Pics @ Mick’s Summer Workshop

I love sharing my passion for photography with anyone who wants to learn and play. Inspired by my 11-year-old daughter, Evy, I’m launching a workshop for kids ages 9-12 where we’ll incorporate the lessons I adapted from a class I taught for the North Carolina Museum of Art in 2019 and 2020 before moving to Minnesota. We’ll take our cameras on adventures and get active with activities like hiking, swimming, eating ice cream, and enjoying the Minnesota summer sun.

The dates and locations are:

Monday, July 22 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, MN from 9-12
Tuesday, July 23 in Excelsior, MN from 9-12
Wednesday, July 24 at my home from 9-12

This is a multi-site, three day workshop for children ages 9-12. Any digital camera is fine to use, phones included. However, point-and-shoot, DSLR, or mirrorless cameras are preferred.

Camp Itinerary

Day 1: At the arboretum, the campers will learn about landscape photography and outdoor portraiture. Topics covered include Ansel Adams, manual vs. automatic settings, use of light in the outdoors and how it changes throughout the day. We will walk the entire 3-mile hike throughout the grounds and stop for snacks and play along the way.

Day 2: In downtown Excelsior, campers will get a feel for “street photography” and finding interesting subjects in the picturesque town of Excelsior, MN. Topics covered include Gordon Parks, Lynsey Addario and photojournalism, framing, depth of field, lenses and how they change the feel of an image. We will stop at the famous Lick’s Ice Cream parlor along the way, and end up at Excelsior Beach where campers can swim if they choose.

After Day 1 and Day 2 of the workshop, I will request that campers work with their parents to upload their 10 favorite images to an online gallery where the group can find inspiration from each other’s perspectives.

Day 3: The final day will be at my home in Chanhassen, MN where we will review each other’s images and what we learned. I will also introduce campers to the concept of editing photos (e.g. Lightroom and other editing tools on phones and tablets). After working with the computer, campers will play with different “tools” to use in photography, such as bubbles, light refractors, paint and more in my back yard.