Programs: (Zoom) In Praise of Shadows with Jim Welninski

You’ve worked hard to develop your skills. You have all the right equipment. You’ve studied all the right things and mastered all the necessary software. You’ve spent countless hours behind the camera and in front of the computer, so you have solid technique and you’re technically proficient.

You’ve definitely put in the time, and you absolutely know what to do. And yet, you find that you’re still asking yourself the same old questions:

– Why can’t I make the photographs I want to make?

– I want my photographs to reflect my own vision and style, but I’m not even sure I can tell you what those things are. How do I figure that out?

– I know these things exist and I know they’re important because I’ve seen them in the work of other photographers. But how do I get from here to there?

– Have I been wasting my time learning the wrong things?

– How will I ever get to where I want to be?

If that describes you, you can relax a bit because you’re already 80 percent of the way there. The good news is that you don’t need to learn any new skills to get that last 20 percent. You already know everything you need to know. The bad news is that you’ve crossed the border and left the reservation. You’ve entered the wilderness and are now in the realm of The Artist. You’re on your own out here, so you need a new plan because the old rules no longer apply. In fact, there are no rules at all in this wilderness, so photography education can no longer provide you with the answers you need. Fortunately, there is a well-trodden path that can lead you forward. You can begin your journey on it by pondering these questions:

How do I stop working with the camera?

How do I begin creating through the camera?

There is a monumental difference between these two ways of seeing and working. If the only thing you see is what’s in front of you, then that’s all you’ll ever be able to shoot. Truly seeing your work begins long before you point a camera at anything. It begins even before your visual system is engaged. This kind of seeing is an inner act that reaches outward, and it allows you to consciously participate in the act of creation before it even begins. There is a way to do that. It’s simple, but it’s not easy. You’ll also have to work at it, but it’s more than worth the effort. I didn’t find my best work. It found me. It showed up after I worked out a practical way to bring my brain and my heart together. That was the key to unlocking it. Join me and I’ll show you how I did it.Then I’ll show you how to do it yourself.Jim Welninski

Bio:

Jim has been a working artist for more than 50 years. Thousands of photographers from all over the world have studied his courses and teaching, and he’s run lots of workshops in both the US and UK. He’s been told that his international award-winning photographs are instantly recognizable as being his. Some of his students will even tell you that he’s responsible for both the amazing work they make and for their general craziness. His response to all of that is, “I’m just a guy with a camera and a guitar, and this is just my work. Your photographs are your own. You made them, not me. And if you think you’re crazy, welcome home. ”

He lives in Chicago with his wife, Liz. Their cat Maddy allows them to serve her