The Visual Thinking Series

Immersion and Challenge in MicroGroups (5 students max) at Russ and Wendy's Studio

 

Seeing in Black and White – with field trips!

$290:  Three Saturdays: July 6, 20, 27 at 10am.  Note: there is a two-week gap between Week 1 and 2.
Only 1 spot left!

Black and white photography is not what you do with your colour pictures that didn’t work out.  B&W’s traditions and history extend all the way back to the dawn of photography!  Learn from history, tradition and the way human vision is wired to see and construct black and white photography from the ground up. 

We (Wendy and Russ) have a ten year history of exclusively exhibiting and publishing black and white photography in Canada and the United States.  Our silver gelatin prints have won multiple awards, been featured in international publications and exhibited in commercial and academic museum venues.

This is a three session class, limited to 5 people.  It is open to all photographers, but we will not cover any specific camera operations – you are expected to know how to operate your equipment and/or you may leave your equipment on full-automatic for the entire course.  If we don’t know you already, you may be required to submit a small sample of your work (colour pictures are just fine) by email as a prerequisite. 
This class reviews prints exclusively – cheap 4x6 Walmart, Costco or London Drugs prints are just fine.

Week 1:  6 hours:  Lecture on the Visual Language of Black and White Photography, group lunch, shooting field trip with on-the-spot guidance.

Week 2:  6 hours:  Print review, group lunch, shooting field trip with on-the-spot guidance.

Week 3:  3 hours:  Print review, group lunch.

 

Evaluating Photographs – An Art-Based Approach

$170:  Saturday:  Aug 17 at 10am. Only 1 spot left!
$170:  Saturday:  Aug 24 at 10am. A few spots left!

Ever wonder what photography competitions might look like without the smothering effects of empty technique, gear wars and rote rules of composition?  What if creativity, visual risk, distinct authorship and meaningful content reigned supreme?  That is exactly how we (Wendy and Russ) have approached our duties as competition judges for many years.  Make art the standard.  Learn new ways to evaluate photography.  Learn a new vocabulary to support your new knowledge.  Elevate your work, and ultimately, the work of those around you.

We (Wendy and Russ) have curated Vancouver’s annual Vernissage exhibition and have adjudicated most of the important CAPA events in the Lower Mainland:  the Noth Shore Challenge, the Fraser Valley Invitational, the Crescent Beach Black and White Invitational, Delta Photo Inspirations and many individual club events.  
If we don’t know you already, you may be required to submit a small sample of your work (colour pictures are just fine) by email as a prerequisite. 

This is a single-session class of 6 hours, limited to 5 people, containing a lecture, group lunch and intensive roundtable discussion revolving around a large collection of photographs.

 

Gestalt Revisited – with field trips!

$290:  Three Saturdays: Sep 14, 21, 28 at 10am.
Only 1 spot left!

One of the toughest weeks in our “Outside the Rules” MicroSchool is “Gestalt Week”.  Applying the powerful concepts of Gestalt psychology to influence the perceptions of your viewers couldn’t be more important.  Gestalt Week was a good introduction – now, let’s do the deep dive.

This is a three session class, limited to 5 people.  It is open only to students who have taken Outside the Rules Term 1 – Establishing Your Point of View. 

This class reviews prints exclusively – cheap 4x6 Walmart, Costco or London Drugs prints are just fine.

Week 1:  6 hours:  Gestalt Psychology review, group lunch, shooting field trip with on-the-spot guidance.

Week 2:  6 hours:  Print review, group lunch, shooting field trip with on-the-spot guidance.

Week 3:  3 hours:  Print review, group lunch.

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The Fine Print

“Group Lunch” is a self-serve sandwich bar of very nice local ingredients – and those that know us know we are foodies.  But – this is a photography workshop, and so we will not cater to any specific dietary requests – at all.  If you have specific diet restrictions, please consult us, and you can decide what ingredients you must bring for yourself.

A 100% deposit is required to hold your seat for a class. Class sizes are small, so they may fill fast. Payment is by cheque or cash.
Refunds will only be granted if: the course does not run OR we are able to fill your seat from a wait list.

 

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Black and White Darkroom Bootcamps at Langara College

Join us in the darkrooms at Langara College in Vancouver for a weekend or two of total immersion workshops.  Each bootcamp will have a darkroom refresher for those that need it and lots and lots of time devoted to making and getting the most out of your negatives. 

You’ve already started down the path of analogue photography – the wet world of film, chemistry and silver gelatin prints.  This series of workshops is set to push you to the limit!  In the darkroom, you can only learn advanced processes by doing, so we will work together, side-by-side – with minimal time spent in the classroom.

If you don’t have recent experience in Langara’s darkroom, we strongly suggest you start with Bootcamp I, where we offer a comprehensive orientation to Langara’s equipment, and a complete darkroom workflow refresher.

Bring exposed, but undeveloped film!  Bring lots of printing paper!  

These workshops are hosted by Langara College in Vancouver.  For more information and to register, please see the Langara website http://www.langara.bc.ca/continuing-studies/programs-and-courses/programs/photography/workshops.html , or contact program director Andrew Tripp: 604.323.5928 /  atripp@langara.bc.ca

 

B&W Darkroom Bootcamp I - Printing Problem Negatives July 13/14

Bring us your worst!  If you work in a darkroom, you’ve got some negatives that almost defy printing, and you really, really want those pictures.  Tap into Russ and Wendy’s uncommon expertise, and let’s print those negatives together using our arsenal of darkroom techniques.  In this first workshop, we’ll review Langara’s equipment, and provide a complete darkroom workflow refresher.

 

B&W Darkroom Bootcamp II - Heroic Printing Aug 10/11

Sometimes, an image can be made all the better by heroic printing – through overt manipulation of the information inherent in single or multiple negatives.  Examine methods for modifying your enlarger’s light path through multiple negative printing, texture imprinting, extreme dodging/burning and chemical modification.  Get direct, personal guidance from Russ and Wendy.