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.info/forum/showthread.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.

[Brian Ellis]

I took a large format workshop from Tillman Crane at the Peters Valley Crafts Center in Layton, N.J. I thought it was well worth the price.

[Louie Powell]

The challenge you are going to face is that most workshops have switched over to digital. Finding a good film/darkroom workshop will be difficult. I think you might have more success on the West Coast.

I've done two workshops with Tillman Crane, and like Peter says, it's worth every penny. But his approach is Pt/Pd, and he doesn't usually do silver.

The best darkroom workshops I've taken have been with Bill Abranowicz. I haven't seen his name on the workshop circuit in many years.

Chip Forelli is another very good LF/darkroom person. And closer to Boston is David Vestal (in Connecticut the last I heard). He's getting on in years, but I think I saw him scheduled for a workshop last year at Photographer's Formulary.

A place to look for workshops is Peters Valley Craft Center in Layton, NJ.

[sepstein17]

as a result of this thread, just bought the book. Hoping that NH gets cold soon -- anticipated Snow/Ice workshop mid February with Barlow/Ritter???

[Oren Grad]

And closer to Boston is David Vestal (in Connecticut the last I heard). He's getting on in years, but I think I saw him scheduled for a workshop last year at Photographer's Formulary.

Yes, David's in Connecticut. He'll be 88 (!) this year. But AFAIK, the only workshop he's scheduled to do this year is another at the Formulary, in July:

http://www.workshopsinmt.com/Vestal-Hepworth-B-W-July.html

Read one of David's books - The Craft of Photography or The Art of Black and White Enlarging - and you'll both learn a bunch and get a good idea of his teaching style and sensibilities.

[Scott Walker]

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.

.

Well put :D

[atlcruiser]

A lot of good suggestions here. I would suggest Michael A Smith and Paula Chamlee. I have spent a lot of time with them, very good folks and they have excellent workshops. Located near Philly

[RPNugent]

If you are willing to give up on the East coast restriction I think Don Kirby does just what you are asking for. He's great to work with based on several workshops he has either run or helped Bruce Barnbaum with that I have taken.

http://www.donkirby.com/workshops.php

[polyglot]

Derail: can anyone recommend workshops in Australia?

[sully75]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Ken, I might take you up on that, it's a kind offer. I'll be in touch.

[ki6mf]

In Boston I would take a class with Nick Johnson at New England School of Photography in Kenmore Square. There is a dedicated group of B&W film shooters who take the evening workshops and are a good group. I printed there for 5 years till my day job brought me out of state.

[James Morris]

Derail: can anyone recommend workshops in Australia?

Gordon Undy is running a series of summer classes:
http://www.pointlight.com.au/workshops.html

I doubt you'll find better training anywhere in the world.

[akfreak]

"avoiding the one numbnutz " Ok I though I was the one and only numbnutz around here, who is the imposer you speak of Frank?

[Michael W]

Gordon Undy is running a series of summer classes:
http://www.pointlight.com.au/workshops.html

I doubt you'll find better training anywhere in the world.
Gordon has a great darkroom and is a wonderful teacher. If he's running a workshop in something that interests you then I would recommend it. He is dedicated to traditional processes, no digital. Teaches platinum as well as silver printing, large format etc.

[Brian K]

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.

Frank's suggestion is a good one. I've taught one on one and it is the most intense and obviously the most personally focused. What is required from you is that you articulate what you want out of the class from your instructor. What areas that you seek to work on. You also want to make certain that in the case of a darkroom class that the facilities are good and that the instructor is capable of communicating not just how to do something but why as well.

[Frank Petronio]

Ha when I was young I assisted some good (and bad) commercial photographers and they paid me, it was better than any workshop ;-p

[sully75]

"avoiding the one numbnutz " Ok I though I was the one and only numbnutz around here, who is the imposer you speak of Frank?

A agree re: workshops. A 1 numbnut workshop is a rarity. It's usually 25% numbnuts and a couple of wingbats.

[Brian K]

Ha when I was young I assisted some good (and bad) commercial photographers and they paid me, it was better than any workshop ;-p

I agree, and that's how I learned, but most people don't have the opportunity or available time to do so. They want as much information as possible in the shortest amount of time and that is pretty much what a workshop can do.

[polyglot]

Gordon Undy is running a series of summer classes:
http://www.pointlight.com.au/workshops.html

I doubt you'll find better training anywhere in the world.

Thanks. Will have to ponder it next time I'm going to Sydney (1400km).