Base On A True Story with Gus Powell & Leica Store Miami

Testimonials from B.O.A.T.S. Graduates

“Gus is such an inspiring and motivating teacher (and photographer) because he carries so much passion, compassion, joy, talent and intelligence in everything he does. I left the workshop feeling like I not only gained a better sense of my work, but that I had a touching experience with a community of photographers who were all deeply supportive and very kind to each other. I believe Gus helped facilitate and cultivate that comradery in a meaningful way.” – Michael, LA, CA, USA

“Both workshops I have taken with Gus have fundamentally changed the way I look at photography and my own work.” – David M., San Francisco, CA, USA

“Gus coaxed people to open up about their thoughts about their work as a whole in the context of their lives.” – Barbara, Vancouver, Canada “A great opportunity to learn about how to take complete authorship of your photographs.” – Dan, San Francisco, CA, USA

“Gus put the emphasis on everyone’s individual pleasure point, which really is profound, I think. I don’t know anyone who makes the point better that it’s this, not the pictures as objects, that has to drive the enterprise.” – Monica L., New York, NY, USA

“I would describe it like a vigorous shake of one's artistic self, or like having a creativity rollercoaster ride.” – Susanna F., Milano, ITALY

“It’s a very intense and creative workshop: one that forces you to actually create things and challenge yourself. Many interesting topics about the nature of photography and why we create books are discussed and these discussions help us to understand our own work and purpose better. It doesn’t matter if you are in the middle of making a book or simply want to put a series together for the first time- this class will open new paths for you and help you understand your work and express it much more clearly.” – Sonia G., New York, USA

“If someone is stuck in their ideas surrounding sequencing and editing, hell even just feeling narrow minded in their approach to photography in general, I couldn’t recommend it more.” – Kyle, Oregon, USA

"It was exciting to take a measure of creative ownership of a sequence, isolated from ownership of the images themselves. I was struck by how good that felt.” – Zach, Washington, DC, USA

“The workshop is fun, hands-on, and the perfect vehicle to take your photography to the next level. Both the advice provided at the beginning and the feedback received at the end were spot on.“ – Sofia, Washington, DC, USA

“An insightful workshop that forces you to ask questions about what you are trying to say through photography. The most helpful part for myself was the hand-on working experience on the streets. Being able to work alongside Gus while having instant feedback through reviewing the images on the back of the camera allowed me to adjust on the spot and helped to push me into a new direction as we continued photographing.” – Charles, New York, NY, USA

“I came away with a very strong sense of what I need to do better, both in technique and in thinking about my work. For me, that was the most valuable aspect of the whole experience.” – Bill, New Haven, CT, USA

“It was the first workshop I have attended and I was a little concerned that it might not be that helpful to me progressing as a photographer. However, my experience was just the opposite. I found the workshop to be very helpful in demonstrating the value of editing and sequencing my work as an essential part of the process of creating more personal and unique images. Rather than repeating the easy, instant gratification photos that are so popular and generate many “Likes” on social media – Gus emphasized moving beyond the easy images to make pictures that are more nuanced, open to interpretation, and vision of the photographer as author.” – Tim, Boston, MA, USA

“Gus was able to reach everyone on their individual level of experience and practice. His critiques were sensitive but gave real guidance, and he helped us find strategies to overcome artistic blocks and limitations in a most supportive way.” – Alexandra A., New York, USA

“This is a workshop that allows you to experiment and learn while having fun. You receive important feedback on your work and what you have learned from the workshop remains sedimented as experience. A plus: You don't have to be a street photographer to attend it!” – Sofia M., Milano, ITALY

“It was the closest thing to therapy (by which I mean psychotherapy) that I ever experienced.” – Luca S., Milano,