The Sensual Image with Elizabeth Opalenik (In-Person Learning – Three Sessions)

About

In-Person Learning

The human figure has long compelled artists throughout history, serving as a powerful site of expression, vulnerability, and connection. In The Sensual Image, photographic artist Elizabeth Opalenik invites participants to explore the art of photographing the figure with sensitivity, communication, and respect, creating images that softly whisper “yes.”

Working in small, collaborative groups, participants will experiment with natural light techniques while incorporating props that complement both subject and location. The workshop includes three distinct location shoots—each offering a unique creative environment—including one session at a private residence. These varied settings provide opportunities to explore intimacy, atmosphere, and narrative in deeply personal ways.

From iPhone to digital infrared, from water to landscape, participants are encouraged to push beyond conventional approaches and embrace new tools and perspectives. Elizabeth draws from her extensive experience to offer experiential insights during model sessions and image reviews, guiding participants toward greater awareness and expressive freedom.

Images, she reminds us, are stepping-stones bearing the visual imprint of stories left behind—but strong images do not simply happen. Often, our most compelling work lies just beyond our perceived failures. Within this supportive and exploratory environment, participants learn to transform missteps into creative momentum, discovering new pathways and unexpected visual “gems” along the way.

Elizabeth Opalenik is a photographic artist and mordançeuse known for her evocative, intimate imagery and use of alternative processes such as carbon and platinum printing. She is recognized for her masterful use of mordançage—often incorporating delicate veils of lifted emulsion where her work blends technical innovation with emotional depth. Opalenik also works extensively with infrared photography, creating sensual images with water, flowers, and the human figure. Her photographic works on Japanese papers are characterized by distortion, reflection, and an atmosphere that invites contemplation.

Over the course of her 45 year career, Opalenik has taught, lectured, and exhibited on six continents, sharing her expertise with students and professionals alike. She has been a longtime instructor at Maine Media Workshops and the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, and has led figure workshops and specialized programs for women with cancer at the F Holland Day Center for Creativity and Healing, where art becomes a tool for resilience and expression. Beyond the studio, Opalenik has engaged in humanitarian efforts with eye doctors working in South America and along the Amazon emphasizing photography’s power to connect, heal, and reveal.

She is the author of two books, Poetic Grace: Elizabeth Opalenik photographs 1979-2007 and Workshop Stories: changed through photography, which document her artistic journey and teaching philosophy, further solidifying her legacy as both an artist and educator.

View instructor profile here.

Details

• Three Sessions
• Dates: Friday-Sunday, January 8-10, 9 am – 5 pm, 2027
• Enrollment Limit: 12 students
• Skill/Experience Level: Open to all levels
• Tuition: $1.295 + $400 fee (Become a Member today and receive 5% – 20% off!)
• Location: Downtown Los Angeles (LACP Headquarters), 252 S. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, California, 90012
• Central Lodging: The Miyako Hotel – 328 E. First Street Los Angeles, California, 90012, United States, The Double-Tree by Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles Downtown – 120 South Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, California, 90012, USA
• Not Included: Meals, snacks, bottled water and transportation (to and from the workshop location). Students are encouraged to bring their own food or order from nearby restaurants. Ride share apps or public transit are recommended for those without transportation. Students will be notified of food and parking options in the area.

NOTE: This is classified as a “Special Guest/Master Photographer” workshop. We advise you to read the “Special Guest/Master Photographer Refund Policy” HERE before enrolling.

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