A Blog Post on Blogs

This post was inspired by a Santa Fe Workshops Facebook fan, who shared that reading about other photographers and news on photography is enriching her personal journey. So we thought we share some blogs we like follow, and share.

The Photography Post: current discussions on the state of photography
dvafoto: link-replete posts are international in scope and characterized by respect for photojournalism
Mrs. Deane: is not even one person; Mrs. Deane, in the words of its bloggers, “trails the endless fields of photography, seeking what feeds the eye, nourishes the soul and riddles the mind”
La Pure Vida: speaks for the photographers working on the periphery of the art world, the passionate amateurs who have worked to build an audience on the web
Lenscratch: Aline Smithson's blog is considered one of the 10 photography-related blogs you should be reading
APhotoEditor: edited by Rob Haggart, the former Director of Photography for Men's Journal and Outside Magazine, and contributors include fine art photographer Jonathan Blaustein and Creative Director Heidi Volpe

Strobist: the world's most popular free resource for learning how to use off-camera flash

And just for fun there's
Shit Photojournalists Like: a witty and bitingly honest blog on and for photojournalists

Happy clicking!

"Professional Photographer's" 100 Most Influential

The end of any year brings the inevitable lists. The best, the worst, and in this case, the most influential. The 100 most influential photographers of all time, to be precise. According to Professional Photographer magazine.

There are some you expect to see on the list, and some surprises. We wanted to share it, to spark your imagination, and perhaps get you thinking about the photographers who influence you. Enjoy!

Professional Photographer's 100 Most Influential Photographers >>

To see the influential photographers who will be instructing at The Workshops in 2012 review our "All Workshops" list >>

Get Your Scholarship Applications In!

The deadline for Winter/Spring 2012 scholarship applications is December 14, 2011.

We offer six $1,000 scholarships—two awarded by Nikon and four by the Workshops*—for workshops running between January and May 2012.

Nikon awards two $1,000 scholarships to amateur and professional photographers. The scholarships program is an extension of Nikon’s partnership with Santa Fe Photographic Workshops.

In consideration of desire exceeding means, The Workshops award four scholarships per season:

Passionate Photographer: two $1,000 scholarships are available to anyone wanting to engage their passion for photography
Emerging Photographer: one $1,000 scholarship is available to 18-25 year olds
New Mexico Resident: one $1,000 scholarship is available to a full time New Mexico resident

There are also two unique, $825 scholarships offered for the Winter/Spring 2012 season—the Rick Allred Scholarship for Young Photographers.

Get all the details on our web site and get your applications in by December 14, 2011!

Image by Dave Molnar, past winner of a $1000 Passionate Photographer scholarship

*Special Note: Workshops scholarships are partially funded by sales of our Inspirational Series DVD's.

Our exclusive Inspirational Series DVD gift set is available for $70, including shipping/handling for U.S. deliveries. The set features intimate profiles of ten prominent photographers on two DVDs. Holiday orders placed by noon on December 15 should arrive by December 24, and can be shipped directly to the recipient. Purchase online via PayPal; for international orders, please call 505-983-1400 ext. 19.

We're Hiring: Seasonal Staff, Spring 2012

We're hiring Seasonal Staff for our Spring 2012 workshop season. The deadline for applications is Monday, November 28, 2011.

Our objective when hiring seasonal staff is to select individuals who bring formal education, knowledge of digital capture and output, photographic experience, and resourcefulness. The goal is to benefit the experience of participants and meet the needs of our instructors. We expect each member of our Seasonal Staff to be technically proficient, possesses an imaging aesthetic of their own, and enjoys working with people. Superior customer service is integral to every job description, and to participant's and instructor's overall experience.

Open positions for the Spring 2012 season are:
Studio Coordinator (1); Assistant Studio Coordinator (1); Course Coordinators (3); and WorkStudy (2).

You would be required to be in Santa Fe from March 1 through April 5, 2012.

Our Seasonal Staff positions are opportunities that can launch careers and create lifelong friendships. We look forward to receiving your applications by end-of-business-day Monday, November 28, 2011.

More Details: Seasonal Employment with Santa Fe Photographic Workshops

www.santafeworkshops.com

(Pictured: past Course Coordinator Brandon Johnson with Instructor Kwaku Alston)

Uncomplicating the Great Print with Jay Seldin

So you have all those great digital images you made over this past year. You've looked at them a hundred times on your computer monitor. Now what?

You could "spin the dice," hit the "Print" button, and hope for the best. Or you can even out the odds and learn how to color correct, adjust the highlight and shadows, do a little dodging and burning, and make your print a masterpiece in color or black-and-white.

It really is that simple, after you learn a few of the secrets, to create a great color or black-and white print. All it takes is a little PhotoShop magic, an understanding of how you interpret your image, and there you have it.

Learn more from Jay in his workshop:

Perfecting Your Digital Printmaking
with Jay Seldin
November 7 - November 10, 2011

And see what this master digital printer has be up to on his web site, www.jayseldinphotos.com

The Color of Black-and-White with David Halpern

One of my colleagues once observed, “Halpern says color is a crutch.“ I never said it, but there is some truth in the statement.

I’m passionate about the black-and-white image. I loved standing in the darkroom with my hands in trays of developer, stop bath and fixer, smelling the chemistry and watching the images magically appear. I delighted in my ability to render values in the print that mirrored my feelings upon seeing the subject on the ground glass of my large format camera. And I’ve learned to see those values in my mind before I record them digitally or on film.

Recently, students have asked me to teach them to “see in black and white.” Not literally of course, but to help them make decisions that produce better black-and-white images. In the process, I’ve found that "seeing in black and white" improves our ability to see subtleties of color and can help us all better express ourselves in our color images.

Learn more from David in his workshop:

Seeing in Black and White
with David Halpern
October 26 - October 29, 2011

And see what he's up to on his web site, www.davidhalpern.com

To Photograph, To Print, To Share with Stephen Johnson

We photograph because we react to something we see. In landscape photography, that might be the magic of the light, the wonder of the land form, or those moments when light and form join to make a scene of immense beauty.

A print should be an object of beauty, regardless of the subject. I treasure the seductiveness of a print in my hand. I work hard to deliver the vision and craft needed to transform a file into a "ready-to-print state, and love deep discussions of what constitutes a print of beauty.

I teach because I care about lovers of photography deepening their skills, and becoming better able to capture and hold the wonder of what they see. With more than 30 years of accumulated experience in my head—more than 20 of those in digital—I'm anxious to share what I can to make a positive difference for people's photographic aspirations.


Learn more from Stephen in his workshop:


The Land, the File, the Print
with Stephen Johnson
October 19 - October 22, 2011


And see what else he's up to on his web site, www.sjphoto.com

Special News About Portfolio Bootcamp, from Reid Callanan

Now that autumn is upon us, we find ourselves looking to harvest our work from the last year. 

I have always found that being surrounded by like-minded, passionate people who encourage, support and champion each others work is an invaluable part of the creative process. To that end, I want to bring your attention to an exciting event happening here on campus this fall, Portfolio Bootcamp hosted by CENTER. And let you know that the EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT ends this Friday, August 26.

Portfolio Bootcamp is designed to help photographers “refine your creative edge and ignite your brand.” A carefully selected team of professionals, curators, editors and publishers will be here September 23-24, 2011 to help get your project or portfolio the best shape it can be for next year's portfolio reviews, award, grants, Kickstarter campaigns and more. 

Part workshop, part portfolio review, and part conference, key highlights of Portfolio Bootcamp are:

1. This RETREAT-STYLE WORKSHOP is designed for advanced amateur to professional fine art, photojournalist, and documentary photographers.

2. This is an opportunity to receive valuable feedback and REFINE YOUR WORK for awards, grants, and other important submissions. Having a professional editor, edit and sequence your work will give you that creative and competitive edge. 

3. Robin Roffer, consultant to CNN, HBO, Sony, Verizon and other major corporations, and #5 branding expert in the world, will address how to STAND OUT & GET NOTICED. Roffer’s presentation will address the importance of claiming a personal brand while providing expert advice on defining and appealing to a target audience. 

4. This is going to be a FUN AND ENTERTAINING event complete with delicious meals by Pinon Catering, informal receptions, an exhibition opening, a portfolio sharing, and a photo booth by Billy Hunt. 

For photographers preparing to embark on campaigns to get more exposure, this weekend intensive will be a worthwhile investment. Plus, it's a "golden" opportunity to witness the glorious autumn light of Santa Fe!

Portfolio Bootcamp early registration discount is available until August 26.  Scholarships, payment plans and affordable on-campus housing available. For more information: www.visitcenter.org/bootcamp