If you love taking pictures but don’t want to walk through a town on your own, join a photowalk. If you want to talk with like minded people about your photography hobby, join a photowalk! If you want to learn something new about photography, join a photowalk. If you want to see how others approach a good composition, join a photowalk! If you need a jump start to your photography, join a photowalk! If you’re bored of the same subjects around your house, join a photowalk!

As you can see the reasons to join a photowalk are varied and many! The list above is only a small compilation of reasons and all happen to be things I’ve told myself. Sure there are reasons to be cautious when you go for a photowalk! They shouldn’t prevent you from going though. Here are some things to think about before heading out: Know who is sponsoring it.

Make sure it’s in a safe area of town. See if you know anyone else who is going or invite a friend to join you. There is safety in numbers! Be mindful of your gear. Consider using one lens so you’re not opening your bag frequently. Don’t get so lost in your art, you forget to look at your surroundings.

Joining in on a photowalk has a certain feeling of expectation. An energy, if you will. I feel energy this if it’s a subject I love to shoot, like flowers, but I also feel it when meeting with people to do some street photography. I’m completely out of my element in that situation, but I try not to let that dampen my spirits and have fun anyway. In all reality, I have nothing to lose. I try to look at the day as a time to learn. I give myself permission to make mistakes. Every photographer out there, novice or master, has started somewhere. If nothing else, maybe I’ll meet someone new to chat with or to follow on social media.

Some photowalks can be geared towards a subject, or a lens, or a genre. Pick something that interests you, if it’s your first time and you’re wary. At least you know you’ll most likely come home with a few keepers! Maybe there will be a scavenger hunt or prizes! Shooting for a reason, can force you outside your comfort zone a bit, but that’s usually a good thing! We all need to learn and grow!

Depending on the reason for a photowalk, gear shouldn’t limit you. Don’t worry if you have an older camera or just the camera on your cell phone. It’s the person behind the lens that creates the end result.

Last fall I lead my first photowalk for Lensbaby. I was nervous, but I did my research. I mapped out the location on the day of the week that I wanted to hold the walk and at the time of day I thought would work. I made sure there would be different things of interest for everyone! It was a lot of fun and there was a lot of positive feedback! I even learned a couple of new things that day!

Still not sure? Take that voice in you head that’s hesitant, and quiet it. Go for the photowalk! You just make create the extraordinary!

Want your shots featured by Lensbaby?⁠
Be bold and shoot extraordinary! Make sure to tag your photos on IG with #Lensbaby, #ShootExtraordinary, and let us know what gear you’re using. 📸 ⁠