Nature’s Embrace

with Xuan-Hui Ng

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Course Description

Photographing nature can provide a brief reprieve from life’s harsh realities. It reminds us of the beauty in all things delicate and fierce, and we do not have to travel far to find it. Indeed, we do not need expensive camera gear to make good pictures.

Xuan-Hui Ng travels from Japan to join us this summer for her first in-person workshop in Santa Fe. Her workshop consists of lectures, assignments in the field and image reviews. During lectures, Xuan discusses some of the common themes that recur in her images: simplicity, texture, accent, rhythm. She shares her techniques for photographing nature, including her use of natural light, shadows, reflections, rain, snow, and mist to simplify and add texture to the images. She also covers her use of varied shutter speeds to create a sense of rhythm in images. By sharing her experience and mistakes, she draws attention to potential issues that might arise when using these techniques.

The challenge, and some would say the fun, of nature photography is the unpredictability of the weather. Although mist, dramatic skies and light can enhance the aesthetics of images, we cannot dictate when the sun will shine or when mist will form. Through assignments, we explore different ways to push beyond our comfort zones, to look for beauty in the mundane or unexpected, and photograph even when the weather is not cooperating.

Join Xuan to discover and explore nature’s embrace in Northern New Mexico.

Additional Information

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

This program is open to photographers at all levels who are passionate about nature and trying new things.

What You Should Know:

Working knowledge of digital workflow and manual mode on your digital SLR or mirrorless camera. Participants must be able to download and select images using image editing software for class sessions.

Techniques such as multiple exposures, flash, and intentional camera movement are not covered in this workshop.

Activity Level:

To get the most from your workshop experience, participants should be in good physical (mobility, stamina) and mental health. Come prepared for the high elevation of Santa Fe, long days, and seasonal weather including high temperatures. You must be able to carry your own photographic and personal gear at all times, both on campus and on location. You are responsible for being open and honest about your physical fitness, and we reserve the right to remove you from the workshop if we find your fitness to be less than that which you have described.

Participants should be able to engage in moderate outdoor exercise for up to an hour or more at a time including off-trail walking on uneven terrain including sand, dirt, and loose rock. Location work is likely to include early morning and/or late evening shoots.

Policies:

View Payment, Refund, Withdrawal, and Transfer Policies for domestic workshops.

Accommodations:

Participants are responsible for making their own housing arrangements in Santa Fe. On-campus accommodations are not currently available.

Meals:

Lunch Monday through Friday, dinner at the Friday evening Image Presentations, and daily beverage service are included.

about

Xuan-Hui Ng

Xuan-Hui was born in Singapore and currently lives in Japan. She began photography as a form of self-therapy. Over time, she healed and rediscovered herself. She now photographs to celebrate and eternalize her serendipitous encounters with the natural world. She has been an artist lecturer at the Griffin Museum of Photography and various camera clubs. In 2022, she was interviewed by BBC World Service’s Cultural Frontline on “Creativity and Mental Health.” She is a contributor to ELEMENTS landscape photography magazine and recently wrote for Lenscratch. Her work is represented by Foto Relevance gallery in Houston, Texas. Her photographs are single-exposure images made in camera.