Ethiopia’s workshop has been a wonderful experience for my photography.
Nikos guides you on a very precise path: one camera, one lens, one format between black and white and color, and focus on the image. Just relax, react to what you see, without too much thought or preparation.
This may sound obvious, but it was not for me at the beginning: I’ve passed from confusion, feelings of inadequacy, to be more and more confident and able to enjoy the process, and it’s been amazing for me to see my pictures improve day by day, become more interesting and less ordinary.
Niko’s passion is contagious, he’s able to criticize very precisely and firmly but always in a positive and constructive way.
I still have l a long way to go, but I can only thank Nikos for giving me back enthusiasm and directions to improve my photography.
I really look forward for the next workshop with Nikos!

As a professional photographer for 25+ years I thought this would be a pleasant little holiday, it turned out to be so much more. Whoever said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks had the wrong teacher. Be inspired and energised by one of our greatest living photographers. Thank you Nikos for reigniting my passion.

Joining Nikos’ workshop has become a yearly must-do event for me. Why? Because his workshops are, for me, the ideal way to travel, if you’re serious about photography. Nikos always offers a destination that promises to be photographically interesting. He ensures we get to immerse ourselves in the place. There’s always someone who has done the ground work, and yet the itinerary remains casually open and flexible. On top of that, he has a way of challenging you to perform better and improve, but never to the point of creating competition. So far, in the three workshops I’ve attended, the participants have been a generous, agreeable, and encouraging bunch, which really is the effect Nikos’ personality and method of mentoring. Finally, in Uruguay, we had the uncommon experience of seeing some of Nikos’ images shot during the workshop, as well as some unpublished work, which left us in awe. That was special.

I just returned from my 5th workshop with Nikos. This was the second time I joined him in Cuba. It was, once again, an amazing experience. It is very exciting when you know what to expect: growth, challenge, intellectual stimulation, encouragement and friendship. You can count on these every time. As many participants have pointed out, there is little structure to the workshop, no handouts or hand holding. Nikos treats everyone as if we were all professional peers. The meetings at the end of each day are magical, enlightening, and stimulating. Nikos does not tell you how to do things rather he accurately points out what works for each person considering individual interests and styles. He points you in the right direction for you to go to work the next day. We work very hard. We work long days, we edit hundreds of images, and we go home with strong portfolios. We are one hundred percent immersed in photography for the length of the workshop. Something else I appreciate and enjoy is the post learning experience. Days or weeks after the workshop you continue to realize how much you learned then and continue to learn from that workshop. It is a privilege to have Nikos as a mentor. He is not only a master in this craft but also the most considerate, encouraging, and generous professional photographer I have come across. I already look forward to the next workshop On the Road.

My feedback is very positive. First of all, the management of the booking and preparation for the workshop is helpfully assisted by your assistant Dimitri. Second, you have been a very nice and empathic person all around, and this means a lot because apart from photography we are all human beings and have human beings’ needs, therefore being around nice people is something that comes before, and really helps, learning and participating. Third, I feel that your editing sessions during the workshop, and all the general interaction with you and the other participants, have helped my understanding of photography. All in all, I have come back after the workshop with lots of new creative energy and ideas, and I believe this is all because of the unique environment of your workshop. Your comments of our work feel objective and are often revealing, and your advice is at once simple and effective. I cannot but very highly recommend your workshop to anybody that has interest in photography.

As a passionate photographer I was looking for a workshop that was not about pixels, gear and academic lectures.
Coincidentally, I discovered Nikos’ on the road workshops. The participants’ work immediately caught my eyes – and shortly after I found myself at the Istanbul workshop. It exceeded by far my expectations: Nikos’ joviality, patience, his guidance and incitement to try new ways and discover what might be dormant in oneself was incredible! It was manifest everyday in the pictures we “brought home” after long and exhausting walks in this staggering city. The vespertine meetings were fun as well. Thank you, Nikos, for your effort and thanks to all participants for the great atmosphere!

The workshop in Lisbon was very enlightening for me, since I don’t normally do this kind of photography. After sharing these days with Nikos and the other participants, I find myself noticing things more, actually “seeing” people and their interaction with each other and the immediate environment. It was an eye opener and this kind of photography is something that is gradually becoming more enticing and enjoyable for me. Besides, the way Nikos leads the participants gives them complete freedom to experiment and achieve durable results, while gently guided by a master towards better and better images and a keener vision. He hides nothing from the participants and genuinely strives to give everyone an unforgettable experience. Nikos Economopoulos, thank you very much for a very enjoyable week.

The workshop with Nikos, was a unique experience. He opened a new door to the world of photography for me. The tips he gave me were extremely useful and his advises clearly changed my photography approach. Finally I want to thank the whole group that made the experience unforgettable, and I am looking forward to taking part in my second workshop.

With this workshop i finally felt the urge to pay attention to my work, the way to select a photo for a portfolio and harmony between the series of photos in a portfolio. This is not by force but by the inspiration and motivation that Nikos was emitting. I feel so lucky to work with him and with all the other great photographers who have attended. He gave me the direction, inspiration and motivation that I was in need of, now shooting only 35mm and only colour, I feel excitement and joy and cannot wait for another workshop with Nikos to evaluate the improvement (hopefully) together. Now i see 35mm framelines everywhere i look.

 I would like to say how very much I valued Nikos’ perceptive, insightful and supportive comments. While just starting out in photography the workshop was a really valuable guide on how I should be thinking about it. I really liked the emphasis on looking for the humanity in the image, the unusual, the abnormal, the avoidance of the simply descriptive, the banal, the obvious and cliché. Not to mention the need to be very selective, paying attention to backgrounds, the value of geometry in composition, finding interesting elements and locations, the need to concentrate on simple forms and shapes and avoid clutter. The workshop was a genuinely supportive and helpful experience.
So thank you Nikos for lots of really helpful advice and I hope to see you on future workshops.

“First time in the Balkans. First time with Nikos. A great experience. While I knew him as an outstanding photographer, I discovered a gentle, honest person. He talks, does not assume. He shares his personal experience, without secrets. He is tough, but not rude. He does not overwhelms you with his skill. And what a wonderful travel companion! My only regret: having to unexpectedly leave a few days earlier”.

To have a workshop in my own country, so dear to me, was a big challenge, yet a wonderful experience…. To have Nikos there… was the cherry to the cake. It was great to see how the other participants, who I knew from other trips, viewed my people, my land. Nikos’ usual coolness, good sense of humour and positive attitude towards everything and everybody is just perfect. The daily meetings keep being the highlight of my trips, the most expected moment, after a long day, rushed editing and great expectations to see nice surprises. Nikos’ vision and contagious emotion towards a beautiful picture is moving… the atmosphere he creates, magical. Counting the days to next one. Gracias, Niko!

After the first meeting with Nikos, I felt my photos and the way I thought about them were too old and ordinary. Nikos shared some of his hints with me and the other guys, and as a consequence I started to feel more comfortable with my camera while taking pictures in different situations: I thought my images were improving and were becoming more interesting. Then, after all the reviews I attended, I saw my pictures and suddenly they were old and ordinary again. I was completely upset. But now I am realizing that day after day and picture after picture, his advices led me to start finding a new way – my own way – to take photos. Ok, probably this is just the beginning, but it’s a good start. Thanks Nikos!

Addis Ababa was my second workshop with Nikos. I came back for two reasons: One, because I know he is a great teacher who brings out the best in you. He gives you honest and relevant feedback which helps you www.ontheroad.grelop more as a photographer in a week than you would normally in a year. Two, because he is a great guy also on a personal level, and he really knows how to make a group work together and have fun at the same time. Plus did I say most of his workshops takes place in exciting and exotic locations, with more motives that your mind can process? I am already looking at how soon I can go again..

This workshop provided me with a new prism at taking photographs including more sentiment and injecting more thought and content to my work. As a newcomer to “Street photography”, the workshop allowed me to quickly get into a pace and experiment with this new to me approach, producing some fair results quite quickly. Invaluable was the fact that I gained a lot from the positive evaluation by Nikos of my other coworkers’ work. This evaluation demonstrated to me things to avoid once I get further down in my own journey and also experience paradigms of good quality work that I could try and experiment with. Things that take ages to discover, are presented to you during one week’s teamwork. Absolutely a positive experience with a lot of new friends that I really enjoyed!

Words cannot explain the amazing experience you will live during an On the Road Workshop. Nikos is an incredible human being and an inspiring delight. His talent, drive and wonderful spirit will guide you and help you explore photography in a fascinating way. Growth and challenge are two things you can be sure you will obtain. Be ready to have the time of your life! Thank you Nikos, I can´t wait to join this adventure again. 

Being part of the On The Road Workshop was a unique experience for me. Spent 7 days in Istanbul dedicated to photography, shooting during the day and editing at night with your opinion making my thoughts about photography and what I was doing move to another level. I have learned a lot by listening many times what makes a good picture (and what was missing in ours!), seeing and talking about great pictures and photographers. It was also great to hear your vision of modern photography, social media and always have in mind why we are making photos. I definitely will be part in another one!

The workshop was a great experience for me and I indeed agree that it brought together people who otherwise probably would have never met. And for me, that is what life is all about! (…) The number of people participating in the workshop was perfect. I think the small group is essential to having the opportunity to sit together and give enough time to each person to evaluate and discuss his or her photos. I liked the right mix of freedom and direction. (…) I really feel that I got to know the many faces of the city with its many diverse photographic opportunities. I think presenting other photographers’ work and meeting local photographers contributed to the quality of the workshop. Your honesty and way of critique was constructive and helpful. I feel that I walked away from the workshop with specific ‘phrases’ that I will think about in the future when photographing. (…) Overall, while it might be quite obvious, I learned that photography is very hard work and that you have to take many pictures to have only a few good ones. In the past, I think that taking lots of crappy pictures often discouraged me to go on. This workshop taught me what to look for and what elements in a shot make a good photograph. I also think that I became more comfortable to connect to people through photography. Before this workshop I sometimes felt that I was in a way ‘stealing’ pictures, but when you share a cup of tea with some fishermen and they let you photograph them it feels that our paths have crossed and both sides gave something to the moment/experience. I was inspired to learn more about photography and then focus on a specific project where I can photograph with a specific aim.