Workshop frustration.

I'm really starting to get frustrated with the lack of workshops in my area.

When I bought a large format camera a few months ago I was really happy. I'd finally gotten to the format I'd been wanting to shoot for so long. Then Rinoa started growing and I was spending more time play with (and chasing after) her than anything related to photography. Now she's a year old and more willing to let me go out the door occasionally, which means I'm no longer as confined to the house. I decided to try and find some workshops that would cater to what I'm interested in. I should have known better than to think I'd find something suitable in my immediate area.

The closest thing I've found so far is a darkroom workshop at The Octagon Center for the Arts in Ames. I'm very interested and I may sign up, but they don't really tell much about it. Other than the vague developing and printing that would obviously be part of a darkroom workshop, that is.

What I'm really looking for is a workshop that focuses on large format. Portraiture and still life, mostly, with both natural and artificial lighting. I wouldn't mind going a ways if the workshop was good and it was on a weekend so that Adam could be home with Rinoa while I was gone.

I'm kind of having trouble even doing anything photography related anymore. I think I need the right nudge and I think a workshop could help. If anyone has any ideas, I'd really like to hear them.

I understand the frustration. Sounds like you have two issues - one being the lack of a workshop to provide appropriate technical information and inspiration, and the other the challenge of balancing the obligations of life against the desire to do something creative.

There are lots of workshops out there. Unfortunately, most of them today are highly digitized. There still are a few large format workshops, but its very rare to find a workshop that concentrates on the specific areas of portraiture and still life using LF.

What you might consider is a series of workshops that provide overlapping coverage. For example, last summer I did a workshop that was advertised to be on environmental portraiture. The instructor is a professional portrait photographer who uses LF in his commercial work, but he chose to organize the workshop around digital to take advantage of the technology to get rapid turnaround of student work. But he did do some demonstrations with LF, and I was able to sneak in some LF work over the weekend.

That same workshop series also offered weekend sessions on still life and LF - so combining three workshops it would have been possible to cover the specific subject you are interested in

Start by finding a good sitter...

Chris

buy a workshop on DVD. I did that last week-end watching the Fred Picker DVD from Calumet and I found it very inspirational and useful. It covers photography in the field with comments on elements of composition, the negative and printing technique. there is a thread on APUG about this DVD.

Well we could start an online workshop on apug...

I am sorry you are having trouble finding good workshops in your area. Workshops can be very motivating and that is what I sense you want/need.

I use to be an assistant at Friends of Photography workshops in the Carmel/Pebble Beach area...usually one workshop a year (and usually in the Fall). I did not do much photography in the summer as I spent my time packing mules and building trails in a wilderness area all summer. The workshops provided me a huge jump start for photographing/printing through the winter. One learned some technical stuff at the workshops, but what they did for me was get me around other photographers who were producing incredible work. Faculty like Ruth Bernard, Morely Baer, John Sexton, Kate and Geir Jordahl, Linda Conner, et al..and also other assistants like Elaine Ling, Stu Levy, Dan Burkholder, and Christopher Burkett. One could not but be energized from being around such people.

Such quality workshops are hard to find anywhere, let alone in Iowa. My suggestion is to take the initative and create something that will serve the same purpose. Try to connect with other photographers in your general area (also post on http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/ ) and see if you can gather some photographers together to meet and run a mini-workshop. Find and rent a hall, get some lights and backdrops, and have an all-day get-together. Show prints, do some portrait set-ups, etc. Try to find one or two experienced photographers would would be willing to give a short presentation (30 minutes or so) on a particular topic of interest (table top photography, etc).

The Northwest Photo group did just that with an emphsis on alternative photography up in Oregon.

I know how frustrating trying do do one's photography and have a family at the same time. I am a stay-at-home dad to triplets. When the boys were just babes, I took SX-70 images, when they got a little older I used my Rolleiflex, then by the time they could run around in the woods without me keeping an eye on them all the time, I could do my 8x10 work -- with them as my models occasionally. But now we are in another phase -- sports...which eat up a lot of photography time! In another year I will have three teenagers in the house...always more challenges.

I always tried to juggle and never had much luck. Then one day, after changing three sets of diapers, bottle-feeding three babies at one time, and all that other fun baby stuff, I picked up three small balls, tossed them in the air and started juggling...surprised the hell out of me. So now it is just a matter of keeping everything moving...and if a ball, or a chance to photograph, falls...no big deal, I just pick it up and get it up in the air again.

Good luck!

Vaughn

One of the best workshops as a book is Bruce Barlow's "Finely Focused" book on CD. it comes with detailed instructions on lots of photo tasks and lots of exercises that are applicable for everyone from the LF beginner to photographers with 20+ years of experience. Check it out at www.circleofthesunproductions.com
The CD is about $25 including postage.

Are there any groups, gatherings, clubs or such organizations near where you live? When I lived in Northern Calif, I joined Friends of Photography, (When it was in Carmel), then the Monterey Photographers group and then Penisula Area Photographers Association (PAPA). When I moved to Portland Oregon, I did some research at the local photo retailer and found out about Portland Photographers Forum (PPF). All the groups above had many folks who were willing to share or teach photography or techniques.
Today. PPF does low cost workshops for its fundrasing efforts and free workshops for its members. We also go out sometimes as a group to photograph somewhere. This year was a trip to a vineyard.
If you don't have any organize groups then how eagar are you to learn? PPF has a sister group in Southern Oregon called Sothern Oregon Photographers Forum and that was organized by two folks who really wanted to share information, techniques, print critiques and have good fun. They put the word out via photo retailers, craigslist and local art galleries. They started with 8 people and now are building to 18. Both PPF and SOPF are open to all kinds of photography so you'll get some digital users but thats ok in my book because its the act of gathering and sharing photography that counts.

jgjbowen said:

One of the best workshops as a book is Bruce Barlow's "Finely Focused" book on CD. it comes with detailed instructions on lots of photo tasks and lots of exercises that are applicable for everyone from the LF beginner to photographers with 20+ years of experience. Check it out at www.circleofthesunproductions.com
The CD is about $25 including postage.

Click to expand...

I would agree with you on this John. Bruce's book on CD is very much like a workshop, plus he is really great about sharing his knowledge. Not quite like the 'in person' workshop experience, but much better than nothing and well worth the $25.

As those of us who have attended a Fine Focus workshop can attest, the genesis of Bruce's book was the extensive handout he prepared for his workshops.

Stephanie I would loan you the Picker VHS tapes if you'd like.

Mike