Description:
All strong photographic work begins the same way: by looking closely at the work of others, understanding what draws you to it, identifying a subject you care about, and learning to recognize why certain images stay with you, then giving your take. Presented by Bill Brown, Fragments Toward a History of Photography is a two-day, in-person Leica Akademie workshop examining this practice with the assumption that photography as a living, contested medium shaped by cultural rupture, often rebellion, and always reinvention.
Rather than a linear timeline, the course explores decisive moments, movements, and figures that continue to influence how photographers see, work, and position themselves today. The program connects historical context directly to contemporary practice, helping participants understand where their work sits within the broader photographic conversation—and how to move forward with greater intention and authorship.
TOPICS COVERED:
- Photography and authorship: who controls meaning
- Art, commerce, and the rise of the photographic industry
- Leica and the transformation of proximity, speed, and immediacy
- Street, documentary, and war photography
- Magnum, the myth of professionalism, and the archive
- Postwar shifts: humanism, f/64, fashion, and rebellion
- The New York School and American counter-narratives
- PROVOKE and postwar Japanese photography
- Color, spectacle, and the photographer as author/celebrity
- Contemporary practice: ethics, institutions, and the future of photography
AGENDA:
Day 1 – Fragments Toward a History of Photography
- Non-linear survey of key movements from photography’s origins
- Leica’s role in shaping modern photographic language
- Street, war, documentary, and institutional power
- Guided discussion and Q&A
- Assignment prompt: locating your own work within historical traditions
- Leica-centered shooting assignment in Los Angeles
Day 2 – From Inspiration to Creation
- Post-1960 to present: PROVOKE, color, spectacle, and authorship in the “doom-scroll” era.
- Ethics, power, and the photographer’s position today
- Group critique focused on intent, influence vs. imitation, and coherence
- Concluding discussion on sustaining a photographic practice
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Anyone interested in honing their skills as a street photographer will benefit from this week-long intensive
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Participants are expected to have good understanding their cameras as well as an understanding of basic image editing. The ability to download images and make selections to submit foe review is required. Owning a Leica is not required. We will have a selection of Leica cameras available for you to try throughout the week. This is a rain or shine workshop, so you will need to be prepared for the weather.
AT-A-GLANCE
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Dates
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