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 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

    DEPOSITS

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

    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 additional offerings for on location printing and darkroom services provided by partner The Bakery Collective.

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

  • 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).

  • 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
    [Deadline: from June 24 until filled.]

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

Application