Overview of Topics & Deliverables: City/Architecture workshops
Standard deliverables
- Multi-City Premium Workshops: 300+ pages of syllabus readings exclusively created for the Multi-City Premium workshops. Always updated and expanded with new topics for every new workshop.
- City Weekend Workshops: 200-page syllabus reading. This is the compact and more practice-oriented version of the Multi-City Premium Workshop syllabus.
- 5.5-hr video on B&W fine art processing
- 1.5-hr video on Manual Exposure Blending
- Detailed information on all buildings and locations with suggested angles/lenses/compositions per building and location.
- A 3.5-hr Pre-workshop Zoom preparation session
- Two 3.5-hr Post-workshop Zoom processing & image review sessions for the Multi-city Premium workshop. 1 post-workshop Zoom session for the City-Weekend workshop
An overview of activities during sessions
- Shooting in the field every day with personal guidance
- Multi-City Premium workshop only: Classroom lectures & in-the-field instructions, and demos
- Personal assignments during the workshop
- Personal feedback
- Pre-workshop Zoom session as preparation
- Post-workshop Zoom session for feedback and review
- Multi-City Premium workshop only: Non-workshop tag-along day: students are welcome after the workshop has ended to tag along with Joel a full day shooting and exploring, and socializing.
An impression of some of the topics during sessions
We have a wide variety of topics, but there's always a recurring topic, a theme in our workshops. In Berlin, the theme was: 'What is art, how does it relate to human consciousness, and why is it important for the understanding and the creation of art?'
In the Barcelona-Madrid dual-city workshop, the theme was more technical and about: 'Advanced composition techniques for architecture'.
All themes and topics of previous workshops, together with other fine art photography topics that are more common (see below), will be included in the updated syllabus readings.
Hence, the content of every new workshop builds on previous workshops and expands on that. For the next workshop in Rome-Milan, the main topic is 'Finding your voice in art through individuation'.
- Learn to articulate what art is for you, and to live by it and create by it
- Learn how to find your authentic voice
- Learn where to get inspiration: through close and continuous collaboration and improvising as a 'jazz band'.
- Learn how "to steal like an artist"
- Learn the importance of establishing an emotional connection and how to establish it
- Learn to celebrate the architectural design while still making it your art
- Maximum Point of Perspective, axial and non-axial perspectives
- Researching locations and buildings we are photographing. Architect's intentions, historical and cultural context, time of day and weather, all play a role in the research and artistic decision process
- Composition techniques specifically for architecture based on the influence of 18th-century Italian draftsman Giovanni Piranesi
- Use of TS lenses and other in-camera techniques
- Focus on visual weight and dynamism in buildings, and how to achieve that
- Advanced B&W processing and masking
- A structured approach from Overview and context to detail:
- How to amplify the relationship of a building with its urban landscape and surroundings to create a harmonic, meaningful symbiosis
- How to decode architecture to connect with the architect’s intention and bring it to life in your work
- Celebrating the architect's design while still making it your art
- How to connect with a building on a truly emotional, almost intimate level
- How to plan and prepare your photoshoot to bring your concept and vision to life
- Preparing your work with the right care and detail for the final print, and bring your art to life.
Gear
- A good DSLR or mirrorless camera
- Wide-angle and longer lenses - a Tilt-shift lens is recommended but not necessary
- Sturdy tripod
- Remote control
- Filters: CP and ND filters are recommended but not necessary. Joel will always have filters at hand that you can use.