Photography Thailand Forum

[Chris Savery]

I found this tonight. Originally came across mention of it on David Alan Harvey's web site and then followed a lost link eventually digging it up in the Google cache. Interesting but well beyond what I could ever afford...
    
Assignment Bangkok
Before heading to Bangkok, each student will be expected to research a subject and submit your story ideas to your intended instructor. We can also suggest story ideas depending on your area of interest. Do keep in mind that Bangkok is vast and it’s best to keep your subject matter as compact as possible, and within the central city limits.

Each afternoon students will return to the workshop location to go over the previous day’s shoot, running through a general edit of “A Cut” selections with the class. At the end of the week, each student will present a final photo essay.

“Assignment Bangkok” will be challenging, often maddening, sometimes confusing, but in the end completely rewarding…just like a real assignment. And yes, in between shooting, editing and critiquing there will be a party or two and a chance to get to know both your fellow students and David and James.


Requirements
The James Nachtwey & David Alan Harvey Workshop is not designed for novice photographers. We are looking for the emerging, committed photographer, semi professionals and professionals who are seeking to work on their style and take their photography to the next level. All participants must completely understand and be comfortable with their digital camera and lenses, as well as their laptop computer including any major photo-editing software like Aperture or Photo Mechanic. The workshop will not provide cameras or laptop computers.


Cost and Accommodation
The James Nachtwey & David Alan Harvey Bangkok Workshop will cost $2,750 including hotel with breakfast and two dinners. All of the workshop participants will stay at the Dream Hotel, a new boutique hotel located on Sukhumvit, Soi 15, deep in the heart of Bangkok and a five-minute walk to Asok metro rail station (the easiest way to get around Bangkok). Participants who live in Bangkok, or have other accommodations will pay $2,150.


After this I found a reference to it at imaginginsider.com:

James Nachtwey & David Alan Harvey will hold a workshop from 18 November 2007 to 23 November 2007 in Bangkok. Students will have the opportunity to shoot an assignment for one week with either instructor, depending on personal preference and photographic style. Students will be expected to produce a photographic essay as if working on an assignment with a major magazine—like National Geographic–complete with a looming deadline.

[leah999]

Whoaa...Chris...I've been read that too few days  ago....it took me by suprised to read the amount fees.....I believe its a fancy workshop isnt??is the dinner include champagne you think??? ........bloody expensive..its also beyond what I could afford... ..I believe its for  executive photographer,whoever they are...he he he

[kinginexile]

Steep, indeed, but I have no doubts it will fill up. DAH is a great teacher, on top of a consumate professional, being a regular contributor for Natl Geo.  Nachtwey is the best in his field, bar none, possibly the most prized, maybe "famous" photo-journalist in the last decade and a half. I was not too impressed with his series on the anti-Taksin movement of the 2006 spring, but who am I, really? And his war coverage is seminal photography for the ages.

Both are oustanding human beings, and if i was to be young enough to have the ambition of a career in the field of docu/journalism, I'd pay for it. 

[gregoire]

I know I already posted this but here's the interview I did of Nachtwey last February: http://blog.aziacity.com/bk/2007/01/james_nachtwey_interview_with.html

And then saw his exhibit on TH in New York last April. Here's a little anectode about it http://blog.aziacity.com/bk/2007/04/nachtwey_exhibits_tb_in_thaila.html

[Chris Savery]

Gregoire,
Haven't heard anything from you here in a while. Great interview. I enjoyed the intelligence in his answers.
Was that you who also posted "too long"? I would say, if anything - too short. But then just how much time can you steal away from him.
Chris :)

[gregoire]

Thanks Chris. That interview really answered a lot of questions I had; I'm glad you liked it too.

[kinginexile]

yes, thanks Gregoire, a very good interview, and I think the guy is not someone who wants to go an and on about "his" craft, so you managed quite well given his reticence (not to be interviewed, but to speak about himself). His quote about not taking pictures to make a statement about photography is one that can give many of us food for thought. 

THe anecdote is one you could not make up. It reminds me, in a different register, of the thai GF who asked me why I listened to sad music when all I was playing was a Mozart concerto, the most glorious, life-affirming music in the freakin' world!

[gregoire]

Thanks! You know what I didn't mention about that trip to the UN is that there was an exhibit on people who had lost limbs to land mines in the same hall, but by a different photographer. Photographer B (let's call him/her that) took his 6x6 and pointed it at mine victimes. The result was an obvious disrespect for his subject. The process (I'm going to take a camera and point at people who have suffered tragedy) had totally overtaken the subjects. I couldn't stop thinking, "This guy is more interested in being a photojournalist than in mine victimes." It was interesting to see two similar exhibits (they both aimed at raising awareness on tragic issues) with such different results. It was like side-by-side illustrations of what Nachtwey had explained he did, and what not to do.

[SimonP]

Hi Chris,

Do you have a link to the Nachtwey workshop?

Cheers,
Simon.

[Chris Savery]

Nope. Just google their names and workshop. That will give you a bunch of references to it. If you follow the links to their supposed website then it turns out to not exist any more.  Well, for me it does anyway. Not sure what's up with that but Harvey has a blog website and you might try contacting him their to find out the status. You can try here:

http://davidalanharvey.typepad.com

Chris :)

[SimonP]

Thanks Chris - looks like that has been wiped from the face of the earth although Harvey is doing one in BKK:  http://theharveybangkokphotoworkshop.com. and one in India http://www.ipw.org.in/calendar.htm while Nachtwey is doing one in his apartment in NY...