Workshops
Guided by portrait and documentary photographer Daniel Gonçalves, expand your photographic practice and move beyond the fear of approaching and capturing the untold stories of strangers.
There are no available registration dates at this time.
The camera is an incredible tool that enables us to enter people’s lives. Approaching strangers with an open mind has the power to expand our views of people and the world, which can lead to life-changing encounters for the people on either side of the camera.
This thought-provoking and fun workshop, led by portrait and documentary photographer Daniel Gonçalves, is intended for those who want to expand their photographic practice and move beyond the fear of approaching strangers, or dive deeper into people’s lives, opening the possibility for long-term projects that move beyond a singular encounter.
We will begin by exploring each participant’s current practice and goals for the workshop, as well as the long-term goals for their photography. Daniel will share work from his own projects, as well as that from other artists who have entered other people’s lives with their cameras, and use these examples as a starting point for discussion.
Daily assignments will be given to push you beyond your comfort zone. Each assignment will build upon the previous one, and help you overcome the challenges of approaching strangers, as well as build confidence for your practice moving forward. You will come to understand where you want to take your practice, whether it be to simply make a portrait of someone you just met, or to explore their lives over time.
Participants will meet daily for lectures, assignments and to share work from the previous day’s assignments. The workshop will aim to address a variety of topics, including:
- How to manage the fear and anxiety of approaching a stranger with a camera.
- How to open the door, and what to do once you’re inside.
- Ethics, consent, negotiating access, and becoming invisible.
- Project lifecycle – development, and dissemination of the work.
- Professional development: what to do with your photographs once you have finished a body of work- publications, exhibitions, books, etc.
A one-on-one meeting will be scheduled with each participant to review portfolios, discuss goals and ask questions.
Participants should bring camera gear, laptops, and a selection of digital files or prints that describe where their photography practice is currently. Personal transportation is recommended for local workshop travel.
All images copyright Daniel Gonçalves.
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Instructor: Daniel Gonçalves
Daniel is a portrait and long form documentary photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. His work explores themes of identity, culture, and the intersection of masculinity and vulnerability.
Daniel was born in Toronto, Canada, to a Portuguese immigrant family. Growing up, he was fascinated with America and what it means to be American. In 2015, Daniel became a U.S. citizen, yet his childhood curiosities about American culture did not vanish upon gaining citizenship. Instead, they became the focus of his work.
In his photographs, Daniel draws upon his perspective as an outsider-insider to explore American culture – the threads that bind people together and the ways in which those connections create an American experience.
Daniel’s work was recently exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and at the Long Beach Museum of Art. His work has also been included in exhibitions at Elizabeth Houston Gallery in New York, Candela Gallery, Houston Center for Photography, Filter Space in Chicago, Edition ONE Gallery in Santa Fe, Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, CA, and Moran Arts Foundation in Sydney, Australia.
In 2022 he was named one of “The 30 Photographers to Watch” (f.k.a. PDN’s 30). His work has been honored with Critical Mass Top 50, Candela Collection acquisition prize, PhotoLA FOCUS grand prize, American Photography selected winner and as a Latin American FOTOGRAFIA selected winner.