Lets get together! I love getting together with people to discuss photography. I also run workshops. The following is a list of all workshop and event posts. Most are listed first.
One Day Black and White Darkroom and Fine Print Boot Camp With Michael Marks 2017 – 2018 Schedule
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I am excited to offer the One Day Black and White Fine Print Boot Camp, a fun but intense day of activity designed to quickly and efficiently provide participants with the knowledge and tools necessary make great black and white prints in the darkroom. The workshop will provide a unique experience in a friendly and supportive environment for photographers of all skill levels who wish to make satisfying images using black and white film, traditionally printed on silver gelatin paper to the highest archival standards. The workshop will benefit beginners, as well as advanced students looking for a refresher or new approaches to improve existing skills.
I know that there is a lot of mystery and disinformation about traditional darkroom processes, equipment requirements and the difficulty of producing gorgeous black and white prints. The secret is that it really is not difficult at all and equipment requirements are not onerous.
We will kick off with a constructive evaluation of participants’ prints, participant description of original concept, objective, approach taken, equipment, materials and methods used, and finally printing methodology and procedures employed, along with participant discussion concerning alternative approaches or possible changes in emphasis that could be considered.
This will be followed by a tour of my Workroom and Darkroom, along with an in-depth discussion of equipment, materials, chemistry and other considerations for making Fine Prints. We will then discuss the importance of proper negative storage and making of proof sheets.
Next, I will demonstrate how to easily create handcrafted black and white prints with a minimum of difficulty — and no mystery. We will start by looking at proof sheets. Then we will select one of my negatives to print, determine proper printing exposure time for high values and paper contrast for low values. We will establish and follow repeatable steps to arrive at the final “fine print” as quickly and easily as possible, including application of burning and dodging procedures and use of selenium toner for subtle tonal shift and archival permanence in the final product. Workshop participants will work with the same negative I used to obtain the same results. Finally, I will also demonstrate how to spot, mount and mat the finished print, as well as discuss other considerations including overmatting and framing.
The result is that participants will be able to leave with the knowledge and confidence necessary to be able to print and display meaningful personal images back at home.
Attendees can bring up to three prints for instructor review. Be prepared to learn a lot and have fun!
Workshop Dates:
November 4, 2017 (8:30am – 5pm)
December 9, 2017 (8:30am – 5pm)
February 10, 2018 (8:30am – 5pm)
April 14, 2018 (8:30am – 5pm)
June 9, 2018 (8:30am – 5pm)
August 11, 2018 (8:30am – 5pm)
October 6, 2018 (8:30am – 5pm)
December 1, 2018 (8:30am – 5pm)
Workshop Fee: $250
Personal One Day Workshops are also available for $350 (for one person)
The deposit for each workshop is $100. Final payment is requested 3 weeks prior to the start of the workshop. The deposit is non-refundable. If a workshop is cancelled for any reason, your deposit will be returned in full.
Please contact me by email or phone to reserve a spot or discuss these workshops.
info@michaelmarksphoto.com (215)-348-9171
August Photo Chat Get-Together
Time to get together again to discuss our photographs with the ever-expanding group!
Yes, how about joining us and getting together to chat about our photographs and the stories behind them. What was your intent in making the photograph, what were you trying to say, was it a success? If you made your print, were there any particular challenges involved?
This is not a discussion focused on gear — the idea is to share insights, get constructive feedback, learn a few things, relax and make new friends!
Well, if this sounds interesting and fun, how about joining me in beautiful downtown Doylestown, PA, in the heart of scenic Bucks County, and we will get together over a cup of coffee.
Photographers of all levels are welcome.
Bring only a couple of prints to discuss. Obviously the prints should be Black and White and should be film based!
The get together will be on Sunday, August 27th, 10:00-11:30am at the Zen Den coffee shop, located on 20 Donaldson Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.
Email or call me at 215-348-9171 if you are interested. First come first serve!
I look forward to meeting you!
My July 1-31st Exhibit at the Red Filter Gallery
I am very pleased to announce that I have a one-person exhibit showing during July at the Red Filter Galley entitled Jerusalem and Aida: Close Yet Far Apart.
For many years the Gallery resided in a physical space in Lambertville, NJ. Now it resides “virtually” on the Internet. What is exciting to me is the Gallery’s “focus on monochrome images, Black and White, allowing new examination of abstraction, tonalities, textures and light.” I am therefore very proud and excited to also be included as a Gallery artist.
These photographs mean a lot to me and I often think about making them and the circumstances under which they were made. Jerusalem and the Aida Refugee Camp though close in proximity, present a stark contrast. During several visits to Israel and the West Bank I endeavored to capture some of the differences in these two places, as well as the ironies that are seen in daily life.
I hope you can take a moment to check out my exhibit at http://redfiltergallery.com/index.php and while you are there take a look at the work of the other fine photographers featured by the Gallery.
July Photo Chat Get-Together
Time to get together again to discuss our photographs with the ever-expanding group!
Yes, how about joining us and getting together to chat about our photographs and the stories behind them. What was your intent in making the photograph, what were you trying to say, was it a success? If you made your print, were there any particular challenges involved?
This is not a discussion focused on gear — the idea is to share insights, get constructive feedback, learn a few things, relax and make new friends!
Well, if this sounds interesting and fun, how about joining me in beautiful downtown Doylestown, PA, in the heart of scenic Bucks County, and we will get together over a cup of coffee.
Photographers of all levels are welcome.
Bring only a couple of prints to discuss. Obviously the prints should be Black and White and should be film based!
The get together will be on Sunday, July 9th, 10:00-11:30am at the Zen Den coffee shop, located on 20 Donaldson Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.
Email or call me at 215-348-9171 if you are interested. First come first serve!
I look forward to meeting you!
Third Photo Walk Meet Up
By popular demand we are going to take another break from doing our periodic Photo Chat Get-Togethers and instead get together for another Photo Walk Meet Up!
Yes, how about getting together to make some photographs in and around the historic New Hope and Ivyland Railroad station in Hope, PA. There are plenty of old train cars in various conditions near the train station to photograph so we will have opportunities to capture a wide range of images from train cars to abstract images of decaying metal and graffiti.
Well, if this sounds interesting and fun, how about joining me on Sunday, June 4th, at 10am. We will meet at the train station located at 32 W Bridge St New Hope, PA 18938.
Photographers of all levels are welcome.
Email at info@michaelmarksphoto.com or call me at 215-348-9171 if you are interested.
I look forward to meeting you!
Upcoming Workshop: Living a Photographic Life – Balancing the Day to Day with Personal Enrichment, Chimayo Gallery, Wednesdays June 7-July 12, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Together with the Chimayo Gallery, located in Perkasie, PA, I am adopting my popular class taught at Delaware Valley University’s Center for Learning In Retirement to make it available to a wider audience. This series of classes will provide a fun and learning experience in a friendly and supportive environment for photographers of all skill levels.
Learn how to make photography important, fun and rewarding so it will become an integral part of your life despite all the other activities and responsibilities you have.
“Keeping your head in the game”. That idea relates to the joy of living a photographic life. The question is how to do this! Let’s face it; most of us have non-photographic jobs, family obligations, etc. So short of making photography your livelihood, what can you do? Obviously you will want to go out into the world and make photographs. Trouble is that most don’t have the time or ability to do that on a regular and continuous basis. So our avocation can’t be our vocation. Time to move onto Plan B, which for most of us is the real world. But living in the real world doesn’t mean we cannot live a photographic life. That is a major part of what this course is about, as well as to help you make better pictures that you will be proud of and want to actually have displayed.
Yes displayed! The reason we are going to do this is that in today’s world many rarely hold a meaningful photograph in their hands let alone see one on their walls! Rather most store them on their iPhone, iPad or computer, or perhaps upload them to photo sites like Flickr on the Internet.
You will produce a portfolio project containing 10 printed photographs on a theme of your choice along with a written essay describing why you chose it, what it means to you, and what was learned during the course of making the photos and arranging your portfolio.
In addition to the theme/portfolio, students will be making photographs every week to bring in for discussion and friendly critique. The purpose of this to get a better idea of composition and light, as well the importance of meeting the objective you had in mind when you decided to make the photograph in the first place. Doing this every week will help you as you are thinking about making good photographs and building your final portfolio.
By the end of the course students will have learned about or discovered a range of activities that will enable them to always keep their heads in the game and will have created a strong portfolio to be proud of, containing photographs that deserve to be hung on the wall!
Fee: $130
Please contact Chimayo Gallery by phone or email to reserve a spot.
267-733-5012
Second Photo Walk Meet Up
By popular demand we are going to take another break from doing our periodic Photo Chat Get-Togethers and instead get together for another Photo Walk Meet Up!
Yes, how about getting together to make some photographs at the historic remains of the Lock Ridge Furnace complex located in Alburtis, PA. This is the site of one of the few remaining coke fired iron furnaces built in the 19th century. There is plenty to photograph with fantastic old architectural structures residing in a beautiful park in scenic Lehigh Valley.
Well, if this sounds interesting and fun, how about joining me on Sunday, March 19th, at 10am. We will meet at the Lock Ridge Park and Furnace Museum located at 525 Franklin St., Alburtis, PA 18011.
Photographers of all levels are welcome.
Email at info@michaelmarksphoto.com or call me at 215-348-9171 if you are interested.
I look forward to meeting you!
Another Show
One thing ends and another begins. Because of the ongoing upheaval in our lives I had to resign as a member of the artist coop I was a part of. I find it’s always best not to do something you cannot fully commit to. Always have been that way, so no point in starting to do something half hearted now.
No problem … I will be having a one-person show at the Zen Den Coffee House, right here in beautiful Doylestown. Yes, it’s the same place we hold our periodic Photo Chat’s Get Togethers at! The Zen Den is not only a neat place to sip coffee and eat food, but it goes out of its way to showcase regional painters and photographers … like me.
The exhibit will be on display from Wednesday, March 1st through Friday, March 31st and will be a reprise of last summer’s show I had in Staunton Virginia that focused on some of my favorite photographs of people.
So if you find yourself in Bucks County and have a spare moment, please stop by, have a cup of coffee and take a look at my photographs. Send me a note and maybe we can get together to discuss photography over something hot!
The Zen Den is located 20 Donaldson Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.