Dates: February 18, 2027
Meetings: Thursday, 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM CST
Location: The Anne Wilkes Tucker Photography Study Center at MFAH
Cost: $98 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Howard Bossen
Skill Level: Open to All Levels
Abstraction is a fundamental quality of photography: three dimensions are reduced to two, the colors of the real world are rendered in black and white or transformed through synthetic color, and scale is altered, most often reduced in size. Many photographic artists choose to further explore these qualities, experimenting with light, form, and perception to make abstraction not just an inherent characteristic of photography, but a subject in its own right.
This workshop examines a variety of approaches to photographic abstraction, from camera-made images to works created using alternative methods, including scanners and photograms, images produced by exposing light-sensitive materials directly to light.
Held at the Anne Wilkes Tucker Photography Study Center at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, this workshop draws on the MFAH's rich photography collection. Students will have the rare opportunity to examine original photographs firsthand, experiencing their actual scale, color, tone, and texture.
Objectives:
Understand the wide variety of approaches to abstract photography
Examine the creative possibilities of camera-based and camera-less photographic techniques
Identify key elements of well-conceived abstract photographic projects created with and without cameras
Gain an insider's view of the MFAH's photography collection
Develop a deeper appreciation for abstract photographic images in their many forms
Understand how viewing original photographs reveals qualities often lost in digital reproductions
Prerequisites: None
Course Prep:
A shortlist of optional readings will be made available prior to the workshop. A pencil and notebook or laptop for notetaking is optional.
Dates: February 18, 2027
Meetings: Thursday, 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM CST
Location: The Anne Wilkes Tucker Photography Study Center at MFAH
Cost: $98 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Howard Bossen
Skill Level: Open to All Levels
Abstraction is a fundamental quality of photography: three dimensions are reduced to two, the colors of the real world are rendered in black and white or transformed through synthetic color, and scale is altered, most often reduced in size. Many photographic artists choose to further explore these qualities, experimenting with light, form, and perception to make abstraction not just an inherent characteristic of photography, but a subject in its own right.
This workshop examines a variety of approaches to photographic abstraction, from camera-made images to works created using alternative methods, including scanners and photograms, images produced by exposing light-sensitive materials directly to light.
Held at the Anne Wilkes Tucker Photography Study Center at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, this workshop draws on the MFAH's rich photography collection. Students will have the rare opportunity to examine original photographs firsthand, experiencing their actual scale, color, tone, and texture.
Objectives:
Understand the wide variety of approaches to abstract photography
Examine the creative possibilities of camera-based and camera-less photographic techniques
Identify key elements of well-conceived abstract photographic projects created with and without cameras
Gain an insider's view of the MFAH's photography collection
Develop a deeper appreciation for abstract photographic images in their many forms
Understand how viewing original photographs reveals qualities often lost in digital reproductions
Prerequisites: None
Course Prep:
A shortlist of optional readings will be made available prior to the workshop. A pencil and notebook or laptop for notetaking is optional.
László Moholy-Nagy - Untitled
Anna Atkins - pteris aquilina
El Lissitzky - Pelikan Tinte
