Dates: October 6 - November 24, 2026
Meetings: Tuesday, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST (8 sessions)
Location: Online Zoom Classroom
Cost: $590 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount, Advanced Photography Practices students receive a 15% discount)
Instructor: Michael Robinson Chávez
Skill Level: Intermediate
A body of photographic work is crucial for a photographer seeking to catch the attention of editors, curators, and art buyers. In this intensive eight-week course, students will build a cohesive body of work from the ground up — whether a photo story, an essay, a personal project, or a documentary series. Each participant is expected to produce new photographs during the course; work in progress is welcome and will be developed through field assignments, critiques, editing, and instructor guidance. Meeting once a week, we'll move step by step through the entire creative arc so that by the end of the course each student has a stronger, more focused project and a plan to get it seen.
Objectives:
Get out of your comfort zone and explore new visual approaches to telling a story
Develop a thorough research practice for the themes and subjects you cover
Optimize your time and planning to get the most out of every shoot
Improve your editing and sequencing skills — learn to cull, refine, and recognize your strongest images with clarity. Sequence them with rhythm and flow
Strengthen your composition and learn to anticipate decisive moments
Read and use natural and artificial light more intentionally
Find new venues and strategies for publication, exhibition, and sharing your work
Craft a compelling pitch to present your project to editors, curators, or funders
Leave with a clear, actionable roadmap for continuing and promoting your work
Prerequisites:
Participants should have solid technical skills and understand the potential and limitations of their equipment.
Course Prep:
Students already working on a project should bring an example of the work (10-20 images) so we can get an idea of the story's trajectory. Students intending to work on a new project should be ready to present story ideas they would like to work on during the course.
Dates: October 6 - November 24, 2026
Meetings: Tuesday, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST (8 sessions)
Location: Online Zoom Classroom
Cost: $590 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount, Advanced Photography Practices students receive a 15% discount)
Instructor: Michael Robinson Chávez
Skill Level: Intermediate
A body of photographic work is crucial for a photographer seeking to catch the attention of editors, curators, and art buyers. In this intensive eight-week course, students will build a cohesive body of work from the ground up — whether a photo story, an essay, a personal project, or a documentary series. Each participant is expected to produce new photographs during the course; work in progress is welcome and will be developed through field assignments, critiques, editing, and instructor guidance. Meeting once a week, we'll move step by step through the entire creative arc so that by the end of the course each student has a stronger, more focused project and a plan to get it seen.
Objectives:
Get out of your comfort zone and explore new visual approaches to telling a story
Develop a thorough research practice for the themes and subjects you cover
Optimize your time and planning to get the most out of every shoot
Improve your editing and sequencing skills — learn to cull, refine, and recognize your strongest images with clarity. Sequence them with rhythm and flow
Strengthen your composition and learn to anticipate decisive moments
Read and use natural and artificial light more intentionally
Find new venues and strategies for publication, exhibition, and sharing your work
Craft a compelling pitch to present your project to editors, curators, or funders
Leave with a clear, actionable roadmap for continuing and promoting your work
Prerequisites:
Participants should have solid technical skills and understand the potential and limitations of their equipment.
Course Prep:
Students already working on a project should bring an example of the work (10-20 images) so we can get an idea of the story's trajectory. Students intending to work on a new project should be ready to present story ideas they would like to work on during the course.
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