Sun Scapes and Shadow Gardens: A Photographic Workshop in Japanese Aesthetics with George Nobechi (Five Sessions – In-Person Learning – San Diego, CA)

About

In-Person Learning

In this workshop, George Nobechi returns to LACP to lead an extended, more in-depth iteration of his photographic course in Japanese Aesthetics (Western Light, Eastern Wind).

Set on the beautiful grounds of Balboa Park, San Diego, the location is filled with museums, botanical gardens, and numerous possibilities for participants to observe and make photographs incorporating a quiet, thoughtful approach to image-making.

The author Junichiro Tanizaki famously introduced much of the West to Japanese design in his seminal 1933 essay In Praise of Shadows. In the spirit of his writing, we will begin by exploring the importance of shadows in our work, and using that as our starting point, we will discuss other aesthetic concepts such as the use of “ma” (breathing room), “komorebi” (the light that leaks through trees/foliage), “koh-itten” (crimson, one spot) and more.

As participants begin to grasp the visual cues for these elements, we will then go deeper into the philosophical and metaphorical world of Japanese aesthetics, to discuss concepts such as “setsunasa”, “mono-no-aware”, “ichigo-ichie”, “mujo”, “miyabi”, “yugen”, and yes, even the elusively complex true meaning of “wabi-sabi.”

The course will consist of group discussions and reviews in class, group excursions to locations, and time on your own to further explore these concepts in ways that speak to you. This course will not seek to change the way you photograph to be more like the instructors – instead, it will give you a deep toolkit from which you can incorporate those that fit your own sensibilities in your practice. Furthermore, it will remind you to slow down, and be more considered, present, mindful and thoughtful in your compositions. And ultimately, if it helps you to maintain calm and peace in your mind in an ever-changing, chaotic world, then the class goals will have been achieved.

This course is strictly limited to 12 students.

PAYMENT AND REFUND POLICY
A $500 deposit is required to reserve space in the workshop (you may also elect to pay the tuition in full). The balance is due three months prior to the start date. Refund requests arriving four months or greater prior the start date will result in a $50 administrative fee.  Refund requests arriving three to four months prior to the start date will result in loss of deposit or $500. Refund requests arriving two to three months prior to the start date will result in a 50% loss of the workshop fee. No refunds will be provided for requests arriving less than two months prior to the start date. All refund requests must be submitted in writing via email to info@lacphoto.org.

George Nobechi born in 1980 in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and Canadian father, moved to Canada at age 11. After the sudden death of his father while he was a history student at the University of British Columbia (UBC), he was introduced to the financial industry in Tokyo, and later, New York. There he encountered the Photoville photography festival in 2014, which inspired him to change his life.

He set out on a journey that lasted nearly three years and met and was influenced by photographers such as Arno Rafael Minkkinen, Kate Breakey, Arthur Meyerson, and Sam Abell, who encouraged him to pursue photography as a career.

His 15 solo exhibitions featuring quiet observations of the wonders of daily life have been held in Japan, the U.S., and Europe, and he has received numerous international awards, including Critical Mass Top 50 Awards in 2017 and 2021. His work is also in the collection of the Center for Creative Photography in the United States and has been featured regularly in publications such as Huffington Post, Newsweek Japan, Asahi Camera, Tokyo Shimbun, PDN, etc.

Nobechi is also the Director for Nobechi Creative, which among numerous events and exhibitions, produced Evenings with the Masters®, a pandemic-era online talk series featuring international photographic masters, which raised $70,000 toward numerous charitable causes. He is also the Creative Director for Karuizawa Foto Fest, a photo festival in his hometown of Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan.

View instructor profile here.

Details

• Five Sessions
• Date: Sunday, March 22, 2 – 4 pm PST (Orientation), Monday through Thursday, March 23-26, 9 am – 4 pm PST; Friday, March 27, 9 am – 12 pm PST + An Afternoon in the Park, 4 pm – 6 pm
• Enrollment Limit 12 participants
• Skill/Experience Level: Knowledge of lighting, equipment and your camera is required.
• Tuition: $3,195 Non-Members; $3,095 Members; (Become a Member and save!)
• Location: San Diego – Balboa Park, Museum of Photographic Arts

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