Workshops
The Contemplative Landscape
May 4-6, 2012
Los Laureles Lodge, Carmel Valley, CA
© George DeWolfe. All rights reserved.
Member price: $495
Non-member price: $550
Continental breakfast and lunch included each day.
Workshop is limited to fifteen participants.
Beginning through advanced photographers encouraged to attend.
Throughout history, people have gone to wild places hoping to see life, themselves, and their surroundings anew. As photographers, we strive to create images that capture the underlying mystery of a seemingly ordinary place. The goal of this workshop is to learn to observe more deeply, and to find and capture such images in the landscape through a combination of intuition and perception.
The Contemplative Landscape's essence seeks to capture both the known and the unknown aspects of a landscape by combining intuition and perception. Its end product seeks a wholeness out of which we can photograph and express truly what we feel about the fundamental reality that exists in front of us. Over the years, people's lives and photography have been changed in the course of this workshop. It often broadens a person's spiritual life; each person brings their own beliefs to the workshop, and all are welcome.
The workshop begins with awareness exercises in photography that have been developed over the past forty years. These mindfulness exercises are designed to put you in the moment while sitting, standing, and walking. These perceptual skills offer primary access to the actual visual workings of the human eye-brain system, the tool with which we create our images. These skills will pull you away from the defeating process of merely copying landscape images made by others, and help you concentrate on what you see, in order to create your own unique imagery.
Digital cameras (large or small) are preferred, however, film cameras are also welcome. Computers will not be used as such, but participants are encouraged to bring their laptops to download, store, view, edit, and transfer their images.
Skills that will be taught in the workshop are: Mindfulness, Negative Space, Seeing Through, and Hidden Wholeness. Presentations will include: Contemplative, Western, and Chinese landscape painting, and photographic history and structure. There will also be photographic sessions at Point Lobos each day, with exercises designed to develop and use the above skills.
Los Laureles Lodge
Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Carmel Valley, Los Laureles Lodge boasts old oak trees, towering palms and redwoods, with views of the surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains and the Ventana Wilderness beyond. Located near the Carmel Valley Village, and a short driving distance to Carmel-by the Sea and Point Lobos, this is an ideal setting for the consideration of contemplative landscapes. A Carmel Valley institution since 1890, Los Laureles Lodge represents true country elegance, providing an inspiring venue for this workshop. For participants traveling from afar, rooms are also available at the lodge. Reservations can be made at www.loslaureles.com or by calling 831-659-2233. Discounted rates will be offered to workshop participants.
 Photo: Lydia Goetze.
DeWolfe has also photographed for many environmental organizations over the past forty years including the Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, Mass Audubon, National Park Service, and Friends of Acadia. His most recent honor was an Award for Artistic Excellence presented by The National Park Service.
George's passions are teaching visual and digital photography skills and photographing the mysteries of the world. He combines the structure of ancient Chinese landscape painting with the structure of Western landscape genres to achieve his unique, alluring style.
George DeWolfe is participating in this year's CPA Fine Print Program.
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