2011 Beyond the Lens Workshops – Inspiring the Creative Spirit

The 2011 Workshop Schedule is now online and open for registration. After a really great year in 2010, I’m REALLY excited about this years workshops for many reasons, but primarily the opportunity once again to share my passion for learning with students who love photography.

I’ve also given the workshops a new “motto” or tagline – “Inspiring the Creative Spirit.” I think this really summarizes my approach and goal with each and every student. Beyond the technique and gear, I think the real learning happens when there is synergy between students and instructor, and that’s what I strive for in every workshop. What do I mean by “synergy”? Simple – when I get excited about a location, or beautiful light during a sunset, and pass that energy on to those around me. Or when a student gets excited about something they didn’t “see” and weren’t able to capture before, then I know something special has happened for them. Sure, we discuss f-stops, and hyperfocal distance, and many other technical issues, but without the inspiration, it’s just an exercise.

Even when dealing with the increasing dominance of technology in photography, there is always room for creative inspiration, and my new “Real World Lightroom” workshop focuses on this very important part of the process. It is so easy to get lost in endless choices and complexity, that we forget what is simple to understand – to convey your feelings about what you photograph. To show people not what you see, but what you feel about something. That’s where the inspiration lies, and what I try to instill in the atmosphere surrounding each workshop.

I have my work cut out for me for sure – and I sometimes wonder if I can really meet the challenges of this task. But as soon as the first workshop starts, and I see all of the students ready and hungry to learn, I know I’ll be fine – I just follow my instinct and share from the heart. A ton of preparation and experience beforehand doesn’t hurt either!

Check out the schedule and the new offerings this year. Would love to hear your feedback on the workshop schedule, as well as suggestions for improvement.

Everybody is original, if he tells the truth, if he speaks from himself. But it must be from his true self and not from the self he thinks he should be. -Brenda Ueland