BASED ON A TRUE STORY - MIAMI - Workshop with Gus Powell - Leica Akademie MIAMI
TO REGISTER or LEARN MORE email gus@guspowell.com
GET OUT OF THE COLD & INTO THE BOATS Workshop in MIAMI
JANUARY 15 - 17, 2027
Description:
In this workshop Gus Powell will explore the narrative and poetic qualities of photography and the photobook. We will delve into the diverse practices encompassed by the genre of street photography, with a particular emphasis on the physicality, intentionality, poetry, and pleasure of the practice.
The workshop will start with a presentation of Powell’s work: the inspiration and creation of past projects, the books and their maquettes, his work for editorial and commercial clients, and his ongoing practice as a photographer. It will continue in the morning with a presentation and discussion, followed by an immersive shooting experiences in the city. Throughout the workshop, participants will explore various themes, including the process of making rather than taking photographs, the art of visual communication, and the power of poetic storytelling. The workshop will culminate on the final day with a focus on sequencing, storytelling, and bookmaking. Powell will guide participants from the initial act of making individual striking images, across the development of an authentic visual voice, and towards creating a cohesive body of work.
Topics Covered:
• Authorship & storytelling
• Finding inspiration in unexpected histories and heroes
• The comedy & tragedy of the human experience
• “Sketching”
• Making something out of nothing
• Using language to elevate rather than explain
• Making rules and embracing chance
• Getting into trouble. Getting out of trouble and getting on with it
Who should attend this program?
This workshop is intended for the intermediate or experienced photographer that
is interested in moving towards the creation of a body of
work.
Students will prepare a portfolio of 10-20 images prior to the start of the workshop for critique. There are a few scholarship spots available. Contact Leica for more details. Attendance is limited to 12 maximum.
Schedule:
Friday, 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Introductions, Outline & Assignments
Camera Loans
Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Assignment No. 1
Portfolio Review
“Sketches” & “Exercises for the Street”
LUNCH
Photo Walk
Overview of Homework
Sunday, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Review of Saturday’s work
LUNCH
“Color Stories” & “Ten Titles”
Sequence Work
“The Hijacked Book”
Conclusion
Schedule is subject to revision.
Things You Should Know:
This is not a typical Street Photography workshop. It will be intimate, challenging, and fun in unexpected ways. You should have a basic understanding of photography as well as your camera. We will have a selection of Leica cameras and lenses for you to borrow during the workshop; however, having or using a Leica camera is not a requirement for this program. You should also have a basic knowledge of image processing and will need imaging software on your laptop or tablet to process images on the final day of the program.
Testimonials from B.O.A.T.S. Graduates
“Gus is such an inspiring and motivating teacher (and photographer) because he carries so much passion, compassion, joy, talent and intelligence in everything he does. I left the workshop feeling like I not only gained a better sense of my work, but that I had a touching experience with a community of photographers who were all deeply supportive and very kind to each other. I believe Gus helped facilitate and cultivate that comradery in a meaningful way.”
– Michael, LA, CA, USA
“Both workshops I have taken with Gus have fundamentally changed the way I look at photography and my own work.”
– David M., San Francisco, CA, USA
“Gus coaxed people to open up about their thoughts about their work as a whole in the context of their lives.”
– Barbara, Vancouver, Canada
“A great opportunity to learn about how to take complete authorship of your photographs.”
– Dan, San Francisco, CA, USA
“Gus put the emphasis on everyone’s individual pleasure point, which really is profound, I think. I don’t know anyone who makes the point better that it’s this, not the pictures as objects, that has to drive the enterprise.”
– Monica L., New York, NY, USA
“I would describe it like a vigorous shake of one's artistic self, or like having a creativity rollercoaster ride.”
– Susanna F., Milano, ITALY
“It’s a very intense and creative workshop: one that forces you to actually create things and challenge yourself. Many interesting topics about the nature of photography and why we create books are discussed and these discussions help us to understand our own work and purpose better. It doesn’t matter if you are in the middle of making a book or simply want to put a series together for the first time- this class will open new paths for you and help you understand your work and express it much more clearly.”
– Sonia G., New York, USA
“If someone is stuck in their ideas surrounding sequencing and editing, hell even just feeling narrow minded in their approach to photography in general, I couldn’t recommend it more.”
– Kyle, Oregon, USA
"It was exciting to take a measure of creative ownership of a sequence, isolated from ownership of the images themselves. I was struck by how good that felt.”
– Zach, Washington, DC, USA
“The workshop is fun, hands-on, and the perfect vehicle to take your photography to the next level. Both the advice provided at the beginning and the feedback received at the end were spot on.“
– Sofia, Washington, DC, USA
“An insightful workshop that forces you to ask questions about what you are trying to say through photography. The most helpful part for myself was the hand-on working experience on the streets. Being able to work alongside Gus while having instant feedback through reviewing the images on the back of the camera allowed me to adjust on the spot and helped to push me into a new direction as we continued photographing.”
– Charles, New York, NY, USA
“I came away with a very strong sense of what I need to do better, both in technique and in thinking about my work. For me, that was the most valuable aspect of the whole experience.”
– Bill, New Haven, CT, USA
“It was the first workshop I have attended and I was a little concerned that it might not be that helpful to me progressing as a photographer. However, my experience was just the opposite. I found the workshop to be very helpful in demonstrating the value of editing and sequencing my work as an essential part of the process of creating more personal and unique images. Rather than repeating the easy, instant gratification photos that are so popular and generate many “Likes” on social media – Gus emphasized moving beyond the easy images to make pictures that are more nuanced, open to interpretation, and vision of the photographer as author.”
– Tim, Boston, MA, USA
“Gus was able to reach everyone on their individual level of experience and practice. His critiques were sensitive but gave real guidance, and he helped us find strategies to overcome artistic blocks and limitations in a most supportive way.”
– Alexandra A., New York, USA
“This is a workshop that allows you to experiment and learn while having fun. You receive important feedback on your work and what you have learned from the workshop remains sedimented as experience. A plus: You don't have to be a street photographer to attend it!”
– Sofia M., Milano, ITALY
“It was the closest thing to therapy (by which I mean psychotherapy) that I ever experienced.”
– Luca S., Milano, ITALY
INSTRUCTOR
Gus Powell was born in New York City in 1974 and attended Oberlin College where he majored in comparative religion. In 2003 he was selected to be in PDNs 30 under 30 issue and also published his first monograph, The Company of Strangers (J&L Books). His work has been exhibited internationally, including a solo show at The Museum of The City of New York and group exhibitions at The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Fine Arts Houston and FOAM, NL.
His photographs have been published in Aperture, Harpers, Vogue, Le Monde, The New York Times, Wired, Fortune, W, and The New Yorker. He is a member of the international street photographers’ collective UP and is on the faculty of the MFA Photography, Video and Related Media Department at the School of Visual Arts, NY. His work is included in the books Bystander: A World History of Street Photography and Street Photography Now. Powell’s second monograph, titled The Lonely Ones (J&L Books, 2015) was celebrated as one of the best photography books of the year, and was reprinted as a trilingual edition in 2017. His third monograph, FAMILY CAR TROUBLE (TBW Books, 2019) has become a new classic of the Automotive Parenting Bereavement genre and was exhibited in 2022 in Rimini, Italy at The Meeting. Powell is currently at work on a body of street work titled 32 Preludes. He is represented by Micamera Gallery (Milano). You can learn more at www.guspowell.com and follow him on Instagram at @dirtywhitebucks.