THE TUSCANY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP:
SEEING IN COLOR

ALEX WEBB & REBECCA NORRIS WEBB

Saturday, July 17--Friday, July 30, 2004

 

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION  

This workshop is about discovering your own unique, personal way of seeing in color.  Both amateurs and professionals are welcome.

THE SCHEDULE:  WEEK ONE  

There are two basic components of this class:  the spontaneous act of photographing and final editing.   The workshop will begin on Sunday morning with a series of introductory discussions and critiques of students' past work (for that meeting bring about 30 images, either prints or slides, black-and-white or color, to the workshop).  By that first afternoon, students will be out working on their first assignment.     

For  the rest of the first week, we will meet from about 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM -- when the light is stark -- and critique as a group each student's ongoing work. We will also have meetings at the end of each day over dinner when we'll discuss some of the daily problems that have emerged.  The rest of the time participants should be prepared to be out   photographing the world of Tuscany.     

We would like you to choose something to photograph for the entire first week of the workshop.   It could be the daily life of one of the surrounding villages, such as Buonconvento and Montalcino; it could be a street, a corner, a piazza, a neighborhood, or a bar, in one of the larger cities in the area, such as Siena; it could be photographing on buses or trains; it could be a particular family you come across who has invited you into their home/life or a group of local farmers; it could be an event/celebration you come across while photographing.  It could be some aspect of the Tuscan landscape.  But it should be something that interests you and that you can go back to over the next few days.   If you are having trouble thinking of something perhaps one of the workshop instructors or coordinators can give you some further ideas.  

Throughout the week, we will try to build a coherent set of images for each photographer that will begin to represent his or her photographic stance or attitude toward the world of Tuscany. We will view this work as a group at the end   of the first week.  Significant emphasis will be placed on the relationship between images: the sequencing and the interaction of photographs.  One evening will be devoted to showing the work of the instructors.      Saturday and Sunday of the interim weekend are free days.   It is an ideal time to take a short trip to another city in the region, such as Florence, to photograph, and then return to the workshop to process and edit the work.

THE SCHEDULE:  WEEK TWO    

The second week will be more personalized to meet the needs of individual photographers.       

Photography Options:  For the second week, photographers can choose to continue photographing the project from Week One or choose another topic/city/ village/group of people/landscape in the area to photograph.   All photographers will come together towards the end of the workshop to do a final edit and presentation of the two-weeks of work.    

For those participants who have been working on personal projects prior to the workshop, they are welcome to bring their projects to the workshop for discussion.  We will set aside time during this second week to look at this work and discuss how to build and shape a project, including the editing and sequencing of photographs and the possible incorporation of text.

FILM AND EQUIPMENT  

We encourage students to work with E-6 film as it facilitates the editing process.  However, exceptions will be made for photographers who prefer to work in color negative or digital.    

Students should bring the photographic equipment that they normally use.  If possible, students should read the afterword to Charles Harbutt's Travelogue.