Mixed Media and the New Mexico Landscape

This workshop offers the unique opportunity to experiment with alternative approaches to landscape photography, both in the field and in post-production, working by hand and digitally to alter and explore our images in new ways. Under the guidance of photographer Elena Dorfman, we explore a myriad ways to consider the landscape in relation to photography, delving into ideas and looking at examples that provide reference points for you to hone your own aesthetic. 

We work on location in a variety of environments—natural formations, archeological sites, and historical settings—taking “straight” photos and also using unconventional tools including prisms and gels. Afterwards in the studio, you edit, alter, and refine your images. This may incorporate layering or collaging your own images as well as found elements, such as archival photos, text, graphics, and maps. For those who wish, the class also offers a variety of materials and techniques including crumpling, sewing, gliding, and other mixed media can be applied to your images. Using Adobe Photoshop on your laptop for your interpretation of the New Mexico landscape is also a possibility. Throughout, Elena leads individual and group discussions to support each participant in expressing their unique vision. 

In order to get the most out of this workshop, students who wish to work digitally must already have a solid knowledge of Photoshop and experience working with multiple layers and masking techniques. For those who wish to alter their images by hand, it is not necessary to have experience working with mixed media, just a willingness to experiment. The focus of this class is to build upon your existing knowledge and expand your visual horizons and capabilities.

By challenging yourself to see landscapes differently, you find yourself contemplating your own relationship to the environment. Spend a week on a journey of exploration and inspiration as you capture and realize landscapes in new and surprising ways.