Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Rabinowitz.
Richard, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Over 20 years ago, we were commissioned by a major international camera corporation that was highly successful globally but had limited presence in the U.S. market. Their goods from other categories dominated here, but not their actual camera line.
Their initial strategy to get into the U.S. market was to send a national sales force into independent camera stores to introduce the product line. While the cameras were excellent, the approach wasn’t effective; many small business owners were hesitant to engage with unfamiliar corporate representatives.
Drawing on our background in photography and our industry relationships, we took a different approach. Instead of sending salespeople, we connected with prolific and respected professional photographers—pros who were heroes to those store owners. These included photographers whose work appeared in publications such as Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, and other major outlets.
The difference was immediate. While store owners might close his door on an unknown corporate salesperson, they would warmly welcome a photographer they knew personally, often inviting them to sit down for coffee and conversation. Next thing you know, that store is not only carrying the full product line of the manufacturer, but they’re also hosting photo workshops led by this influential photographer, who is one of their customers.
Within three years, this camera line grew to account for approximately 5% of all camera sales in the U.S.
Building on that success, we expanded the model into 24 North American cities, selecting influential working photographers in each market to teach people how to take great photos. These instructors were chosen not only for their professional expertise and teaching ability, but also for their local knowledge of the best photographic locations.
This allowed students to experience unique, hands-on access to locations and moments they might not otherwise encounter, from architectural interiors and cultural landmarks to special events, performances, and carefully timed natural light opportunities.
Today, more than 20 years later, Digital Photo Academy continues to offer photography workshops in 24 cities across North America, supported by over 1,200+ positive student testimonials on our site.
We also maintain an active online presence across four social media platforms with a combined following of over 190,000. On our Facebook groups, we run a monthly photo contest in partnership with FinerWorks, where participants can win a professionally printed metal wall print of their own image.
Digital Photo Academy Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DigitalPhotoAcademy
Digital Photo Academy Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/digitalphotoacademy/
‘Digital Photo Academy Community’ Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/DigitalPhotoAcademyCommunity
‘Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs’ Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/999313021058041
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our business has evolved through several major industry and global shifts. After the 2004 tsunami, the camera company that originally supported our program reduced its international promotional investments, which impacted our access to their marketing resources and database.
However, by that point, we had already built our own inventory of returning students and photography enthusiasts. And recently, we’ve also seen continued organic growth through digital discovery, including students finding us via ChatGPT and other online search tools. With over 1,200 testimonials and two decades of online presence, we rank well.
For obvious reasons, COVID-19 was another major challenge, as in-person workshops were temporarily paused. In response, we expanded our digital offerings, including: live online classes, self-paced online courses, online photo critiques, and e-books and digital learning resources.
We’re happy to have gotten back to in-person education, but we still do plenty online.
As you know, we’re big fans of Digital Photo Academy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Many people purchase cameras and, when they finally take them out of the box, don’t understand the controls (which vary by manufacturer and model). To address this, we offer a sit-down class called Master Your Camera Controls, to walk people through the automatic and manual settings of their specific camera or cellphone so they can better understand how to use it creatively. Automatic modes are often limited in lighting, flexibility, and creative control.
Sometimes some of our students need a refresher because they tried photography years ago, never really learned it, and eventually gave up.
We also offer a class called Composition in the Field. In this session, students go to interesting spots and practice taking photos while being guided by an experienced instructor. As students shoot, the instructor demonstrates techniques, supervises their work, and provides real-time feedback so they can apply specific composition strategies as they learn them.
These sessions take place across a rotating selection of photogenic locations in the 24 cities where we’ve taught for the past 20 years. Locations may include vibrant street scenes, interiors, farmers markets, zoos, landscapes, wildlife areas, and flower gardens.
Each composition strategy is simple to learn but often requires different camera settings. That’s why it pairs with Master Your Camera Controls, which takes place beforehand at the same location. Together, the classes help students use technical settings to achieve creative results.
For example, students may explore how adjusting shutter speed can transform a fountain into either a sharply frozen moment or a soft, motion-filled blur.
Also, corporations often include photography sessions in their annual meetings, where representatives gather at headquarters for multi-day conferences. We’ll lead a camera and cellphone workshop as a hands-on group activity that also helps participants learn how to photograph retail displays and products. After returning to their regions, managers can apply these skills to capture product images for company social media and websites, and share them with retail partners for marketing and press use.
Then there are groups who just think it’ll be fun to have us organize a 3-hour photo workshop where everyone can just enjoy being together doing something interesting. our workshops are often given as gifts for holidays such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations, and more.They also make meaningful gifts between generations—for example, grandparents gifting a workshop to grandchildren or vice versa.
Private sessions can be scheduled at any time and location, from sunrise shoots to nighttime photography under the stars.
On another note, we also have a project called Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs. As a senior citizen myself with limited knowledge of contemporary computer-related communication, I often find myself wondering—and at times worrying—how many senior citizens manage the rapid changes in technology for simple things like staying in contact with family and friends.
It can feel like even something as basic as ordering a pizza has become a confusing process requiring patience, while prerecorded phone messages thank you for patience you never actually had. Now imagine how much more difficult this becomes when making a doctor’s appointment, purchasing a major appliance, or handling taxes and bills.
At the same time, many senior citizens are navigating major life transitions: declining health, the loss of loved ones, relocation to senior communities, and separation from neighbors they’ve known for decades. While adults aged 65 and older represent less than 17% of the U.S. population, they account for roughly 22% of suicides in the country.
In response, we launched Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs on Facebook and discovered not only brilliant photography but also deeply personal and moving backstories. The community quickly grew, with thousands of people engaging, and the page expanding from zero to over 40,000 followers in just a couple of years.
Within the group, people share advice not only about photography but also about coping with challenges such as stress, depression, and physical discomfort like aching shoulders. Engaging with creativity through Facebook or photography becomes a gentle way to ease into technology, starting with a digital camera or even a cellphone as a tool for capturing meaningful images.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
One of the most important lessons we’ve learned through Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs is that the joy of empowering others is immeasurable.
This has recently led us to interviewing accomplished photographers in their 70s and 80s, who share their work alongside their life experiences. They share stories and photos from cultural milestones of their generations like Woodstock and the Vietnam era to other major historical events.
We recently posted a 3-minute YouTube video with photographer David Handschuh, who survived being trapped under rubble during 9/11 and was rescued by firefighters. The video received over 4,000 views. Today, he continues working as a professional photographer, bringing a kind of historical perspective that informs his work in a unique way.
We need to remember that just because someone is advancing in years does not mean they no longer possess vitality or the savvy to embrace life on many levels, and even advise younger people.
Our YouTube interviews allow members of the Gen Z population to learn from baby boomer photographers, so we feel like we’re bringing generations together and enlightening people across all generations and demographics.
Pricing:
- Master Your Camera Controls – $95 (1.5 hours)
- Composition in the Field – $135 (2 hours)
- Back-to-Back Combo Workshop (Discounted) – $165 (3.5 hours) *This includes both Master Your Camera Controls + Composition in the Field togethor
- Private Photography Class – $375 (3 hours)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://live.digitalphotoacademy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalphotoacademy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DigitalPhotoAcademy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@digitalphotoacademy3542
- Other: Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://live.digitalphotoacademy.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Image Credits
Justin P. Goodhart
Mark Conwell
Jerry Williams
