Make strong and intimate documentary photographs, landscapes, portraits, still-lives as well as traditional ‘moment’ images.

There are no available registration dates at this time.

“Seeing Oaxaca: A Photography Workshop” is a photography class, yet so much more. Students will be photographing in the village markets of Elta, Zaachila, Ocotlan and Tlacolula de Matamoros and the tradition of the Calendas in streets of Oaxaca, a city designated a UNESCO heritage site.

The tianguis are a social and economic activity dating back to the pre-Hispanic era. These open-air markets are made up of vendors from various regions who travel to different villages every day of the week to barter or sell their goods; fresh fruit, produce, animals or hand made goods, such as pottery, baskets and textiles. These days of commerce and community are a huge part of the Mexican culture.

We work with Mexican TA’s who help as translators for students and the villagers and market vendors. This course will demonstrate how to respectfully gain access to subjects in foreign cultures; how to photograph the daily moments of life in a new way; and how to make strong and intimate documentary photographs, landscapes, portraits, still-lives as well as traditional ‘moment’ images.

This class is designed for all levels of image-makers and iPhone’s and DSLR cameras are equally encouraged. Our goal will be to increase our visual and narrative capacities as we investigate Mexican daily life via the village market days and calendas, or processions celebrating weddings and quinceaneras in the city of Oaxaca, where we will be staying. The villages are located about 30 minutes outside of Oaxaca via public transportation, which is always part of the adventure.

There will be hands on, in the moment instruction, as well as daily group critiques. We will help you photograph the visual cacophony of daily life by making dynamic compositions that explode with light, shadow, and color and then help you to shape those images into a compelling body of work through selection and sequence.

Students are urged to build bridges with our southern neighbors, not walls. 

This course truly offers an unforgettable experience and portfolio of images.

 

Lodging: Stella has reserved a block of rooms at a location to be determined.

Contact her directly to reserve but payment will be made to the hotel.  [email protected]

Arrival: Plan to arrive in Oaxaca by Tuesday, January 21, 2020.  The workshop begins that evening with a group dinner and introductions. The first day of classes is Wednesday. 

Departure: The workshop ends Sunday, January 26, 2020 with a group dinner and presentation of all participants’ work. Departure is the following day, Monday January 27 or you can remain on to explore more of Oaxaca. 

Travel: Delta, United, American, Aeromexico all service Oaxaca Xoxocotlan International, Mexico (OAX). Jet Blue flies from Boston to Mexico City and Aeromexico goes from Mexico City to Oaxaca.

Collectivos/Taxis to the city central are readily available, safe and inexpensive.

 

Itinerary: (subject to change)

Tuesday 21 January 2020: Arrival:

7pm welcome dinner

Wednesday, 22 January, 2020:

7:00 breakfast at hotel

8:00 depart for Animal Market, Etla

Lunch will be at market

11-12PM return to Oaxaca

1-2pm download and edit

2-4pm Class

4-7PM: photograph in Oaxaca

7:30 PM dinner

Thursday, 23 January, 2020:

7:00 breakfast at hotel

8:00 depart for Zaachila

Lunch will be at market

11-12PM return to Oaxaca

1-2pm download and edit

2-4pm Class

4-7PM: photograph in Oaxaca

7:30 PM dinner

Friday, 24 January 2020:

7:00 breakfast at hotel

8:00 depart for Ocotlan

Lunch will be at market

11-12PM return to Oaxaca

1-2pm download and edit

2-4pm Class

4-7PM: photograph in Oaxaca

7:30 PM dinner

Saturday, 25 January, 2020:

9:00 AM-1:00PM

one on one meetings with Stella and Iaritza

4-7:pm photograph Calendas and night life of Oaxaca

7:30PM dinner

Sunday, 26 January, 2020

7:00 breakfast at hotel

8:00 depart for Tlacalula

Lunch will be at market

11-12PM return to Oaxaca

1-2pm download and edit

2-4pm Class

4-7PM: photograph in Oaxaca

7:30 PM dinner

Monday, 27 January, 2020   Departure

Header Image Credit: Olivia Welch

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Instructor: Stella Johnson

Stella Johnson is a photographer and educator known for her passionate and honest documentary projects. She received a Core Fulbright Scholar Grant to photograph in Mexico in 2003-2004, and Fulbright Specialist grants to teach in Mexico in 2006 and in Colombia in 2018. The University of Maine Press published her monograph, Al Sol: Photographs from Mexico, Cameroon and Nicaragua in 2008. Wild Greek Press published her second monograph, ZOI, in 2018. Johnson’s photographs have been widely exhibited in the United States and internationally. 

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Instructor: Iaritza Menjivar

Iaritza Menjivar is a documentary photographer and Associate Director at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA. Her long-term project "First Generation" was published in the New York Times Lensblog. She has received a St. Botolph Foundation Emerging Artist Grant and has been awarded a full scholarship for a three-year Advanced Mentored Study Program for Visual Storytelling and Documentary Projects with Ed Kashi (VII Photo) and James Estrin (New York Times Lens). Iaritza has been a teaching assistant and co-Instructor in Oaxaca, Mexico for Lesley University and has exhibited in international and national group shows, including Crossing Borders at Boston Arts Academy in Boston, MA and the Emerge-Cubes at Photoville in New York City.

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There are no available registration dates at this time.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR TRAVEL WORKSHOPS
  • 1. Reservations & Payments
    • A deposit as indicated on the registration page is required to confirm your reservation for the workshop.  Final payment in full is due 45 days prior  to the start date of  your workshop unless stated differently in the course description..  Maine Media Workshops + College (“Maine Media”) reserves the right to cancel a reservation if full payment has not been received by the due date.
  • 2. Cancellations
  • 3. Basis of Rates
    • All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars; all payments must be made in U.S. dollars.
  • 4. Insurance
    • It is strongly advised that you purchase Trip Cancellation, Baggage, Emergency Medical Evacuation, and/or Accident and Sickness Insurance Protection. Camera equipment, computers, and baggage are carried entirely at the owner’s risk. Maine Media shall have no responsibility for any lost, damaged, or delayed property, or for an individual student’s medical needs, accidents, injuries or illnesses. See our travel insurance recommendations here.
  • 5. Itinerary Changes
    • The itinerary for your workshop is subject to change without prior notification.
  • 6.  Passports and Visas
    • A valid passport is required for all international travel. You are required to notify Maine Media as to the nationality under which your passport is registered.  Participants are responsible for obtaining their passports and visas. To participate in the workshop, you must have a passport that is valid until at least six months after the date on which your trip is scheduled to be completed.
  • 7. Medical Issues
    • All participants must be in good health.   You must advise Maine Media of any health condition, physical condition, or emotional or mental condition that may require special attention or that may adversely impact the other participants in your workshop. All students are required to complete a “Waiver of Liability” form and submit it at the time of registration.  This document may be found on the course description page.
  • 8. Liability Waiver
    • Every participant is required to sign Maine Media’s Waiver of Liability before departure for their workshop.   Click here to download.
  • 9. Responsibility & Photography
    • To ensure a safe  experience, you are required to obey local customs and be considerate when photographing people or sensitive locations.  The faculty member for your workshop has the right to expel any person from the workshop for behavior that is in violation of the law; that is disruptive; or that compromises the group’s safety or enjoyment.  No refunds will be made to any person expelled from a workshop. Maine Media shall have no obligation to pay any costs incurred by a person as a result of that person being expelled from a workshop.