The Online Photographer

2018 Cuba Workshops with Peter Turnley

Every year we have really good luck connecting TOP readers with Peter's Cuba workshops, and I hope this year is no exception. To answer the first question you'll no doubt have, the recent hurricane has not seriously affected travel to the island or the safety of visitors, and Cuba, like all of the Caribbean islands, needs you—one of the most important ways for people to help Cuba is to continue to travel there.

Here are the four upcoming Peter Turnley workshops in Cuba:

New Year’s in Havana and Vinales, December 30 2017–January 5 2018

Havana and Vinales, February 10–16, 2018

Trinidad, Cienfuegos, and Havana, March 10–16, 2018

Santiago and the Orient, April 4–10, 2018

TOP readers in general got a nice compliment from Peter—he recently shared with me that he's especially eager to have me announce his workshops here because he gets such high-quality attendees from TOP. Nice.

And here's what one TOP reader, Maggie Osterberg, said about her experience: "I wish the rest of my life was like the week I spent in Cuba. Days filled with purposeful, rewarding work, immersed among some of the most open and generous people I've yet to meet and nights filled with good food, good drinks and good company. Peter Turnley is not only a masterful teacher and mentor, he's also just a great guy. They say to never meet your heroes, but Peter is an exception to that rule. He and this trip have changed the way I look at my work, the world and my life. I hope that your trip is equally as rich and rewarding. If you open yourself to the Cuban people, you'll be rewarded not just in kind, but by a hundredfold more."

To register for any of the four workshops, email Laura Adams of Cuba Cultural Travel  ([email protected]), and make sure the subject line of your email contains the dates of the workshop you're interested in attending. Cuba Cultural Travel handles registration, tuition, airfare between the US and Cuba, visas, lodging, transportation, and several meals.

The workshops and travel to Cuba for all participants is approved under the new US regulations for travel to Cuba as of June 16, 2017. All participants are covered by the new regulations authorizing group people-to-people educational travel. From what I understand it's currently difficult (not possible? I'll have to ask Peter) for private individuals to travel to Cuba any other way. Cuba Cultural Travel is a licensed US tour operator with more than 20 years of experience leading tours to Cuba.

For those of you who don't know our friend Peter Turnley (you must not read TOP very often, or maybe you're new to us), he's one of those rare photographers whose work and activities include both fine art and one of the photography-related professions—in his case news photojournalism. With his identical brother David he was profiled on "60 Minutes" on CBS, and he has more than 40 NEWSWEEK covers to his credit, along with numerous other accomplishments. Among many other things, he photographed the freeing of Nelson Mandela, 9/11, and the Tiananmen Square uprisings in China. To list the rest would require a post longer than this one.

Although he lives in Paris and New York City, he's also been deeply involved with Cuba for many years. One of his many published books is Cuba: A Grace of Spirit, and last year he was the first American photographer since the Cuban Revolution to be offered a major exhibition at Cuba's leading art museum, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes of Habana (National Museum of Fine Arts Havana). The show was called "Momentos de la Condicion Humana"—"Moments of the Human Condition." Peter says, "My workshops offer participants exposure to the heart and soul of authentic Cuban life." Attendees are offered daily access to local themes such as dance, religion, music, tobacco farming and the economy, medicine, education, boxing, and ballet.

Even more importantly for you, though, Peter is an energetic and gifted workshop teacher who will give you a lot of personal attention. His are among the few Cuban workshops that offer daily reviews and critiques. Each day there is also plenty of free time to wonder the streets on your own, or with him, or with one or more of the three excellent Cuban photographer guides who serve as "translators, fixers, friends, and inspiration." Daily transportation for all participants in the workshops is also provided.

These workshops always fill up, so if you're interested in attending, don't wait too long! Contact Laura Adams soon.

Mike

Original contents copyright 2017 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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alan wieder: "Mike I spent a week with Peter in Cuba and it was magical. Walked with him one night and actually took photographs of one of the woman that appears in his Cuba book—didn't realize it at the time. Then chatted with two woman in a nail and hair salon for an hour with him as we took photographs. He is a gentle teacher and changed my work as a photographer. Absolutely great workshop."

Talked Meself Into It

If you ever think my blandishments are strumming at your own yearnings and triggering your wants, consider what I do to myself.

Yesterday my own post talked me into it: I've reserved a place for myself in Peter's Cuba Workshop in March.

It's tropical down there, and March will be a good time for a break from the Western New York Winter. And, some concerted shooting might be just what I need. And, who knows, maybe I'll meet a woman (one who has what every man craves...intelligence and artistic sensitivity, of course. And a great big, you, know, vocabulary! Hubba hubba!).

And, well, you know, actually, I always wanted to take a workshop, and I never have. When I was in my twenties, "workshopping" was considered a natural stage of your evolution and growth as a photographer. But I had a teaching internship my senior year in art school, got hired by the same college the following year to teach a Photo 101-102-103 sequence, and that led to a full-time teaching job. I skipped over the workshop stage. Always regretted it. So what's that they say about better late than never?

(Plus, it really is the right time to go to Cuba with Peter. I'll shut up now.)

Mike

Original contents copyright 2016 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."  —Oscar Wilde
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Featured Comments from:

Benjamin Marks: "Good on ya' mate, as they might say in another hemisphere. My father once counseled me to spend money on experiences rather than on things. This was a wise piece of advice, as you can always lose a thing, but will never lose an experience (or if you do, the particular loss will be the least of your worries a la Herr Alzheimer). Of course, I own the Leica lens in your next post but I have never been to Cuba, or been a student of any photography teacher (with Mr. Turnley's eye or otherwise), so you can see that following my father's excellent advice has not always been easy. Hint: I have yet to take a photograph worthy of the great lens, with the great lens. I hope you have a blast."

More About Peter Turnley's Workshops in Cuba

Photo by Peter Turnley

Last Monday I wrote a short post about peoples' lust for adventure and Peter Turnley's fabulous workshops in Cuba. To answer a question I've been getting, no, I won't actually be going. I'd love to, but I do this. (Actually I've been aiming for one of the Paris workshops for several years, and haven't hit that mark yet. Hope remains.)

Since then I've learned more about the workshops, though, so I thought I'd share.

Peter with one of the many workshop groups he has led in Cuba

Peter has so far led 18 successful workshops in Cuba. There are four more coming up soon:

Dec. 3–9, 2016
Dec. 30, 2016–Jan 5, 2017 (New Year’s workshop)
Feb. 11–17, 2017
March 11–17, 2017

The workshops take place in Havana,  with two-day trips outside of the city. Each workshop lasts for seven days and six nights. Peter partners with Cuba Cultural Travel, which has a license for "people to people cultural exchange." The package price of the workshop includes air travel round trip between Miami and Havana, hotel, visa, three local guides, and several group meals...in addition, of course, to daily photographic workshop and critique sessions led by Peter. Price adjustments can be made for people wanting to fly directly to Havana from their home cities. All registration and payment for the workshop is handled by Laura Adams of Cuba Cultural Travel, and anyone interested in attending should contact her by email at [email protected].

There is a "companion" price for people wanting to bring a non-photographing spouse. The workshops are open to participants from all over the world.

Photo by Peter Turnley

The daily itineraries expose participants to many visually exciting and authentic aspects of Cuban daily life, with visits to some of the best outdoor dance clubs in Latin America, Santeria religious ceremonies, outdoor markets, ballet schools, afro-rumba dancing, a boxing gym, a modern dance troupe, and more. On day trips outside of the city you'll go to the tobacco region of Vinales; to Regla, a center of Santeria religious activity; and the famous fishing village of Cojimar, where Ernest Hemingway wrote The Old Man and the Sea.

The workshops include walks through Havana Vieja, Havana Centro, along the famous seaside Malecon, and all over Havana. There's also plenty of time for participants to explore on their own. However, nobody ever needs to feel lost—there are three full-time Cuban photographer guides available to you, each of whom speaks perfect English. Peter is always accessible and also accompanies participants on their explorations.

Peter sees this is as both a personal and a photographic journey for participants. He helps you work on how to approach people and feel comfortable getting into the middle of it and working up close. During the workshops there is attention to camera technique and aesthetic discussion in addition to the strong emphasis on offering participants access to the spirit of Cuban life.

Participants speak...
I've mixed a few pictures made by workshop participants and some comments by other participants. Please note that these are all by different people—the pictures and written comments don't match up.

Photo by Gulnara Samoilova

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"I'm not by nature a people or street photographer and I wanted to go outside my comfort zone and really learn something, I did. Peter will teach you how to capture, create and tell a visual story. This is done in a simple and disciplined manner by a master. His incredible editorial process is something to behold. The regular edits and feedback sessions are exceptional and key to the process." —Frank Veteran

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Photo by Alejandra López-Zaballa

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"Beyond doubt, this was the most visually exciting week I have ever experienced across four decades as a passionate amateur photographer.... We had a fabulous time, learned a lot, and are already planning on returning to Cuba with Turnley next year." —David and Susie Bush

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Photo by Tracy Farrell

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"Peter’s approach is philosophical rather than technical. There is minimal discussion of shutter speeds, f-stops, composition, light, etc. He stresses connecting with the subject and capturing a moment in their lives in order to better understand them as people.... Overall this workshop was a tremendously rewarding experience. Highly recommended."—Richard Nugent

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Photo by Winifred Toro

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"Peter's enthusiasm is contagious. His photos confirm his love of life and he quickly transferred his confidence to me and my ability to capture. I grew as an artist and I have become more clear of my vision as a photographer. I am convinced that Peter attracts people with open minds to his workshops. My fellow travel mates were adventurous and always ready to expand their artistic skills. Bottom line—my friends are commenting 'Wow, you've changed!'" —Mary Moeller

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Photo by Dan McConnell

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"What can I say about my trip with Peter Turnley to Cuba. Amazing? Yes. Spectacular? Of course. I dare to say even life changing. I have been home for almost three weeks and am still basking in the glow of Havana." —Andrea Kuhn

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Photo by Beth Ruggiero-York

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"My week in Havana with Peter Turnley was extraordinary. Unforgettable. Magical. Peter's passion for photography, for the people of Cuba and for capturing and savoring every gifted moment will stay with me forever." —Virgil DiBiase

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Carpe diem
So, I don't know, I just think this is a moment. Peter is still in the pink of health, but he's getting older—he now only has the energy of any two normal people rather than the energy of three normal people (that would be four and six times the energy I have, respectively). He has many links to the great photographers of the postwar and later 20th century, and vast experience from the great age of magazines and print photojournalism. He knows Cuba as well or better than any non-Cuban photographer in the world. And Cuba is going to change fast, too. "Now" is a precious opportunity. Golden, I would even say.

Peter at his one-man retrospective exhibition at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes last Winter

If all this isn't clear enough, I think you ought to do this if you can!

Mike

Original contents copyright 2016 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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Life Is an Adventure

Peter Turnley with some other famous guy in Cuba.
Photo by Noah Friedman-Rudovsky.

A psychologist friend recently mentioned that a great many people in the indeterminate, vaguely unspecified more-or-less mid-life age-range share a common wish—they wish they could break out of their settled precincts and scheduled routines for once, and go on a bonafide adventure. Even if—perhaps especially if—they lead fulfilling, accomplished, prosperous lives with which they're very satisfied.

If that description applies to you, or appeals to you, I have a modest suggestion.

My great and good friend the inimitable Peter Turnley would like to extend a cordial early invitation to you as a TOP reader to join him for one of his photographers' workshops in Cuba. There are several coming up. These will fill up—they always fill up—but he wanted to give us an early heads-up, knowing that a lot of people here have supported him and his work in the past. Many of you own one of his books or one of his signed original prints.

There are times in the shifting life of the world when windows open, and now is one of those times in Cuba. With international relations relaxing, it's easier and safer than ever to travel there, yet the inexorable changes that will surely overtake Cuba soon have barely begun. It still looks largely as it has since the mid-20th century.

Now is the time to visit. Especially with a camera. And especially in the company of an ideal photographic mentor like Peter. Peter has successfully straddled the worlds of photojournalism and fine art. As a photojournalist, he's been featured with his twin brother David on "60 Minutes," and his long list of credits leads off with more than 40 NEWSWEEK covers. As an artist, he has published many books, and was recently honored with a full career retrospective at Havana's leading art museum. He's a guy of uncommon energy who has enthusiastically engaged with the history and lore of photography since he and his brother worked on their first major project as teenagers. He has met and befriended an endless who's-who of important people in our field. And he's a veteran workshop teacher who has inspired groups all over the world.

And really—seriously, now, and pay attention to what I say, I know what I'm talking about here—the guy has stories. Man.

So if you could use a little adventure in your life, this could be one opportunity. Maybe an opportunity whose time has not only come, but is just right. These windows come and go.

Check it out. And think it over. (As you can probably tell, I am.) Who knows? Could be the time of your life. Go for it! Nothing like an adventure. :-)

Mike
(Back to all the new products in the morning.)

Original contents copyright 2016 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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Featured Comments from:

Jose Antonio Rosas: "I joined Peter's workshop in New York last August, and I am going to Cuba with him next year. His workshops are about much more than improving your photography. They are about establishing stronger connections with people everywhere. Great photographs are the result of that connection."

George Andros: "Agree on all counts. Have the books and prints; taken a workshop and no doubt about it, Peter has stories. Over the last ten years I have taken at least 10 workshops of various sorts and Peter's street photography workshop in Paris was unquestionably the best. A generous and affable spirit to be sure." 

jim: "I went last February for ten days. Havana was so full of life and the most enthusiastic people that I never left to see any of the rest of Cuba. I just hope the enthusiasm of the people doesn't change as the presence of more US tourists increases."

Open Mike: Portfolio Review with Mike Johnston

UPDATE Mon. a.m.: I've had lots of response to this, including a reader who wanted to swing by yesterday afternoon! It will take a while to sort through all the answers and get a calendar going, so you might not get a response from me right away. —Mike

Solitudinous, Secluded TOP World HQ

Are you in a rut? Doldrums got you down? Does your photography need a jumpstart?

If you happen to be passing anywhere near Out-of-the-Way TOP World HQ, why not stop and spend some quality instructional time with Mike, your portfolio, and your project plans?

Tailor what you want:

• First, tell me your level on a 1-2-3 scale, where 1 is casual and recreational and 3 is ambitious and experienced.
• Then, tell me the level of what you want to accomplish: 1, 2, or 3.
• Finally, tell me how hard you want me to go on you, on the same scale: if you're a 1 I'll take it easy and go gentle, if you say 3 I won't pull any punches.

If you're a 1-1-1 you'll get a very different review than if you're a 3-3-3. What are you? You decide. And you get to decide how thick your skin should be.

I'll talk to anybody on any level, including levels above my own (I'm actually pretty good at that). Bear in mind I won't be much good if you're a professional and you bring a portfolio aimed towards getting paying work from image professionals such as ad agencies or editors. I've been out of that world for long enough that I don't know the trends and fashions.

Cost: $100 per hour for up to 6 hours (but see bold paragraph below). And I'm very sorry, but I don't want to do this remotely. Part of the reward for me is in-person contact and the chance to view real prints. My life is too virtual already.

What you need:

• A finished, presentable portfolio of personal work, between 12 and 30 photographs
• 2, 4 (all in one day) or 6 hours (over two days), not including the meal we'll share.
• A filled-out Questionnaire, which I'll give you when you sign up
• Attentiveness and an open mind

Mike Johnston of TOP. Photo by Mr. X. Trans.

If you have future project ideas, by all means write a paragraph about each, and bring "seed pictures" if you have any—those early examples of what you'd like to do more of.

You can bring examples of additional work outside of the main portfolio if you like. We'll talk about your direction, what your strengths seem to be, how you might be spinning your wheels, and ways you can make the most of your opportunities.

One thing, though—camera talk verboten! We can discuss ways to improve your seeing and your shooting skills—I can even give you specific exercises—but we'll be talking about how pictures work visually and how your visual concerns come across. I will not discuss whether you ought to get a Canikon or a Nicanon. Just pics, aesthetics, goals, and vision.

If you will write up a post about your experience with me, showing some of the photos you brought and telling others some of the things you learned, I'll refund half the fee.

I'm within driving distance of New York City. Here and back in one day would be tough, but driving in one day and out the next would be easy, and there are plenty of nice places to stay overnight in the area, from B&Bs to hotels.

If you're flying, you'll come into Elmira, NY (ELM), or Rochester, NY (ROC). I'm one hour from Elmira and an hour and fifteen minutes from Rochester. If you're flying a private plane or charter, there's Penn Yan / Yates County Airport (KPEO) less than ten minutes up the road.

The Finger Lakes are a great destination for a photographing trip when the weather's amenable.

I can do up to two of these a week. Contact me for scheduling.

Mike

"Open Mike" is the Sunday Grab-Bag of TOP, covering many topics.

Original contents copyright 2015 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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Smith-Chamlee Prints Update

I can't believe I forgot to mention this—my apologies to all the print purchasers from our last sale!

Michael completed the shipping more than a week ago. It's still possible your print might not have arrived yet, but if you don't receive it within the next ten days or so, please let him know.

And by the way, Michael and Paula have a workshop coming up at their home/studio in beautiful Bucks County, in far eastern Pennsylvania, from Friday evening, May 24th, through Sunday afternoon, May 26th.

They write, "Although we demonstrate with an 8x10-inch view camera, the workshop is not format specific. Even photographers who work digitally will benefit. Enrollment is limited to eight. There are still a few spots remaining. Should the workshop fill up and if there is sufficient demand, a second workshop will be held on the following weekend, May 31 to June 2."

Details are here.

And I've now reminded myself that I need to take my two acquisitions from the sale to the framer....

Mike

Original contents copyright 2013 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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Kenneth Tanaka: "This gives me a chance to remark on the packing of the prints. Mine arrived in 5+ lbs. of packaging that would be typical for shipment to a museum. Very impressive protection."

CW in Florida

From October 14 to 21, Carl Weese will be artist in residence at The Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin, Florida. There will be talks, demonstrations, and two digital photography workshops. More details are available here. Anyone near the Tampa Bay area might find some of the activities interesting.

Carl writes: "During the weeks before and after the residence I'll be finding and photographing drive-in theaters on the final leg of The Giant Road Trip. I have a good handle on the surviving theaters in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida and will be working out a route for them. If anyone knows of closed but still standing theaters anywhere in this area, please let me know. They are harder to work with because, while there are lists of closed theaters readily available, only a tiny fraction of them are still standing. Finding those needs sheer luck, or tips from local informants."

(Carl writes for TOP.)

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2012 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

One Left!

My friend Peter Turnley has one spot that opened up late for his upcoming workshop in New York City. May I please just tell you how much I wish I could unchain my ankle from the leg of the desk and spend a few days immersed in actually taking pictures? Alas. I hope someone will please go so I can at least enjoy it vicariously.

Every one of my friends who has taken one of Peter's workshops has thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Take a look at some pictures and read about the workshop here, or click on the ad at the left.

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2012 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Beautiful Italia

David Hoptman, Sorano

When David Hoptman first advertised his Tuscan Light Workshops on TOP, he was living in Tuscany. Although he doesn't live there any more, he'll be leading a workshop back to his old haunts in Tuscany in May, which he considers the ideal time of year to visit the region.

I don't know David personally, but he's been a professional photographer for more than 30 years and has taught photography at the University Lorenzo De Medici in Florence. He's an experienced workshop instructor, but, moreover, he lived in Tuscany for years, and says "I know the area like the back of my iPhone." Down to which local restaurants are the best. That's what you want, a tourguide who really knows the ground. He's still got a few more places left for this year's workshop—here's the web page, from which you can download the brochure.

And if you think I'm jealous, yes, I would love to throw my responsibilities to the winds and take off for a week of shooting in Tuscany with such an expert tourguide. Yes, indeed. Something that will have to await my retirement, I guess. (Retirement? What's that?) Sigh.

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2012 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Comment by Bradley Hsi: "We went to David's workshop in 2010, what an enjoyable experience. Good food, good wine and most of all good learning experience!"

Featured Comment by Ilkka Valkila: "The Tuscan Light ads here years ago are very much responsible for me falling in love with Tuscany. Of course I had seen lots of great photos from the area before, but only then I started dreaming of actually traveling there. Unfortunately I have not been able to participate in the workshop, but I have traveled there twice on my own so far and intend to go back when I have the chance. Maybe some day even the workshop fits my schedule."

Platinum Printing

Carl Weese, On Gaudineer Mountain, West Virginia

Carl Weese tells me there are still a few slots left in his upcoming Platinum Printing workshop at The Center for Alternative Photography (CAP) in New York City on the weekend of December 3rd and 4th. See the CAP website (it's the 13th one down) for more information.

Carl's a very experienced teacher of this process. He's good.

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

A Workshop in Paris, Part II

By Stephen Rosenblum (Continued from Part I)

Photo by Taylor Shead taken during the workshop

...During one of the first sessions at Peter's apartment we were each asked to tell the group a story, either true or fictional. We then went around the room, each telling a story, and they were all pretty affecting. He then asked us to try to see a story in each of the photos that we made, and to try to tell a story with a series of photographs taken during our week at the workshop. A preconceived story was not required; rather, he said that as the week progressed we would all be able to see a story in the kinds of photos we each made that would hang together and could be presented on the last day.

Telling stories (photo by Steve Rosenblum)

Each day we were asked to bring in 50 to 70 photographs that we had taken the day before for class review. First, all of each student's photographs were quickly reviewed in order. Then Peter went back through each one on screen selecting keepers, saying "yes" and "no" to each image. In the first few days he would add a quick comment about why the photograph either worked or did not work and made suggestions on how we might improve. By the end of the week that became unnecessary, as we all had incorporated his vision of what made a successful photograph and what did not. This process was very effective at teaching us how to edit our own work, and by extension, how to see good photographs better when we were out on the street looking for them. Everyone got much better as the week progressed.

Turnley moved to Paris in the mid-'70s and boldly sought out his heroes. He worked as an assistant to Robert Doisneau, and either got to know or became friends with many of the leading photographers of that era—Boubat, Ronis, Cartier-Bresson, Frank, Smith, and others. In his career as a photojournalist, he recorded some of the most dramatic and tragic human events of our times. Between assignments he always came back to Paris where he wandered the streets photographing life-affirming moments. I suspect that street photography serves as a kind of therapy for Peter, a way to integrate all of life as he has experienced it, both good and bad, and to share it with others. He has relied upon the many close relationships he has formed through the years to inspire and sustain him. Many of those people are now gone. I think that Peter views himself as a bridge between the humanistic photographic tradition of the mid to late 20th century and the present, and teaching workshops is one way of making those connections for others.

Voja Mitrovic (photo by Peter Turnley)

One afternoon, the master printer Voja Mitrovic (pronounced VOY-a MIT-ro-vitch) came to Peter's apartment to meet with us. Voja first told us the story of his life, which is quite compelling. Then, he opened a box and began to pull out prints, each one an iconic image that he had printed for Cartier-Bresson, Koudelka, and others. In his right hand he held up the initial work print and in his left hand he held up the finished print. He then described what went into getting from the first print to the second print. Being able to see original versions of those legendary photographs was by itself an amazing experience, but hearing a master printer describe his own process was extraordinary.

Another afternoon we took a walk over to the Gallerie Agathe Galliard, where we were able to meet Madame Gaillard, who opened the very first photography gallery in Paris in June, 1975 and who helped convince the world that photography should be regarded as a serious art form. Her stories about the world of photography and the people in it were fascinating. We also viewed the gallery's latest exhibition of photographs by Elizabeth Prouvost, who was on hand to meet with us as well. This visit served as another link between the past and the vibrant present in the world of photography.

Workshoppers looking at rare photo books (photo by Peter Turnley)

The group visited the Roméo Martinez Library at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, which contains more than 24,000 photographic books. There we were able to look through dozens of first editions such as Cartier-Bresson's The Decisive Moment, Frank's The Americans, and many others. We sat at long desks in a quiet room that felt more like a book cathedral than a library.

Friday was dedicated to each of us having a one-on-one editing session with Peter in which we selected 12–15 of our best photographs from the week as well as assigning a title/theme to the "story" that we thought the photos conveyed. These photographs were presented as a show on the final morning and were also compared with a portfolio of our previous work that Peter asked us to bring. Most of us thought we were going to be asked to show our portfolio on the first day as a launching off point, but reserving it for the last day was a better way of seeing our own growth.

John Morris lecturing to the workshop group (photo by Peter Turnley)

On the last night of the workshop, we walked over to the apartment of John Morris, the eminent photo editor (and the author of the great book Get the Picture —Ed.]. John has been involved in almost every important photojournalistic endeavor since the 1930s; he's now 93 years old. After inviting us into his living room, he stood and gave a one-hour lecture illustrated by slides describing the "behind the scenes" stories for many of the most important photographs of the last seventy years. Afterwards, he joined all of us for dinner.

My wife and I agreed that meeting John Morris was worth what the workshop cost.

Peter and the Spring Paris Workshop group 2011. Photo by Jennifer Huxta.

Attending this workshop was a wonderful growth experience for me. I enjoyed it immensely. Peter is a great teacher and a remarkable person. I learned some things about photography and about myself and made some great friends, while having a wonderful time in Paris. Did I mention the food?

Highly recommended.

Peter Turnley and Steve Rosenblum. Photograph by Jennifer Huxta.

Steve

(My friend Steve Rosenblum is a cardiologist and healthcare IT consultant who enjoys flyfishing and photography. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Breckenridge, Colorado. Peter's next workshop is the New York Street Photography Workshop, Aug. 14–20. It's sponsored by Leica, and participants will have opportunities to use the Leica M9 and Leica lenses during the week.  —MJ)

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A Workshop in Paris, Part I

Photograph by Andres Quintero

By Stephen Rosenblum

I have long admired and been a collector of candid photographs taken on the street. I also love to travel. Peter Turnley leads street photography workshops at wonderful locations around the world. I have wanted to take one of his workshops for many years. This May the stars aligned—I had the time available, Peter was offering a workshop in Paris, and my lovely wife and I were looking for a place to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary...et, voila! Why not spend a week in Paris during the Spring? On May 12 we boarded an Air France flight to Charles de Gaulle Airport, and a truly wonderful adventure began.

What can I say about visiting Paris in May that has not already been said in so many poems, songs, and novels? It was absolutely marvelous when we were there. The legendary Parisian light was gorgeous. The place is a feast for the eyes, heart, and soul. A perfect place to wander about learning how to "see." Also, a perfect place to bring a spouse or friend. My wife was delighted to spend the days that I was involved in the workshop wandering the streets of Paris on her own, reuniting with me each evening for long walks and incredible food. Did I mention the food?

Peter lecturing (photo by Steve Rosenblum)

The workshop started at 2 p.m. on Sunday and ran through noon the following Saturday. It consisted of individual daily shoots in whatever locations we wished, didactic lectures/group discussions, photo critique/review sessions, and guest lectures/discussions/field trips. The discussions took place at Peter's apartment, which is located in the lovely Marais neighborhood. His apartment is quite comfortable and worked out well for this purpose. In addition, there were group dinners on the second and last nights at a local brasserie. Our travel companions were welcome to attend the dinners and any other sessions of interest.

Photo by Taylor Shead

There were twelve participants in my workshop. I found that I received plenty of individual attention from Peter and that the interaction with the other students added a great deal to my experience. I was very impressed with my fellow students. Their ages ranged from the early 30s to 70 or so; four were women. Our group was made up of eleven Americans and one Canadian. They were a varied and interesting lot. All were passionate amateur photographers dedicated to getting the most out of our week together. The group really bonded and have remained in email contact since the end of the workshop.

The technical aspects of the workshop were mercifully brief: 1. Shoot wide—Peter asked that we use a single focal length wide angle lens in the range of 28–35mm field of view (FOV) either by using a prime or fast wide zoom. If using a zoom, he asked us to actually tape the zoom at that one focal length. 2. Get close. 3. Shoot in shutter-priorty mode at a shutter speed sufficient to freeze action on the street (typically 125th or 250th of a second) and adjust ISO so that the resulting aperture is small enough to provide sufficient depth of field. 4. Try to capture the subjects within their context. 5. Watch your frame lines. 6. No flash. That's it! We didn't discuss gear, RAW vs. JPEG, photo editing software or techniques, or any of that. This is a workshop about content, context, sharing, telling a story, and connecting with the world around us and with the humanistic traditions of the photography that preceded us.

Both film and digital cameras were allowed, though only one person shot with film. Participants used cameras ranging from high-end digicams to DSLRs. In my opinion, the kind of camera each person used had no relation to the quality of the work they produced. We had to commit to one approach for the entire workshop. Four folks shot B&W and the rest shot color. All approaches produced good results.

Shooting on the streets of Paris each day was both a great pleasure and a great challenge for me. Everywhere I looked I could see potential photographs—no problem there. I really struggled psychologically with applying the technique that Peter asked us to use—shoot wide, in close. It is contrary to all of my built-in inhibitions about respecting other people's privacy and space. Peter spent time during the first few days of the course encouraging us to get over these feelings by pushing ourselves to make lots of photographs so that we would see that most people don't seem to mind—and for those that do we can always give an apologetic shrug and wander on to the next opportunity. Acting confident and smiling goes over a lot better with people than lurking around suspiciously. I did my best to follow his suggestions. The first day I asked everyone for permission, and my photographs were pretty awful. From then on I tried my best to capture candid moments, but I was not as successful at overcoming my own psychological barriers as some of the other students, and I think that their images were better for it.

(Continued in Part II)

Steve

(My friend Steve Rosenblum is a cardiologist and healthcare IT consultant who enjoys flyfishing and photography. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Breckenridge, Colorado. —MJ)

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Featured Comment by MM: "So Steve Rosenblum is a Cardiologist and Healthcare IT Consultant who enjoys flyfishing and photography?

Is there any commercial market for the fish (let alone the satisfaction) you get from flyfishing? No? And yet people still bother to do it?

Seriously, I don't know why, but I found this writeup somehow comforting, in the sense of being reminded that important things continue to thrive: things like the beauty of Paris and street-photography-as-each-is-free-to-define-it and photographers from far afield gathering over good food and wine to talk about life and photography. If those things don't constitute good living, I'm not sure what does."

Special Offer for TOP Readers

My friend Peter Turnley is offering a $250 discount to any TOP reader who signs up for his upcoming workshop in New York City, making the cost a more manageable $1,300 as opposed to the standard $1,550. The workshop runs from May 29th to June 4th—you can see all the details at his workshop page. To get the discount, just tell Peter "Mike sent me" when you email him to register.

It's not evident from up there on the surface, but Peter has really been a big help to TOP behind the scenes. There are at least a dozen people and maybe as many as two dozen who do a lot to help TOP keep cruising along, and he's one of them.

If you're a Midwesterner and have never been to New York, a workshop would be the ideal way to see the city while giving your shooting chops some serious exercise, but I'd urge you to plan to at least visit some day whatever you do. I'm always surprised by how many people out here in the Midwest have never been to New York.

My "lottery daydream" would be to move TOP to Central Park West. Not going to happen in this lifetime, most likely, but of all the things I miss about the East Coast, regular visits to New York rank just below seeing my family more often. New York is the most fun, most interesting place in the world, and I don't care if I don't have enough data to make that claim, I'm making it anyway. An occasional visit to New York will really recharge your batteries.

Peter's off teaching a worshop in Seville, Spain, this week, with nine lucky students.

I'd rather be in Seville than here, I can tell you that. In the past two days we have had snow (twice, the first time accumulating to an inch on the back deck), rain that's about as cold as rain can be and still be rain (and that came in at a strong slant because of the high wind), sleet, and hail. To top it all off, this morning...frost. The weather has cleared today, but the headline on the local weather site today is "Sunshine, Briefly." Yeah, like they had to tell us that last part.

Just another lovely Wisconsin springtime. Maybe I should go to New York....

Mike

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Featured Comment by Juan Buhler: "I took the first workshop Peter gave, in Paris in 2003. Even though it was the first time he was doing it, it was a wonderful experience, and I think my photography gained a lot from it. I imagine his workshops are even better now—one of the best ways to spend that money if you care about street photography and like Peter's work."

Mike adds: Strong praise. My regular readers know that Juan, a computer graphics animator who has worked on big animated movies such as Shrek and Ratatouille, is a gifted photographer, one of my favorites.

David and Joe's Flash Bus Tour 2011

Now this is timely! David Hobby (a.k.a. Mr. Strobist) and Joe McNally (a.k.a. Grandmaster Flash) have just announced a triumphal 29-city teaching tour called the Flash Bus Tour 2011. David and Joe will travel by bus around the country and conduct a series of inexpensive ($99) one-day small-flash seminars for photographers all over the U.S., in both flavors—David will teach manual in the mornings and Joe will teach TTL in the afternoons (both shoot Nikon, but the seminars are brand-agnostic).

The Tour is getting underway soon—registration opens at 9 a.m. EST on Monday, January 31st, just four days from now. The Tour kicks off in Seattle, Washington, on March 11th and ends in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 18th, with 27 other stops in between.

I don't know either of these guys personally, but I'm intimately acquainted with their reputations, and both are widely considered to be excellent, energetic, and entertaining teachers. Given the wide reach of Strobist.com, I suspect this will sell out quicker than a Rolling Stones tour. See the dedicated Flash Bus Tour website for all the details, and, if you're interested, act sharp on Monday morning.

Mike
(Thanks to hlinton)

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Workshops at the George Eastman House: The Best Bargain in Photography

The participants (author second from left)

By Mark Roberts

My curiosity piqued by articles on The Online Photographer, I recently attended a two-day workshop on platinum printing at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. And though I certainly learned a lot about platinum printing and acquired a great enthusiasm for it, the overriding impression I came away with was this: If you ever have a chance to attend any workshop at the George Eastman House, you'd be very foolish to pass it up.

Two eight-hour days in a facility with top-flight experts doing the teaching, every imaginable (to me, anyway) kind of photochemistry available, all the necessary equipment...and access to original prints by the greatest photographers in history. How much should that cost? Probably a lot more than $425 (which included $75 for materials costs). One participant flew in from out of town for the weekend just for this event.

One of the labs in which restoration work is done

The workshop was taught by Ron Cowie, an experienced platinum printer from Rhode Island who also teaches at the New England School of Photography. Two members of the GEH staff, Stacy VanDenburgh and Mark Osterman, assisted throughout the weekend. All phases of the workshop were held in the offices and labs just adjacent to (and below—they extend two stories below the ground floor) the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House. This area houses all their study and restoration labs, archives, and the museum library.

The program consisted of platinum print theory, practical work, and study of original prints. Stacy and Mark had put together for each participant a three-ring binder absolutely packed with information on the history and techniques of platinum printing. We heard a good presentation on platinum printing and then saw first-hand some original prints by the masters of the technique. Emerson's "Picking the Reed" has long been one of my favorite photographs, and when we entered the viewing room there it was, alongside original prints by Coburn, Steichen and others. The library of the GEH (accessible to all by appointment) is closed on Saturdays, but the librarian came in on his day off just for us. I have no doubt they'd have been happy to get any print in their archives for us to view if we'd asked. Think of any famous photographer or, indeed, any famous photograph: Chances are they have an original print you can see.

A crated-up exhibit (note label)

From then on we spent most of our time in the "darkroom"—in quotes because one of the nice things about platinum printing is that it doesn't require...well, darkness. We were provided with a stack of Ron Cowie's and Mark Osterman's large-format negatives (no, we didn't get to pull any famous photographers' negatives to make prints) and immediately set to work mixing chemistry, coating paper and making prints.

Carl Weese's TOP article "The Making of a Platinum Print" will tell you about the basic process, but nothing comes close to the experience you gain through actually doing it yourself. The guidance of two experts with the resources of the George Eastman House at their disposal dials up the learning curve significantly, to understate the matter somewhat.

Ron Cowie rinsing a print after local development in ammonium citrate
under glycerin

At one point Ron suggested that a print might look good with a gum wash. The words had scarcely left his lips before Mark Osterman was back with the gum arabic to give it a try. A short while later the notion of asphalt wash came up. A minute later we were trying that. How about soaking the print in glycerin and brushing on ammonium citrate developer? The GEH is set up for everything from Daguerreotypes (Osterman teaches that) to cyanotypes, ambrotypes, calotypes and on and on and on. In just a few minutes Ron was brushing ammonium citrate onto a print in a bath of glycerin. Imagine taking a photo workshop of any kind with this kind of energy and these resources.

It may be years before they offer another program specifically relating to platinum printing, but there are almost a dozen different topics lined up for next year. All will have the formidable resources of the George Eastman House behind them and the knowledgeable and enthusiastic support of people like Stacy VanDenburgh and Mark Osterman. In 2011, GEH will be holding workshops in Gelatin Emulsion Making, Archiving Digital Family Photographs, Daguerreotype History and Technique, Collodion Emulsion, Carbon Prints, Albumen Prints, Early Camera History and Design, and more. The schedule is on the GEH website.

A platinum print in the developing tray

Taking a well-designed workshop of any kind can do great things for your own photography. When you take a workshop at the George Eastman House you're also helping support what is arguably the world's foremost institution devoted to promoting and preserving the history of photography. That the workshops are so affordably priced is icing on the cake.

In fact, if there's a bigger bargain in the world of photography, I'd very much like to know what it is.

Mark

Resources:
George Eastman House
GEH on Facebook
Cowrie Platinum Editions

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Featured Comment by Geoff Wittig: "George Eastman House is an absolutely wonderful institution. It's a far friendlier and more low-key place than many leading museums, yet it houses what is arguably the greatest collection of photographs in the known universe. Membership is dirt-cheap, and permits you all sorts of benefits, from free lectures by the greatest photographers in the world to free screenings of vintage movies. There's also a yearly member's meeting with the director (Tony Bannon) where upcoming programs and exhibitions are previewed. You even get a discount on courses like this platinum printing class...which I couldn't attend because of my day job...dammit."

The Power of Workshops

By Joe Reifer

A life of photography has peaks and valleys. And then there are the plateaus. Sometimes moving into the next phase of your photography can involve a lot of time on the plateau. Over the last 10 years, I've found that workshops are a great opportunity to have a peak experience that can move your photography to the next level.

Photography workshops can be anything from an afternoon lecture to a safari half way around the world. I'm going to relate a short personal history of taking and teaching three to six day location workshops as a way to suggest how you can get the most out of your future workshop experiences.

You may or may not come home with great pictures, but if you choose your workshops wisely, you will hopefully have an experience that will help you make many great pictures in the future.

Somewhere you want to go
The first question a lot of photographers ask themselves when planning to take a workshop is, where do I want to go? With the abundance of photography workshop options available, choosing a few locations that you've always wanted to visit can be a great way to narrow down the choices.

Five years ago my Dad and I did a week-long workshop in Death Valley with Craig Tanner. I had just started photographing in the Mojave Desert quite a bit, and was due for a return visit to Death Valley. Of course we could have just grabbed a map and hopped in the car and photographed this area without taking a workshop.

But when you have limited time away from your job, having someone who is intimately familiar with a location to take you to the right spots during the right light is invaluable. The workshop was in a shoot-and-critique format, and the critiques were supportive and thought-provoking.

I returned from the workshop invigorated and inspired. I returned to photograph in Death Valley area three times over the next four years, including a night photography workshop where I was a guest instructor.

Joe Reifer, Badwater, 2 a.m.

My original thought was to just revisit and photograph in a cool location. Little did I know that five years later I'd be leading a group of intrepid photographers out onto the salt flats of Badwater under a full moon at 2 a.m. on Halloween.

Something you want to learn
Learning a tangible skill from workshops is another great reason to get motivated. From lighting techniques to Photoshop, workshops are a great opportunity for skill building. Unlike spending a couple hours a week on photography with the rest of life's demands competing, I've found that total immersion in photography for a week can allow the level of concentration and focus needed to really push through to the next level.

About 6–7 years ago I was working really hard on my lighting skills. I was shooting with small flashes on location, and practicing studio lighting skills. I went to some local classes and meetups. I rented a pinball museum for an afternoon and did a fashion shoot with models, hair and makeup. Eventually I reached a plateau and it was time for a workshop. I did a week-long location lighting workshop with Joe McNally that ended up being a quantum leap for me. We worked 10+ hours a day lighting people at different locations each day. The workshop was a huge breakthrough in my skills and confidence level—I walked in a little bit timid, and came out with a swagger. That's the power of a lot of hard work, and a great workshop instructor.

Someone you want to learn from
Just because you can't put your finger on a specific technique you want to learn doesn't mean you shouldn't take a workshop. If you find yourself on a plateau as far as your inspiration goes, sometimes a workshop can be just the thing. When your goals are more inspirational than technical, the choice of instructor makes even more of a difference.

Talk to friends who've taken workshops for recommendations. Check the web pages of your favorite photographers to see if they teach workshops.

Joe Reifer, Cougar

When I first became interested in long exposure night photography, all roads pointed to the Nocturnes in San Francisco. After a one-night workshop I was hooked. I stayed in touch with Tim Baskerville of the Nocturnes, who knows more about the history of night photography than anyone I've met.

As I became a more experienced night shooter, I started helping with the digital camera setup and post-processing portion of a few Nocturnes workshops. I have a background in teaching technology in a corporate setting, so teaching camera skills and Photoshop was a natural transition.

Pay it forward
In 2008 I discussed the possibility of teaching a night photography workshop with my friend Troy Paiva, who is well known in the world of urban exploration and night photography. He has a large fan base, with two books published, and numerous guest appearances and lectures over the years.

Troy Paiva, Floating Headlights

With my passion for workshops and teaching background, and Troy's large fan base, teaching a night photography location workshop looked like a worthwhile experiment. We negotiated access to an amazing abandoned Mojave Desert junkyard, and have been teaching night photography and light painting workshops there for the last couple of years.

I feel very fortunate that we've been able to share this learning opportunity with a talented and diverse group of photographers.

If you're having that feeling of being on a plateau with your photography, consider attending a workshop. Taking a few precious days to focus on photography can lead to new skills, ideas, and maybe even a peak experience.

Joe

Full disclosure: Joe's offered to give TOP a small commission if he gets any signups to his workshops as a result of this post (although I kinda missed the boat on that—I'm late getting this up, and his fall workshops are almost full now). Also, we have several advertisers, including two new ones, who offer workshops.

I never did take a workshop myself—I sort of skipped right from being a student into being a teacher, and it never seemed quite the thing to do—but I've always been a little jealous of people who've had great workshop experiences.   —Mike

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Featured Comment by Geoff Wittig: "I can't recommend workshops highly enough. Most of us lust after that spiffy new D-SLR or gorgeous glass. But $1,000 spent on a great workshop will improve the quality of your photography far more than any new lens.

"Available workshops cover many different aspects of photography. Some address narrow technical skills, such as the use of Photoshop or digital printing. Many are location-specific. Some address more nebulous issues of perception and artistic vision, yet these can be the most inspirational of all. You may find yourself seeing all sorts of new subject matter in your own backyard, things you blindly walked right past before.

"Just a few minor caveats:

"It's helpful to match the level of a workshop to your own skills. Experienced instructors are very good at teaching to the level of the participants. However, you're already fairly accomplished, a beginner course will drive you crazy. Conversely, you'll be struggling in an expert course if you're still trying to figure out shutter speed versus aperture, though it's amazing how quickly your skills advance with intense instruction.

"And while you'll naturally gravitate to workshops matching your photographic inclination, taking a course that delves deeply into something you've never explored before can be a mind-blowing experience. I'm definitely a nuts 'n' bolts kinda guy, but the 'touchy-feely' workshop I took last year changed the way I look at...well, all kinds of things."

Featured Comment by Thom Hogan: "I have a slightly different take on location. You should not go places you want to go. If it truly is a photo workshop (implies real instruction and teaching) and not a photo tour, going someplace you want to go photographically is actually in conflict with the instruction, in my humble opinion. That's because you have predefined expectations of the place (probably because of other pictures you saw and want to recreate) and an expectation of coming back with good pictures. If a workshop instructor tells you that the goal of the workshop is to come home with good pictures, it's not a workshop, it's a tour. One of the first things I say at workshops is that my goal as instructor is not that you go home with great pictures (I can't promise cooperative weather or subjects, obviously) but with great knowledge of how to make them. What I call mental tools. It's the old give a fish/teach to fish thing: give a student a great picture opportunity and they take one great picture. Teach the student how to make great pictures and they'll do so forever.

"This is why one of my favorite places to teach is Capital Reef National Park. No one comes having preconceived expectations of what pictures from there should look like. There just aren't any Ansel Adams images from there to copy ;~). But there are plenty of potentially great images there, and teaching students how to see those opportunities and then capture them is what a workshop should be about."

Featured Comment by Chris Crawford: "If you're an artist, you don't need to pay someone to teach you to be inspired, nor do you need to travel somewhere exotic to find inspiration. Why? Because you'll have something to say that the world needs to hear (see, actually, since we're visual artists) and since you have something to say, you'll know where to go to get the image without having to speculatively travel to look for inspiration.

"I cannot imagine what it must be like to feel uninspired or to have your creativity reach a plateau. My interest is in history and the power of the image to preserve the collective memory of the common man, which academic historians tend to ignore. You read history, you learn how the kings and emperors and rich powerful men and women lived and what they did. The common people? Their lives are largely a mystery in the era before photography because no one wrote about them and their homes, clothes, tools, and other effects are largely not preserved in museum collections. Even in our modern time, museums ignore the ordinary man; photography preserves our memory, and I have found memories worth preserving on film or sensor everywhere I have lived or traveled. No need to go looking for inspiration, I am surrounded by it every day, no matter where I am."

Ctein Workshop in Minneapolis

Our own Ctein will be teaching a one-day workshop at the Mpls Photo Center (2400 North Second Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA 55411) on Saturday, October 9: "Introduction to the Art of Digital Photo Restoration." See here for full details.

Ctein is the author of Digital Restoration from Start to Finish. If you have any interest in learning how to restore old or damaged photographs in particular, or in improving your digital processing skills generally, Ctein's workshop could be for you.

Mike

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Featured Comment by Martin Doonan: "If the workshop is anything like the book, then it should be excellent. After buying a copy of the book a couple of weeks ago, I've read it pretty much cover to cover. It's not so much the tools covered as the new and precise ways to employ them that make it useful (and this coming from someone who's philosophically opposed to 'how-to' books). Highly recommended."

Workshop Openings

The breathtaking Yosemite High Country. Photo by Steve Kossack.

A few "last remaining places" in workshops offered by TOP contributors or advertisers—

Steve Kossack has one place remaining in his Glacier National Park Workshop, which I hear is spectacular, and two places left in his workshop at the landscape photographers' Mecca, Yosemite National Park. If you'd like a vicarious pleasure, just go read the description of his small-group Yosemite High Country Backpack Expedition and Workshop—I think I'd go along even without a camera. Photography a bonus.

Peter Turnley has a couple of places left in his upcoming New York Street Photography Workshop at the end of this month—May 30th to June 5th. Like Steve's, a small group workshop with lots of personal attention. Peter has guest presenters, too, from his many friends and extensive contacts in the N.Y. photography community. Learn from the master.

And speaking of New York, Carl Weese will be giving a weekend workshop in July at The Center for Alternative Photography called "Platinum Printing with Carl Weese." (Go to the link then scroll down till you see it; there's no direct link.) You'll make your own prints—both traditional and Ziatype—and leave with enough knowledge to continue on your own.

Alain Briot has two upcoming workshops with limited openings: Mono Lake and Eastern Sierra Nevada, two seats left; and Route 66, four seats left. Also sounding mighty tasty is The 2010 Fine Art Digital Summit with Alain Briot, Mac Holbert and Uwe Steinmueller, for which registration opened not too long ago. 

Mike

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The Season of Light

I miss the darkroom. More specifically, I miss the darkroom in wintertime (it snowed here yesterday and last night, enough to cover everything, and the house today is filled with the white reflected light of snow, a wintery look...).

I miss the darkroom in winter because wintertime used to be the season when I'd spend the most time in it. I did photograph in the winter, when I was younger, but never very much, because I tend to photograph wherever I am, whatever I happen to be doing, and in the wintertime I don't like being outside for very long. Plus, the days are short and often gray. Light is...scarce. Not always poor. Scarce.

So winter was darkroom season. I suppose only one in ten photographers actually liked the darkroom, but I was one. It was a sanctuary, a nice place to be (even if some of my darkrooms were pretty dreadful little holes when you turned the white lights on!) and I enjoyed the process, the work, the amber glow and the comforting low burble of running water. If I had ever established any sort of career as a photographer—if I'd been able to sell prints, for instance, more than every now and then—I'd still be doing darkroom work.

A not-so-gentle reminder: if winter is a good season for indoor work, for being indoors out of the light, then spring is the opposite. Spring is for shooting. In most of the Northern Hemisphere, which I inhabit and I suppose a lot of you do too, spring is the best time of the year for shooting. Some photographers (poor souls) never learn the essential trick of photography, which is that photographs are about light—not about their subject, not about your equipment, not about colors or "sharpness" or proving you've been to the Statue of Liberty or Disneyland or what Uncle Fred looked like. Well, all of that, too. But mainly light. Light is the essential ingredient of a photograph. It can ennoble virtually any subject. More than that, it creates subjects. It structures the things we see. A photograph that doesn't depend on the light it was taken in has a lot of extra work to do to amount to anything.

And summer light is often as bad as winter light. Monotonous, overbearing, unmodulated—white skies and humid haze and smog on the horizon. Things aren't clear in the summertime. Or often aren't. In the summertime you have to resort to the old photographer's trick of using the angled light of dusk or dawn to help your photographs along.

Spring is the time for photographing. The wind blows, the weather changes, the clouds move; the air's often cold enough to be clear. Look especially for the edges of storms, as one departs or another looms; look for blankets of clouds high enough for the sun to get in under at the end of a day. Even the land changes fast in spring. Don't like the way a place looks today, come back tomorrow, or next week. Spring is the season of light. Get out in it. Use your eyes. Bring your camera along.

High style landscapes
If you still love the darkroom you might be interested in this: I heard from John Sexton recently, and he's still teaching his popular master-class workshops on printing called "The Expressive Black and White Print." John is a direct link to Ansel Adams: he learned his craft in Adams's Yosemite Workshops and from studying the prints of Ansel, Edward Weston, and Wynn Bullock; later, he was Ansel's last assistant. That's John in the illustrations of The New Ansel Adams Photography Series, The Camera, The Negative, and The Print, a trilogy of books any black-and-white film photographer (well, perhaps any film photographer, period) ought to own. He is of course a master craftsman in his own right, in the West Coast tradition, with four beautiful books to his credit. There are printers in the world who are "as good," but there are none better. John's workshops are as close as you can get today to the high style Zone System landscapists and the tradition they worked in, going back to to the heroic days of early California and the West.

 

John Sexton, Tree Fern

Of course, the workshops that are coming up soon (April, May of this year) are already full, as they always are. But John tells me there are places left in the ones scheduled for next fall and spring in Carmel Valley. Now would be the time to plan that, if you want a place. The fall workshops are for November 3–8 and 17–22, and the spring ones take place at about this time next year, March 9–14 and 23–28, 2010. The cost is $900, and it takes a $150 deposit to reserve a place, $100 of which is non-refundable. Here's the link to the brochure and the application.

Oh, and I note with pleasure that at John's Ventana Editions book page, Ray McSavaney's book Explorations is still available—signed, no less!—for a mere $60. (That's better than paying twice or three times that for a used copy from the usual sources.) The text of Ray's book is...well, not bad, exactly, but wooden, declarative, quotidian...earthbound, and I don't mean that in a good nature-y way. But the pictures soar. Pictorially, it's one of those transcendent books, in which every page offers a reward and, often as not, a thrill. Yes, an actual thrill. I love this book. Sorry if I'm gushing, but this is perhaps my #1 all-time favorite book of black-and-white large format nature photography (well, nature plus), or, at least, right up there with five or six now-unobtainable books in my library that I won't name for fear of frustrating you. If you like large-format black and white, don't miss Explorations. I had thought it was gone. It's not going to get any easier to find.

But back to springtime: now is the time of year to stop nattering over cameras, stop sitting around indoors, stop looking at...screens. (I know.) Pick a camera and get outdoors to watch the light. This is the shooting season. The season of light.

Mike
(Photo © 2009 John Sexton, all rights reserved)

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