Street Photography

Truly skillful street photographers are respectful and open, ready to respond to the serendipitous moments that transpire every day. Capturing the essence of a new location requires nimble camera skills, sensitivity, courage, and luck. Moments line up for those who are willing to take time and be present as light and forms change, and characters move through a place. Carefully juxtaposing everyday elements leads to compositions full of metaphor, irony, and story.

Join longtime friends and street photographers Arien Chang and Jennifer Spelman for an immersion into the streets of Santa Fe and towns in Northern New Mexico as the two share different perspectives on how to visually respond to the world we walk through each day. Santa Fe and Las Vegas (New Mexico) provide backdrops layered with rich culture and potential imagery.  A visit to the renowned art cooperative, Meow Wolf lets us practice our low-light skills in a contemporary and fantastical environment.  The July 4th celebrations in Santa Fe provide a lively spark towards the end of the week and a chance for iconic and cultural street scenes.  

Our mornings and afternoons toggle between classroom sessions and time on location. The former yields valuable feedback as we review images, explore creative strategies, and practice hands-on techniques; the latter allows us to interact with the light that changes hourly. Throughout, we cover camera settings that facilitate decisive, creative, and fast framing, whether in SLR, mirrorless, or iPhone. Together, we explore the work of Eugene Smith, Larry Towell, Norman Mauskopf, Elliott Erwitt, and other iconic street photographers, examining the choices leading to the capture of their most decisive frames.  Ultimately, we will discover that the most valuable skill a street photographer can cultivate is keen intuition—that is, the instinct to choose whether to stay with a moment or to let it go.

Spend five days immersed in the energy of the street, challenging your newfound skills and building your confidence. As the camera fades into the background and the scene commands full attention, you find yourself being offered a glimpse of the future for a split second before it crosses the frame.