Photographing Your Unconscious Mind

What draws our attention, and what might those moments reveal about us? In this new online workshop, artist Eliza McKenna explores photography as a tool for self-discovery, inviting participants to create meaningful projects that deepen their relationships to memory, experience, and the stories they tell themselves.

What we notice in the world around us often reflects what is unfolding within. When we photograph what calls to us, the image becomes an opportunity to return to our perceptions with curiosity. Asking, Why am I noticing this?, begins the process of uncovering the narratives that shape our beliefs, behaviors, and desires. As Carl Jung wrote, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Through photography, reflection, and conversation, this workshop creates space to pay attention to what the unconscious mind may be trying to communicate.

Over six sessions, we use photography, writing, and discussion to develop deeply personal projects rooted in observation and self-inquiry. Personalized assignments between sessions encourage continued exploration, while supportive critiques and group conversations provide opportunities to examine images with fresh eyes. Whether you have experience with visual storytelling or are new to the medium, the workshop introduces new ways of seeing and engaging with the world around you.

By the end of the workshop, you leave with a body of work that feels personally meaningful, a heightened sense of self-awareness, and the foundation for a photographic practice that can continue to evolve long after the final session.