It is official, the Berlin Workshop is a go. I repeat, Berlin is a go. At least we announced it, posted it, and have students already on board. This is my first Euro workshop since Albania. I am so jazzed. I’ve not been to Berlin, but it has been on my destination list for years. So many friends have asked “Have you been to Berlin,” and I have to claim immunity. Then they scold me for ignoring this little gem of a city. In addition, Hamburg calls, and I have to say, I’m as excited about Hamburg as I am Berlin. I was on the phone with Elena and we were looking at the map of Hamburg. We came up with so many stories ideas in a matter of minutes. If I was retired I could be dangerous when it comes to producing Euro stories. (No danger of retirement in the near or distant future. Thank you American healthcare system.)
But it gets better. Why Berlin? And why Berlin on the fringe of winter? (December, January, February are coldest months.)
Good questions. Here is one major reason. European Month of Photography kicks off at the exact same time as our workshop, which means the city will be rife with all things photography. Lectures, panels, events, and more. I’ve not attended this particular festival, but I have attended others that are designed in a similar fashion. Things like Head On in Australia and Contact in Canada. Those first few weeks tend to be gangbusters for photographic extracurricular activities. When we are not banging away on our own projects, work, and critiques, we can consume the work of many others while experiencing all that Berlin and Hamburg have to offer.
I look forward to accidentally ordering pig knuckle. (Happened my only other time in Germany.) And you know what I also look forward to? Short days, darkness, clouds, weather and brief doses of stunning northern light. I’ll take winter over summer any day when it comes to photography. Winter/spring brings an urgency I don’t often feel when I’m baking away the summer months waiting for the garish light to fade.
I am also hoping to extend my trip to produce Blurb programming in the region. No idea if this will happen but hoping it does. Germany is a great market for Blurb, but in my recollection, outside of attending Photokina, I don’t think I’ve ever done an event in Germany. With so many strategic locations so accessible and nearby, it feels like a waste to travel that far and not extend out a bit. And yes, I plan on bringing the Brompton.
Finally, both Japan and Germany workshops are looming. My job during the workshop is to teach, assist, suggest, listen, etc. My photography is far down the list of my duties, but that does not stop me from thinking about what I would do given the opportunity. I have my story idea already secured, and it’s a doozy. And because I’m me, I already know the trim size, paper type, cover type, typeface and overall look of the books I will produce. And baby, are these gonna blow people’s minds. I’ve not designed something like this before, so I am actively obsessing over what they might become. Putting in the work on the front end means as soon as you begin to photograph, you can immediately begin to edit and sequence into an existing ideology. By the time the trip is done, you are well on your way to hitting “print.”
Comments 16
Danielsan,
All of the above (except for the pig knuckle). The excitement of shooting and having it end up, in some form of print, never, never gets old. I once wrote, “Embrace the printed image, everything else is just 1’s and 0’s.”
Author
I can’t imagine NOT doing it.
Dan, I cant tell you how much I would love to go on this trip or future trips. But, and I feel I’m justified in saying BUT. But what if I, at this stage aint that great a photographer and to add salt to the wound, had been caught up in the insta world ( account now deleted ) of single images with not a story in sight. I am worried I would be completely out of my depth in regards to the other students. But to add I am here to learn and story and print is my focus. I just need to know how to be good and want to be around folk who know whats good. Would I be outa my depth on a trip like this?
Author
Hey Ian,
Workshops for mostly for beginning to intermediate photographers. People who are super polished or people who have been working for decades are not as frequent at workshops. People come to workshops specifically to get better, to learn, to take chances and get direct feedback on their work, and not just from the instructors but their fellow students as well. The only time we would ask for a portfolio prior to someone signing up is when we are entering a country where one needs to be more seasoned to ensure their safety. Germany is NOT one of these countries. So no, you would not be out of your depth. In fact, you might be the perfect student.
Dan, I cant tell you how much I would love to go on this trip or future trips. But, and I feel I’m justified in saying BUT. But what if I, at this stage aint that great a photographer and to add salt to the wound, had been caught up in the insta world ( account now deleted ) of single images with not a story in sight. I am worried I would be completely out of my depth in regards to the other students. But to add I am here to learn and story and print is my focus. I do shoot film ( no hipster ) as an FM2 is the only camera I own at the moment so book participation is a no go on the trip. I just need to know how to be good and want to be around folk who know whats good.
Oh my… so close, only 150km from my home. I’m going to be in the middle of (or just after) a house move and can’t justify such an expense at the moment. Have lots of fun! The weather could be great or absolutely awful, so pray to whoever is in charge of the German climate next year for good light 😉 Near Hamburg you can visit a little town called Lüneburg, nice place for a walk! Also be careful with the German railways, it’s a mess. Trains are cancelled all the time for various reasons. Make sure you have a plan B in case. For people flying, if you want to take some film, Terminal 2 at Berlin airport has the new CT scanners and Terminal 1 will have them soon. If they don’t ask you to take liquids or laptops out for scanning, that’s a warning sign! In this case, you can ask to have your film scanned in the old school machine, which is ok up to ISO800. I have never been able to convince them to check my film by hand. Personaly I would just buy whatever you need in Berlin.
Dan, if you’ve got some time before or after the workshop, maybe an extra photo-coffee/tea/yerba/beer walk for your fans who can’t make part it to the big thing? Just a thought… 😉
Ahh.. I just noticed that part of my message got lost… Personaly I would just buy whatever you need in Berlin to avoid multiple scans and take it home to develop, being careful about the scanners flying back. I have already had my film damaged by the new CT scanners in Berlin. Now there are some stickers to remove the film, but it’s easy to miss them when you’re busy talking to people or in a hurry.
Author
That is precisely the weather I want. It fits the book I have in my mind. Cold, rainy, cloudy, few people. Perfect. I fear not Berlin airport because I’ve dealt with Heathrow in the throngs of COVID. A failed state at the time. Fist fights between TSA and passengers, four hours in security. I never had Europeans hand check my film. They hate us, so I would always get “You are American, you are high risk, no hand check.”
I’m excited about seeing your updates on Berlin. I’m living vicariously through you.
Author
I can’t wait.
Hej Dan, my first thought was “Why the hell in late winter?” as Berlin is known for its ice cold winter fronts coming in from Russia. It can be totally miserable. Not a single leaf on trees etc pp. And the city won’t be very crowded so street shot might be a little harder to find. Nevertheless it’s a vibrant metropolis with lots of history and probably the most charming German accent. But I had to choose between Berlin in Hamburg I might just pick the latter for it’s rivers and seafare history. Not sure if I can make it, but I’ll look into it. Cheers.
Author
That is precisely the weather I want, and EMOP is key as well. The book I have in mind is built around the conditions. Less people = a good thing. Rain, clouds, darkness. Build for what is there. Hamburg looks incredible. I am a total sucker for water of any kind. I can’t wait to freeze while riding the Brompton………Maybe I’ll invite Wim Hof!
I’m from Milwaukee and giving serious consideration, but do they have beer?
Author
They might have a sixer laying about….
I was thinking more about those liter steins that I see at all the beer gardens strewn about! I’m with you if can wrangle Wim Hof, and from what I head is a prodigious beer drinker…
Author
Must be what makes me impervious to cold.