Photography Today
The cultural landscape of photography has changed tremendously since we began teaching workshops 27 years ago. In 1981, most students still showed up to workshops with manual cameras! Automatic cameras, Ansel’s passing, and the digital revolution have been major factors in these changes. Photography has never really been just one thing. But now, more than ever, it seems to have sorted into independent genres. Over the past two years, we have reevaluated where we think Mono Basin Photographics fits into this new cultural milieu.
A Passion for Craft
We are about craft. Passion for the craft of photography drives everything we do, from teaching to printing to designing products. I’m not talking about technique — technique implies a means to an end. I’m talking about craft as a creative process, an artistic endeavor that one savors in and of and for itself, regardless of the end product. A process that is so rich with learning and growth, that one would never want to “shortcut” their way to snapping the shutter. Craft is the mechanism for exploring the image, which in turn becomes a window into the Great Mystery — the “universality of life” as Ruth Bernhard calls it. That’s what interests us and that’s what we do well.
A Commitment to You
We know there are many of you who are interested in this kind of photography. We also know it’s getting harder and harder to find a place that feels like home, where your neighbors understand your interests. We want Mono Basin Photographics to be that place, to provide a sense of community for all of the kindred spirits out there. We want to be your source for information, education, tools, products, and encouragement. We’ve got lots of stuff planned starting with a great workshop series this coming winter and spring. Our passion is a commitment to those of you who choose a creative path in photography.