This workshop will explore the process of photographing your family and yourself—together or apart. “Family” may be interpreted as either relatives or chosen family; the focus will be on how we as individuals interact with people who shape our lives. Some artists make work about family to stop time, to commemorate everyday actions and emotions. Others make work to ask questions about what these moments mean and why families function the way that they do. People come together and people fall apart. Whether your experience has been that of connection or distance, making photographs can help to reveal the nuances of your closest relationships.
We will go over a variety of techniques for making self-portraits and portraits of others, including composition, lighting, and location. Students may wish to use archival images or stand-ins for family, and we will discuss how to integrate those into projects. We will study other photographers using themselves and their families weekly, dissecting their intentions and methods. Most importantly, we will move beyond technique and into the realm of project development.
Open to all skill levels. Knowledge of Lightroom preferred but not necessary.
