Modes, Motives & Motifs: Why We Make Photographs (May 16-18)
Dates: May 16 - 18, 2025
Meetings: Friday, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM ; Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST (3 sessions)
Location: Houston Center for Photography
Cost: $750 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: David Hilliard
Skill Level: Intermediate
In this workshop, participants will take a deep dive into their own personal history as it relates to your photographic practice. You will explore the motivations and concepts behind the subjects you choose, the technical modes used to realize those choices and finally, the visual motifs utilized to shape and convey your ideas.
All aspects of your photographic process will be touched upon, giving you a clearer and fuller understanding of WHAT exists and matters within your work and HOW to best interpret and shape those concepts. It’s amazing how looking back and unpacking and understanding our instincts makes moving forward so much clearer. Let’s slow down for a few days.
The workshop includes presentations of artists to contextual aspects of the workshop, writing prompts, readings, photoshoots, group critiques, discussions as well as a portfolio review for each participant. The end goal of the class will be to gain new insight and clarity into your artwork, working methodologies, materials of choice and overall language for what you create. Participants are encouraged to make new work during the workshop as well as to examine their archive with fresh eyes.
Objectives:
Realize what you're drawn to photographically
Recognize the technical choices you make to shape your images and control them
Understand the motifs that you seem to be drawn to as giving meaning within your work
Expand your artist background with references that relate your personal work
Learn to write about your ideas and imagery clearly and succinctly
Be able to speak about you photographic work in a comprehensive manner
Engage in supportive and thoughtful critique discussions with your peers
Prerequisites:
This workshop is suitable for photographers using any camera model – from smartphones to large format cameras. Participants are expected to have a full understanding of their photographic equipment, image management and processing software they might use (Photoshop, Lightroom, etc), or their analog darkroom.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students need to write a short statement (a paragraph of two) as to why they might want to take this workshop and bring a portfolio of 10 to 15 images (printed or digital) that best represents their photographic vision (formally and technically).
Dates: May 16 - 18, 2025
Meetings: Friday, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM ; Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST (3 sessions)
Location: Houston Center for Photography
Cost: $750 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: David Hilliard
Skill Level: Intermediate
In this workshop, participants will take a deep dive into their own personal history as it relates to your photographic practice. You will explore the motivations and concepts behind the subjects you choose, the technical modes used to realize those choices and finally, the visual motifs utilized to shape and convey your ideas.
All aspects of your photographic process will be touched upon, giving you a clearer and fuller understanding of WHAT exists and matters within your work and HOW to best interpret and shape those concepts. It’s amazing how looking back and unpacking and understanding our instincts makes moving forward so much clearer. Let’s slow down for a few days.
The workshop includes presentations of artists to contextual aspects of the workshop, writing prompts, readings, photoshoots, group critiques, discussions as well as a portfolio review for each participant. The end goal of the class will be to gain new insight and clarity into your artwork, working methodologies, materials of choice and overall language for what you create. Participants are encouraged to make new work during the workshop as well as to examine their archive with fresh eyes.
Objectives:
Realize what you're drawn to photographically
Recognize the technical choices you make to shape your images and control them
Understand the motifs that you seem to be drawn to as giving meaning within your work
Expand your artist background with references that relate your personal work
Learn to write about your ideas and imagery clearly and succinctly
Be able to speak about you photographic work in a comprehensive manner
Engage in supportive and thoughtful critique discussions with your peers
Prerequisites:
This workshop is suitable for photographers using any camera model – from smartphones to large format cameras. Participants are expected to have a full understanding of their photographic equipment, image management and processing software they might use (Photoshop, Lightroom, etc), or their analog darkroom.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students need to write a short statement (a paragraph of two) as to why they might want to take this workshop and bring a portfolio of 10 to 15 images (printed or digital) that best represents their photographic vision (formally and technically).
Dates: May 16 - 18, 2025
Meetings: Friday, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM ; Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST (3 sessions)
Location: Houston Center for Photography
Cost: $750 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: David Hilliard
Skill Level: Intermediate
In this workshop, participants will take a deep dive into their own personal history as it relates to your photographic practice. You will explore the motivations and concepts behind the subjects you choose, the technical modes used to realize those choices and finally, the visual motifs utilized to shape and convey your ideas.
All aspects of your photographic process will be touched upon, giving you a clearer and fuller understanding of WHAT exists and matters within your work and HOW to best interpret and shape those concepts. It’s amazing how looking back and unpacking and understanding our instincts makes moving forward so much clearer. Let’s slow down for a few days.
The workshop includes presentations of artists to contextual aspects of the workshop, writing prompts, readings, photoshoots, group critiques, discussions as well as a portfolio review for each participant. The end goal of the class will be to gain new insight and clarity into your artwork, working methodologies, materials of choice and overall language for what you create. Participants are encouraged to make new work during the workshop as well as to examine their archive with fresh eyes.
Objectives:
Realize what you're drawn to photographically
Recognize the technical choices you make to shape your images and control them
Understand the motifs that you seem to be drawn to as giving meaning within your work
Expand your artist background with references that relate your personal work
Learn to write about your ideas and imagery clearly and succinctly
Be able to speak about you photographic work in a comprehensive manner
Engage in supportive and thoughtful critique discussions with your peers
Prerequisites:
This workshop is suitable for photographers using any camera model – from smartphones to large format cameras. Participants are expected to have a full understanding of their photographic equipment, image management and processing software they might use (Photoshop, Lightroom, etc), or their analog darkroom.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students need to write a short statement (a paragraph of two) as to why they might want to take this workshop and bring a portfolio of 10 to 15 images (printed or digital) that best represents their photographic vision (formally and technically).
Images:
David Hilliard, When Lips and Skin Remember (2013)
David Hilliard, Vapor (2015)
David Hilliard, The Adoration of Linda (2019)
David Hilliard, Hulk (2003)
David Hilliard, Triple Dorothy (2016)
David Hilliard, Rock Bottom (2008)
