Join renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning (and former New York Times photo editor), Jose R. Lopez,  National Magazine Award winner, Caitlin Kelly (New York Times, Wall Street Journal), and respected Canadian photographer and author, Dave Brosha, as they lead you through a one-of-a-kind workshop on beautiful Prince Edward Island, Canada.

This unique workshop will mix lectures, discussion, and hands-on time to create visual narratives against the stunning backdrop of Canada's "Gentle" Island.

Dates:  August 23-25, 2024

Cost:  $2450+tax CDN (this translates to roughly $1850+tax for American participants         

($750+tax deposit, with remaining balance due over two installments...one in October 2023, and one in February 2024).  Participants may also pay in full upfront if they wish.

Includes:   Three days of on-site and in-the-field instruction from Dave, Caitlin, and Jose.  Coffee and snacks each day at the workshop.

Does not include: Accommodation (we can provide a list of recommended nearby locations), meals, and transportation.  We will set up a Facebook group prior to the workshop so that participants can coordinate possible room and ride shares. 

What Is "The Stories We Tell"?

If you are tired of creating for social media and want to know that your creative efforts have a deeper meaning - whether it’s creating visual or written stories for publications, or even creating a more compelling narrative or documentation of their own lives, families, and experiences - this might be the workshop for you. It will be a unique learning experience mixing the perspectives of a photographer, a photo editor, and a writer...and allow you to grow as a creative in a number of ways.

Exploring the art and vision behind creating images, stories, and visual narratives that resonate, this event will go beyond your standard photography or writing workshop to challenge participants to discover what their voice truly is, and what goes into making a visual or written story with impact.

This is your chance to spend dedicated one-on-one time with three highly experienced media/creative professionals and get insights and critiques on your work that is certain to help you grow immensely as a storyteller. 

This workshop will focus on many topics over the three days, some of which include:

 - understanding what goes into strong narrative photographs, and how to "see" these narratives in your own work.

- understanding how strong culling and editing of your work and careful presentation can lead to untold gains, both professionally and personally.

- exploring how the art of the written word can help add to overall visual narratives and allow you to present stronger work in the process.

- a deep dive on "storytelling" and "photojournalist"-style photography across genres such as street, portraiture (even family portraiture!), weddings, event photography, nature photography, and more.

- gain invaluable insights on how to get published through all forms of media including newspapers, magazines, and books.

- learn what photo editors see as "strong" versus what photographers consider strong.

- the Role of Artificial Intelligence and what that means for the future of photography.  The group will have an in-depth conversation around a subject that has powerful implications for photographers.

- learn how to craft strong narrative presentations to best showcase your work across a variety of mediums, including slideshows, photo essays, family journals, framed photographs, and more.

Through a module-style structure mixing indoor classroom learning and occasional outdoor assignments, this workshop will combine teaching, discussion, critiques, and honesty.  Your experienced leaders will guide you through three days which is sure to inspire!

Full itinerary to be released prior to the event, but the rough structure will be:

Day #1 

• 9AM Kickoff / Introductions / Slideshows
• 10AM - 1PM Classroom-style discussion 
• 1PM-2:30PM Lunch break
• 2:30PM - 6PM Field/Hands-On Learning/Assignments
• 7PM (OPTIONAL) Group dinner

Day #2

• 9AM - 1PM Classroom-style discussion
• 1PM-2:30PM Lunch break
• 2:30PM - 6PM Field/Hands-On Learning/"Photowalks"/Assignments
• 7PM (OPTIONAL) Group dinner

 Day #3

• 9AM Morning Field Session
• 11AM - 1:30PM Group Brunch
• 1:30PM-4PM  Critiques/Group Q+A
• 4PM Finale / Conclusion
• 6PM (OPTIONAL) Group dinner

What to expect

The workshop is suitable for participants of all levels of experience in photography and writing. Most locations will be readily accessible from the road, although we may hike short distances on occasion.

This event focuses on photography and writing as a whole without limiting itself to a specific genre. Talks will be focused primarily on vision and the artistic process of creating images although there will be some technical discussion as well.

Who Is This Workshop For?

This workshop is for a wide variety of amateur, semi-professional, and professional storytellers, whether your story is done primarily through photography or if the written word is more your focus.  Our topics will cross various genres, and this workshop will help:

• nature photographers
• portrait photographers
• wedding photographers
• street photographers
• event photographers
• media professionals and aspiring professionals including journalists and photojournalists.
• writers
• everyday folk that just want to inject more "story" into their efforts.
• communications professionals in retail, small business, hospitality and restaurant eager to strengthen their story-telling to customers

Biographies:

Jose R. Lopez:

My first photo was published in my hometown newspaper, The Santa Fe New Mexican at age 17—a lightning bolt! I realized anyone who had an interest in this story—a local basketball game between rival teams--was going to be looking at my photos. As I proudly showed my father my photographs in the Sports section, a little voice inside me whispered, “This is what you want to do for the rest of your life.” Visual story telling.

Who knew that that over-exposed, harsh flash photo would launch a career that would take the youngest child of a Mexican American family and put me on a path that has taken me around the world photographing a variety of assignments.

During my 47-year career, I have been in situations covering stories historical in nature. The White House, the war in Bosnia, the Winter and Summer Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, three Presidential administrations and the images that I have captured are considered high impact storytelling images.

My background as a photographer helped me become the picture editor that I am today, who works with photographers to draw out from them their best work.

We are what I call, “highly trained professional observers” working from a zone of awareness and creativity necessary to create our best work. Join me, Dave Brosha and journalist-author Caitlin Kelly as we explore our ability to observe, to take it to the next level and grow our skills.

Caitlin Kelly:

I sold my first photographs – three covers of Toronto Calendar Magazine – when I was still in high school. Freelancing through undergrad at University of Toronto, I shot promotional restaurant images, lugging my gear across the city on public transit in a hockey bag and, at 19, sold a news photo to Time Canada. I went on to sell my images to the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, The New York Times, Washington Post and others. Self-taught, my photos today help fuel my writing, as they sharpen my gaze, force me to be fully present in the moment – and make me rush to capture it before it’s gone.

My career led me to the Globe and Mail, Montreal Gazette and New York Daily News, writing on a wide range of subjects, from an Arctic village in December to a national exclusive about the re-use of disposable medical supplies – this in the age of AIDS before there was a cure. I spent a life-changing year at 25 on a fellowship in Paris, traveling alone on four major reporting trips to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, rural Sicily and spent eight days in a French truck driving from Perpignan to Istanbul.

I thrive on adventure and challenging new experiences – like the week I spent working with WaterAid in rural Nicaragua in 90-degree heat in a multi-national, multi-generational, multi-media team. We worked in Spanish and Miskitu and I paddled a dugout canoe.

I’ve written two well-reviewed books of nationally reported non-fiction, won a Canadian National Magazine Award and have been teaching writing at all levels for many years, also at colleges like Concordia (Montreal), and Pace and Pratt in New York, where I’ve been living for decades.

Born in Vancouver, raised in Toronto, Montreal, and Mexico, I graduated from U of T with a BA in English. I also speak fluent French and conversational Spanish.

Our workshop promises to be an exciting, inspiring fun few days with my husband Jose and with fellow Canadian Dave Brosha. We can’t wait to meet you, to brainstorm and refine ideas, to talk candidly about how to keep growing as creatives.

Let’s do this!

Dave Brosha

I am a photographer, a dreamer, and a documenter. I am a writer, an explorer, and a purveyor of beauty and light. I am on a continual journey to seek out and capture the beauty of existence- whether it's the most extreme and pristine environments in our world or the beauty of humanity.

I am a creative who tries to avoid labels and enjoys, first and foremost, storytelling with my photography. Using time, place, and moments with others - my aim is to further an appreciation for the fact that we all live in a shared space. And that there is far greater good to be appreciated in this world than bad.

In addition to living throughout northern Canada for much of my life - an area of Canada that I have worked hard to document and share with audiences, I have also lived in Asia and have traveled extensively through both the many provinces and territories of our native country and numerous countries abroad. I now live proudly on Prince Edward Island on Canada’s East Coast and am a child of the sea.

I am proudly a Sigma Pro Photographer, a StrobePro professional, a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a Canadian Geographic Ambassador, and the co-founder of the OFFBEAT Photo. I am the author of four books: Northern Light, Southern Light, Tones of Grace, and The Art of Misadventure.

What to Bring

This will be a "rain or shine" event. Weather in August on Prince Edward Island is generally beautiful but there is, of course, the chance of rain storms, wind, bugs, and hot, hot sun. Please come prepared, accordingly, for all weather conditions.

Please bring:

• suitable and comfortable clothing, which you can layer

• appropriate footwear

• your own camera equipment (preferably DSLR, which allows manual control of shutter speed, aperture and
ISO settings; bring the fastest lens you have)

• a laptop for writing and editing (with editing software, preferably Adobe)



Transportation To and Around Prince Edward Island

The price of the workshop does not include transportation. Participants will need to arrange car rentals or carpooling with other workshop participants. After the workshop fills, we will create a private Facebook group to allow participants to connect with each other.


Park Pass

A portion of the workshop may be held in Prince Edward Island National Park. The price of the workshop does not include a park pass. You will need to purchase a park pass when you arrive at the entrance to the park. For more information on Parks Canada passes, see http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/tarif... and Cancellation Policy

Note:  Spots are non-refundable but are transferable (i.e. if the participant is able to find someone else to take their spot and can sell/transfer the spot to a new participant, this is acceptable).

You can pay the full amount up-front, too, should you choose.

For any additional questions, please contact the event organizers:

• Dave Brosha - davebrosha@gmail.com