Seeing Ourselves In The Street: Online Photography Workshop (JAN/FEB 2025)
Street photography is an improvisation, performed in long hours of wandering alone on foot, guided by the scent of great human character and fragility, poetic physical gestures of emotion or energy, explosions of life force, momentary chance encounters, and quiet interactions which imply subjective stories when stopped in time. The resulting unparaphrasable pictures may leave unanswerable questions in the viewer’s mind, and provide us with a venue for healing our sense of separation from others, the feeling of being apart, rather than a part. In this six week class we'll use a stream-of-consciousness approach to shooting, editing, and sequencing the work, looking past our assumptions of "aboutness" or the factual burdens of documentary practice, yet eschewing the overly predetermined conceptual mandates of so many fine art dogmas.
Through weekly presentations, assignments, and group editing, we'll make and share new work, and explore what makes our photographs stronger, more personal, and more musical, whether you've been shooting for years, or just getting started. Participants will all be expected to have at least a basic working knowledge of whatever camera they plan to use, and are able to edit and transfer their images by computer each week.
This six-week class will meet four Tuesdays in January (7th, 14th**, 21st, 28th), and two Tuesdays in February, (4th, 11th) each from 6-9pm Eastern US time, and is limited to 6 participants. Reserve your space today by choosing the option (below) to pay a 50% deposit.* One may also choose to pay in full up-front. The group meetings will take place Entirely on Zoom. *balance due one week before the first class.
**SPECIAL NOTE: On January 14th only the workshop will meet 30 minutes later, from 6:30pm - 9:30pm Eastern.**
Some recent student testimonials:
"‘Seeing Ourselves in the Street’ was truly an inspiring and wonderful experience. Reuben cultivates an environment that is warm and low key yet at the same time compels you to push yourself and not be afraid of trying new things within your photography. Reuben gets down and dirty along with the group sharing his weekly captures alongside the rest making it feel more like a band of inspired photographers on a mission than a typical teacher student class. Reuben gives honest feedback on your weekly work that will only inspire you to want to be back out in the world capturing more frames. Reuben's experience and drive for wanting to grow really comes through and helps guide the class to reach new heights in one's own eye.” Kyle L., Seattle, WA
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"Reuben meets you where you are. So much of what I took away from the workshop had little to do with individual pictures or 'style' or 'genre' but everything to do with better understanding myself. Reuben helped me continuously reinforce my ideas and guide me towards honing my own voice." ––Nick S., Boston, MA
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"Reuben’s cross disciplinary approach which synthesizes his passion for imagery with a love of music and philosophy resonated strongly for me in choosing to participate in this workshop, the theory of which delivered richly in its execution into practice. In applying the theory to intense, iterative critique sessions of work produced weekly by participants and by Reuben, as well as to historical foundational photographic work of others, the workshop had a holistic, collaborative feel in which I felt fully immersed. Most importantly, the theory uncovered a new vocabulary in my vision and photographic approach, and I have come away from the experience with both a firm belief that I have advanced my craft in a meaningful way and a satisfying body of work produced during the course of the workshop." -Alfred B, New York, NY
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“Taking the class was one of my best decisions - Reuben is highly skilled at teaching in a warm environment, imbuing his lengthy knowledge on others to make them better - to open their eyes to what’s possible. I highly recommend Reuben’s class to anyone from a beginner to professional that just wants to expand their creative eye and learn new ideas and how the environment affects their art.” -Rebecca M, Los Angeles, CA
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"What a great experience, on so many levels! ...a wonderful conversation in images among photographers sharing a common interest and enthusiasm but communicating their visions in unique ways. Reuben is the perfect facilitator and guru- sharing his own work from the week with us and offering wise critique and enthusiasm, all in the spirit of mutual learning. Highly recommended!" -Mark C, Atlanta, GA
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"Reuben’s “Seeing Ourselves in the Street” workshop was three days well spent. Reuben lives and breathes street photography and can talk at length about its technical, aesthetic, and ethical issues while remaining engaging, funny, and enlivening throughout. He is an incisive critic, with a sharp eye for both virtues and flaws in a photograph that the photographer—well, this photographer—may have overlooked, and holds participants to high standards while always staying open-minded and encouraging. I would recommend his workshop without reservation." –Edward H., Brooklyn, NY
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Bio:
Reuben Radding is a photographer, musician, writer, and teacher based in New York City whose photos have been published in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Hamburger Eyes, Downbeat, The New Republic, Financial Times, High Times, and many other publications, including his own enduring series of photo zines. He has been exhibited widely in North America and Europe. Radding received his MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College, and has taught workshops or been a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities, including New York University, and The International Center for Photography, where is on faculty.
