Here, to the left, is the full set of workshops to be presented by Bruce in 2008 and into 2009, including those on Bruce's own Photographic Arts program and those with Bruce as an invited instructor on other fine programs. All have full descriptions now. This may be the most varied set of workshops Bruce has ever offered. We hope you can join us for at least one of them.

Bruce Barnbaum directs workshops devoted to the study of photography as an expressive art form. Whether your imagery is created by digital, traditional, or alternative methods, and whether your chosen subject matter is portraiture, landscape, architecture, street photography, or any other subject, these workshops delve deeply into the question of what is your passion? What type of imagery excites you? What type of imagery do you want to produce? How do you want others to react to your work? These are ongoing questions, ones that pervade all of your life's work and all of our workshops.

To help anwser them we stress the bond between you and your subject matter, the observation and understanding of light, the strength of good composition, and the importance of lines, forms, patterns, colors and visual relationships as the fundamental building blocks of a superb photograph. We stress the importance of appropriate contrast, tonalities and color saturation as key elements to elicit emotional response to your work. These issues are common to all photographic endeavors—indeed to all visual art forms. They form the central focus of our entire workshop program. We can supply the bedrock foundation for your photographic goals, whether you approach photography digitally or traditionally. We can supply the technical expertise to realize them. The high quality of instruction, the high quality of the instructors as photographers, the close personal interaction between instructors and students, and the photographically rich setting for each workshop, have left many former students saying that these were the finest workshops they had ever attended.

To create the appropriate teaching/learning atmosphere, workshops are located in magnificent locations throughout the United States and abroad. The emphasis by Bruce and the co-instructors is on close work with each student to expand his or her visual creativity and means of personal expression. The workshops are intense, going from early morning to late night each and every day, but they're also filled with great fun. At the end you'll be tired, but you will have learned a tremendous amount, and you will have enjoyed every moment of it. Whether your approach is through traditional photographic processes or digital processes, you'll understand a great deal more about seeing, about light, about composition, about making a personal statement and about photography as a powerful art form when the workshop ends. And after the workshop ends, we will continue to work with you forever. That's a promise! We're committed to to excellent teaching, to excellent photography, and to you.

We bring in the finest instructors, those who have gained national and international reputations as fine photographers, those who are also genuinely concerned about your progress as a photographer. By working with you during our field sessions, by viewing and analyzing your photographs during our critique/discussion sessions, and by personally getting to know you at breakfast, lunch or dinner, they will make observations and suggestions about your work and your goals that will help you achieve them. They are fully accessible throughout the workshop, will discuss their own work fully, and will prove that none have secrets: they will share their methods, materials and locations freely, and will always keep the "pipeline" open to you after the workshop ends.

Our success stems from the shared belief among instructors that an expressive photograph is a work of fine art, a fine piece of craftsmanship, and a deeply personal statement. We deal with artistry, craftsmanship, and personal vision, working with students from the beginning to the end of the process. The success of our program rests on:

ADMINISTRATION.  We treat all inquiries with courtesy, respect, and timely information. You’re important to us, and we’ll prove it.

ARTISTIC DIVERSITY. There are normally two or three instructors on each of our workshops, each with their own styles, working methods, and opinions. This gives each student a wonderful range of options and opinions to consider for your own development. The instructors don't always agree with one another, and this creates marvelous opportunities for discussion, thought, and reflection on your own personal approach. Sure, it costs a little more to have several instructors, but the benefits are enormous. Please compare this with the typical workshop with just one instructor, where there are few challenges to the single instructor's ideas or opinions.

CREATIVITY.  As working artists, instructors regularly explore new methods of self-expression in subject matter and through traditional or digital techniques. We believe creativity can be taught, encouraged, and learned in an atmosphere that promotes it.

CRITIQUE/DISCUSSIONS. We present the deepest, most penetrating, most diverse, most thoughtful, and most supportive critique sessions you'll find at any workshop program (see "Artistic Diversity" above). We actually consider these sessions to be idea sessions: you'll see and hear how fellow students and instructors respond to your work, giving you new ideas on how to evaluate your own work. We can make suggestions, but you have the answers. This is the heart of every workshop, and we treat all work seriously and with great respect. Each participant has his/her work reviewed thoroughly in a full group discussion that encourages every one to contribute to the discussion. In these group discussions we not only deal with the work in front of us, but often use the work as springboards to wider topics, such as materials, methods, personal expression and personal approaches to your own expressive work.

EMPHASIS.  We emphasize the expressive and creative side of photography, recognizing that the technical side is critically important, but refusing to turn photography into nothing more than a technical exercise. We deal with all technical issues fully, but we agree with Ansel Adams’ comment that "There’s nothing as useless as a sharp photograph of a fuzzy concept."

ENTHUSIASM and ENJOYMENT.  These two things are the basis of fine work in any field. Without enthusiasm there can be no progress, no breakthroughs, and no enjoyment. We're all enthusiastic about photography and teaching. We enjoy doing both...and it shows.

HUMOR.  Humor loosens you up and allows the creative juices to flow more freely. It breaks down barriers between people. The instructors all have a good sense of humor that keeps things moving in a pleasant manner. If you don't learn a thing, you'll still have fun; but because you're having fun, you'll learn a lot!

LENGTH OF WORKSHOP. Our workshops generally start in the morning of the first day, giving you a full day's worth of instruction that day. Many workshops, by contrast, begin on the evening of the first day, giving little more than an orientation that day. We ask you to arrive the night before the workshop begins (on almost all workshops) for informally meeting with one another, with the instructors, and for a general orientation. We pack more into our workshops...and you're the beneficiaries of that!

OPENNESS.  There are no secrets. Each instructor shares every aspect of his thinking, his art, and his craft with you. All questions are considered legitimate, and all will be answered thoughtfully.

PURPOSE and SIZE.  Ours is a program dedicated solely to expressive fine art photography. The classes are small and the director teaches in every workshop offered, so the buck stops here!

Comments from Students:

"I can't tell you how much I enjoyed talking photography for 16 hours a day for 5 1/2 days. Your approach to teaching and the information you shared went way beyond my expectations. I was extremely impressed with the rhythm and the pace of the workshop. I never felt rushed and never felt bored. Even though you packed more into each day than I thought humanly possible, you kept us lingering well into the night talking shop. Your level of energy and excitement was also truly amazing and contagious as well. I can hardly wait to get back in the darkroom and practice what I learned."
-Steven Johnson, Seattle, WA 7/03

"It really was a fantastic learning experience for me and I couldn't have asked for better instructors than you and Don. The whole week went by incredibly quickly, and it seemed that I wanted a lot more time on just about every aspect. That being said, I hope to take what I learned at the workshop and put it to good use."
-Bruce Power, San Francisco, CA 7/03

"Did I come away with what I wanted from the course? Simply said - yes. Did I get my money's worth? - absolutely. Would I do it again? - in a flash!"
-Eric Rose, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 7/03

"As the one who undoubtedly gained the most from your workshop I just wanted to say, again, how much I appreciated all your efforts. It was a real mountaintop experience for me. Thank you for being honest in your comments and helpful in your criticisms. I really do admire your work. You have given me something to aspire towards."
-Tony Morrell, Battleground, WA 4/03

"The combination of people, ideas, and discussions was spectacular. I often find myself judging the importance of events based on how much I miss them when they are gone. I miss that workshop immensely, more so with each passing day. I miss the intellectual as well as artistic stimulation we all shared.
Thanks for a wonderful workshop. Thanks for your deep and passionate caring about the art of photography. Most importantly for me, thanks for your deep and passionate caring about me."
-Jef Torp, Boise, ID 4/03

"There was so much good stuff offered at your workshop that I thought I would tell you what I found to be most helpful at this point in time. Viewing your and Don's negatives, and dispelling the myth of a universal, "correct" negative. Viewing your and Don's prints, and dispelling the myth of a perfect print with pure white, black and extreme tonal scale. The procedure testing monkey is off my back for good. Thus, I can focus on what it is that I really want to do, expressive photography, and avoid the tedium of all those test drills suggested by the likes of so many others."
-David Sherwood, Richland, WA, 10/01

"Any person interested in teaching should take this workshop, even if they're not interested in photography! They would see how teaching should be done."
-Jamie Margolis, Israel 5/01

"Thank you for a most wonderful workshop experience. Your intelligence, your talent and your humanity combine in a way that makes you a very special teacher."
-Cali Gorevic, New York, NY 8/99

"I just wanted to thank you again for your great teaching. My career in photography would not exist without it. I am presently showing in Provincetown, MA, Denver, CO, Austin, TX and Paris!"
-Roger Baker, Albuquerque, NM 3/99

"I knew I was signing up to work with a master photographer; I didn't know I would be working with a master teacher."
-Gerald Duffy, Spokane, WA 5/01

"Your critique sessions have always been the high points of your workshops. I always come home with an enhanced appreciation for the 'art of seeing'."
-George Christensen, Ames, IA 9/01

"I had a great time at the workshop, and the prints from the critique are all spread out for a second look and some decision making."
-Robin Borzotta, Cincinnati, OH 11/02

"Again, I want to thank you for producing a very inspirational workshop. I received a Mt. Everest-ful of beneficial information.
-Doug Marsh, Sumas, WA 10/00

Bruce Barnbaum Workshop - Critique from www.photo.net
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