Joe Englander Photography

What You Will Learn

Our programs workshops, tours, expeditions, and explorations emphasize photography on location, in the landscape. By seeking to balance the attraction of beautiful locations with excellent instruction, we help our students come away with the kind of images they've always wanted. Although it is possible to learn the grammar of the photographic language in a classroom removed from the subject matter, as with any language, photography is best learned when exercised in real situations, in small groups, with those already fluent. It is possible to learn as much from a one-week workshop as from a one-year community college course because of the concentrated time, the hands-on experience, and the individual attention. All of our programs are hands-on, and some are limited to as few as two participants.

Whether your choice is color or black & white, large or small format, film or digital, at our workshops we will make certain that you are completely comfortable with the grammar and syntax of the photographic language, the how to's, as we help you move towards the ultimate goal of using photography to express yourself individually in the most poetic way possible.

Photography is capable of extreme subtlety and incredible beauty. While it is possible to create such beauty by chance, it is better to achieve it by a method. As with any other language, you must learn to read and write with precision before you can clearly express whatever meaning you intend in whatever style you desire. We will help you learn to make the best possible photographs. If you have questions, give us a call.

What you will learn in our workshops

Our workshops are based on the philosophy that students learn more by doing than simply by being instructed.

Although we photograph in some of the most beautiful locations in the world, the emphasis of our workshops remains on teaching photography in places where you have the opportunity to make extraordinary images and enjoy yourself. At our workshops you will learn:

  • How to control depth of field with any lens and any camera
  • How to control exposure and contrast
  • How to increase your percentage of great images
  • How to control color balance
  • How to get the best quality from your lenses
  • Which filters to use and when
  • Why exposure meters may not work properly
  • How to expose for difficult subjects
  • How to use the Zone System and the Tone System
  • How to slow down and really see images
  • How to make stronger compositions
  • How to use and select tripods and heads
  • How to use and control large format cameras
  • How to make the most of smaller formats
  • How to turn your slides and negatives into expressive prints

In short, how to make photography and photographic equipment second nature so that they become tools with which you can enjoy expressing yourself. Every workshop session includes the opportunity to have the instructor personally review what you’ve been doing and suggest how you can improve. The instructor will explain his personal methods and approaches during photo sessions and using examples from his own portfolio. During expeditions and international tours, the instructional materials and teaching-time available are frequently constrained by travel requirements; nonetheless, our leaders make every effort to ensure that you will receive the same quality instruction that you would receive during a domestic workshop. Because the groups are small, you can expect individual attention; participants at all levels are able to progress at their own speed.

What if you already "know" photography?

We have intentionally designed expeditions and explorations for those photographers who already know the basics and more. As with all our programs, we have chosen specific destinations because of their rich photographic opportunities and specific dates because of their conducive photographic conditions. The goal of expeditions is to help you be at the right place at the right time. The goal of explorations is learning to find the right places and the right times in unfamiliar territory. By traveling and working with a small group, you'll be able to take advantage of each other's experience, exchanging tips and ideas, learning new methods, and gaining new insights that you'd otherwise miss by traveling alone. As with all our programs, the leader of expeditions and explorations is a professional photographer.

Going beyond the more limited scope of typical workshops and tours, Master Classes are designed for those who may have become proficient at taking photographs but want to learn more about making photographs, about elevating simple but competent travel images to art. The sessions following fieldwork concentrate on editing and producing finished artistic images using either traditional darkroom or electronic techniques.

For more information about any of our programs or help with registration, please contact us.


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