Saturdays

October 24 & 31

10 AM - 6 PM

Zoom Follow-Up Session: November 7, 2 - 3 PM

Class Size Max: 6

Prerequisite: Previous large format experience is required

Join Richard Renaldi for a hands-on workshop making 8x10 portraits in the field.

Designed for photographers with prior view camera experience, this two-day workshop invites participants to refine their approach to portraiture through lecture, demonstrations, hands-on practice, and direct feedback. The course begins at Penumbra with a presentation by Renaldi on his projects, the role of the view camera in his practice, and his approach to portraiture. Topics include approaching and directing subjects, composing engaging portraits, and intentional use of perspective and lighting. Then, the instructor will give a demonstration on loading 8x10 film in the darkroom and making a portrait in the studio. In the afternoon, the group will head out to apply these concepts in the field. Working in teams of two, students will gain experience both photographing and assisting while making 8x10 portraits of passersby and one another on the street in NYC.

The following week, participants will reconvene to discuss their experiences and take part in a group critique of the images produced during the first session. Building on that feedback, the class will return to the field in the afternoon to create additional portraits and further develop their skills. The group will meet for a short follow-up critique over Zoom to discuss the final images.

This workshop is a unique opportunity for large format photographers to learn from and make portraits alongside an accomplished artist in the field, gaining skills they can apply in their practice moving forward.

Tuition includes a $325 materials fee.

If your desired tuition option is unavailable, please email info@penumbrafoundation.org and we will do our best to accommodate you. If the entire class is sold out, we can add you to the waitlist.

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Images © Richard Renaldi

Richard Renaldi was born in Chicago in 1968. He received a BFA in photography from New York University in 1990. He is represented by Benrubi Gallery in New York and Robert Morat Galerie in Berlin. Six monographs of his work have been published, including Richard Renaldi: Figure and Ground(Aperture, 2006); Fall River Boys (Charles Lane Press, 2009); Touching Strangers (Aperture, 2014); Manhattan Sunday (Aperture, 2016); I Want Your Love (Super Labo, 2018); Billions Served (Deadbeat Club, 2025). He was the recipient of a 2015 fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.