21 - 24 March 2011

"Access, Observation and the Documentary Image"

A documentary photography workshop with Joseph Rodriguez

Celebrated documentary photographer Joseph Rodriguez will conduct a four-day workshop in Cardiff. Shaped by its industrial past and over a century of immigration, the capital of Wales is at a crossroads to redefine itself. Once the world's largest coal port, Cardiff has become a 21st century cosmopolitan city. Its bustling waterfront and a new skyline of offices and luxury hotels hide an inner core of Edwardian neighbourhoods and sixties council estates.

Photographers who seek to collaborate in a personal way with their subjects are invited to participate with the aim to produce a short visual essay that reflects a deeper, more intimate understanding of a person, a community or themselves. This is a unique opportunity, as never before such an intensive, challenging and intimate workshop has taken place in Cardiff.

During the intensive four days of the workshop, you will be photographing on the streets of Cardiff's social landscape, creating images that get to the heart of a moment, a person, and a situation. Your images will be discussed during the workshop. Visual presentations and discussions will provide an overview of documentary photography, as well as references for further exploration.

Your instructor, Joseph Rodriguez, is an internationally recognized documentary photographer, born and raised in New York. He is the author of several books and his work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic and GEO. He has also received awards and grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, Swedish Arts Council, and New York State Foundation for the Arts, among many others. He has been awarded Pictures of the Year International by the National Press Photographers Association and the University of Missouri, in 1990, 1992, 1996 and 2002. Joseph teaches at New York University, the International Center of Photography, New York and has also taught at universities in Scandinavia, Europe and Mexico.

The workshop will be held at Third Floor Gallery in Cardiff, Wales. The cost of the workshop is £200 per person. The course is limited to 12 students. Joseph's workshops are always sold out in New York so act fast and secure your place sending us a filled out application form by

Workshop Schedule

This is a project oriented workshop. Each participant should have his project started and continue it during the time of the workshop. The subject of these projects should be people.

Before starting the workshop you should prepare a 20 image edit of your project. This should consist of the images you like and feel they work together. You should also bring some pictures you are not sure of, that did not make to the 20 pictures edit. Additionally a portfolio of 20 images can be brought to the workshop.

Joseph will not teach the technical skills needed for carrying on your project.

DAY 1

10am - 5pm (1 hour break)

Joseph will talk about his work, about the way he works with people and families. He will talk about psychological aspects of working with subjects and introduce the METHOD ACTING SCHOOL. He will talk about importance of influences, and show examples of his own.

Second part of the day will be a one on one introduction with each student. Joseph wants to know the students' interests, discuss their work and understand the personal reasons behind their decision of becoming a photographer. Any problems faced by the student will be discussed.
DAY 2

During the second day the participants of the workshop work on producing their project. This will involve photographing it on location. While the work is being carried out, Joseph will be available to help solve any doubts or other useful advice.

At 6pm Joseph will meet the participants and discuss the progress of their projects. If available he will also appraise any photographs from the day.
DAY 3

Again, the third day is for the participants to produce the project. This is the best time to absorb the feedback from the previous day and push on the work. While the work is being carried out, Joseph will be available to help solve any doubts or other useful advice.

At 6pm Joseph will meet the participants and discuss the progress of their projects. If available he will also appraise any photographs from the day.
DAY 4

10am - 5pm (1 hour break)

During the last day Joseph Rodriguez will help each participant with the final edit of their projects. When the edits of the different projects are ready, they will be shown and discussed by all the members of the workshop to find out which are the best next steps to continue the work.

This is an initial schedule, it might be adjusted during the workshop.

Click here to download the application form