Photography & New Media
Code: P0921-24
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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.
Master Class: Portraiture and Figuration
Jul 29 - Aug 2, 2024
9AM - 5PM
Concept
In this master workshop, artists engage in critical group dialogue and critiques to hone the fundamental aspects of their work and deepen their understanding of contemporary art practice. Advanced lens-based artists produce work at their own pace, pausing in the mornings for discussion with the instructors and peers. Topics are wide-ranging in both depth and breadth, including technique, concept, approach, and context. Students are expected to work independently and to set their own studio goals for the week. The course strongly encourages a broad interpretation of photography and welcomes artists working in installation as well. Instructor teaches mornings from 9am – noon, while afternoons are dedicated to independent studio time.
Portfolios will be accepted on a rolling basis. Instructions on how to submit your portfolio are as follows:
- Submit digital images of your work in one single PDF (as opposed to individual JPG attachments) via email directly to Anderson Ranch Workshop Manager Esther Nooner at [email protected].
- The single PDF must be less than 10 MB to be considered.
- Include 5-10 images of your work with image identification that lists the title, media, dimensions and year of each image. While not required, it is helpful to see an artist statement addressing the images you send. Include “Advanced Portfolio Review” in the subject line of your email, as well as the title of the workshop for which you are applying.
- Please provide a phone number where you can be reached and a link to your website. Submissions that do not follow the requested directions will not be reviewed.
If you are accepted, a deposit of $650 will be required within one week of notification of acceptance to hold your place. Housing will be assigned on a space-available basis upon enrollment.
Media & Techniques
Digital photography, digital printing, artist presentations, group discussions
Supply ListFaculty
Catherine Opie
Summer Series Speaker
Catherine Opie (b. 1961) is one of the most important photographers of her generation. Her subjects have included early seminal portraits of the LGBTQ+ community, the architecture of Los Angeles’ freeway system, mansions in Beverly Hills, Midwestern icehouses, high school football players, California surfers, and abstract landscapes of National Parks, among others. She was a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow recipient and the Robert Mapplethorpe Resident in Photography at the American Academy in Rome for 2021. She has exhibited at international venues such as Guggenheim Museum in New York, The Photographer’s Gallery in London, Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, Denmark. Opie was a professor of photography at UCLA for 25 years. She lives and works in Los Angeles.
Catherine Opie, Pig Pen
Join Waitlist for Master Class: Portraiture and Figuration
Thank you for your interest in the waitlist. When space in a workshop or program becomes available, registration will open on the website. Everyone on the waitlist will be emailed to alert them of the opening. This ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to register for the workshop or program.
Photography & New Media
Photography has always been a vital part of Anderson Ranch, one in which students explore visual storytelling through a variety of contexts and concepts. The program has uniquely evolved to focus on both traditional photography and new media— making it one of the only workshop settings of its kind. Three floors of the Fischer Photography Center house state-of-the-art equipment, including three photography studios, two Mac labs, a traditional darkroom, and a lighting studio with strobe and continuous lighting for photography and video.
All Photography workshops are rooted in the same idea—powerful art requires rigorous inquiry of techniques and ideas. We focus on technical skills, content and critical dialog. Students have access to color-managed media labs equipped with 24-inch iMacs, flatbed and film scanners, Epson printers, and cutting-edge software including Adobe Creative Cloud. When appropriate, students utilize strobe and tungsten lighting equipment, seamless backdrops, green screen, audio and video recording equipment and Epson large-format printers.
The Ranch Photography and New Media team creates an inspiring environment, allowing artists of all levels to explore lens-based media and the journey of artistic discovery in the unparalleled setting of the Colorado Rockies.
Anderson Ranch is happy to extend a tuition discount* in one- and two-week adult photography and new media summer workshops** for members of SPE and the Center for Fine Art Photography at the student membership level or above. Please email reg@
Workshop Details
Workshop Supplies
For general information about studio access, shipping, and more, please visit our info page.
If you have any questions regarding your supplies for your workshop, please contact Esther Macy Nooner, [email protected].
Lodging & Meals
Housing is limited and includes shared and private lodging options. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier you reserve housing, the better your chance of receiving your preferred option. Please note: Workshop costs do not include accommodations.
NEW: Tuition includes a welcome dinner and lunches. In our effort to foster a stronger sense of community and accessibility at Anderson Ranch, we include the welcome dinner and all lunches as part of the tuition for summer workshop students. Our hope is that this adjustment will encourage all students to come together to share meals and engage in meaningful conversations. The Ranch Café Meal Plan, which is included with Room and Board fees, strives to provide healthy, creative meals that will nourish your artistic creativity. Learn more.
We have established a Business Safety Plan with added layers of precaution that prioritize the health and safety of our staff, students, faculty and guests while continuing to provide you with the Anderson Ranch experience that you know and enjoy.
Scholarships, College Credit & Discounts
Making Art Accessible
Applications for scholarship support are encouraged. Specific scholarships are funded by Ranch supporters, either through endowed funds or special gifts.
Many colleges and universities offer college credit for workshops taken at Anderson Ranch. Discounts are available for students and teachers.
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