Workshop: Street Photography with Gus Powell

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

This workshop will delve into the diverse practices encompassed by the genre of street photography, with a particular emphasis on the physicality, intentionality, and pleasure of the practice.

Commencing in the morning, the workshop will begin with engaging presentations and discussions, followed by immersive shooting experiences in the city. Throughout the workshop, participants will explore various themes including the process of making rather than taking photographs, the art of visual communication, and the power of poetic storytelling. The workshop will continue on the second day with a focus on sequencing, storytelling, and book making. The workshop will guide participants from the initial act of making individual striking images, through the development of an authentic visual voice, and take them towards creating a cohesive body of work.

Testimonials

“An insightful workshop that forces you to ask questions about what you are trying to say through photography. The most helpful part for myself was the hand’s on working experience on the streets. Being able to work alongside Gus while having instant feedback through reviewing the images on the back of the camera allowed me to adjust on the spot and helped to push me into a new direction as we continued photographing.”

Charles, New York, NY

“The editing feedback and in-depth critique and discussion of my weekend’s photos was invaluable.”

Rob, Denver, CO

“Gus is an amazing teacher. Walking around the city with him was really valuable. He gave us many new ways to see our own work.”

Mark, New York, NY

“I came away with a very strong sense of what I need to do better, both in technique and in thinking about my work. For me, that was the most valuable aspect of the whole experience.”

Bill, New Haven, CT

“It was the first workshop I have attended and I was a little concerned that it might not be that helpful to me progressing as a photographer. However, my experience was just the opposite. I found the workshop to be very helpful in demonstrating the value of editing and sequencing my work as an essential part of the process of creating more personal and unique images. Rather than repeating the easy, instant gratification photos that are so popular and generate many “Likes” on social media – Gus emphasized moving beyond the easy images to make pictures that are more nuanced, open to interpretation, and vision of the photographer as author.”

Tim, Boston, MA

About the Instructor

Gus Powell was born in New York City in 1974 and attended Oberlin College where he majored in comparative religion. In 2003 he was selected to be in PDNs 30 under 30 issue and also published his first monograph, The Company of Strangers (J&L Books). His work has been exhibited internationally, including a solo show at The Museum of The City of New York and group exhibitions at The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Fine Arts Houston and FOAM, NL.

His photographs have been published in Aperture, Harpers, Vogue, Le Monde, The New York Times, Wired, Fortune, W, and The New Yorker. He is a member of the international street photographers’ collective UP and is on the faculty of the MFA Photography, Video and Related Media Department at the School of Visual Arts, NY. His work is included in the books Bystander: A World History of Street Photography and Street Photography Now. Powell’s second monograph, titled The Lonely Ones (J&L Books, 2015) was celebrated as one of the best photography books of the year, and was reprinted as a trilingual edition in 2017. His third monograph, FAMILY CAR TROUBLE (TBW Books, 2019) has become a new classic of the Automotive Parenting Bereavement genre and was exhibited in 2022 in Rimini, Italy at The Meeting. Powell is currently at work on a body of street work titled Mise en Scène. He is represented by Micamera Gallery (Milano). You can learn more at www.guspowell.com and follow him on Instagram at @dirtywhitebucks.

Photo Credit: Gus Powell