THE LIMITS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ACT

Workshop with Antoine d'Agata

Overview

This workshop is design to mid level to advanced photographers looking to deepen their practice and expand their creative approach.

*BONUS: This workshop takes place in tandem with both Todd Hido’s and Christian Patterson’s workshops. Attendees of all workshops will have time to mingle and get to know each during evening hangouts!

  • Portland Maine is a historic seacoast town with a funky vibe, working waterfront, and large art scene. Maine’s largest city (but still quaint by most standards) boasts plenty of art, food, and outdoor activities.

  • Schedule: Meets in Portland, Maine on Monday September 15, Tuesday September 16, Wednesday September 17, Thursday September 18 & Friday September 19 from 10am to 6pm (hours subject to change).

  • Early Bird $2400
    Previous Attendees: $2300

    Flights, local transportation, accommodations and meals are not included in the tuition fees.

    DEPOSITS

    Selected applicants must confirm their participation by sending either a 50% tuition deposit. Early Bird pricing only applies to full tuition payments.

Limited to 12 participants.

This workshop takes place at the Woodfords Club, a historic clubhouse and social club in Portland, with a focus on being non-sectarian and non-political. Attendees will have access to additional offerings for onlocation printing and darkroom services provided by partner The Bakery Collective.

Over five days, participants will photograph intensively, pushing the boundaries of their creative process while exploring their obsessions and contradictions. This workshop revolves around photography as a means of asserting a personal perception of the world. Looking beyond the purely documentary, these images make up a diary that allow this inventory of images to cut free from the constraints underlying the transcription of objective reality.

Each participant will be asked to examine the ultimate goal of their approach. Since images, like words, only take on meaning when brought together, the workshop will focus on finding the most relevant form for each individual stance.

Daily group and individual review sessions will refine the work, culminating in a one-on-one editing session and a final slideshow presentation. The goal is to create a series of images that authentically express each participant's relationship with the world within this challenging and immersive context. Participants must be ready to photograph intensely throughout the workshop.

This workshop is designed for advanced photographers looking to deepen their practice and expand their creative approach. It does not focus on teaching basic technical skills but rather on strengthening visual storytelling and developing a unique photographic language. Digital cameras and laptops are recommended to facilitate image production and editing, however overnight film processing and printing services are available (at additional cost) for those wishing to shoot and edit with analog processes.

This workshop provides a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in a committed and challenging photographic practice, allowing each participant to redefine their relationship with the image and their ability to narrate the world from an authentic and personal perspective.

ABOUT Antoine d’Agata

Antoine d’Agata was born on November 19, 1961, in Marseille, France. At the age of 17, he interrupted his studies to live in the world of the night. For 12 years, he lived and traveled in some 20 countries. In 1991, while living in New York with no photographic experience, he enrolled at the International Center of Photography, where he studied with Nan Goldin and Larry Clark. In 1993, he moved to France, worked as a bricklayer, and stopped his photographic practice until 1997.

Mala Noche, his first book, was published in 1998. In 2001, he received the Niépce Prize. 1001 Nuits was exhibited in Paris in September 2003 and accompanied by the publication of two books, Vortex and Insomnia. In 2004, D’Agata joined Magnum Photos, published his fifth book, Stigma, and made his first short film, El Cielo del muerto. In 2006, he shot his second film, Aka Ana, in Tokyo. His latest, a four-hour feature called White Noise (2019), brought together the voices of twenty-four women. He won the Photographic Book Prize at the Rencontres d’Arles in 2013 for Anticorps, published the same year for a major exhibition at Le Bal, Paris.

Antoine d’Agata’s work can be read as an exploration of contemporary violence from two distinct perspectives: the violence of the day, or economic and political violence (migration, refugees, poverty and war), and the violence of the night, or violence generated by social groups marginalized by poverty (survival through crime, narcotic addiction, sexual excess). His latest books are VIRUS (2020), which documents the Covid-19 pandemic, and Antoine d’Agata — Francis Bacon (2020), which brings together the works of both artists.

For the past 30 years, Antoine d’Agata has lived and photographed all over the world and has published some 50 works. He has been a full member of the Magnum Photos agency since 2008. Internationally renowned, his work has been featured as the subject of numerous solo exhibitions, shown in various museums, and included in public and private collections throughout the world.

Details

  • DAY 1
    Workshop Introduction, individual portfolio reviews in a group dynamic.

    DAY 2
    Shooting Session and individual portfolio reviews in a group dynamic.

    DAY 3
    Shooting Session and group critique.

    DAY 4
    Shooting Session and group critique.

    DAY 5
    Shooting Session, Final Editing & Sequencing, Final projections.

  • There is no fee to apply, and applications are open to photographers of all educational backgrounds and career stages. Enrollment is limited to 12 participants. To be considered, applicants must submit a portfolio of 20–30 images focused on past and/or ongoing work, limited to no more than two distinct series or projects.

    If you are a previous attendee or a Chico alumni, there is no need to reapply—please simply email us at info@charcoalworkshops.com.


    Please note: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with regular email updates provided throughout the process. The full review and acceptance timeline typically takes 8–12 days from the date of submission. We encourage early applications to increase the likelihood of selection.

  • EARLY BIRD: $2400 USD
    [Deadline: Sunday June 22, 2025]

    PAST ATTENDEE: $2300 USD
    [Deadline: Sunday June 22, 2025]

    REGULAR: $2500 USD

    Please Note: Flight expenses, local transportation, accommodations, and meals are not included in the tuition or registration fees.

  • A 50% deposit (or full tuition payment) is required upon acceptance to confirm your participation. The remaining balance will be due in full by August 1, 2025. Early Bird pricing is available only to those who pay in full before the specified deadline.

    Payment plans are available upon request. Please contact us at info@charcoalworkshops.com.

    Please note: payments made through the payment plan are non-refundable.

  • Upon confirmation, a comprehensive information packet will be provided to attendees which will assist in coordinating their stay in Portland. This packet will include details on accommodation options, transportation instructions, restaurant recommendations, available amenities, and general travel tips.

    We have partnered with The Longfellow Hotel to offer our attendees an exclusive 10% discount + complimentary upgrade (if available) on check-in. Discounts and rooms are first come, first served.

    Please note: flight expenses, local transportation, accommodations, and meals are not included in the tuition or registration fees.

  • The deadline to withdraw from the workshop and request a refund is 90 days prior to the start date. A cancellation fee of $600 USD will apply. Refund requests submitted after this 90-day period will not be considered.

    In the event that the program does not meet minimum enrollment or is canceled for any reason, paid tuition will be credited toward a future workshop or one scheduled at the same time as the original program.

  • For all questions, please contact us at info@charcoalworkshops.com

Application