Vision Quest Photo Workshops

Zen and the Art of Photography

Breitenbush Hot Springs, Oregon Mountains, with Doug Beasley, September 21 – 26, 2008

This workshop is currently full.

Hands with Leaf, Breitenbush, Oregon

Revitalize your photography while exploring your relationship to your subject, your camera and yourself. Through photo exercises, assignments and daily field trips participants will learn to deepen their visual awareness while clarifying their approach, making their image making both more personal and more meaningful.

This workshop provides a unique opportunity to rethink our expectations of what it means to 'see'. We will work on cultivating simplicity and making more powerful photographs, supporting the notion that a photograph is not 'taken' but made. We become better photographers by becoming more in touch with our inner selves and then use that awareness to deepen our connection with our subject, whether it's a person, place, or thing. We will also pay attention to lighting, composition, depth-of-field and exposure issues.

“Zen and the Art of Photography” is a challenging invitation to redefine not only what is personally suitable subject matter but our whole approach to photography. Inspiration will be sparked by a balance of conversation, meditation, readings, poetry or whatever means necessary. Photographic exercises and assignments will be site specific are concerned with both internal and external experience and growth. Most afternoons will be spent in the field with Doug on daily photo adventures.

Breitenbush is a retreat environment with mineral hot springs, sauna, spa services, and great hiking in old growth cedar forests. Other non-photography workshops and individuals on personal retreats will be part of the community. Park your car when you arrive and you won't have to see it again until you leave.

See some student photography from Vision Quest Photo Workshops.

Who Should Attend:

While participants must have a working knowledge of their camera, the creative process of image making will be emphasized over the mechanics of camera use. Both digital and film, in all formats, welcome. Open to all levels of experience but better suited to those looking to expand their creativity and vision.