OAXACA PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP with MARY ELLEN MARK

The summer of 2013, I spent a few weeks Couchsurfing in Oaxaca.  I participated in a PHOTO XPEDITIONS photography workshop with one my favorite photographers  Mary Ellen Mark.  Nine of my photographs from  the workshop were published in this book:





Street photography is excellent in Oaxaca because the city is lively and full of color.  Mary Ellen suggested that I explore Oaxaca and stray from normal and find the weird wherever I go.  She suggested that while shooting in Oaxaca that I lose everybody else and be bold and go for the abnormal.  I photographed some locals and the interiors of their homes, churches, luche libre wrestlers, students from a down syndrome school, a slaughter house and a horse race.  Below are some of my photographs from the workshop:

































Twenty students from all over the world participated in this workshop.  The purpose of the class was to help each student become a better photographer. The first day of class we brought our portfolios to show Mary Ellen.  She laid out our work and gave us ideas on what to shoot while in Oaxaca. Mary Ellen was very complimentary of my photographs.  She told me that she loved my style of shooting and said my work was very strong. Mary Ellen said that I have an excellent whimsical street eye.  Daily we worked on our own projects and then met with Mary Ellen to critique our work.  She picked the best images from each student everyday.  On the last day of the workshop the best prints Mary Ellen chose were hung in a mini art show at the Bravo center in Oaxaca and then published in a book.   

Selected photographs from our class workshop are posted here:


Also, everyone in the class get photographed by Mary Ellen Mark for the class book.  Here is my portrait by Mary Ellen:



Here are some additional candid photos from of the class and lectures: