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-person 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.

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 partner The Bakery Collective, a state of the art self-service darkroom and digital imaging facility located near Woodford’s Corner. Each participant will have 24/7 access to the lab and including the use of darkroom, computer, scanner and printer.

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.

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

  • Flights, local transportation, accommodations and meals are not included in the registration fees. A detailed information packet will be sent to confirmed participants to help coordinate their stay in Portland that will include a list of accommodations options (single or shared), local transportation directions, restaurants, amenities available, and general 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.

  • 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.

  • Applications are free (no fee to apply). Enrollment is limited to 12 participants. Photographers from all educational backgrounds and at all career stages are welcome to apply. A portfolio of 20-30 images focused on past and/or ongoing projects must be submitted as a prerequisite for consideration (please include images from no more than 2 different series/projects).

    If you are a previous attendee or Chico Alumni, no need to apply! Just shoot us an email at info@charcoalworkshops.com


    Please note: Applications are reviewed on a weekly basis, with regular email communication from reception to final decision. The entire review and acceptance process usually takes 8-12 days from the day your application is received. Applying early is recommended for greater chances of selection.

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

    PAST ATTENDEE: $2300 USD
    [Deadline: Sunday July 20, 2025]

    REGULAR: $2500 USD

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

  • Selected applicants invited to attend are required to confirm their participation by paying half of or a full Early-bird, Returning Attendee or Regular tuition payment. The remaining tuition balance will then come due in full by August 1, 2025.

    Flexible monthly payment plans are also available to accepted applicants on request at no additional cost. If interested please email us at info@charcoalworkshops.com. Please also note that payment plan payments are non-refundable.

  • The deadline to withdraw your participation and request a refund is 90 days before the first day of the workshop. Please note a $600 USD cancellation fee remains applicable. Cancellation and refund requests received after 90 days will not be accepted.

  • For any questions or inquiries, please contact us at info@charcoalworkshops.com

Application Form