Teaching 50+ Hong Kong Photography Workshops: What I Learned
What I Learned Teaching 50+ Photography Workshops in Hong Kong
After 50+ workshops across Hong Kong's streets, markets, and skyscrapers, I've discovered something magical: the exact moment someone stops taking photos and starts seeing. Here's what surprised me most about teaching photography in one of the world's most photogenic cities...
(Image taken by Hannah)
The Aha Moment: When Hong Kong Clicks
She couldn't even turn on her camera.
I watched her stare at the buttons like they were written in a foreign language - which, honestly, they might as well have been. "I don't know which one to push," she admitted, looking slightly embarrassed in the middle of bustling Central.
By the end of that first session, she was confidently switching between modes. We worked together for three more sessions, and something magical happened: she stopped asking where to point her camera and started discovering Hong Kong for herself.
The clicking moment? It's unmistakable. They go quiet. A little smile appears. The shots keep coming, but now they're stopping suddenly to capture things I might have thought were too advanced for them.
By our final session, she wasn't just comfortable shooting with me - she was heading out on her own between sessions, coming back with stories about light she'd noticed, compositions she'd tried, moments she'd captured.
That's when I knew: she wasn't just learning camera settings. She was learning to see Hong Kong differently. What would your own breakthrough moment look like?
Corporate Teams vs Photography Enthusiasts: Same City, Different Adventures
Here's what surprised me: corporate groups and photography enthusiasts want completely different things from Hong Kong, but they end up getting the same magic.
Corporate teams show up looking for fun and team bonding. "We just want to do something different together," they tell me. They're not thinking about f-stops or composition rules - they want to laugh, connect, and maybe take some decent photos along the way.
Photography enthusiasts arrive with the opposite energy. They want to up skill. They've researched Hong Kong's best photo spots, they know what gear to bring, and they're ready to dive deep into technique.
But something beautiful happens when both groups hit Hong Kong's streets: the corporate team starts getting excited about aperture settings ("Wait, I can make the background blurry?"), while the enthusiasts discover they're bonding with strangers over shared "did you see that light?" moments.
The corporate group ends up learning more than they expected. The enthusiasts end up connecting more than they planned. We learn skills and do fun challenges along the way, but Hong Kong itself becomes the teacher - showing both groups that photography is about seeing, not just taking pictures.
By the end, I can't tell which group had more fun or learned more. They're all walking away seeing Hong Kong differently, and that's exactly what I hoped for. Ready to discover what your team or you personally might find fascinating about this city? Find out more about corporate team building opportunities here.
My Student Who Looks Up: Finding Your Photography Voice
(Image taken by Ari)
I have one regular student who's become obsessed with something I never would have expected: laundry. Not the glamorous Hong Kong skyline, not the neon signs everyone photographs - the clothes hanging from laundry lines outside apartment windows.
She's always looking up, completely fascinated by the way fabric moves in Hong Kong's humid breeze, how colours pop against concrete, the stories those hanging clothes tell about the lives inside.
This is my favourite part of teaching: watching students ignore my "safe" suggestions and gravitate toward something uniquely their own. I always give direction when I spot something special, but as each class progresses, I intentionally step back. I let them take the lead.
Because here's what I've learned after 50+ workshops: the best photos don't come from following my eye - they come from developing their own.
When a student stops looking to me for the next shot and starts seeing Hong Kong through their personal lens, that's when the real magic happens. My laundry-loving student taught me that there are infinite ways to see this city - and the best discoveries happen when I get out of the way.
What unexpected details might catch your eye when you start really looking at Hong Kong?
What Teaching Taught Me
Fifty workshops in, and I'm still learning. Every group teaches me something new about Hong Kong, about photography, and about the moment when technical knowledge transforms into creative vision.
The absolute beginner who couldn't turn on her camera now shoots confidently on her own. The corporate team that just wanted team bonding discovered they actually love street photography. The enthusiast who came for technical skills found their unique artistic voice in hanging laundry.
These aren't just photography success stories - they're Hong Kong discovery stories. This city has an incredible ability to surprise people, to show them details they never noticed, to help them see beauty in the everyday chaos.
Whether you're looking to bond with your team, develop your photography skills, or simply see Hong Kong through fresh eyes, that breakthrough moment is waiting for you.