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. With the aid of a local assistant, Tillman will lead a six-day workshop there August 17-23, 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 review and select images 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.