The Workshops
Join us in small town Mexico for one of Mano Lista's photographic
workshops for intermediate to professional photographers. We strive to
give you extraordinary image-capturing opportunities while receiving
expert guidance from our award-winning instructors. Select an option
below to find out more information about our workshops now.
November 7–14, 2008
Exploring Your Documentary Approach
Steven E. Gross
This documentary photography workshop is designed to engage your powers
of observation and bring awareness to your expressive possibilities.
Participants investigate the relationships between photographer and
subject matter and learn how to develop a coherent and meaningful
body of work.
Steven will guide participants in editing and problem solving techniques used in advancing ones personal vision. There will be daily discussions, reviews of work in progress, Spanish classes, one night camping on the beach and, as well as shooting assignments designed to hone abilities and capture emotional content and create indelible images. The class will also discuss the practical aspects of the photographer’s equipment. The workshop will culminate in group exhibitions at the Cultural Center of Zacoalco de Torres.
January 9–16, 2009
Refining Your Creative Vision
Jane Fulton Alt
Why do you photograph? What are you trying to express and how well are you conveying it? Refine your photographic vision with award-winning fine art photographer, Jane Fulton Alt.
This workshop will explore the creative process and how we see as we immerse ourselves in transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary within the photographic frame. The workshop will coincide with Zacoalco's celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and will include daily shooting and critiques, Spanish classes, and one night camping on the beach. Be inspired by the daily village life of Zacoalco de Torres and surrounding areas as we photograph our way through the week. Basic technical proficiency is necessary. Please bring a digital portfolio to share.
Jane Fulton Alt
Instructor Jane Fulton Alt’s photographs explore universal issues
of humanity, reflecting her interest in the mysteries of life
and the non-material world. Her photographs ask us to consider issues
of love, loss, and spirituality. She has exhibited extensively
both nationally and internationally and her work can be found
in many permanent collections including the Museum of Fine Arts in
Houston, New Orleans Museum of Art, Yale University Beinecke Library, De
Paul University Art Museum, Centro Fotografico Alvarez Bravo in Oaxaca,
Mexico, and the Dancing Bear collection of William Hunt.
Alt is the recipient the 2007 Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award and the 2007 and 2008 Ragdale Foundation Fellowship. Her work has been widely published and featured on several book covers. Her new book, "Look and Leave: Photographs and Stories from the New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward" will be released in Spring 2009 by the Center for American Places.
Steven E. Gross
Instructor Steven E. Gross has greatly influenced the business of
wedding photography. He helped pioneer a photojournalistic style approach
to traditional nuptials. He is also known for his candid editorial,
commercial and portrait photography. He brings a distinct sense of
composition and timing to all of his work.
Gross’ approach to photography has caught the eye of ABC Nightline, Good Morning America, Fox TV and PBS. His work has been featured in Esquire, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Magazine and numerous publications both nationally & abroad. His book projects include Zhou Brothers, In The Studio and Black and White, Defining Moments of Weddings and Marriage.
This
schedule is being provided to give you a general idea of the activities
that occur during a typical Mano Lista workshop. The schedule of
specific workshops may be changed to accommodate the workshop’s
participation in local festivals or events, or at the request of
the instructor. This schedule should not be interpreted as final.
Friday
- Workshop participants arrive, van transport to Zacoalco from Guadalajara International Airport
- Check-in
- Meet and Greet Dinner at Mano Lista HQ
Saturday
- Group breakfast at HQ
- Workshop orientation
- Group Spanish class
- Vans to Tapalpa, a traditional mountain town
- Group lunch
- Independent shooting
- Return to Zacoalco
- Dinner on own
- Nightly group critique at HQ
Sunday
- Group breakfast at HQ
- Small group excursions around Zacoalco
- Group lunch
- Evening shooting at the plaza
- Dinner on own
- Nightly group critique at HQ
Monday
- Group breakfast at HQ
- Vans to Guadalajara
- Independent lunch and shooting in Guadalajara
- Group dinner and salsa dancing at Café del Carmen
- Late return to Zacoalco
Tuesday
- Group breakfast at HQ
- Vans depart for Faro de Bucerias, Michoacan
- Arrive for group lunch.
- Independent shooting and swimming
- Group dinner
- Overnight at beach
Wednesday
- Group breakfast
- Shooting/swimming and packing up
- Early afternoon departure
- Group lunch on the road
- Late afternoon shooting in Zacoalco
- Dinner on own
- Nightly group critique at HQ
Thursday
- Group breakfast at HQ
- Bike trip to El Crusero
- Shooting at farms
- Group barbeque lunch on the farm
- Bike return
- Group visits to artisans’ workshops
- Dinner on own
- Nightly group critique at HQ
Friday
- Group breakfast at HQ
- Hanging of final show
- Group lunch
- Group final show at Zacoalco’s Casa de Cultura, public invited
- Dinner on own
Saturday
- Check-out
- Van returns participants to airport or downtown Guadalajara
The price of eight-day, eight-night workshop is $1,200 per participant. A $400 deposit is due at the time of registration to secure your space in the workshop. The price of each workshop includes tuition, double occupancy hotel (limited single rooms available for an additional $200) for seven nights as well as one night of beach campground access, group transportation when necessary, two meals a day (breakfast daily and lunch or dinner depending on the day’s activities), and roundtrip transportation between Guadalajara’s international airport (GDL) and Zacoalco de Torres. Costs not included in the workshop price that participants will need to pay for themselves include: airfare to/from Guadalajara, one meal per day, black and white film processing, liquor, souvenirs and snacks.