fragments of reality
with nicholas x bent
October 27 – December 1, 2026
Course Description
this new online workshop explores the imperfect image… those moments that resist control and invite something unexpected. together, we consider photography not as a pursuit of perfection, but as an act of discovery, expression, and surrender.
…. think less of image perfection but rather embrace imperfection…spontaneity over calculation…salvageable intentions…raw. technology moves us closer to define image creation as clean, obvious, and siloed with a preference to the equipment, youth, and beauty. this world does not seek to see itself in reality but a manufactured, curated, self-interested portrait of splendor.
during six group sessions, we explore photographers from across the globe, discuss nontraditional photographic techniques, and employ them in the creation of a series of images. through assignments given and reviewed each week, participants develop a short body of work based on a narrative of their choosing. at the conclusion of the workshop, each participant presents their photographs as a gallery exhibition, complete with an artist statement.
only the use of manual settings and single exposures are considered. no in-camera programs are used. the camera from behind your eye.
prior to the commencement of the first session, participants submit two images for review and discussion. these images should reflect the individual’s sense of photographic expression and aesthetic. all images must include the camera used, settings employed, and post-processing method.
Additional Information
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
What You Should Know:
Participants need to be technically self-sufficient. Participants must be able to download, select, and submit images for class each day.
Special Notes:
Class will meet 5:30 – 7:30 pm (Mountain Time) on Tuesdays starting October 27 and ending December 1 (six online group sessions). Enrollment is limited to 12 participants.
Zoom Video Conferencing software (available for no charge from Zoom.com) will be used to facilitate the class sessions. Further details will be emailed to registrants.
These live online sessions take place in the standard Zoom meeting format. Students can use their microphone and camera, see and hear the instructor and other students, and participate in live discussion and interaction throughout the sessions.
Santa Fe Workshops always aims to produce a high-quality experience for our online attendees. That said, variables including regional and local internet provider speeds, traffic on Zoom's servers, and your own computing hardware can contribute to a less-than-ideal streaming event. While we do our best to minimize the impact of these variables, they are outside the control of Santa Fe Workshops.
Policies:
View Withdrawal and Transfer Policies for online programs.
Recording class sessions using personal devices or third-party tools is not permitted. Session recordings are provided by Santa Fe Workshops and are available to enrolled students for two months after the class. This policy helps protect the intellectual property and privacy of both instructors and students.
about
nicholas x bent is a canadian contemporary fine art photographer utilizing camera movements and distortion to create unique landscape images.
raised in a northern mining town in ontario, canada, i experienced the contrast of stark rugged landscapes stripped by mine operations and pristine old growth forests, of eerie blue lakes deadened by acid rain fallout from the mine smelter stacks and green lakes filled with the promise of dinner.
this land was heaved up from the earth’s core and settled by sediment—islands of red granite shot through with veins of black granite and gleaming quartz in streams of pocked limestone. spruce, cedar, and junipers – hundreds of years old perched on cliffs with only the promise of tomorrows rain. the land’s ghosts travel on the winds and lodge in the valleys, gorges, and crevasses, revealing history to those with eyes to see it.
our occupation of this land places intensifying demand on nature with each passing generation, and yet our connection to this wildness diminishes in lock step with its destruction. each portrait of a tree, or grouping of trees or a building invites the viewer to consider its uniqueness and its place – or put another way – its individuality. the movement in each of the images assists in the construction of an understanding about the sentience of the subject, and perhaps a recognition of parallels in feeling between the viewer and the subject. the viewer might then understand the isolation or eradication of wildness as not only an ecological tragedy but a societal and spiritual one as well.
Website: xbentphotography.com
Instagram: @nicholasxbent
