Best Workshops?

[sully75]

Hello All,

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions about particularly excellent workshops?

My main goal is to tighten up my exposures and processing and find a system that works for me. I don't think I need a ton of work but would like to get things a little tighter. My style is pretty basic/classic. My technique is pretty "rustic" at the moment.

I don't really have any desire to go some place and photograph the same beautiful place with a bunch of people, just want to get down to business about fixing the kind of pictures I'm already taking.

East coast, cheap and time dense/effective would be my priorities. Tillman Crane looks pretty interesting but wicked expensive.

Feel free to share good workshop experiences that don't really fit my RX if you like.

[Scott Walker]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=84776

Here is a recent thread on the subject

[Frank Petronio]

I bet you could hire a good photographer who has some teaching experience for a direct one-on-one, custom "workshop" for less than what a name-brand Maine or Anderson Ranch packaged-canned group instruction would cost.

I'd offer but I don't do darkroom. But I bet there are over 100 excellent college-professor level people out there who would jump to have a fun day or three teaching you for $300 to $600 per.

You could set your own schedule, work with a series of artists you respect, etc. while avoiding the one numbnutz who manages to distract the class way out of proportion.

Just saying... why not ask people you admire? If you want the social experience that is fun too, but one-on-one is probably a lot more efficient.

[sully75]

thanks Frank! That's a great idea. Any ideas for me in Boston?

Whooops...meant to put this in the lounge.

[Ken Lee]

I have moved this thread to Resources.

"My main goal is to tighten up my exposures and processing and find a system that works for me...

East coast, cheap and time dense/effective would be my priorities."

Are you looking for b&w ? color ? Printing ? Scanning ? Inkjet ? Wet darkroom ?

At the risk of seeming overly enthusiastic: I live in western Massachusetts (1.5 hrs from Boston), and have a darkroom. I'm fairly comfortable with B&W exposure and processing - and have done quite a bit of teaching over the years.

Whatever you choose, as Frank said, first and foremost find someone whose work you admire, and go from there: However they teach, that's the way to learn. Wherever they teach, that's where to go. To do otherwise, is to put the cart before the horse.

[RichardRitter]

You may want to check out the book Finely Focused: Mechanics and Creativity in Large Format Photographyat http://circleofthesunproductions.com/FinelyFocused.htm. the book is based on the and teaching of our workshops. You can do it at your own pace.

One of the things I learned from years of teaching is you just need to go and do it, workshops are a great place but what about after the workshop or before. The book is set up to take you from the film testing stage to the final work stage with many great exercises to make one think and and get use to working with the camera.

[Alan Curtis]

Take a look at Ken Lee's photos, they are excellent. He obviously knows the process and he is near you. If his style is something you like all the better.

I love Ken's unassuming statement. "I'm fairly comfortable with B&W exposure and processing" That's like Tom Brady saying he is fairly comfortable being a quarterback.

Bruce Barlow and Richard Ritter conduct workshops in New Hampshire and I believe they are fairly inexpensive.

[Winger]

I wish I was still in MA - I'd either meet up with Ken or take one of Richard and Bruce's workshops. I'm "stuck" in western PA with the same problems as Sully. It's tough for me to "escape" to take a workshop because I have a toddler and 4 dogs and my husband is deployed. I should check out the book Richard mentioned. I didn't start using LF until I moved to PA - I really miss all the resources I had in MA.

[peter schrager]

Tillman Crane is worth every penny...he doesn't really teach darkroom though
Best, Peter

[Alan Curtis]

Winger
The book that Richard Ritter mentioned is a DVD that Bruce and I think Richard produced. It is the best $25 you can invest. Lots of things you already know and lots of things you will learn.