Expressive Abstract Photography: Exploration in the Digital Darkroom

Every photograph begins with reality. But it doesn’t have to end there.

Some of the most compelling photographic art comes from taking a photograph beyond what was originally in front of the camera. Through the creative process, an image can become something more personal and expressive. In today’s digital darkroom, Photoshop offers a space to experiment and rethink what a photograph can be.

In this online workshop, photographer and educator Shelley Vandegrift explores the creative possibilities of Photoshop through demonstrations, breaking down her techniques and showing you how she works. She guides you beyond conventional post-processing and into a more expressive way of working with photographs. We look at how layers, masks, blend modes, color, motion, distortion, filters, and adjustments can transform a representational photograph into something more interpretive. Custom brushes, overlays, and other reusable elements offer another way to expand the possibilities of the digital darkroom.

Over five sessions, Shelley treats Photoshop as part of the image-making process, moving beyond basic corrections and into a more expressive approach to photography. Each session includes an assignment that puts the techniques into practice, with time in class to review and discuss your images. Shelley works across abstraction, surrealism, and expressive realism, showing how digital tools can change the character of a photograph and give you more freedom to shape an image around your own ideas. The result is a more personal way of working, with Photoshop becoming another part of how you make and see photographs.