The Expressive Lens
with Renee Lynn
January 12 – February 2, 2027
Course Description
Photography becomes a deeply personal form of expression when we move beyond recording a scene and begin interpreting it through our own visual language. In this four-session online workshop, photographer Renee Lynn shares the techniques she uses to create photographs that blur the line between reality and imagination. Working with painterly camera movement, multiple exposures, layered imagery, and long exposures, you move beyond a literal photograph and create images that feel more interpretive and personal.
Each week combines presentations, assignments, and group image reviews that give you the chance to test new ideas. Renee introduces the principles of design alongside practical techniques, including in-camera multiple exposures, long exposures, blend modes, and layering in Photoshop. You explore how these tools work together to support your ideas and strengthen your visual voice.
Over four sessions, you look closely at how a photograph evolves, from the moment you notice a subject to the creative decisions that shape the final image. Together, you consider how movement, layering, light, color, and composition influence mood, atmosphere, and meaning while building the confidence to experiment and follow your creative instincts.
By stepping away from the rules of traditional image-making, you open the door to photographs that feel layered, expressive, and entirely your own.
Additional Information
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Amateurs, Advanced Amateurs, Professionals who have basic knowledge of ICM and ME.
What You Should Know:
Working knowledge of your digital SLR or mirrorless camera with dedicated multiple exposure function and blend modes, digital workflow, and basic use of layers in post-processing. If the camera does not have multiple exposure function, a similar effect can be achieved with layers in post processing.
Special Notes:
Class will meet 12:30 – 2:30 pm (Mountain Time) on Tuesdays starting January 12 and ending February 2 (four 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 Cancellation 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
Renee Lynn is an American photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She completed her studies in commercial photography at U.C. Berkeley and began her career as a photojournalist before she found her passion as a stock photographer specializing in nature and animal imagery. During this time, Renee was represented by Getty Images and Corbis Images. She co-authored the Nature column for Popular Photography and was published in major publications including National Geographic books. Her animal imagery was used in advertising by Apple, Exxon, Jaguar, and the Discovery Channel, and she received the Addy Award for a VW ad campaign. Reaching out to others and supporting their professional development, she founded the NPPA Women in Visual Journalism Conference and Women in Nature Photography Conference.
Living in Santa Fe, a hub of contemporary art, Renee found inspiration to advance her craft within a vibrant community of creative talents. She expanded her work by exploring artistic photographic processes that transcend literal depiction, inviting viewers to experience photography in unexpected ways. This approach earned her four category wins in the professional section of the 2024 and 2025 Julia Margaret Cameron Awards for Abstract, Landscape, and Cell phone photography. Additionally, the Florida Museum of Photographic Art recognized her unique landscape work in their annual international exhibition. Renee’s fine art prints are represented by Edition One Gallery in Santa Fe, NM.
Website: reneelynnimages.com
Instagram: @reneelynnimages
