| Courting The Wild Twin

Students will be encouraged to tell stories, embrace ideas outside of their comfortable vernacular, and practice imagination without goals.

The camera has the power to reveal our inner thoughts, to make our memories concrete, or to provide respite from our daily lives. Inspired by Martin Shaw’s book of the same title, the idea of Courting The Wild Twin here describes the potential of re-engaging with our own otherness, and is an encouragement to cultivate openness within our photographic practices. Taking into consideration the psychic relationship between photographer and camera, and its ability to reveal inner truths or cultural movements, this workshop will explore abstract concepts such as memory, time, and instinct. Lectures will cover subject matter as broad as mythology, mysticism, tarot, color and symbolism within art history and discuss contemporary trends in photography.

Loosely appropriating the structure of wilderness rites of passage, students will reflect on their current practice and ideas, be introduced to broad subject research and discussion, set working boundaries, and make new work. Reading and visual material will be provided. At the foundation of this workshop is the exploration of the camera as a psychic conduit, asking us to pay quiet attention to our individual processes. Students will be encouraged to tell stories, embrace ideas outside of their comfortable vernacular, and practice imagination without goals. 

This immersive and reflective workshop is for photographers of any ability who are longing for the space to daydream. Students are invited to bring either their current portfolio, a work in progress, or representative work for critique. Considered daily assignments, and organized shooting windows will support students’ development as we approach making with both openness and humor. The process of critique, research, practice, and review is designed to lay a groundwork for instinctual making and is complemented by detailed handouts, encouraged self-directed research, and assignments that cater to each individual photographer’s needs.

 Students can hope to discover something unexpected, this could be the start of a new project or a new direction in their work and expect to leave with an arsenal of fresh ideas.