Saturday & Sunday

April 25 & 26

10 AM - 6 PM

Class Size Max: 6

This workshop is a crash course in creativity, inviting students to make, break unproductive habits, try new approaches, and find inspiration. It draws on a story from Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland, in which a photography teacher divides his class into two groups—one tasked with producing 100 images, the other with creating a single perfect photograph. The conclusion is that the act of making produces the best results, whereas a search for perfection can become debilitating. Taking cues from this prompt, students will be encouraged to make 100 new images over two days, with the caveat that no one is keeping score. The aim is to find a handful of quality images from high-quantity production.

This weekend intensive welcomes photographers of any level who want to push the boundaries of their practice and experiment with new ways to build their portfolios. Students will meet in the classroom each morning to go through the day's prompts and shooting assignments. They will then be presented with a theme, visual references, and asked to complete a brainstorming exercise, preparing to head out to make new work. Students will then be offered the urban equivalent of a ‘trail map’—informed by the day’s theme—with varying routes through the city.

They may choose to walk with the instructor or carve their own path as they work towards generating a substantial body of images. In the afternoon, the group will reconvene to share experiences, participate in critique, and complete a short writing exercise. The weekend concludes with student presentations of the work produced.

At its core, this workshop centers on play and the joy of discovery. Students should expect to leave feeling creatively refreshed, energized, and ready to launch into something new.

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.

Madeleine Morlet is a British-American photographer based in London. Her teaching centers on the narrative potential of photography and the photobook form, informed by her background in filmmaking and creative writing. She combines editorial feedback with practical strategy to help students both refine their vision and sustain creative practices, guiding them toward publication. An award-winning photographer recognized by institutions including PhotoVogue and the Lucie Foundation, she brings both professional experience and artistic insight into the classroom.

Images © Madeleine Morlet