Workshop Description
The photograph editing software, Photoshop, is now over 30 years old. With age comes wrinkles and collective knowledge. The backward compatibility of the PSD (Photoshop document) file format has resulted in a program that includes confusing nomenclature and many ways to accomplish the same task.
This workshop presents a particular and discrete workflow that takes a photograph from the camera to Lightroom to Photoshop with the intent of making an interpretive fine art print. All photographs are fundamentally a combination of brightness (luminosity and contrast) and color (hue and saturation). The discrete workflow presented in this workshop will reveal a process that provides the artist with the tools to comprehensively control these fundamental aspects of their photographs.
We will begin with an overview of the "digital darkroom" from file formats and bit depth to the proper development of RAW files and importing into Photoshop. The workshop will continue with best practices for nondestructive discrete workflow in Photoshop to control brightness and color using adjustment layers, masks and basic retouching. Color space, color theory, sharpening, how/when to manage noise, conversion to black & white, printing profiles and paper types will also be covered.
Weekly print assignments will be reviewed and critiqued by the class.
Prerequisites
All students must have experience with Photoshop and Lightroom - including output to a photo quality inkjet printer. This workshop will be based upon the most recent version of Photoshop and Lightroom. Note: This workshop may not be appropriate for photographers with "editorial" aspirations as a photojournalist.
Workshop Leader
David Kutz received a BFA from Rochester Institute of Technology and relocated to New York City to become the eleventh employee at the newly-founded International Center of Photography. During his two years at ICP, David hung exhibitions, built darkrooms, participated in master class workshops and taught photography. And David continues his relationship with ICP today.
From 1976 to 1980, David worked as an independent photojournalist with assignments from the New York Times, Life, Look and Time magazines.
For the next three decades David worked in film and television as a director, producer and media executive. In addition to commercial and industrial assignments he created the award-winning documentary, The African Burial Ground: An American Discovery, and was a senior executive directing the launch of VOOM-HD, a package of 15 high definition cable channels.
In 2013, David returned to photography as an art form and earned an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2016.
Today, David lives in Brooklyn and works throughout the world, actively engaged in making work and continuing his research into geography, urban planning, travel and globalization. He is a member of Soho Photo Gallery, the International Panorama Council, the Surveillance Studies Network and also volunteers with his local arts organization: Arts Gowanus.
David first began using Photoshop (v.2) in the 1990s. Between 2013 and 2015 he participated in a series of technically focused workshops at the International Center of Photography as student and as a teaching assistant. Since 2015 he has created multiple portfolios of fine art photography.
Workshop Policies
Workshop location is Soho Photo Gallery at 15 White Street, New York, NY 10013.
Workshops are subject to cancellation or changes up to one week prior to scheduled state date. Class audits are not permitted.
Any question regarding this workshop can be directed to the workshop leader via the "Contact" form at the bottom of the workshop page at sohophoto.com.
Cancellation and tuition refund request must be sent via email to spgworkshops@gmail.com at least 10 days prior to scheduled start date of workshop for a full refund. A last date of cancellation is the first business day immediately following initial workshop meeting for a 50% refund of tuition. Refunds will be issued within two business weeks.
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