This page has been updated to include a link to the Facebook event for 500px Global Photo Walk.
def: 500px Local Photo Walk
verb
an outing where a flock of photographers cluster around natural and man-made to capture their surroundings
a great way to compare the length of your lenses with others
an opportunity for 500px members to meet one another and add beautiful photographs to their 500px profiles
Photo walks are a great way to meet new people, share your passion and knowledge for photography with your peers, and have fun! Here at 500px, we believe that everyone is capable of capturing beautiful photographs. We encourage individuals from all levels of photography to organize or participate in a 500px local photo walk.
In the past few months, I have organized several 500px photo walks in major cities across North America. I am happy to share that we have received an overwhelming level of support and participation from local 500px photographers. In response to increasing demand for 500px local photo walks, I have put together some suggestions on how you can organize a successful photo walk in your city.
Preparation
1. Contact us for swag and details
We love hearing about and supporting 500px local photo walks, just as much as we love participating in them! Contact us at photowalk@500px.com if you would like to organize a photo walk in your city. If you reach out to us at least 14 days (30 days for outside of North America) prior to the scheduled photowalk, then we would be happy to provide you with necessary 500px swag for the event. We’ll even promote your event through our social channels.
2. Location, Location, Location
Meet in an interesting but well-known location. Expect that people may be unfamiliar with the area, so provide a street view of the meeting place, in addition to the exact address and any landmarks. For example, meet in front of a well-known office or public building (e.g. if you are doing a photo walk with your co-workers), the entrance of a public park, or near a landmark (e.g. CN Tower). Some places may have a lot of photographers, so arrive early and make sure your group can find you!
3. Plan a route ahead
Best city photo walks are between 1.5 to 2 hours. When planning a route, aim for around 30 minutes of regular walking speed — people with cameras move much slower. It’s best to close a photo walk in a busy or popular area so that a group can either break into smaller groups and keep shooting, end the photo walk, or go to a lunch/coffee break. Make sure to walk the route before the photo walk to familiarize yourself with the location. After all, you are the leader! It will also be helpful to identify 2-3 different background for your photos (e.g. graffiti, city views, cafes and other vista) so you can point them out during the real thing!
During the Photo Walk
1. Stand out in the crowd!
Some places are very crowded, so plan to be visible — either with a flag (pro tip: use Canadian flag if you are in the US), a bright T-shirt, hat, etc. Post identifiable information on the meetup or facebook page on how to find or contact you, (e.g. twitter or email if you check it often).
2. Tag everyone!
Help people identify each other. Put a sticker on a chest, arm, or a hat so that others can see that they are a part of a photo group. It helps immensely during big photo walks, when people might get lost. You can use 500px stickers (just contact us for a bunch).
3. Take a group photo
Just before heading out, take a group picture and share it on social networks, with group members, and with us at 500px. It’s also fun to take a group photo at the end of a photo walk to see who made it to the end!
4. #Hashtags
Announce the hashtag so that participants can get social with their photos. It’s best to use an original hashtag (do a quick search on Twitter and 500px), so that the photos from different events won’t be mixed. Here are some hashtags I’ve used for photo walks in Chicago, Toronto, Philly, and NYC.
5. Activities during the photo walk
The best photo walks are the ones that are fun for everyone! Since the group will consist of different people with varying skills and interests, look for interesting and diverse street themes — graffiti, dogs, local residents, unique details, and city views.
Encourage people to bring props — it could be anything: colourful umbrellas, cosplay costume, a cool hat, a cute dog or an exotic animal, toys, and even a tasty ice cream cone melting in your hands.
You can also spice up the photo walk by announcing a theme. Themes can range from simple to complex and can add a lot of fun and inspiration. Some suggestions: Black and White, Round, Purple, Animals, Details, Alleyway, Loneliness, In The Air, and Sports. Keep it as open as possible, and you will be surprised at what people come up with.
After the Photo Walk
1. It’s a wrap — upload your photos to 500px!
At the end of the walk, remember to remind everyone to upload their photos to 500px afterwards with your designated hashtag. If you let us know how it went and send us a photo, we might even do a random draw and give someone a free Awesome account!
2. Global Photo Walk is back!
The 500px Global Photo Walk is coming to your city on September 6, 2014. It’s a global event with more than 5000 participating photographers. Stay tuned for details on our blog so you can organize or join one in your city! #WeAre500px
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