DESCRIPTION:

The American South workshop is a photographic exploration of communities in the Deep South and is focused on the Mississippi Delta.

 

Our journey will begin in the Delta with a stay in Clarksdale, MS. The Delta lies in the rich lands between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers, Memphis to the North and Vicksburg to the South. It should not be confused with the Mississippi River Delta, which is South of New Orleans. The Delta is an extraordinary corner of the Deep South. Its unique landscapes conjure up visions of sharecroppers, plantations and the sound of the Blues. We will photograph the last remaining Juke Joints, visit places where decades ago, blues luminaries like Charley Patton, Robert Johnson and Sonny Boy Williamson traveled across the South, guitar or harmonica in hand. A special focus will be on photographing the people. One-on-one as well as group reviews of your work will be held. After 3 nights in Clarksdale we will move to Greenwood, MS, the town where the movie “The Help” was filmed. We will spend 2 nights in Greenwood and explore "Baptist Town" (established in 1800 and one of the oldest African American neighborhoods), the surrounding countryside, cotton plantations, juke-joints and more. From Greenwood we will travel to Greenville an old port town by the Mississippi river, where we will spend the next 2 nights before returning to Clarksdale.

 

Magdalena Solé has intimate knowledge of the Delta and a personal connection with its people from years of photographing in the region and teaching workshops there.

 

Her photographs of the Mississippi Delta have been exhibited in many solo shows and have won numerous awards, most recently the prestigious Tokyo International Photography 2016 Competition award.

 

Her book “New Delta Rising”, published by the University Press of Mississippi, released in February 2012, has won the Silver Award in 2011 at PX3 Prix de la Photographie, France. The Wall Street Journal in February 2012 called her images: “lushly colorful, formally striking, restless, and electrifying.”

 

“I first visited the Delta in 2009 and, in a sense, I’ve never left,” says Magdalena Solé. Such is the magical spell cast by this slender stretch of fertile land in northwestern Mississippi and the people who live in it. It is a place where lives are shaped by a close attachment to the land, by the unhurried rhythms of the season, and by shared memories of a tortured past. There is something about the Delta people that goes to the heart of what it means to be human. Perhaps nowhere else in America do such extremes in ways of life and emotional history exist so intimately.”

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WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

This workshop allows advanced and professional photographers alike to capture the communities in the Deep South, and gain a greater understanding of its people. To apply for admission to this workshop, please submit a selection of 10 photographs from a single series in low resolution to msole@mac.com.

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This masterclass will appeal to anyone interested in pushing the limits of their photography. Whether you are a professional fine tuning your vision, a committed amateur or student wanting to learn new techniques and reach your potential. Magdalena's workshops have a reputation for being an intense and transformative learning experience.

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GROUP SIZE

Limited to 4-5 people

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WORKSHOP FORMAT

Prior to the masterclass you will have the opportunity to work by e-mail with Magdalena to develop an idea that you can photograph during the workshop. Your idea can be developed further when the workshop starts. You will have daily one-on one sessions with Magdalena to edit and improve your photographs.

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You will work each day with Magdalena discussing your daily assignments designed to push the development of your technique and style. There will also be talks about photography designed to help you understand and immerse yourselves in the craft of visual storytelling.

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PAYMENTS DUE:

Your deposit of $500 is due to hold your spot.

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The balance of the payments due are to be made by December 1, 2017.

Please see our cancellation policy.

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NOT INCLUDED:

International and domestic airfare.

Lodging, meals and car rental.

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Please make sure to secure your car rental and hotel accommodations well in advance. Each hotel will have rooms blocked out for our group. 

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Hotels where classes and meetings will be held:

Clarksdale: The Clarkhouse

Greenwood: The Alluvian Hotel

Greenville: Belmont Plantation

 

DON'T FORGET:

To reserve a spot you need to send in your deposit of $500 to SolePictures as soon as possible, as this trip could sell out quickly. When you fill out the sign-up form it will take you to the payment page where you can submit payment via credit card. You can also send payment by check.. Please note that you can also register for both workshops. As we are traveling with a very small group, we will make sure that your itinerary will be customized to the individuals taking the workshop.

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