Delve into the profoundly intuitive realm of hands-on portraiture, and move beyond mere technical expertise to capture the emotional spirit of your subjects. Finding the exceptional emotional moment is what this workshop is all about, and throughout the week we share our personal insights regarding human relationships, risk-taking, and deeply felt emotions, and explore the connections between these insights and our portrait photography.

In the classroom and on location, Jock demonstrates ways to approach and illuminate the human portrait that incorporate not only the subject’s physical characteristics but also their emotional context. We learn about the emotional properties of light, the difference between seeing and looking, and the value of making intentional mistakes. We examine how our unconscious fears can affect our self-trust and our creative process. Jock also introduces the “quick sketch” process, a technique that enables us to shape our creative intent while maintaining our spontaneity.

We make portraits using combinations of flash and available illumination to take advantage of the brilliant natural light and colorful surroundings of Santa Fe. With this inspiring locale and the supportive nature of the group, we set out to elevate our portraiture to new levels of creativity, capturing the special emotional content that exists within the decisive moment to make exceptional portraits.