Last week I was in Sitka helping out David Middleton and Brenda Berry with a Crossroads Photographic Workshop. The idea behind Crossroads is "photography for the greater good," where photographers who already have some skill learn how to take that next step into using their skills to do something meaningful with their photography. For a better idea of what Crossroads does, be sure to check out the mission statement on the website.
Truthfully, while I was really looking forward to this workshop, I was a little anxious. You see, Crossroads Workshops are "assignment" workshops where the instructors teach photographers how to work with a non-profit group, getting them professional quality images they so desperately need. We meet with representatives of the non-profits and develop a shot list based upon their stated needs. Then we go out and get the shots.
At the end of the workshop, the non-profit partners get a well-edited group of quality images they can then use to promote their cause in any way they see fit.
The reason I was a bit nervous is that I've not personally worked with a non-profit before, let alone teach a workshop on how to do this. So I was there for a few reasons. One was to just see what these workshops were all about and to help out where I could. After all, they've got me listed on the Crossroads website as an instructor. The second was to gain some experience in what goes into assignment photography. I've done some assignment work, but not enough to claim that I'm an expert at it.
And third, to spend some time with good friends that I hadn't seen in a long time.
As mentioned, I've done some "assignment" work: I photographed for a book on tourists in their native habitat on the Oregon coast. This required me to shoot what was needed (no actual tourists were harmed) rather than what I normally would photograph.
For that book I developed a shot list of sorts. It was rather a loose list of the kinds of pictures I needed, but nothing very specific.
One thing I learned last week is that you actually need to get close to actual real people to take compelling portraits, not the stealth telephoto shots I usually take. That will be something I need to work on. Some of the photographers taking the Sitka workshop were incredibly good at portraits.
For a Crossroads workshop, the team (and the whole workshop group acts as a team) brainstorms to come up with a comprehensive shot list with some pretty specific needs. David and Brenda talk about where to go and they give some tips on photographing the various subjects and I'd chime in with my two-cents worth occasionally. Well, this was Sitka and everything was more expensive. I should probably increase that to three-cents.
The days are full. There are scheduled group shoots, like the ones we took to the Alaska Raptor Center, the totem park, or the harbors. But usually the group was split into smaller groups. One group might go on a boat trip while another goes to the forest. And there is plenty of free time for individual exploration as well as time given for processing. And believe me, that editing/processing time was very much needed. Students were asked to bring 20 images to each afternoon review session. These images were then reviewed based mainly on usability and whether or not they would meet the needs of the non-profits we were partnering with.
It was interesting to watch the progression through the week. In each subsequent review session, the images submitted were more and more on point to the needs of the partner organizations.
While the group managed to get just about everything on the shot list, one thing was clear: there is a lot to photograph in Sitka. We could have easily stretched it out another two days and still not run out of subjects. Sitka is a target rich environment and I want to go back.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sitka; the workshop group was outstanding and I made a lot of new friends. And I really like the concept of Crossroads Workshops. Not only do they force you to stretch and photograph things you might not ordinarily photograph, they give you a sense of being part of a community that's trying to make a difference. If this sounds like something you'd like to be part of, be sure to go to the Crossroads website and sign up for their newsletter. I understand that they'll be repeating the workshops they ran this year, and that includes Sitka.
Crossroads has now completed its first year of operation, conducting three highly successful workshops. And by that I mean they were successful on three fronts. First, they all sold out. Second, the students captured amazing images, increased their skill level, and found a sense of satisfaction knowing that their images would be put to good use. And third, the partner non-profit organizations obtained professional quality images that will definitely help them further their work. All in all, it was a win-win-win year and I'm looking forward to see what comes next and being a part of it.
