We all begin our photography in much the same way: by walking around with camera in hand, looking for nothing in particular and finding patches of light, anomalies, things that are nice, things that are strange.
Things that, above all, surprise us.
We make some pictures. One of them opens a way for us. So, we start looking for more such pictures. Suddenly we are … photographers.
In the wonder-filled setting of San Miguel de Allende, we return to our beginnings and set aside the photographers we have become, while still drawing on the skills we’ve acquired over the years. Daily assignments reawaken awareness of the childlike mind that is the heart of creativity. We listen to a few lectures and presentations from Sean, and then we engage in a series of exercises that loosen us up and carry us forward in our work. We explore and discover the challenges and joys of being in a new setting and take advantage of the insights this fresh place offers us.
We use photography not to picture what we know, but to find reflections of what we don’t. The more we let go of ingrained habits of seeing and thinking, the more we can make work that doesn’t strive to capture images of something external.
Ultimately, we are not after photos that affirm what we already know. Instead, we seek ways to make our experience of things clear and real, first for ourselves and then for others. We are rewarded with fresh and compelling images that surprise, delight, and maybe even amaze us. Join Sean Kernan in San Miguel de Allende for a voyage of discovery to look at your photography differently.
COVID-19 Update: For all in-person workshops and trips in 2023, Santa Fe Workshops highly recommends that all participants, staff, and instructors attending be up to date with Covid vaccinations (per definition of the CDC). For international trips, local laws will apply, so it is important that you confirm you will be fully vaccinated according to the countries on your trip.
This workshop is for the passionate amateur, advanced amateur and professional photographer.
Participants need to be technically self-sufficient, as this is not a workshop to learn how to use your gear or editing software. Participants must be able to download, select, and submit images for class each day.
Participants should plan to travel to San Miguel no later than Wednesday, September 20. Workshop check-in will be Thursday morning, followed by breakfast and a brief orientation. The workshop ends on Monday evening with a final dinner and image presentations.
Visit the San Miguel Campus page on our website for details on accommodations, meals, transportation, and more.
Enrollment for this San Miguel workshop is limited to 14 participants.
View Payment, Refund, Withdrawal, and Transfer Policies for this International Program.
For participants wanting to stay at Hotel Posada de la Aldea, double accommodations are $415 per person for 6 nights, Wednesday through Monday, (for couples taking workshops and friends traveling together) or $830 per person, single accommodations for 6 nights, Wednesday through Monday. Additional nights at the hotel can be arranged for participants; please discuss needs with the Administration Office in Santa Fe.
$2,695 (USD) includes tuition, breakfast Thursday through Tuesday, lunch Thursday through Monday, final dinner on Monday, and model/location/materials fees if applicable to the class. Hotel accommodations are not included in the package price; see details above.
Sean Kernan is a widely-exhibited photographer, writer, film maker, and teacher, focused on the exploration of creativity. He is the author of The Secret Books (with Jorge Luis Borges), Among Trees (With Anthony Doerr), Darrell Petit In Stone, and Looking Into the Light, on creativity and photography.
His photographic work has been exhibited and published in France, Mexico, Egypt, Greece, China, Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Korea, and across the U.S. He has made the award-winning films Crow Stories, The Kampala Boxing Club, A Mind of Winter, and The Visitor. He has also collaborated with the dance company of choreographer Alison Chase on a theater/dance/multimedia work, Drowned that premiered at MASS MoCA. Clients include AT&T, Knoll, GE, Pratt and Whitney, New York Times, Smithsonian, Bloomberg, and Harvard.
He has taught and lectured at the New School/Parsons, Art Center Pasadena, Yale Medical School, ICP, and the University of Texas, and he has written for Communication Arts, Lenswork, and Graphis.
Website: seankernan.com
Instagram: @seankernan
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