Friends and readers of this blog know that I am indebted to Sam Abell for his mentorship and aesthetic. I have just finished assisting Sam in his private workshop in Shepherdstown with a group of great photographers. We had four days of fellowship and fine photography, kicked off by a wonderful dinner hosted and prepared by Dianne and Paul Chalfant. (to continue the alliteration…..fabulous family festivities!)
Seriously, we spent each day engaged in conversation and creation of photography on a very high level. I’m posting a sampling of great images made during our time together, but they don’t illustrate the willingness to engage and stretch creatively that each of the photographers brought to the workshop. The thing that sets a workshop above another is not the instruction or the work produced, but the enthusiasm the participants bring to their work and to the conversation. Because of that, this workshop achieved a high water mark for earnest, thoughtful work.
Sam and I thank each of you for your spirit and your work. I am energized by your devotion to your craft and am carrying that force with me into my next project now that I am back in Portugal. Soon I’ll be on Whidbey Island for Sam’s first of two workshops with the Pacific Northwest Art School. Then I will be preparing for my own workshop there! I hope you’ll think of joining me. Later, in August, I’ll return to assist both Sam Abell and Arthur Meyerson! August is always a high point in my year. The students that come to the workshops are inspiring and marvelously creative….but they’ll have a long way to go to top our Shepherdstown Group!
just culling the images to create this incredible display is a feat worthy of applause. applause to you, keron! i cannot imagine the wonder you all felt and how great widbey will be with your pals and you inspiring workshoppers to stretch visions and have some new ones. you definitely photograph/live as you are, and anyone who sees your work or shares coffee with you is touched by your magic. bravo.
Honey…it was a great experience. Photography has brought so much into our lives, beginning with amazing friends. To watch our work evolve, as our friendships do, encourages the stretching you speak about. With the quality of friendship I enjoy from all my photo friends I SHOULD be that Super Hero Stretchy Fellow by now!!! I’ll keep working on it. : )
The workshop was indeed at a high level. I was in the Highlands shooting for the weekend and found Sam’s insights bubbling up to the surface as I approached possible compositions.
Sam was careful to criticize without being negative… not such an easy thing to do, and he was careful to honor the possibility of photo directions he might not have been familiar with. I hold Sam in high regard, both for his photography and his workshop skills.
By the way, the photo Sam made of you sitting in the car at dusk is outstanding! I would love to make a print of that some day (sometime after I get my printer issues straightened out).
Mark
Hey Mark,
I’ll try to get the image from Sam. He’d like that very much! He holds your work in high regard as well. It was such a treat for him to have such an engaged group of photographers. Of course I already knew that it would be a great experience for all involved, not least, me!
I’m anxious to see your work from the weekend. I just saw a photograph of my own I need to make, but it will have to wait for the evening light.
Keron
Great! Raw file please!
Hey Rip!!!!
Thanks for the shout-out!!!
K