Let’s face it—sometimes a photographer needs to be pushed beyond their comfort zones in order to produce exceptionally original work. The Photo Challenge Workshop is designed for intermediate and advanced photographers who want to take their work to the next level with individually driven photography projects, one-on-one and peer critique sessions, art lectures, and advanced editing instruction.

The Photo Challenge Workshop is approached as a sort of independent study, allowing each student to decide on a photographic topic or genre that they wish to improve upon. Participants will explore their chosen subject matter and hone their series sequencing skills to produce a cohesive body of work each month. Each workshop session consists of two meetings: one in-depth lecture and discussion catered specifically to each student’s personal work topics, and one group critique of the work produced. In between the two group meetings, participants can schedule a one-on-one session with the instructors for specialized instruction and advice on any work in progress.

Subjects covered may span a wide variety of photographic styles, from landscape to cityscape, portraits, abstraction, and street photography. Photographers may choose to build upon an existing concept or body of work in progress, or delve into something brand new with the encouragement of your classmates and instructors!

Class Schedule

Day 1: Assignment topics will be chosen and discussed within the context of a variety of historical and contemporary photographers.

One-on-One Session: Prior to our final critique, schedule a 20-minute one-on-one feedback session with the instructors to gain valuable input regarding the state of your work in progress.

Day 2: During our final critique, present your polished series to the rest of the class and participate in a lively and constructive discussion!

Workshop presented by The Image Flow Photography Center, providing photography classes, custom printing services, and studio rentals.

Instructor Bios

Stuart Schwartz graduated from the Art Center in 1979 and then spent 35 years as an advertising photographer in the U.S. and Europe. Stuart is comfortable working in the studio, on location, and with all sizes of productions. He continues to shoot for a limited number of clients. Stuart’s personal work spans a variety of styles, from street photography to abstract and mixed media. Stuart founded The Image Flow in 2008 with the vision to empower the avid photographer looking for personal growth in photography.

Nathan Lomas hails from Buffalo, NY. He developed his passion photography at the tender age of five when his father gave him a Ricoh camera. He has a BFA from the College of Creative Studies in Detroit and an MFA in Imaging Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. He is an adjunct professor at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, owns his own photo studio in Alameda where he specializes in 19th-century tintype photography, and at The Image Flow, works with digital restoration, film scanning, and printing, as well as teaching workshops and working one-on-one with clients.