The Well-Realized Book 

Workshop with Christian Patterson

Overview

This workshop is designed for photographers with projects in development.

*BONUS: This workshop takes place in tandem with both Todd Hido’s and Antone D’Agata’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 October 2, Tuesday October 3, Wednesday October 4, Thursday October 5 & Friday October 6, 2023 from 9am to 5pm (subject to change)

  • Early Bird $2400
    Previous Attendees: $2300

    DEPOSITS

    Selected applicants must confirm their participation by sending either a 50% tuition deposit.

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

Limited to 12 participants.

This workshop takes place at Maine Studio Works in the heart of the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland, Maine. Attendees will have access to our partner The Bakery Collective, a self-service darkroom and digital imaging facility with state of the art analog and digital facilities located near Woodford’s Corner. Each participant will have 24/7 access to the lab and use the darkroom, computer, scanner and printer.

This five-day, studio-based workshop in Portland, Maine with acclaimed photographic bookmaker Christian Patterson focuses on the often complex process of photographic bookmaking and the art of visual structure. Participants should arrive with photographic projects in development, and are strongly encouraged to bring work with some conceptual and narrative grounding. They should also be prepared to experiment with new approaches to editing, sequence, layout, and design.

In the workshop, participants will make a short initial presentation of their work, introduce concepts and narratives at play, share existing challenges, and state their own workshop goals. Patterson will share his own books and presentations on bookmaking, photographic sequencing, visual structure, and share methods for simplifying the often complex bookmaking process. Participants will be challenged to apply the approaches to their work in progress. All of this will be done with a view to connecting with and complementing the conceptual and narrative elements at play in each participants’ work.

There will be much hands-on work editing, sequencing, and establishing the visual structure of each individual book project. Patterson will work closely with each participant as they strive to find best approaches to shaping and structuring their work in book form. Participants may produce rudimentary dummies during the workshop, and will work closely with Patterson to develop detailed plans for next steps in their work’s development, including dummies and maquettes to be produced in the weeks or months following the workshop.

On the final evening, participants will make a second presentation of their work reflecting on the workshop experience and any resulting new approaches or developments in their work going forward. 

ABOUT Christian Patterson

Christian Patterson’s conceptually grounded, narratively driven, and visually layered work has been described as a novelistic, subjective documentary of the historical past, and often deals with themes of the authorship, memory, place and time. Photographs are the heart of his multidisciplinary work, which includes drawings, paintings, objects, video and sound.


Patterson is the author of four books: Sound Affects (2008), Redheaded Peckerwood (2011, Recontres d’Arles Author Book Award), Bottom of the Lake (2015, shortlist, Aperture-Paris Photo Book of the Year), and Gong Co. (2024). He is a Guggenheim Fellow (2013), winner of the Grand Prix Images Vevey (2015) a New York Public Library Picture Collection Artist Fellow (2022), and James Castle House Resident (2023).


His work is in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), J. Paul Getty Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and his books are in many institutional artist book collections. Patterson has lectured, mentored, and taught widely and has led over 15 workshops throughout North America and Europe.

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.

  • Meets at Maine Studio Works 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).

  • 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
    [Deadline: from June 24 until filled.]

    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