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Sequencing and Editing with Ernesto Bazan

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:30:00 -0700

Having a cohesive portfolio is crucial to any serious photographer who hopes to be considered for publication or exhibition. Building a strong portfolio can be tricky, so the Photographic Resource Center at Boston University has put together a workshop with internationally acclaimed photographer Ernesto Bazan to give photographers an opportunity to refine and improve their portfolio.

Ernesto Bazan will run a 2-day workshop where he will look at each student’s best images and any in-process projects. Students will get help in developing a portfolio of images that define them as a photographer. Ernesto will also show examples of successful and unsuccessful editing, and discuss how to distill each photographer’s vision into the strongest portfolio possible. The class is for intermediate to advanced photographers with portfolios already in progress.

The class will be Saturday, June 22- Sunday, June 23 10:00-5:00 pm.

Learn more here.

Ernesto Bazan, Boys Diving, Havana, 1995.

Artist Spotlight: Michael Seamans

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 06:24:46 -0700

Michael Seamans is a man who lives and breathes photography. Coming from a place where photography or even the arts were barely on people's minds, Michael pursued his passion and turned himself into a successful photographer whose work ranges from covering Super Bowls to a personal project photographing dancers. PNB's Dave Braldey had the chance to interview Micahel and share a glimpse into his world and his love for photography.

Tell us about yourself...

I think writing or talking about yourself is one of the hardest things to do. It is much easier to talk about a particular photo or relate a relevant experience to another’s then to say this is who I am and where I came from. I mean I can tell you the basics; I grew up in a small town in semi-rural central NY, the rust belt that is the New York State Thruway corridor. If you have ever read the book “Mohawk” by Richard Russo then you know the type of place, just add a few more dairy farms. Not really a place where being a photographer or taking photos was highly thought of or even on people’s minds. I don’t really recall any connections to the arts at all. It was a place of factory work, construction or farming and not much beyond that. My mother tells the story of their friends asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up? A fireman, a policeman or what? A typical question, but my response produced baffled looks when I said a baseball. You mean a baseball player, no a baseball! Who wants to be a player, that’s no fun. If you are the ball imagine what it must be like flying through the air, and imagine all that you can see from up there. I see being a photographer as me being the baseball. I get to experience all that I want to see, do, live and experience in the world and life without having to commit to being just the player. What can be better than that?

If you want a list of specifics; I got my first camera, presumed to be broken, from a box in a yard sale when I was 7. I convinced my mother that it wasn’t broken and she bought me a roll of BW 126 film for my “new” Hawkeye Instamatic. I proceeded to take photos of my relatives at the next family reunion. I’ve always been partial to the square format and wondered if it came from using this camera. I took a photography class in high school and fell in love with printing and my mother bought me an enlarger and the bathroom darkroom days were born. Heading off to college I, of course, signed up for the expected, engineering, which I hated and promptly dropped and switched to photography. Two years of photography at community college I then transferred to Rochester Institute of Technology, majored in photography and the rest is history…

What can you tell us about your photography?
That is a huge question! If you count me as starting when I was 7 than I have been taking pictures for 36 years. Starting out I was very shy and tended to photograph landscapes and nature images, still life and food photography. After graduation my first photography job was of course at a small daily newspaper, perfect for a very shy person. Fortunately I had the camera between me and the people I photographed, the camera became the tool that helped me overcome that shyness and ignited my curiosity. Through a lot of twists and turns I would say now that I am happiest photographing interesting creative people. I love talking to people, asking question, learning about them and finally photographing them, often in a way that surprises them. I can’t tell you how many people have said, after seeing the photos that this is the first time they have seen themselves in a new or interesting way. I don’t know what that says? I just try to photograph what I see and feel in people after spending, usually to brief of time with them. I think over time my work has changed a lot and I hope it continues to change. I think my body of work so far is large and diverse and if anyone ever wants to talk about a specific aspect I would be happy to have that conversation. I worked as a staff photographer for the Boston Herald from1996 to 2005, covering all aspects of news photography from the crash of Swiss Air Flight 111 in 1998, the events surrounding September 11 and two Democratic presidential conventions.

I have covered sports at all levels including the NFL, MLB, NHL and the NBA. I have covered two NFL Super Bowls, MLB spring training, the play-offs and games of all Boston's professional sports teams. In 2002, I took a month long leave from the Boston Herald to join 10 other photographers to cover the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. We were the official photographers for the commemorative book of the 2002 Winter Games, The Fire Within. This venture led to gallery shows in NYC, Boston and Salt Lake City. Images from the Olympics were also selected for the VISA campaign for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

What are you currently working on?
A lot of what I have been doing recently is work for academic publications, both promotional and editorial. This involves a lot of environmental portraiture both journalistic and stylized, a journalistic take on covering the campuses, classes, etc…

The main thing that I have been doing for my personal works involves working with and photographing dancers. Surprisingly I fell in love with photographing dance while working that the Boston Herald. Working on the sports beat my schedule also coincided with the Boston Ballet’s performance schedule so I was assigned to cover dress rehearsals, of course only when there were no “sports” to cover. It didn’t take long to realize that these dancers were world-class athletes, artist and story-tellers, in a realm all their own. The hard work, dedication, and drive they have rival any professional or Olympic Athlete. I have to say that I was captivated by their grace, artistry and athleticism. Professional dancers are far more approachable and open to working together than professional athletes. I would say that I have just scratched the surface, hopefully, with my work with dancers. I would love to work towards having a large-scale show with my dancer photography at some point.

As for my other work, I always have 100 ideas floating around in my head, I just wish there were a 100 hours in the day. I just worked on one of my first video projects and hope to do more of that as well… There is no lack of work to do, only time to do it in…

Where do you draw inspiration from?
I would say that I sometimes feel like a sponge. I get inspiration from everywhere music, news, weather, sounds, light, running, art, photography you just have to be open to it. I don’t discount anything that may inspire me. I think the biggest inspiration I get is from talking to people. I have what I call a free association mind. I get so many ideas from just talking, it’s hard not to interrupt conversations and say hold on I have to write this down. I also get a lot of ideas for ideas I think would be great for other people to work on, not just myself. I do look at and see a ton of images daily that always spurs ideas. For instance there were some amazing 4x5 mug shot images from Australia in the 1930’s that look like they could be out of Vogue, just stunning. So I usually try to have my 4x5 handy whenever I can. I just love the look of BW 4x5’s…

What do you hope people take away from your work?
I can honestly say this is something I never consider. I don’t consider it when I photograph or edit. I try to make pictures that I want to make, in the moment. I don’t really have control over what people take away from them. My only hope is that they see my images as authentic. I guess that is all I can hope. Everyone brings their own preconceptions to the table. For me, if I keep this front and center in my mind, while shooting it would be stifling. I just want to make the best image of the moment I can…

What’s your advice when it comes to pursuing a career in photography?
I would give this advice to anyone. I don’t see photography as a career, it is a life, it is who you are, not what you are. If you are not 110% committed, if it is not the first thing you think about when you wake up or the last thing you think about when you go to sleep then it is probably not for you. It has to be your driving passion. It is not easy, you are usually not monetarily rewarded but it is and should be one of the most rewarding things you do. It doesn’t matter what camera you use, what software you own, it is about what you see, how you see, what you create and what you say.

What would be your dream shoot?
I wouldn’t say that I have a specific dream shoot, there are way to many to make a list. I’ve already covered the two super-bowls, presidents, historical events and the Olympics. I think my dream would be like any artist, to be able to make photos without having to worry about making money. To be able to make photos that I love and to photograph what I want to photograph. I think in the world that we live in today it is much harder to gain the trust of people and organizations to get the incredible access that many photographers had in the earlier days of photography. Can you imagine touring and photographing the equivalent of the Rolling Stones today or being 4 feet away from home plate with a 4x5 camera. Everything is so controlled, contrived or managed it becomes harder to make the authentic or an iconic image of today.

What is the first photo that caught your eye or that you remember taking?
I don’t know what the first photo that caught my eye was, my guess would be a photo from Pearl Harbor, since I was very much into history when I was younger. I have also seen soooo many photographs now it is hard to say when I saw it. I think a photo that has always stuck with me was: Tank Man, or the Unknown Protester, is the nickname of an anonymous man who stood in front of a column of Chinese Type 59 tanks the morning after the Chinese military forcibly removed protesters from in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989. There is just something so powerful about one man standing up to the overwhelming power of the “State.”

To see more of Michael's work visit his website at www.michaelseamans.com.

Griffin Museum Photo Summer Camp

Fri, 31 May 2013 08:02:34 -0700

Attention parents of children in grades 1-9: Is your child showing interest in photography? Does your child show promise of being the next Ansel Adams? And now the real question: Are you looking for a way to make sure your kid isn’t home 24/7 now that school is ending for the summer? The Griffin Museum might be able to help you out!

The Griffin Museum’s Photo Sumer Camp 2013 offers summer workshops for kids in grades 1-9. Your child will have a fun and collaborative learning experience using photography and other visual arts media. Each class is structured to build visual literacy skills as well as develop critical thinking skills through artmaking. They do not need to have photography experience and classes do not require a camera (although students are strongly encouraged to bring cameras to use in their projects). Classes are lead by arts educator Catherine Nasser.

Learn more about the different workshops and how to sign up here.

New England Portfolio Reviews

Thu, 30 May 2013 07:43:26 -0700

Looking to get some feedback from professionals in the photography business? On June 7^th and 8^th you have that opportunity with the New England Portfolio Reviews.

PNB is proud to be a Silver Sponsor of this year’s New England Portfolio Reviews. This review is a great chance for emerging and experienced photographers to connect with professionals in the world of New England photography who are here to advise you on a path to reaching new audiences. Meet with curators, teachers, gallerists, and other image professionals. Portfolio reviews are a great way to get honest, constructive critisism on your work that you might not be able to get normally. You will get opinions and insight from those who are experienced in the world of photography and know what to look for and expect.

Online registration is now closed but there are review slots available Friday and Saturday that will be available on a first come first served basis on the day of the reviews.

The public is invited to join the festivities on Saturday, June 8, 5:00 – 6:30 pm, for a Portfolio Walk following the afternoon session of the Reviews. View the work of more than 50 photographers, meet the reviewers, and mingle with the staff of the PRC and the Griffin Museum of Photography! Free admission with light refreshments and cash bar will be provided.

For more information, click here.

SocialDocumentary.net

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:00 -0700

SocialDocumentary.net is a website founded by Glenn Ruga focusing on documenting the human condition all over the world. The website features hundreds of online exhibits from different photographers who all wish to communicate thoughts and stories about the world we live in using the power of photography. Glenn shared with us some insights behind SocialDocumentary as well as some examples of the kind of photography featured on the site.

Where did the idea for SocialDocumentary come from?
The idea came from a few different motivating factors:

1) I created 3 websites for documentary projects of my own. Each was hand-coded and created from scratch, and was very labor intensive. I thought there must be many photographers who did not have the web-design skills that I had yet had great work that they would want to turn into a website. SDN provided web-based tools to very easily create an online presence.

2) For many years I was a graphic designer doing various projects for nonprofit and human rights-based organizations. I would often need to look for documentary photos for design projects, but there was not one source on the internet to find this work. SDN would be that place.

Photographer: Tariq Tarey

Exhibit Title: Dadaab, the Somali Struggle to Flee Violence Location: US

Caption: Kenya

How many submissions to the site do you get in an average week?

It depends on many factors. If we have no particular initiative going one, we may get 2-4 exhibits per week. If we have a Call for Entries in progress, we can get up to 100 in the final week before deadline.

Photographer: Rui Pires

Title: Rural Moments

Location: Portugal

Caption: Maria is the last shepherd that takes the goats to the mountains every day.

Does most work get accepted?
Yes. It is a largely unknown fact that greater than 90% of all work gets accepted.

Photographer: Leslie Alsheimer

Title: A Moment in the Glass: The Secret Life of Uganda's Daughters

Location: Uganda

Caption: "Light in the Heart of Darkness” Orphan Ugandan children in safe camps play with balls that are hand made from clothing scraps and string.

Is there ever work that is too graphic or does it not matter?
Rarely, but it does happen. If the work is either just too gruesome, or gratuitously gruesome, we will not accept it. There was an exhibit focusing on the war in Uganda that was just too graphic and in the end the photographer didn’t want it to go live either.

Photographer: Jorge Sarmento

Exhibit Title: Making bread in a centenary oven

Location: Portugal

Caption: Each bread is done gently...

What made you want to focus on the human condition in photography work?
By definition, that is what documentary is, and that is what I was most interested in for this project.

Photographer: B. Proud

Exhibit Title: First Comes Love

Location: United States

Caption: Juan and Michael, together 16 years. Photographed in their home in Washington, DC

Do you have a favorite project that you've worked on?
It would be hard to pinpoint my favorite exhibit out of more than 1500 submitted to the site. But neither would I refer to exhibits submitted to the site as projects that I work on. Aside from the website itself, we have done four Call for Entries —3 resulting in exhibits at powerHouse Arena in Brooklyn, NY. The third one was part of the New York Photo Festival in 2012, of which I was also a curator. Of all the projects associate with SDN that I have worked on, this was clearly the most involved, exciting, and interesting. See: http://nyph.at/ruga/

Photographer: Alfredo Caliz

Exhibit Title: Women issues and health in Malawi. Action Aid Spain

Location: Malawi

Caption: Patriak Rita, 12 years. Read Lipongwe School. Through a scholarship program is persuaded to continue his studies after his parents died.

PNB Hosts Artists for Humanity Workshop

Thu, 09 May 2013 07:41:17 -0700

We are excited to give you an update on a recent event that had the PNB team joining forces with photographer Jared Leeds and our Founding Partner, Artists for Humanity. Our team decided to host a workshop for the youth participants of the Youth Arts Enterprise Program at the Epicenter. Check out our previous blog post about Jared Leeds here.

Youth artists had the opportunity to meet with Jared, see his diverse portfolio of work and learn about how he broke into photography. Some of the work showcased during the presentation included shots from Jared’s Street Kids project in Brazil and his Mass Ave. and ongoing Haley House projects here in Boston. The youth participants were eager to ask questions about Jared’s experiences travelling and evolving as a freelance photographer over the years, and they wanted to get advice on how they could develop as portrait photographers.

Following the presentation and a question and answer segment, the youth participants took up their cameras to practice the tips they learned during Jared’s inspirational talk. Volunteers Kaitlin Maud, an up-and-coming yoga instructor, Bill Jacobs, a local musician and guitarist, and youth artists at work in the Painting Studio were the perfect models for the active portion of the workshop. Attendees used their time to learn how to interact with their subjects and to bring out the best in them for their photos. Jared sat down with these young photographers after the shoot to critique their work as a group. The diverse personalities and interests of these artists certainly leant themselves to the quality and stunning creativity of their work. Check out our video recap of the event made by Long Haul Films!

&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://vimeo.com/63114718" mce_href="http://vimeo.com/63114718"&amp;amp;gt;There are stories everywhere: Photo Nights Boston and Artists for Humanity&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt; from &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://vimeo.com/longhaulfilms" mce_href="http://vimeo.com/longhaulfilms"&amp;amp;gt;Long Haul Films&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt; on &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://vimeo.com" mce_href="http://vimeo.com"&amp;amp;gt;Vimeo&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;A huge thanks to Jared Leeds, Artists for Humanity, the AFH artists, our model volunteers and staff who helped coordinate and document this event - it was a huge success! We’re looking forward to future collaborations and hopefully showcasing more inspirational photos from the youth artists of the Youth Arts Enterprise Program during our festival later this year.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;For more information about Artists for Humanity, Jared Leeds Photography or our model volunteers, see the links below.&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Artists for Humanity- &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://afhboston.org/index.php" mce_href="http://afhboston.org/index.php" target="_blank"&amp;amp;gt;afhboston.org&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Jared Leeds Photography- &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.jaredleeds.com/" mce_href="http://www.jaredleeds.com/"&amp;amp;gt;jaredleeds.com&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Kaitlin Maud- &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://kaitlinmaud.com" mce_href="http://kaitlinmaud.com" target="_blank"&amp;amp;gt;kaitlinmaud.com&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;

Photo by Peggy Lei

Photo by Dom Duong

A huge thanks to Jared Leeds, Artists for Humanity, the youth artists, our model volunteers and staff who helped coordinate and document this event - it was a huge success! We’re looking forward to future collaborations and showcasing some inspirational photos from the youth artists of the Youth Arts Enterprise Program during our festival later this year.

For more information about Artists for Humanity, Jared Leeds Photography, Long Haul Films or our model volunteers, please refer to the links below.

Artists for Humanity

Jared Leeds Photography

Kaitlin Maud

Long Haul Films

An Interview with Hank Hauptmann

Mon, 06 May 2013 08:02:38 -0700

We first met Hank Hauptmann when he attended the Photo Nights Boston and Robert Klein Gallery Bruce Davidson show opening earlier this year. Over a glass of wine we had a chance to hear about Hank's work and how as a street photographer he is able to capture lively compositions of his surroundings. Check out our interview to learn more about his background and imagery-- we're pleased his photography career didn't end with high school so that we can show you his work today.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into photography.

I grew up in beautiful Leominster, Massachusetts and have been living in this city for the past 15 years. As a kid, I started taking pictures with my father's Polaroid. Then in high school I used his old 35mm Canon FT for a high school photography class. After high school and the lack of access to a darkroom, I stopped shooting. It wasn't until about 10 years ago that I acquired a digital camera and started to pursue photography seriously. I did a few workshops over the years, and have gotten a lot of advice from my friend, Stella Johnson, whose mentoring really helped me understand what it is that makes a good photograph.

What type of work do you like to do?
To pay the bills, I work at a bar in Somerville near my home. The people I work with are all cool and the schedule is nice because it frees up my day, which has allowed me to start going to school this year. I'm hoping to one day teach photography, particularly to kids.

Why is street photography meaningful to you?
The term isn't one that I'm particularly fond of. I was trying to make these kinds of pictures before I'd ever heard the words "street photography." My problem with it is that once something is categorized, people start imposing rules and regulations to satisfy their own perceptions. That’s why so much of the work out there looks the same. I also think it’s why so many great photographers are overlooked. I know the term is unavoidable and that it’s how others are going to describe what I do, but that doesn’t mean that I have to cozy up to it. I’m not trying to take street photographs. I'm just trying to make pictures of the world that's around me. Living in the city, the world outside of my apartment consists of people and it's with people that you can get a photo that hasn't been seen before.

If you can share, take us through how you have gotten some of your most favorite images?
It's all persistence. The more you go out, the more of a chance you have of being in the right place at the right moment in time and seeing something worth shooting. Sometimes I'll wait at a spot for something to happen, or the right light to fall, but the best pictures are almost always a surprise. My favorites are the bizarre ones because those are the pictures that mentally, I could have never conceived beforehand. Those are the pictures that really exemplify the weirdness of the everyday world.

Have you ever gotten caught or into an awkward situation out on the street?
Sure, but nothing really bad has ever happened to me. I’m usually very discreet, but confrontations happen. I once had a guy yell for the cops to come over, but surprisingly they defended my right to photograph in public. I know a couple guys downtown who have actually been assaulted, but I'm kind of a big guy who likes to scowl a lot. I like to think that most folks would think twice before throwing a punch at me.

What do you think Boston needs in the photo community or are we doing well?
It's funny because a couple of weeks ago I was at the Harry Ransom Center at UT Austin checking out this Arnold Newman exhibition, and I ended up talking to some folks about the three venues over here that were showing Bruce Davidson's work. They couldn't believe it. It made me realize how good we’ve got it. Between all the galleries, art/photography schools, and places like the PRC, the Griffin, and the MFA, I think Boston's photo community is doing pretty damn good. Anyone who doesn't think so isn't going out to see it.

Visit Hank's website here.

Artist Spotlight: Joel Benjamin

Thu, 02 May 2013 07:42:50 -0700

You may have seen Joel Benjamin's work around town as one of Boston's most sought after and prolific fashion photographers. The PNB team recently had the opportunity to interview Joel and learn how he got his start in photography. He's someone who was able to turned his passion for the art into his profession.

Tell us about yourself, your photography and what you're currently working on.
I’ve been a photographer for almost 20 years. Before becoming a photographer, I was a creative director for Jordan Marsh, a department store which has become Macy’s, and then I worked at Hill Holiday. During those years I worked on a lot of fashion campaigns. I always photographed for myself during this time, as a hobby. Finally, there came a time when I knew I wanted to be a photographer full-time, so I decided to take a lot of night classes at NESOP, AIB and the Museum School. When a friend had a studio space that opened up in Fort Point, I quit my job and have been working as photographer ever since. It was the best decision I ever made in my life. Now I shoot a lot of portraits, fashion, editorial and still photography. I think I bring a lot of my art direction background into my work.

Where do you draw inspiration?
I get inspired from a lot of things including art, vintage pop culture, and fashion. Even with the simplest of jobs, I try and have some subtle reference to something larger or historical. I try to take that seed of an idea or reference and move it to someplace new by putting my own spin on things. Especially with fashion imagery, it can give a picture more depth; it’s an additional level to what you see. Even with the most straightforward assignment it helps to create a deeper connection.

What do you hope people take away from your work?
Besides shooting editorially and commercially, I always have some artistic project going on in the background. With my artistic work there are opportunities for deeper explorations, but also for experimentation. Tolerance, beauty ideals, vulnerability, … There are many things to ponder in my current work.

What's your advice when it comes to pursuing a career in photography?
It’s easy to be self taught these days but I always advise people go to school, to take classes and workshops. Photographers need to be critiqued and challenged. It really helps to be critiqued without mercy.

I took a class with John Goodman at the Maine Photo Workshops and he was merciless in his reviews and every single student came out of his workshop as a better photographer. It’s hard to critique yourself or be critiqued by friends. But in a school setting you are challenged. John’s class was one of the best classes I’ve ever taken and it opened a lot of creative windows for me. It taught me not to be afraid - I was afraid of not making a perfect image. I learned that maybe perfection isn’t the goal; a great photo. I took that class 10 years ago but not a month goes by that I don’t think about it.

What would be your dream shoot?
I often have my dream shoot. When the pieces and players create something bigger that what we originally set out to do. That experience always gives me energy. If a crew, location, and subject are all connecting, the shoot somehow gets elevated. I leave the shoot thrilled and editing the shoot is a joy.

What’s the first photo that caught your eye or that you remember taking?
My father opened a small clothing store in Miami when I was in college. I photographed “portraits” of each of the mannequins in his store. The shots had a cool, graphic element to them and the mannequins looked quite real. I took them with my first camera, a Konica 35mm. It was one of my first self-assigned photography projects and it was a point in my life that crystalized my love for photography. The store is long gone but my father still has the photos. And it was a powerful bonding moment between us.

Be sure to check out The Bear Sessions: Portraiture, running from May 10 to June 21 at the Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston. Tickets to the opening reception on May 17th, from 6 pm to 8 pm, are $20 to benefit the BCAE and can be purchased at bcae.org.

Check out Joel's website here and his blog here.

RetouchUp Your Photos!

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:42:04 -0700

Being a photographer takes a wide variety of skills from being tech savy to getting the perfect pose. And as we know, sometimes the time you spend retouching your photos can be time intensive. Looking for a great way to make your photos perfect without spending hours slaving away at a computer? That’s one reason for RetouchUp.com: to give you back your time.

RetouchUp.com was created by the team at Hollywood FotoFix Inc. to give photographers a high quality retouching solution for a low cost. No matter what kind of photographer you are, hobbist or full-time professional, RetouchUp.com is a great tool for you. Retouchup works with different photographers differently and values each type of relationship, whether it’s a one-time use or regular thing. They can do anything from removing blemishes and stray hair to moving/removing people. For $5 and 24 hours, they can even handle glass glare. The best way to see how they might fit into your toolbox is to give them a try!

As a sponsor of Kickstart Your Wedding season, RetouchUp.com and is offering $30 off any of their services-- retouching, clipping paths, color correction. Good for new and existing clients, head over to Retouchup.com and enter BOSTON30. The code will be valid for 4 years so use it now, in the heat of your wedding season or down the line. Check out the website to learn more about their great services

Ben Schaefer on Kickstart Your Wedding Season

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0700

Workflow, tweaking images and spending hours at your computer is something that every wedding photographer knows about...all too well. Photographer Ben Schaefer of Avenna Studios will be focusing on making that workflow more efficent at the PNB Kickstart Your Wedding Season event this Wednedsay, April 24th. Keep reading to find out more about Ben.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:

Fun facts about me-

Alaska is where I was raised, and I have always wished that I could grow a bushy Alaskan beard like my dad. I am a self-proclaimed nerd, an infuriatingly zen-like optimist (according to my fiancé), and a playful explorer always on the hunt for an adventure.

My undergrad studies were in Economics, largely due to my love of drawing multi-colored graphs. After college, photography found me, and I started Avenna Studios with my brother.

My work is often described as playful, creative, and unusual.

What will you be talking about at "Kickstart your wedding season" on April 24th:
Exact title: Faster, Better, Stronger Workflow

What can attendees expect to learn from your talk?
Developing a strong, clean workflow that fits your business and goals. Learn and create habits and shortcuts that allow you to shoot more and spend less time in front of the computer.

Why do you believe in the mission of Photo Nights Boston and the value of public art?
Boston is old school and has little to no public art! Time for change, and Photo Nights Boston is leading the way. So much of the photo industry is learning, sharing, and growing with your fellow artists that it is imperative to help each other out, support great causes and lift the community up.

Website: www.avennastudios.com/blogroll
http://www.thewardenofcolor.com/
Blog: www.thekoolaidwino.com
Twitter: @thekoolaidwino
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/schaefbe
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thekoolaidwino/
tumblr: http://www.thekoolaidwino.tumblr.com

KSYWS: Channing Johnson

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:33:08 -0700

The wait is almost over! Channing Johnson will be speaking TODAY at Kickstart Your Wedding Season. Come hear Channing discuss his experience with wedding photography and capturing authentic moments.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (who you are, how long you've had your business, the kind of pictures you take, random fun facts - anything you like):
Channing graduated with a degree in photojournalism from the University of Missouri Journalism School. He shot daily at two small newspapers for four years before he moved to Boston and started his freelance career. After realizing he wasn't going to make a living as an editorial photographer, Channing sold out and began building his wedding photography business in 2008. Channing doesn't like to talk to strangers (when he's working) or be the center of attention (when he's working), and he quickly learned that wedding photography allowed him to be that proverbial fly on the wall, unlike the portrait-heavy editorial market (Seriously, that's not just sour grapes). Wedding photography has been a perfect fit for Channing, and it makes up the majority of his business, although he still occasionally works with editorial clients that have included TIME Magazine, U.S. News and World Report and The Wall Street Journal. He has also applied his documentary approach for commercial clients like Boston College, Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School. Channing loves photographing mundane things in an interesting way. This is the basis of his work no matter what context he is shooting in.

What will you be talking about at "Kickstart your wedding season" on April 24th:
I'll be talking about finding and capturing authentic moments at weddings.

What can attendees expect to learn from your talk? Feel free to include a teaser tip if you have one:
1. Gaining trust 2. Getting close 3. Composing and waiting 4. Shoot through the moment 5. Editing purposefully.

Why do you believe in the mission of Photo Nights Boston and/or the value of public art?
Photography for photographers is great, but if relevant photography is not getting its maximum audience then its significance is diminished. In a time when more pictures are taken daily than in any other time in history, elevating out collective visual literacy is important.

List any/all sites you would like the PNB blog to link to? We can link to both websites and blogs and or mention twitter accounts or any other social media :)
Website
Blog
Facebook page

Ned Jackson on Kickstart Your Wedding Season

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:30:00 -0700

Ned Jackson will be coming to you live at our Kickstart Your Wedding Season and we can't wait to hear more about Ned's methods on working with clients. Be sure to buy your ticket and we'll see you next Wednesday.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm a proud father and husband. I'm one of five boys (the youngest of the Jackson 5). I'm an avid runner and love most outdoor activities. I coach high school sports and come from a family of artists (two brothers and a mother). I've been shooting weddings for nearly ten years and try to push myself with every wedding!

What will you be talking about at "Kickstart your wedding season" on April 24th?
My talk is focused on how to improve your wedding portraiture by making clients feel comfortable and relaxed.

What can attendees expect to learn from your talk?
Hopefully a bit about my thought process going into the portraits. The biggest emphasis I'll make during my talk is the idea of trust and how to build it.

Website: www.nedjackson.com
Blog: www.nedjackson.net
Twitter: @nedjackson
Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/nedjacksonphotography

Beautifully Simple Press Products by Pinhole Pro

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:45:24 -0700

Tis the season for wedding photographers! Our Kickstart Your Wedding Season Event is approaching quickly and there you’ll get a chance to mingle with fellow photographers and get lots of photo tips from your local pros. We want to draw your attention to one of our fantastic sponsors for the event, Pinhole Pro. If you want to branch out and wow your clients, you can use your own imagery to create calendars, notepads and even wine labels! The Pro Studio software makes it super easy with its drag-and-drop platform. All beautifully simple press products have a modern design.

You might want to jump on this: now through May 25^th, there is a special PNB promo code which is good for 10% off all Pinhole products! To activate this code, visit the Pinhole Pro website and download the Free Pro Studio software. After, you can enter the promo code, PNB10, at checkout. The code can be used as many times as desired before May 25^th.

Pinhole Pro Wine Labels, Photograph by Ned Jackson

Pinhole Pro was acquired by liveBooks Inc., which also has a special offer as part of their sponsorship. As the leader in custom and predesign website design, liveBooks not only offers great solutions for your online needs but is also a visually stunning and compelling way to display your imagery. liveBooks was created especially for wedding photographers and their websites easy to create with drag-and-drop and include over 17 core features for improved search rankings, easy portfolio updates, and more. Everyone is eligible for a 14-day free trial, and you can use the promo code PHOTONIGHTS25 for 25% off a predesigned website for 1 year, a savings of $100! You can enter the promo code at check out. To start, visit the liveBooks website, click Start Free Trial, select one of their Professional designs, and go for it!

Pinhole Pro Note Pads, Photographs by Ned Jackson

Studio Atticus on Kickstart Your Wedding Season

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:30:00 -0700

We are so lucky to have Connie Miller, owner of Studio Atticus, speaking at our Kickstart Your Wedding Season event this upcoming Wednesday. Read below to find out more about Connie and you can purchase tickets here. Looking forward to seeing you at the event!

Please tell us a little about yourself
People frequently ask me why I chose the name Studio Atticus for my business. The truth is, the impetus for the name originated in 1990 when my father died suddenly. I was ten years old. There was no time of sickness, no terminal diagnosis, no period to prepare for the loss. He just disappeared abruptly one day, and I never saw him again. I wanted more than anything to hold on to a part of my father. I wanted to find a way to honor him with my life. Although he had been a geologist by trade, he was a photographer at heart. A great deal of his free time was spent documenting landscapes, trains, and our family with his Minolta SRT 101.

At fourteen, I found his old camera and began learning how to use it. My epiphany, however, came later. I enrolled in a photo 101 class my sophomore year of college, and I knew without a doubt that I was a photographer. It was the first time I had ever been sure of anything in my life. Destiny and Fate are daunting words. What exactly makes you who you are? How much of who you become depends on what happens to you when you are small? Many people have a career, but their job is distinctly separate from their life and persona. I have no differentiation. My work, my art, my photography, they are who I am. “Atticus" is an English name. It means, “In the likeness of the father."

What will you be talking about at "Kickstart your wedding season" on April 24th?
"Marrying" Fine Art photography and wedding work.

What can attendees expect to learn from your talk?
What it means to be an artist and how to integrate art making into wedding commissions.

Why do you believe in the mission of Photo Nights Boston and/or the value of public art? I believe that public art enhances communities and stimulates conversation, creativity, and growth. In comparison to many other cities, Boston is rather bereft of public art, and I greatly admire the efforts of PNB to bring art to the streets of Massachusetts.

Check out Connie's Website, Blog, and Twitter.

Kate McElwee on Kickstart Your Wedding Season

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:30:00 -0700

Kate McElwee will be speaking at the PNB Kickstart Your Wedding Event. Here's a little bit about Kate and a few ideas on what you can learn from her session.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Hey! I'm Kate McElwee and I'm a Boston wedding photographer. I have a photojournalistic approach to wedding photography, and a style that is fresh, modern and emotional. I like my photos to celebrate the quirky, funny, unique aspects of my clients' relationships, and I create bold and vibrant images that capture the essence of my subjects.

I'm originally from the UK, but my husband is American, and I started my business six years ago in Seattle, WA. I've been in Boston for the last three and a half years, and I live in JP with my hubby Josh, and our two awesome black labs, Porter and Lily.

When I'm not taking pictures, you'll find me sailing in the summer, or enjoying a glass or two of Malbec with friends around a cozy fire in the winter. I also love to travel, and my favorite city in the world in Tokyo.

What will you be talking about at "Kickstart Your Wedding Season" on April 24th:
My goal is to help attendees create better images when faced with crappy lighting situations, and I'll be touching on beach portraits in the blazing sun, how to deal with rain, and how to create beautiful directional light on overcast days. I believe that simply by carefully choosing our locations and learning how to see the light we can make great images without the need for a ton of additional equipment.

What can attendees expect to learn from your talk?
Attendees will walk away with practical tips that they can put into immediate practice without having to buy reflectors, expensive lighting kits, and so on. For example, learning where to position their subjects in relation to the sun to avoid harsh shadows on their faces.

Why do you believe in the mission of Photo Nights Boston?
I particularly love the educational aspect of PNB. I'm a strong believer in regularly educating myself through workshops, seminars, and even retreats with photographer friends. It's easy to become complacent after being in the business for a few years, so I take every educational experience I can to keep pushing my business, and especially my photography skills, along. Kudos to PNB for creating these local and affordable events for photographers in our community!

Website: http://katemcelweeblog.com/
Blog: http://katemcelweeblog.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateMcElwee
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KateMcElweePhotography

Lisa Rigby on Kickstart Your Wedding Season

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:30:00 -0700

As the Photo Nights Boston team gets ready for the Kickstart Your Wedding Season educational workshop, we wanted to profile the photographers who will be speaking at the event.

We are pleased to introduce Lisa Rigby, a wedding photographer based in Boston. Her easily recognizable photography style helped transition her from a career in communications to full-time wedding photographer within one year of photographing her first wedding. Rangefinder Magazine recently named Lisa as one of the “30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography.” She holds a BFA in Printmaking & MA in Professional Writing from UMass Dartmouth.

What will you be talking about at "Kickstart your wedding season" on April 24th:
I’ll be talking about defining your style.

What can attendees expect to learn from your talk? Feel free to include a teaser tip if you have one:

Attendees will learn ways to recognize and develop their own unique voice through photography. We’ll discuss how defining the style in which you photograph and curate work can help grow your business, more deeply connect with clients, and improve the personal satisfaction you gain from photography.

Why do you believe in the mission of Photo Nights Boston and/or the value of public art?
Boston needs better public art. Enough said.

Website & Blog: www.lisarigbyphotography.com
Twitter: twitter.com/lisarigby
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bostonweddingphotography

Camera Eye Workshops- An Interview with Founder Dana Mueller

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:18:00 -0700

We've been hearing about Camera Eye Workshops so the PNB team was curious to hear more. Our intern, Rachel, recently had a chance to inteview Dana Mueller, the founder and director, of Camera Eye Workshops about the mission and what one can expect from taking a class. Dana also shares her thoughts on the local art scene and some information about her own photography projects.

Tell us about Camera Eye Workshops. How did it get started? What made you want to start this in Boston? Who’s it for?
In 2009 I was looking for studio space and started to think about ways in which I could utilize a space that could provide both workshops, exhibitions and art related events outside of the academic setting. I have been an adjunct professor at various colleges, including the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, MassArt and Northeastern and over the years I realized that there is a vibrant community of photographers beyond the academic setting. Many very talented and energetic photographers have made a living in Boston, including photography grads who went on to have successful professional careers in the area. I was thinking of creating a venue to bring those talents together and create a learning environment for those who want to know more about any aspects of photography at all levels – and to engage with the passion and expertise of those who teach the workshops.

The structure of Camera Eye is that it is for everyone, i.e. individuals who want to explore photography as amateur, or for professionals looking for guidance in specific areas. Everyone who signs up is passionate and committed and many have very interesting backgrounds and professions on their own. It has been incredibly rewarding to work with CEW students over the years and I hope to have an exhibition of their work in the near future.

What can a student expect?
It depends on what classes they’re taking. They will be introduced to photography at all levels. Students will have the opportunity to improve their visual thinking skills, understanding how to read photographs, cover technical aspects, discuss their work and that of other’s in a small seminar setting. They are encouraged to think about photography and images in different ways. They will also have the chance to go to museums, look at photographs in galleries, and learn a bit about the history of photography. The workshops provide an opportunity to receive creative instructions and have fun at the same time.

Who are some of the teachers?
Many teachers involved in the workshops are colleagues and peers I have worked with over the years. Their professional backgrounds vary and the workshops we provide are based on those interests and areas of expertise.

Angela Mittiga has been a colleague of mine at the Art Institute of Boston. Angela did a year at Harvard’s Ed school and is currently pursuing her MFA in Photography degree at Mass Art. She will join CEW again this May where she will teach Camera Eye Seminar II . Bonnie Robinson who has taught Advanced Projects at CEW and will participate again in this year’s Landscape Photography Weekend Master Class is a highly respected senior professor of photography at AIB. Her perspectives on photography are insightful, challenging and her pool of knowledge seems inexhaustible.

Younger photographers like Chris Sanchez are professionals in the field. His commercial job enabled him to travel the world to photograph various assignments. He also loves teaching and has been in touch with the Boston community to pursue that passion as well. He teaches our one-day workshops, Intro to Photoshop and Digital Cameras.

How long do the classes run?
We have one-day, or weekend workshops and regular classes/seminars. We offer seminars that are 5 weeks long and others are 8 weeks; 8 weeks is the maximum. In each seminar setting, students do their assignments outside of class then return a week later to discuss new photographs or the work they have done. Other classes such as Creative Lighting or the Landscape Weekend workshop happen on site, either in the studio or on location.

What are your thoughts on the Boston photography community? Do you think it’s growing, maturing, is there a specific aspect that could be improved?
I started out going to school for photography in Boston and have been here for almost 20 years. Coming from Europe, Boston seemed a fine place to stay, live and work. Over the years, I worked and connected with many photographers and have found it to be highly rewarding. In fact, it is very inspiring to be able to work and connect with people who are actively pursuing their personal professional work, exhibiting, lecturing, teaching. Most think of NYC or other places to pursue their careers in photography, which I completely understand, but it’s not always necessary. There is work do be done here.

I would like to see more venues happening like photography festivals, such as Flash Forward, or what you are doing at Photo Nights Boston. It is important to foster community engagement. It energizes a neighborhood, I can speak for that especially here in Somerville where we have hundreds of artists working and living. Such venues and organizations also help the local economy, local businesses, and I think it makes an area a more pleasant place to live. That’s something I’ve been thinking about lately: collaborate with local communities and organizations to bring photography to a larger audience.

Do you have any personal photography projects coming up?
I’m originally from Germany. For my recent work I’ve been going back and photographing where I grew up, which was on the boarder of East and West Germany (between Thuringia and Bavaria). It was essentially a no-man’s land zone. I’ve been photographing landscapes as well as portraits of people who now live there and interact with the landscape.

Anything else you’d like to mention?
Somerville Local First is a great organization and very supportive of small organizations starting out in Somerville. They helped get out the word about CEW. Also, Somerville Open Studios are coming up - May 4^th and 5^th and involves the whole town of Somerville with hundreds of artists opening their studios. The event is always very exciting. So come out and see us – both CEW and the photographers who are involved.

Learn more about Camera Eye Workshops here on their website.

Photography Atelier 17 at the Griffin Museum

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:23:41 -0700

Hurry over! March 30^th is your last chance to see Photography Atelier 17 on display at the Griffin Museum.

Photography Atelier 17 is an exhibit of student and faculty artwork from the Griffin Museum of Photography’s intermediate and advanced photography classes. Photography Atelier is in it’s 17^th year running and caters to emerging to advanced photographers as a unique portfolio-making course. The class provides guidance and help in creating work as well as giving artist preparation for marketing, exhibiting, and presenting their work to professionals. Everyone who takes the course presents a final project in the form of a print portfolio, a photographic book or album, a slide show, or a mixed media presentation.

The reception for the exhibition is March 28^th from 6:30-8:30 PM.

For more information, click here.

To view work from the artists featured in this exhibition, click here.

Photograph by Judy Robinson-Cox

Thumbnail photograph by Bob Avakian

Posted by Rachel Gianatasio, PNB Intern

Jared Leeds

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:22:17 -0700

PNB spoke with photographer Jared Leeds about his career and his recent work with Artists for Humanity.

Tell us about what you are doing with Artists for Humanity?
I’m putting together a workshop for the students and we’re focusing on the perspective of photographing your own world and backyard; the idea being you don’t know have to be a world traveler because there are interesting stories to tell right outside your door.

We will have a variety of subjects for the students to photograph, including a musician and yoga instructor. We wanted this to be a chance for the students to explore different personalities and have a range of activities to shoot.

What do you hope the kids will take away from their experience?
I think when I first started taking pictures it gave me confidence to speak and engage with people I didn’t know. Having a camera can help foster conversation and can give the photographer the impetus to get out and explore their world.

How do you think this experience may impact you?
Because I have taught before, I know that you always learn something new about your art. When we as artists age, we get rules placed on us and we forget to break the rules. When you are young, you don’t know those rules, so it’s great to be reminded about that.

Tell us a bit about your career. When did you first start shooting? What does your photo life look like now?
The seed was planted to be a photographer when I was young. It was in college when I started thinking this could become a career. I shot for the BU newspaper and loved it. After college I had internships, worked as a photo assistant and as a photojournalist for a newspaper. After about a year I decided I wanted to be my own boss so I decided to become a fulltime freelancer. When I started, I didn’t know anything about running my own business. I just started to shoot and assist when I could to learn the business. I’ve been a freelancer for 13 years.
Now I do a mix of editorial, personal, advertising and commercial work. Generally, with editorial work you have more freedom to shoot how you want and I find the subjects are often very interesting. My personal work is always close to my heart because that is the stuff I choose to shoot on my own. With corporate and advertising work I appreciate the fact that I get to meet new people every day. It’s also fulfilling to solve new problems. I feel very lucky to be a photographer!

Who is a photographer that really made an impression?
Eugene Richards is a photographer originally from Dorchester who made a big impression on me. His work is unreal and the access he gets to his subject is unbelievable. I have learned a lot from looking at his work and from a taking a workshop with him. He is so genuine and is able to foster intense connections with his subjects. In order to get such intimate access, they must feel a level of comfort with him. That is one of the biggest things I’ve learned about great photography— it’s ultimately about developing and fostering relationships.

Visit Jared's website here.

EPHAS

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:00:00 -0700

PNB recently got the chance to talk with Ryan Ansin, the managing director and founder of Every Person Has a Story based out of the Boston area. Ansin told PNB about his background and about the non-profit organization, EPHAS, and the work they do using photography to share stories and connect people around the world.

1. Tell us about EHPAS

Every Person Has a Story (EPHAS) is a 2½ year-old organization that brings exposure to unexposed areas of the world. We have operated in 32 locations in 12 countries. Through imagery, EPHAS is able to show the good around the world, specifically in locations that are perceived as dirty or unchangeable. We try to curate and collect the most authentic stories that we can find.

On Christmas Eve 2012, we were very lucky to have partnered with IMEC (International Medical Equipment Collaborative- however it has now branched out, working toward transforming communities through the millennium goals of health, hunger, and education improvements and support), an organization that will bring us to an additional 1,000 locations. IMEC provides equipment solutions to hospitals, farms and schools around the world. In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the country’s largest hospital is being built and IMEC will provide all of the equipment. Going forward, EPHAS will be a part of any IMEC location.

2. Tell us about your background

At a young age I was very lucky to get involved in making different philanthropic videos. I made a film for my local Boys and Girls Club and because of that work I was invited to go to East Asia. I spent the next 8 years making films on important humanitarian subjects. After a while, felt like film wasn’t the right medium to capture the reality that I intended.

I was working with SSF (Sao Sary Foundation), which protects kids from sex trafficking in Kampong Cham, Cambodia. The subject deserved a movie, but I didn’t feel comfortable trying to extract a story from someone so young about such a sensitive and traumatic experience. So instead of conducting the interviews myself, I decided to have the subjects interview each other. During that process, the children fell in love with the lens.

The switch from film to photography was out of function. Photography can be as simple as you want it to be. Video is very difficult to teach on a large scale, especially at a small budget. Everyone has different capabilities.

When creating EPHAS, it was important to me to put the participants behind the camera rather than solely in front of the camera. This way everyone can be involved. EPHAS also provides skills and experience that participants and teachers can be proud of for the rest of their lives. This program of capturing and sharing realities is simple and the execution is straightforward. It just works.

3. How do you decide where to go/ what subject to choose?

I always connect with a local organization on the ground; we need a local cause to champion us and a structure to help manage the program. During the first year, EPHAS worked with organizations I trusted and had partnered with in the past. For the past year, we had a system to choose locations, in which our board members would help to judge the safety of participants, the promise of sustainability, the timeliness of a project, the cost, in addition to making sure that donor was ready to champion the project. Now that we have a relationship with IMEC, things will change. We will be choosing the locations after input from a joined EPHAS and IMEC advisory board.

4. How do you teach the technical side of photography?

We teach the preliminary lessons with local instructors. We start with the basic elements of photography- how to show motion, look for shadows and pattern, etc. Slowly, the participants are given the reigns and they become more and more creative.

In the program there are two main exercises we have students complete. The first is locating someone in the community who wants to learn photography. The student has to teach this person how to use a camera and some of the creative techniques they have learned. This helps to solidify the skills they have mastered. The second is what we call the 15-Word Exercise. Participants are given 15 words which represent more conceptual pieces of everyday life and take photos to represent these words. Some of the words are family, innocence, fear, nourishment, Love, beauty, etc. It helps students to create authentic photography which move beyond basic portraits and landscapes. This lesson allows the photographer to show dynamic aspects of their lives without the instructors giving direction on what exactly participants have to capture.

5. Where are the images shown? Where do you hope the images are shown?

In the past 2 1/2 years we’ve been growing our network of blogs and social media outlets. We are getting involved with larger museums and news organizations. It’s exciting, but it’s also very costly. Some things we had to turn down because we don’t have the necessary capital. That’s another reason we have decided to work IMEC—to provide EPHAS with further funding and larger audience.

6. What do you think makes these images so powerful?

Who took the photographs. I think it’s obvious that a professional photographer traveling to South Sudan would have more intricate skills compared to our participants. But those photographs are just a fraction of the authenticity, it definitely the local participation and perspective that makes these images more unique and powerful.

7. Are any of the images students have taken been too graphic/too sensitive in nature to show?

There are images that people would expect to be too graphic but we show everything. We are committed to showing both sides of the coin.

There’s an image from South Sudan of a gun being held to the head of a 6 year-old. I brought it to the attention of the managers of the program. I asked if it is a toy gun. And they let me know, “no, there are no toy guns here.” They assured me it was it wasn’t loaded. It was disconcerting, but ultimately it was something the photographer found compelling, so we decided show the image. People here in the US were mortified by the photo but that’s what we’re presenting. We’re showing what is going on in these communities.

8. Do you have any students that become passionate about being professional photographers?

Sure, everyone wants to be a professional photographer and some really have the legs to do it. We try and provide outlets for that to happen. In the past a couple of years our students have become instructors. We’re now looking at a slightly different model where we’re sending professional photographers into these communities to teach the top 10% of students how to operate a DSLR and other equipment so they come away with deeper understanding of the art of photography. But the promise of jobs or income is a great bi-product, but that’s really a secondary mission. We’re focused on the masses having the capability to take photographs, the experience that comes from image making and having participants communicate how they view the world through imagery.

Learn more about EPHAS and the work they do here.