has anyone experienced the maine photo workshop for h.s seniors any feed back would be appreciated thanks

-- lee nadel (photonoodl@nii.net), March 14, 2000

Answers

Very well organized, very high quality instructors (usually).

-- Ellis Vener (evphoto@insync.net), March 14, 2000.

Attitude problem at the top.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), March 14, 2000.

I am well beyond high school senior age so I don't know anything about that particular workshop. However, I've attended several other workshops there. The meals were excellent, the living quarters adequate to poor (mine were adequate but they were the best that the workshop had to offer - some of the less expensive ones that I saw were pretty bad), and the darkroom facilities were adequate (they may have added new darkroom facilities since I attended in 1996 or so). The living quarters, dining area, and workshop sites are spread out all over Rockport so the workshop has a van shuttle system that works pretty well but it's nowhere near as convenient as those workshops (like Anderson Ranch) where everything is within easy walking distance. Despite the fact that the creature comforts and physical facilities weren't the greatest, I still enjoyed the experience a great deal and would love to go back.

-- Brian Ellis (bellis@tampabay.rr.com), March 15, 2000.

Lee,

When I took the Darkroom III workshop there a few years ago, we shared the darkroom one week with the yofo's [Young Photographers], so that I was able to see and hear some of what went on. The teaching was excellent. The students were obviously having a good time. They created some of the most interesting images made in Rockport the two weeksI was there. If Joe [surname?] from a small New England private school is again the teacher, you'd love it. Others may do as well or better. Now, are there better places to consider? Don't know.

Ted Daughety

-- Ted Daughety (TDaughety@CompuServe.com), March 15, 2000.

lee,

When I took the Darkroom III workshop there a few years ago, we shared the darkroom one week with the yofo's [Young Photographers], so that I was able to see and hear some of what went on. The teaching was excellent. The students were obviously having a good time. They created some of the most interesting images made in Rockport the two weeksI was there. If Joe [surname?] from a small New England private school is again the teacher, you'd love it. Others may do as well or better. Now, are there better places to consider? Don't know.

Ted Daughety

-- Ted Daughety (TDaughety@CompuServe.com), March 15, 2000.

I took Norman McGrath's architectural workshop there last summer. At the same time, there were quite of few HS photographers going around attending other courses. McGrath's workshop was geared towards the advanced amateur/professional crowd, and didn't have any HS students in it (one HS student asked us if we in the class for old people).

My impressions of the experience: A great atmosphere for learning and exchange. I personally learned a lot, and enjoyed seeing the other work (including the film/video stuff) at the end of the week. It is my opinion that our class started out with too many people (about 16). Several folks transfered to other classes which made it better. The Maine Photographic WS teaching assistant assigned to our class and Norman's assistant were both excellent. The people you meet will also be important. I stay in touch with several of the other students from my class. It was a bonus to find such good institutional food being served.

-- Larry Huppert (Larry.Huppert@mail.com), March 16, 2000.

Since the original question was asked in the Large Format Forum, I want to add one additional note to this topic.

From a rather uncomfortable conversation with David Lyman (head person at the workshop), I strongly perceived he is not an enthusiastic fan of large format photography, particularly for people learning photography. He suggests a methodology towards discovering and growing your personal vision which wouldn't be practical with large format. I'm not qualified to comment on David's teaching model for photography. What beginners should realize is that large format occupies a very specialized niche at the workshop, and shouldn't expect a lot of support at the workshop if large format is your desire.

-- Larry Huppert (Larry.Huppert@mail.com), March 19, 2000.