Photo Week 2025

What role does the human portrait play in today’s visually saturated culture? Why do we photograph another person, allow ourselves to be photographed by others, publish selfies, or examine portraits of strangers on Instagram? Have you ever photographed a friend, only to be disappointed with the results? This workshop harnesses the mystical beauty and splendor […] ...

Unlock the secrets of stunning photography with Sandy Kaplan, an experienced photographer and longtime friend of the ranch, known for capturing the beauty of nature and the essence of human moments. This workshop, “Photo Fundamentals,” is perfect for beginners and enthusiasts looking to enhance their photography skills. Explore and learn camera basics, composition, lighting mastery, […] ...

This week-long course focuses on this history of twentieth and twenty-first century photographic portraiture. In considering how photography can offer an index of not only individual identity but also broader social milieu and experience, we will study artists ranging, on the one hand, from modernists Diane Arbus, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, Dorothea Lange, […] ...

Making cyanotypes, one of the oldest forms of photography, is like dancing with the sun. This sun or UV photography allows for playfulness and serendipity as we engage with nature at Ghost Ranch. Cyanotypes allow us to create gradations of value and often “see into” plants and other objects. We will make a number of […] ...

In the spectacular backdrop of Ghost Ranch and surrounding areas in the spring, we will use film cameras to capture black-and-white images. We will then take those images and, with expert darkroom training, produce finished prints. This will be an immersive experience, with extensive hiking and time commitment required to learn the processes. All levels […] ...

This course is designed primarily for beginners. We are offering a rich experience starting with observational astronomy as a basis for astrophotography by gathering under the fantastic skies and breathtaking landscape of Ghost Ranch. To this end, we will utilize the Ranch’s high quality 12-inch computer-driven reflecting (Schmidt Cassegrain) telescope. Astrophotography basics will include simple […] ...

Ghost Ranch is pleased to present a talk and slide show with the photographer Annie Leibovitz about her new book “At Work,” a revised and updated edition of her seminal 2008 publication discussing the stories under which the portraits were made and her relationships with and thoughts about many of her subjects. At Work is […] ...

For the last decade, National Geographic photographer Katie Orlinsky has been photographing stories that explore the relationship between people, animals and the land in the face of environmental change. In this hands-on workshop, Katie will guide participants in the art of environmental storytelling, with a focus on the unique, beautiful and increasingly fragile environment of […] ...