I recently returned from Austin, TX where I spent an amazing week at The Foundation Workshop (FW9). Foundation is an intense workshop where students work with top photojournalists and documentary wedding photographers to shoot and edit real stories while being challenged to see in new and creative ways. Students are organized into small teams and are each asked to find a story within their individual shooting assignments.
I was beyond thrilled to be on the team led by two-time Pulitzer prize winner Greg Gibson. My assignment took me to Lockhart, TX to Smitty’s Market, one of the top BBQ joints in the state. I loved everything about my experience there – the people, the atmosphere, the light – and yes, the brisket! The three days of shooting, editing, and sitting through late-night critiques with my teammates taught me so much about how I shoot, the story-telling process, and in the end, how to push beyond my photographic boundaries. I am grateful to Greg and his talented team of mentors – Matt Mendelsohn, Deanne Fitzmaurice (also a Pulitzer prize winner), and Tina Carter – for their guidance and inspiration in and out of the field. Foundation has left me feeling challenged and excited to document stories, and I’m happy that my clients will also be able to reap some benefit from my experience.
As the emphasis of the workshop was on the process of learning rather than the images themselves, we were asked to limit the number of photos that we share publicly. Here’s just a glimpse into the photos I made during my assignment.
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