What does it take to tell a poetic story? Communicating the essence of a story is not the same as simply documenting it. Over the course of five days, National Geographic magazine photographer Amy Toensing illuminates the difference and shares approaches and techniques for telling your story in an artistically compelling way.

Under Amy's guidance, participants research, propose, and photograph the stories of their choosing, while immersing themselves in the historic beauty of San Miguel de Allende. In this Spanish colonial city known for the richness of its culture and the warmth of its people, we learn to delve into the heart of a story rather than just transmit the facts. We discuss the basic elements of photography—light, color, and composition—and discover how to maximize them to convey your subject's story while also expressing your unique voice as a photographer. To hone our skills, we engage in both individual and group critiques each day, as well as one-on-one assistance in the field as needed.

We finish our time together with an intimate connection to San Miguel and a thoughtful and concise body of work that expresses the story you set out to tell.