artistic barriers and find an exciting project! Meg's unique approach to mentoring will put you on an artistic journey that will inevitably cause growth. She will meet you right where you are and with her gentle yet no-nonsense personality, will encourage you to explore your soul and grow your art, all while being your biggest cheerleader. Meg's wisdom, life experiences, and artistic talents make her an exceptionally gifted mentor. If you get the opportunity to work with Meg - don't walk, run! You won't regret one minute spent with this beautiful soul."
— Michelle A.
“My mentorship with Meg was exactly what I needed to begin my personal project. She helped me solidify a direction and was so helpful in brainstorming ideas and relating those ideas to my personal experiences and truths. Although I was so new to photography, Meg took me in and encouraged me. Although my mentorship was for photography specifically, the process of this mentorship would be helpful for anyone in the arts, not just photography, as much of the work is personal reflection; a key element in any creative venture <3”
— Sasha Casta
“Through these sessions that Meg has out together, my inner artist (that is sometimes put on the back burner) has been allowed to come front and center. Being creative in a different capacity than when shooting for clients is truly what I have been needing lately. To be “allowed" to experiment and learn new things with this wonderful community I know will not only strengthen my love for the images I shoot for my clients but also fuel creativity for my soul! With the relaxed learning environment, it is truly the perfect place to try anything new and ask questions freely. Thank you, thank you!”
-Sarah H.
Start the Application Process.
