Photography and new media workshop at Anderson Ranch Arts Center with a student photographing the Maroon Bells landscape

Photography and New Media Workshops

Contemporary Photography and New Media Workshops

Anderson Ranch Arts Center’s Photography and New Media program has uniquely evolved to focus on both traditional photography and new media—making it one of the only workshop settings of its kind. These workshops explore visual storytelling through a variety of contexts and concepts, rooted in the idea that powerful art requires rigorous inquiry of techniques and ideas.

Immersive Photography and New Media Workshops for Artists at Every Level

Our photography and new media workshops offer hands-on instruction in traditional and digital photography, video, and lens-based media, taught by accomplished artists and educators. Designed for beginning, emerging, and professional photographers, the program emphasizes technical skills, content development, and critical dialogue through focused exploration and artistic discovery.

Advance Your Practice in an Inspiring Creative Community

Located in the Rocky Mountains, Anderson Ranch provides a transformative environment where photography, new media, and artistic innovation intersect. The Ranch Photography and New Media team creates an inspiring atmosphere where artists of all levels explore lens-based media, develop their creative voice, and experience meaningful artistic growth in the unparalleled setting of the Colorado Rockies.

Not sure where to begin? View our workshop guides for additional programming insights and our workshop FAQ’s for details. Our friendly artistic staff is also here to help guide your creative path. Email us at [email protected], and we’ll match you with the perfect workshop.

Photography & New Media Workshops

Kate Leonard, Untitled (2025), photographic collage artwork combining photography and painterly elements
  • O

    Open to All

    Students of any skill and knowledge level.

Jan 4 - 15, 20279 AM - 5 PM

What Remains: Photography, Painting, and the Archive

Kate Leonard

Tuition $2,150
Code JANSTU2027P

Join an engaging exploration of the synthesis between two distinct art forms: photography and painting. Students discover transfer techniques that integrate photographic images and text directly onto painted surfaces, resulting in intriguingly layered works. Participants explore traditional collage and photomontage, and master new methods that allow for opaque and translucent layers. Reductive methods, such as sanding and scraping, reveal the history of earlier photographic layers and suggest an archaeological approach to image development. The workshop emphasizes experimentation and exploratory approaches. Students produce a portfolio of physical examples of all techniques.

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  • II

    Level II

    Photography students have a basic understanding of photography principles and technology and are comfortable using an SLR camera in manual mode. New Media students have a basic understanding of video, multimedia or animation software. Students have basic computer skills and are comfortable using a Macintosh computer.

  • III

    Level III

    Photography students have some formal training and significant experience making, capturing and digitally processing images using Adobe Lightroom and/or Adobe Photoshop. New Media students have some formal training in conceptual and technological aspects of video, multimedia, coding or animation and are versed in the appropriate software applications. Students have a portfolio of their artwork.

  • IV

    Level IV

    Photography students have advanced skills and knowledge of photography and digital image processing. New Media students have advanced skills and knowledge of video, multimedia, coding or animation. Students are self­-motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.

  • P

    Portfolio Review Required

    Students have advanced skill and knowledge of photography. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.  

  • S

    Studio Session

Jan 18 - 22, 20279 AM - 5 PM

January Studio Sessions: Photography & New Media

Jack Fox

Tuition $1,000
Code ZSP0101c-27

Anderson Ranch’s January Studio Sessions provide artists the opportunity to work on independent projects while receiving mentoring and critique sessions with Anderson Ranch artistic staff. Each participant receives an assigned studio space, orientation, and access to equipment, as well as some morning group demonstrations and / or critiques. This program affords artists the experience enjoyed by national and international artists who access our state-of-the-art studios. Participants may expand their practices, take artistic risks, try new media or complete works for exhibition. *Studios are open 24 hours a day and on weekends for students enrolled in multiple weeks, with limited use of equipment due to safety requirements. IMPORTANT DETAILS: Students will be responsible for all material costs associated with their projects. Private dorm rooms are available at Anderson Ranch for an additional fee; click here to view January 2027 lodging options. Breakfasts and dinners are included in the dorm fee. Lunches are included in the studio fees. TO APPLY: Applicants must submit project proposals or portfolios for approval. Contact Jack Fox with questions and to apply: [email protected]

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  • P

    Portfolio Review Required

    Students have advanced skill and knowledge of photography. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.  

  • S

    Studio Session

Jan 25 - 29, 20279 AM - 5 PM

January Studio Sessions: Photography & New Media

Jack Fox

Tuition $1,000
Code ZSP0101d-27

Anderson Ranch’s January Studio Sessions provide artists the opportunity to work on independent projects while receiving mentoring and critique sessions with Anderson Ranch artistic staff. Each participant receives an assigned studio space, orientation, and access to equipment, as well as some morning group demonstrations and / or critiques. This program affords artists the experience enjoyed by national and international artists who access our state-of-the-art studios. Participants may expand their practices, take artistic risks, try new media or complete works for exhibition. *Studios are open 24 hours a day and on weekends for students enrolled in multiple weeks, with limited use of equipment due to safety requirements. IMPORTANT DETAILS: Students will be responsible for all material costs associated with their projects. Private dorm rooms are available at Anderson Ranch for an additional fee; click here to view January 2027 lodging options. Breakfasts and dinners are included in the dorm fee. Lunches are included in the studio fees. TO APPLY: Applicants must submit project proposals or portfolios for approval. Contact Jack Fox with questions and to apply: [email protected]

Learn More

  • IV

    Level IV

    Photography students have advanced skills and knowledge of photography and digital image processing. New Media students have advanced skills and knowledge of video, multimedia, coding or animation. Students are self­-motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.

  • P

    Portfolio Review Required

    Students have advanced skill and knowledge of photography. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.  

  • AMS

    Advanced Mentored Studies

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Aug 16 - 20, 20279AM - 5PM

Advanced Mentored Studies: Visual Storytelling and Documentary Photography Projects

James Estrin, Ed Kashi

Tuition $2,150
Code P1201-27

This rigorous, three-year Advanced Mentored Study program at Anderson Ranch supports experienced photographers in developing a sustained, personally meaningful documentary project. The digital age has given documentary photographers and photojournalists new ways to tell stories with greater authorship and control. Through ongoing mentorship, critical dialogue, and intensive independent work, participants explore these possibilities while deepening their visual language, strengthening their research, and examining their responsibilities as contemporary documentary storytellers. Students identify a subject rooted in personal commitment and develop a distinctive approach through sustained fieldwork, experimentation, editing, and sequencing. The program emphasizes ethical engagement, relationships with subjects and communities, and critical examination of representation, authorship, and the contexts in which images circulate. Faculty mentorship and peer critique challenge participants to clarify their intentions, question assumptions, and build cohesive narratives. As projects evolve, participants consider how photography, text, audio, digital video, and emerging technologies serve their stories. They evaluate platforms such as social media, transmedia, and virtual reality for their narrative possibilities and relevance to the work. Equal attention is given to audience, publication, exhibition, and strategies for bringing projects into public view. The program culminates in a fully developed documentary project with a considered plan for presentation and dissemination. COURSE COMPONENTS Individual faculty mentorship Group critiques and discussions Project research and proposal development Sustained independent fieldwork Ethical and contextual inquiry Technical and narrative experimentation Editing and sequencing Exploration of multimedia platforms Publication and exhibition planning Culminating project and presentation IS THIS WORKSHOP FOR YOU? This workshop is designed for experienced documentary photographers, photojournalists, and visual storytellers with a developed body of work and strong technical proficiency. Participants should be prepared to advance an existing project or develop a new one, refine their visual voice, engage critically with contemporary documentary practices, and experiment with digital video, social media, transmedia, and virtual reality. A portfolio demonstrating a sustained commitment to documentary storytelling is recommended.

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  • IV

    Level IV

    Photography students have advanced skills and knowledge of photography and digital image processing. New Media students have advanced skills and knowledge of video, multimedia, coding or animation. Students are self­-motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.

  • P

    Portfolio Review Required

    Students have advanced skill and knowledge of photography. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.  

  • AMS

    Advanced Mentored Studies

    Learn More

Aug 23 - 27, 20279AM - 5PM

Advanced Mentored Studies: Visual Storytelling and Documentary Photography Projects

James Estrin, Ed Kashi

Tuition $2,150
Code P1302-27

This rigorous, three-year Advanced Mentored Study program at Anderson Ranch supports experienced photographers in developing a sustained, personally meaningful documentary project. The digital age has given documentary photographers and photojournalists new ways to tell stories with greater authorship and control. Through ongoing mentorship, critical dialogue, and intensive independent work, participants explore these possibilities while deepening their visual language, strengthening their research, and examining their responsibilities as contemporary documentary storytellers. Students identify a subject rooted in personal commitment and develop a distinctive approach through sustained fieldwork, experimentation, editing, and sequencing. The program emphasizes ethical engagement, relationships with subjects and communities, and critical examination of representation, authorship, and the contexts in which images circulate. Faculty mentorship and peer critique challenge participants to clarify their intentions, question assumptions, and build cohesive narratives. As projects evolve, participants consider how photography, text, audio, digital video, and emerging technologies serve their stories. They evaluate platforms such as social media, transmedia, and virtual reality for their narrative possibilities and relevance to the work. Equal attention is given to audience, publication, exhibition, and strategies for bringing projects into public view. The program culminates in a fully developed documentary project with a considered plan for presentation and dissemination. COURSE COMPONENTS Individual faculty mentorship Group critiques and discussions Project research and proposal development Sustained independent fieldwork Ethical and contextual inquiry Technical and narrative experimentation Editing and sequencing Exploration of multimedia platforms Publication and exhibition planning Culminating project and presentation IS THIS WORKSHOP FOR YOU? This workshop is designed for experienced documentary photographers, photojournalists, and visual storytellers with a developed body of work and strong technical proficiency. Participants should be prepared to advance an existing project or develop a new one, refine their visual voice, engage critically with contemporary documentary practices, and experiment with digital video, social media, transmedia, and virtual reality. A portfolio demonstrating a sustained commitment to documentary storytelling is recommended.

Learn More

Additional Summer Workshops

Anderson Ranch Arts Center is thrilled to present over 150 workshops in seven mediums led by world-renowned faculty. Whether you’re exploring a new passion or refining your craft, there’s a seat waiting for you. View all workshops.

About the Studios

Photography and New Media Facilities

The Fischer Photography Center at Anderson Ranch Arts Center offers three floors of state-of-the-art facilities supporting traditional, contemporary, and experimental photography and new media practices. The center houses comprehensive equipment for both analog and digital workflows.

Studio Spaces and Equipment

  • Three dedicated photography studios
  • Traditional darkroom for film processing and printing
  • Lighting studio with strobe and continuous lighting for photography and video
  • Seamless backdrops and green screen
  • Audio and video recording equipment

Digital Labs & Technology

  • Two Mac labs with color-managed workstations
  • 24-inch iMacs equipped with Adobe Creative Cloud and cutting-edge software
  • Flatbed and film scanners
  • Epson printers and large-format printers
  • Strobe and tungsten lighting equipment available when appropriate

Together, these facilities provide comprehensive support for exploring lens-based media and visual storytelling. Learn more about our studio spaces.

Additional Resources

Reach out! We’ll help you find the perfect workshop.

Are you overwhelmed by workshop options? Or do you know which workshop to take but are unsure about the skill level, faculty, or techniques? Our staff is ready to answer questions and assist in selecting the perfect workshop for your next creative journey. Please feel free to reach out any time, and we can point you in the right direction!

Andrea Jenkins Wallace

Vice President of Artistic Affairs, Artistic Director of Photography and New Media

Call: 970-924-5044

Email Andrea

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