Prairie Spirit
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Overview
Welcome to the unique opportunity to tell the story of the challenges of life on the prairie through photographic possibilities presented by isolated, abandoned farmhouses and charming small towns of north central North Dakota. This workshop is designed to increase skills, challenge old habits and help you break out of a creative rut. Your focus during the week is not so much about making the perfect photograph but in approaching subjects differently, in shifting your perspective, in taking creative risks. This combination of working in a new environment and altering how you approach your subject will change your photographs long after you leave the workshop.
Visionary Wild instructor Tillman Crane has arranged exclusive access to abandoned prairie homesteads and other slowly decaying structures – on private land normally off-limits to the public. The prior occupants of some of these farmhouses seem to have just up and left, leaving behind family photo albums, dishes in the cupboard, and antique furniture. Tillman and Justin Black will lead a six-day workshop there August 21-27, 2023, with emphasis on making the most of this special opportunity to spend time in these photogenic ruins. Classroom time will be limited, consisting primarily of two group image review sessions to provide constructive critique of your work. We will be based in Rugby, the geographical center of North America with a population of approximately 3,000. Numerous locations will be accessible each day offering a varied array of subject matter, most within a 15 to 45-minute drive, and participants will be free to revisit locations they find particularly appealing where they wish to focus their time and creative energy.
Conditions of the structures range from windowless shells to intact buildings containing personal belongings of the long-departed occupants. Far beyond the genre of “architectural” photography, these structures and the surrounding grounds provide rich possibilities for photographers interested in still life, abstraction, landscape, and even portraiture.
This is a location workshop in which we will focus on creating photographs. All camera formats, film and digital, are welcome, but be advised that there is no opportunity for processing film. Digital photographers should plan to bring their laptop to edit for critiques. Participants will be invited to share up to six images per critique. These may be either digital images made during the workshop, or previous work in either print or digital form. In addition, we invite participants to bring a representative portfolio of no more than 30 images, in print or digital format, for an individual portfolio review.
Itinerary
We will welcome the group to our introductory orientation meeting at Cobblestone Inn and Suites in Rugby, North Dakota at 4pm on Monday, August 21st, followed by a group dinner. Our first photography excursion will be the following morning. As our various locations and subjects can be photographed throughout the day (the opportunities include both indoor and outdoor subject matter), we will propose a plan for each day taking weather into account. There will be time to photograph various locations each day. During mid-day hours on Wednesday, Tillman and Justin will offer a constructive critique session before returning to the field for more photography. Saturday will be the final field session, followed by a final image review in the late afternoon and our final dinner together. Check out is the following morning, on Sunday, August 27th.
Instructors
Tillman Crane
- Great photographs can be made in ordinary places. My photographs are always about the elusive qualities of light. Regardless of the subject – stone, tree, building, machine, or object – it ...
Justin Black
- JUSTIN BLACK is a photographer, writer, editor, expedition leader, photo workshops instructor, a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Writers (ILCW), a former executive director of the International ...
Gallery
Pricing
All prices are per person.
Package includes the workshop itself, six nights’ lodging (check-in August 21, check-out August 27), breakfasts at our hotel (August 22-27), group lunches (August 22-26) and group dinners (August 21-26). Prorated fees are available for participants who have arranged to share a room and those who do not require lodging. We do not pair individuals who are not traveling together in the same room. If you are an individual traveler, please book at the single-occupancy rate.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
- 50% deposit due to confirm registration
- 50% final payment due April 21, 2023
Click here for payment, cancellation and refund policies; and other terms and conditions of participation.
Please review our terms and conditions even if you have participated in previous Visionary Wild trips so that you are aware of current policies.
Highlights
- Exclusively arranged access to approximately twenty different locations on private lands.
- Emphasis on photography in the field, making the most of each day.
- Opportunity for night photography, with the possibility of aurora borealis, or lightning storms if conditions permit
- Constructive group critiques of participant work
- Small group of ten participants, with a student-to-instructor ratio of 5 to 1
- Advanced seeing: Learn to find new and unexpected compositions
- Break through creative block and make great photographs in challenging situations
- Techniques to ensure the highest-possible final image quality
Accommodations
Accommodations are at Cobblestone Inn and Suites in Rugby, North Dakota, a hotel featuring modern and comfortable guest rooms, a spacious meeting room for our classroom sessions, hot tub, fitness center, etc. We will gather for group meals at local restaurants, though due to the nature of our photographic locations, the best meal solution may at times be a picnic (particularly for lunches).
Travel
Prairie Spirit
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