Fine Art Photography Courses
experience * explore * create
Creative and Fine Art Photography: A Four Course, Small Group Program
For some time, people have repeatedly asked us to lead a course centered on developing their personal photographic creativity and our approach to creating photography as art. We have led courses like this in local institutions, but we really want to create a smaller, more intimate experience for our students. This is our new, very small, very quiet program designed to deliver instruction and mentorship to a limited number of selected students.
This course of study is divided into four – eight week terms, with a break of approximately four weeks between terms. There is one three-hour class per week, offered one weeknight or weekend morning. It is not necessary to sign up for all four terms, but of course, each term of study naturally leads to the next.
Classes will be held at Russ and Wendy’s studio, near
Student Prerequisites
- Students are required to be familiar with the operation of their equipment. The exact equipment is not important; it can be film, digital, SLR or point and shoot, cellphones, plastic toy cameras, pinhole cameras, who cares? This course is about creativity, and the more diversity, the better. We are ready to help with technique wherever we can, but this course is not going to address photography fundamentals.
- If we don’t already know you, a (free) interview may be required as prerequisite. We find the mix of people in classes to be very important, so this process is necessary for us to find the right group for you.
- Class sizes are small: 6-8 people, creating an incomparable student to instructor ratio of between 1:3 and 1:4
- Tuition is very affordable as compared to
- Class members are selected for compatibility with each other. We need each class to become its own little community.
- Classes operate in an open, sharing culture.
- We work at a comfortable pace.
Term 1: Establishing Your Point of View
The Fall 2009 term has now started. Stay tuned for our winter 2010 schedule. As always, please feel free to contact us for details.
8 weeks, once per week on Saturdays, starting Oct 17, 2009 from 10am – 1pm
8 weeks, once per week on Tuesdays, starting Oct 20, 2009 from 7pm – 10pm
Tuition: $300
Photography as an image and art making medium is so popular and so approachable that establishing and constantly refining a personal visual language and signature is paramount in separating yourself from the crowd. This is the start of that path.
- What are the distinguishing characteristics of great pictures and picture-makers?
- How can you develop those characteristics?
- What questions need to be asked?
- What choices need to be made?
- What is the role of experimentation?
- What is the role of play?
- How can you evolve the necessary standards for your work?
Term 2: Starting a Body of Work
8 weeks, once per week on Saturdays from 10am – 1pm, winter 2010
8 weeks, once per week on Tuesdays from 7pm – 10pm, winter 2010
Tuition: $300
Image-making has never been easier. And pretty much everybody with a camera has a great “lucky” picture. So, for the ambitious photographer, it is necessary to prove that your pictures aren’t “lucky”. One way to do that is to create a series of pictures, bound together by a theme or idea, and show through the thread of interconnected imagery and visual language that your pictures are no fluke. The body of work is also an incomparable way to study, refine and enrich an idea. A body of work shows your development of an idea, leaves you with a finished product, and will likely point the way to the next big thing.
- What is a body of work and why is it important?
- What questions need development?
- What role does experimentation have in this endeavour?
- What are your ambitions for the body of work, and how does that affect its development?
Term 3: Creating a Body of Work
8 weeks, once per week on Saturdays from 10am – 1pm, spring 2010
8 weeks, once per week on Tuesdays from 7pm – 10pm, spring 2010
Tuition: $300
After a period of concept building and refinement, and perhaps a period of play, testing and experimentation, it is time to get down to the hard work of creating your body of work. The class will function as motivator, counselor and evaluator to help keep you on track. Bodies of work may be entirely photographed during this term, or you may choose to work on existing ideas, and/or use class time for editing, sequencing and designing final presentations.
- How much time is needed?
- How can others provide constructive feedback?
- Are there other avenues of research that need exploring?
- How can one evaluate progress and make decisions on further work?
- When is a body of work finished?
Term 4: Completing and Finding Outlets for a Body of Work
8 weeks, once per week on Saturdays from 10am – 1pm, summer 2010
8 weeks, once per week on Tuesdays from 7pm – 10pm, summer 2010
Tuition: $300
Going back to your original ambitions for your body of work, we look at the next steps towards realizing those ambitions. Here is where the work is transformed into its presentation state, which could be a print portfolio, a slideshow, a website, a photo album, a photography book, a competition entry or a full-blown gallery show. We will look realistically at commercial opportunities for your work. We will closely examine the effort and cost associated with bringing your work up to the standards needed to realize your ambition.
- What is the cost and effort associated with bringing a body of work to completion, with respect to its intended use?
- What needs to be done beyond simply having the photography complete?
- How can you identify and make contact with people and organizations to get your work out?
- How much time is needed?
Terms and Conditions
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A 100% deposit is required to hold your seat for a class. Class sizes are very small 6-8 people, so they may fill fast. Payment is by cheque or cash.
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Refunds will only be granted if: the course does not run OR we are able to fill your seat from a wait list.