Silver in the Sagebrush
July 25th to July 28th
Tintype Workshop & Retreat
Join Joseph W. Brown and James O’Connell in La Madera, New Mexico for the first-ever Silver in the Sagebrush. This is a rare chance to work with a modern master of the process in such an intimate environment. Joseph has been a wet plate artist for over ten years now and this class is a distillation of those ten years. All of us will be staying and making work on the expansive grounds of Cliff River Springs. Over this four-day retreat, Joseph will guide students through the fundamentals of wet plate photography. Through, demos, critiques and one on one sessions Joseph will walk students through every step of the process. This workshop will be primarily focused on the primary skills of wet plate ( pouring, developing, exposing, and processing plates), but will include more advanced discussions around studio lighting, gear, chemistry maintenance, and common problems for those starting. Making the most of our beautiful location this will be a natural light focused workshop. Bring your hiking shoes and expect to explore the expansive grounds of Cliff River Springs. Towards the end of the workshop, we will also be demoing studio lighting and students will get a chance to shoot their own plates using studio equipment. Whether you are just starting down the path of wet plate or are looking to hone your practice come join us this July for Silver in the Sagebrush.
The total cost of the workshop will be $1800 to $2000 including tuition and lodging. The tuition cost ($1500) includes the necessary materials, equipment, and chemistry. students are welcome to bring their camera equipment but it isn’t necessary. Lodging will be $500 for single casitas and $300 for the one casita that has shared living spaces. Once your tuition is paid James will reach out to you about the available options for lodging
Website: josephwymanphoto.com
Instagram: @josephwymanphoto
Cliff River Springs
Located in the heart of Northern New Mexico, Cliff River Springs is a 1200-acre ranch equipped with 7 casitas that will house students and instructors. For generations, artists have come to the high desert of New Mexico. The mountains and canyons have served as subjects for artists such as Ansel Adams, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Aldo Leopold. This workshop is a continuation of the New Mexico’s artistic legacy. Climbing the local peaks, wandering through the dry canyons and swimming in the natural spring-fed pond are as much apart from the workshop as making tintypes.
Accommodation
Cliff River Springs is equipped with beautiful individual and shared Casitas on the property. Each one has a private bathroom, full kitchen and queen bed. The small class size, remoteness, and intimate nature of the workshop is designed to build a community over our four days together. We hope that outside of class hours, we can come together for meals, hikes, and maybe even some swimming. To make this workshop manageable for us and keep costs down we have opted to have students provide their own groceries for the workshop. We will be organizing a grocery shop along with transportation from Santa Fe on the morning of July 25th. One of the six casitas at Cliff River Springs is a shared space. It still has separate bedrooms, but the kitchen and living room are shared between two people. Rooms will be given out on a first come first serve basis and once you have paid for the workshop James will contact you to arrange your accommodation at Cliff River Springs.
Single room Casitas: $500
Shared room Casita: $300
Getting Here…
Cliff River Springs is located in a remote region of New Mexico. There are airports in both Santa Fe and Taos that offer closer flights, but they are small airports with few flights and few options for rental cars. Albuquerque offers the largest airport with the most transportation options. We recommend you fly into Albqurque’s airport and then make your way to Santa Fe before July 25th. We will arrange a group transportation option from Santa Fe early on the morning of July 25th. This group transportation option will also include a stop to buy groceries for the weekend. If you have any more questions about getting to the workshop please contact James at the email listed at the bottom of the page.
FAQ
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Aside from thursday, we will be starting our sessions together at 10am and ending at 5pm with a time carved out for lunch at 1pm. Students can continue shooting before and after our class times, but we wanted there to be enough time for students to enjoy the landscape and grounds of Cliff River Springs as well.
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No previous wet plate collodion process is needed to sign up for this workshop! This workshop is designed to build a solid foundation in the process for both beginners and those looking to refine their practice.
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Students are welcome to bring their own photo equipment, but it is not required. We will have a range of cameras for students to share and use. Joseph and James are also available to answer questions about equipment before and at the workshop.
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Summers in northern New Mexico are fairly temperate with temperatures often peaking in the 80s and falling to the 60s in the evening. The most defining characteristic though is the summer monsoons. Often by the afternoon large thunderstorms have built up and can dump large amounts of rain in short bursts. We recommend bringing raingear and layers of warm clothes to keep yourself comfortable in the variable conditions.
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Students will be responsible for cooking for themselves during the workshop. Because of the lack of restaurants and markets in the immediate area of Cliff River Springs, we are asking students to bring all their food with them to the workshop. Each casita has its own fridge and full kitchen equipped with cookware, dishes, and cutlery. If you aren’t planning on driving on your own to the workshop, James will be organizing both a grocery shop and transportation to the workshop from Santa Fe.
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Cliff River Springs is located in La Madera New Mexico. It is a remote and beautiful corner of the state, but because its remote there isn’t a lot close by. Both Taos and Santa fe are a little more than an hour away. Ojo Caliente is a beautiful spa and resort just down the road, but other than that there isn’t other restaurants, markets or other amenities easily accessible. There is beautiful hiking and swimming on the property.
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Yes! Students in relationships are welcome to take the class together and can share a room. Once you sign up for the class let James know you are wanting to share a room when he reaches out to you.
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We heavily encourage this to be a workshop only for students. We want this to be a chance to be completely immersed in the process and adding more people could distract from the experience. If you need your partner to come though it is possible for them to stay with us at the ranch.
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Withdrawal from the workshop 21 days before the start date will result in a full refund minus a $350 processing fee. No refund can be given if cancellations are made fewer than 21 days from the start date. If the class is canceled due to lack of enrollment your entire tuition and lodging will be refunded. High Desert Alchemy LLC isn't responsible for your travel arrangements and cancellations resulting from them.
Cancellation Policy:
Withdrawal from the workshop 21 days before the start date will result in a full refund minus a $350 processing fee. No refund can be given if cancellations are made fewer than 21 days from the start date. If the class is canceled due to lack of enrollment your entire tuition and lodging will be refunded. High Desert Alchemy LLC isn't responsible for your travel arrangements and cancellations resulting from them.
Contact:
James O’Connell
High.desert.alchemy@gmail.com
