This is an intensive editing class for those who want to use photographs to tell a story – whether it is a personal journey or professional assignment leading to a photo essay for a book, magazine, or publication. Drawing on over thirty years of experience, Sylvia guides students to examine personal voice, to clarify project pursuit, and learn how to best create and sequence a photo essay.

A photograph can stand alone and be rich in meaning, but a number of images together, like lines in a poem or phrases in music – in an essay, exhibit, and especially a book – the pictures become much more than the sum of their parts. Over the course of the week, students share portfolios and learn how to edit, sequence, and paste pictures for essays and books. Participants examine print quality, format, size, layout and title, as well as whether words or other visuals are needed. The goal is to look at the big picture and leave with a clearer vision.

There is also the opportunity to photograph each day as the images from the past and the Maine surroundings are inspiration for new photographs. 

This class is open to all photographers who are currently working on a project, are interested in learning how to best edit their work, and/or those who are eager to begin a narrative from an existing body of work. Participants are to bring a small portfolio and also a set of pictures, proof pictures and contact sheets covering one project. Students should also bring a favorite photography book. A portfolio review is required for this workshop.