Nobody hands you a map into this. Let's find yours.
Most music photography workshops or classes are one-size-fits-all — a lecture, a group, a fixed curriculum everyone gets the same version of. This isn't. It's ONE-ON-ONE mentorship built around exactly where you are, from your first pit to your hundredth plateau — built from twenty years of doing this myself.
Take the Soundcheck →↓
Three spots on the bill. One mentorship.
The goal badges below are the common destination for each stage, not a fixed promise — and not a ceiling either. Depending on what you're actually curious about, a session can stretch into territory from a later stage; where you start isn't where you're locked into staying.
You love the music and the camera, but you don't know how to get into a pit, pitch a venue or band, or whether your work is even good enough to show anyone yet.
You've got the gear, the gigs, even a small following — but your shots are starting to look like everyone else's, including your own, on repeat.
Access was never the question. The camera stopped feeling like instinct and started feeling like a performance you already know how to give, and wondered what's next?
Who this is actually for
- You shoot (or want to shoot) live music specifically — not general portrait or event work
- You want honest feedback on your actual photos, not generic tips
- You're willing to do a real homework shoot between sessions
- You want to build something — a portfolio, a voice, a way forward — not just attend a class
- You want to join an actual alumni community, not disappear after your last session
- You're a beginner wondering if this could become real, paid work someday — it's a genuine possible path, even if getting there takes building
- You're looking for therapy or clinical mental health support
- You're hoping the session includes meeting specific artists or bands
- You want gear recommendations and nothing else — that's a much shorter conversation than this
"My name is Niña Sandejas. I've been documenting Philippine music for over twenty years — from total beginner who didn't know anyone in the scene to building an archive that's now a published book. I've been every one of these stages: locked out of the pit, copying photographers I admired, and later, stuck and unsure why the camera stopped feeling like mine, and I'm still here with continuous purpose, to tell people that their perspective matters."
What we actually work on
The goals below are the common destination for each stage, not a fixed promise — and not a ceiling either. Depending on what you're actually curious about, a session can stretch into territory from a later stage; where you start isn't where you're locked into staying.
Want to actually meet other musicians and photographers, not just learn the skills? You'll be automatically added to a tight-knit private Facebook group — a community of music photographers built since the first workshops in 2010.
A call, three sessions, and someone actually paying attention in between
Between every session, email keeps things moving — folio check-ins, questions, a few words of direction. You're never just waiting for the next slot to ask something.
Real activities, not lecture: a folio shoot you bring in for live critique, hands-on post-processing — culling, editing, cropping, walked through together (works just as well over a Zoom screen-share as it does in person).
A finished portfolio, a clearer sense of your own voice, or your first real shoot actually landed — whichever your stage calls for. For more advanced students, it's usually less about a deliverable and more about feeling like yourself behind the camera again.
They didn't just learn settings. They found their why.
Photographers who started here.
A few names you might already know — and the year they came through the room.
Open Clinic
Sessions run on fixed clinic days — you book in and start, no waiting for a class to fill.
Already took Basic or Creative with me before? Take the Soundcheck anyway — I'll follow up directly with your continuation rate.
Already bought the Greyhoundz book? Mention it when you sign up — whichever edition you got, you'll get 20% of what you paid for it credited as a discount on your mentorship fee.
In-person students get to see the Greyhoundz book up close — the first Filipino music photography book, the debut release of alt164 Press and a 20-year visual archive. Online students get a free digital preview. Every enrollee gets a 20% discount voucher on Greyhoundz or any alt164 Press product, valid for 1 year or while supplies last.
Complete all 3 sessions, and if the work you've built is genuinely good, it gets featured on the alt164 Press website and socials. You also get a 20% discount on your next follow-up session, whenever you're ready for one.
Distance isn't the barrier it used to be
The online track was built for you — same Zoom Kickoff, same 3 sessions, same curriculum. Just pick the online rate at booking.
If you're part of the diaspora or just somewhere this scene isn't local to you — this is for you too.
I will be your mentor.
I'm Niña Sandejas — photographer, archivist, and founder of alt164 Press.
- —20+ years documenting Philippine underground rock and hip-hop
- —Red Bull photographer — one of six photographers worldwide invited to the Red Bull Photography Academy in South Africa (2019), mentored by some of the world's top action photographers
- —Shooting since 2004 — early years touring all over the world with bands like Rivermaya, Sponge Cola, Kamikazee, and Greyhoundz; later, international acts at festivals abroad in Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, and Hong Kong, including Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, and Muse
- —Taught 100+ photographers since 2010, 1,000+ total reached through public speaking events since 2014
- —Founder, alt164 Press — author of the 20-year Greyhoundz visual archive
- —An active alumni community in a private Facebook group — you don't just finish a session, you join a network of other photographers doing the same work
- —Has lived through all the lessons taught and has coached photographers on every level.
FAQ
Is this therapy?
No. This is craft and career mentorship — technique, feedback, and honest next steps. If something heavier comes up, I'll say so directly and point you toward better-suited support.
I don't have my own camera or gear. Can I still join?
Yes — mention it when you sign up, and we'll figure out what to borrow or rent before your first session.
I've never shot a live show before. Is this still for me?
That's exactly who the Beginner track is built for. No prior experience required.
Are sessions in person or online?
Your choice — and the price reflects it. Every program starts with a Zoom intake call regardless of which you pick. The 3 content sessions can then be in-person in Pasig City (₱18,000) or fully online via Zoom (₱15,000).
How long does the whole program take?
Most people finish all 3 sessions within about 3 months, but there's no fixed deadline — you book each next session when you're actually ready, not on a forced schedule.
What if I need to cancel partway through?
Your downpayment to book is non-refundable (₱7,500 for online, ₱9,000 for in-person) — if you don't continue past session 1, that's what's kept and nothing further is owed. Your remaining sessions stay live and you can pick up wherever you left off, fully self-paced.
I already took Basic or Creative before — do I start over?
No. This program starts with wherever you actually are, and what you need next — we build from there, not from a script. Take the Soundcheck anyway, and we'll figure out your next steps together, including a rate that reflects what you've already invested.
Will this guarantee I get booked or published?
No mentor can honestly promise that. What I can promise is real feedback, real technique, and a clear next step. What you build from it is yours.
Where are sessions held, and what's the cancellation policy?
In-person sessions are held in Pasig City, with exact details shared once you book. Need to reschedule? Give at least 24 hours' notice and your slot moves, no problem. Genuine emergencies are the one exception — if something real comes up, email directly rather than using the booking link, and it's handled case by case.
Find your pass.
Two minutes, five questions, and you'll know exactly which track fits where you actually are so I can help you find your next step.
Take the Soundcheck →