Photo Ops

Michaela Hackner, a former student at the Maine Media Workshops, took this shot of Lincolnville Beach, Maine, at dawn. "The red boat completely caught my eye, and I knew I had to photograph it."

Michaela Hackner

Taking time out from our everyday lives to focus on a creative pursuit is a dream for many, and one that too few of us follow through on. Photography workshops across the country offer shutterbugs of all skill levels the opportunity to respond to their artistic cravings. Led by professional photographers, most workshops span a week and typically pair daytime fieldwork and critiques with evening lectures and dinner. Groups are kept small (between ten and fifteen students), and for all but the most advanced courses, no previous experience is required aside from a working knowledge of photographic equipment, be it digital or traditional film format.

"There aren't many outside distractions here, so people really immerse themselves in their work," says Charles Altschul, executive director of the Maine Media Workshops (theworkshops.com), in Rockport, which offers digital and print classes. Among Maine Media's wide range of programs are several that take full advantage of the natural beauty of coastal Maine. Picturesque islands, lighthouses and coves will be the subject of Alison Shaw's class "The Colors of the Maine Landscape" (July 13–19; $1,020 plus lodging), while Tillman Crane's class "The Olson House" (August 31–September 6; $1,045 plus lodging) will present a rare opportunity to document the interior and exterior of the Cushing, Maine, home immortalized in Andrew Wyeth's 1948 painting Christina's World.

The Julia Dean Photo Workshops (juliadean.com), in Southern California, convenes numerous digital and print classes — from introductory courses to highly specialized tutorials, including a series of weeklong travel workshops in the United States and abroad. This month, founder and director Dean will guide intrepid photographers on a journey called "Train Travel Through Peru" (June 7–16; $2,995, including lodging). "My aim is to get students to choose a theme for the week, whether it's architecture or portraits of the people we meet," says Dean. "Our objective is to come away with photos that tell a story."

With Utah's dramatic Mount Timpanogos as a backdrop, the spirit of the Old West pervades the Sundance Photographic Workshop (sundanceworkshop.com). Rugged terrain, cowboys and old railroad cars are among the subjects to be explored. A digital format is used, and students need to bring laptops with photo software along with their cameras. This summer's workshops (August 25–29; each class is $1,100 plus lodging) are "Exploring Your Personal Vision," led by nature photographer Tony Sweet, and "Portraits on Location," taught by portrait photographer Bobbi Lane. "Everyone learns something from one another," observes Pulitzer prize–winning photojournalist Martha Rial, who has taught at Sundance.