Critical and constructive feedback, and the skills to provide effective critique, are often missing in camera clubs and online photo sharing groups. It might be that there isn't enough time to spend discussion the work, or they simply haven't been a part of enough good discussions to provide quality feedback. The problem is that not having valuable insight and a framework for evaluating your pictures can be the biggest factor holding you back as a photographer.

How Can I Help?

In assisting and co-leading workshops where there is an all-day critique session, I always felt like it was the most valuable aspect of the workshop. Students often learned as much from the instructors talking about other people's work as they did talking about theirs.

Part of my one-on-one classes always involves some amount of critique and editing to help students get a better of sense of where they would like to take their photography and learn what does and doesn't work, and what kind of work is most satisfying to make.

If you feel like you are missing that kind of support and feedback, not sure where to turn, and want to push your work to the next level then you should really consider this course.

The ultimate goal is personal creative growth without relying on gimmicks and conceptual or technical crutches.

Course Structure

The goal throughout the session is to give you the tools to think more deeply about your work when making the photographs, and when you get home to begin editing.

This is a three month session that meets by video conference for 60-90 minutes, twice per month.

This isn't a class where you will be required to critique each others' work, but you will have the opportunity to ask questions and comment as well. There is also a private discussion forum where you can post pictures, iterations on edits, and post feedback outside of the video call sessions.

At the end of the three months, you will have a framework to look at your own pictures in a new light and an ability to discuss other people's photographs.

Course Includes

Each student will submit a series of photographs a few days before the class and any specific subjects or questions to address regarding that group of pictures. Then I will spend 15-20 minutes with each student's pictures to go into an in-depth discussion of two to four of the submitted photographs.

We will look at the photographs you submitted and discuss the photograph's formal, technical, emotional, and conceptual characteristics to help you develop an understanding of what you're trying to say and hopefully lead you to new ways of approaching your subject.

At the end of each critique you will be given some specific exercises and homework that should be a guide for thinking about how to photograph or re-edit between each meeting.

Throughout the three month session, I'll encourage you to think about how your photographs can comprise a body of work or series and be sequenced into a gallery on your site, an exhibition, or small portfolio or book. There will be at least two sessions at the end of the course where we will sequence a selection of photographs that can help you think about how you preset your work in the future.