Starfish at Cusco, Peru Market

The Covid 19 pandemic has forced the postponement or cancellation of all Barnbaum workshops through 2020 and into the first half of 2021. In lieu of “in-person” workshops, I opened up “virtual workshops” to review and evaluate photographs sent to me by email. These virtual workshops will continue into the foreseeable future. These virtual workshops will be somewhat similar to the photography review sessions, which I call the “idea sessions” in all “in-person” workshops, because you will recieve insights into your work, along with suggestions of how to proceed with future work.

So, to implement this concept successfully, let’s set down several “rules” to allow for sending your images and awaiting my response to the images you’ve sent. (My response to all the photographs you send to me will be by email within 3 days, unless I am traveling with no wifi or email access.)

#1. You must send a minimum (not maximum!) of 10 images, which gives me an opportunity to see and evaluate a representative sampling of your imagery. You can send as many images as you want, but there must be at least 10. Please include both the original jpeg or RAW file (RAW is better), along with your final processed image. If your original file is a RAW file, simply save it as an 8-bit jpeg to send to me, and see rule #3 for clarification. (For those working with film, see #4, below.)

#2. The images can be black and white, or color, or a mix of both, and can be digital or traditional (film/darkroom), or a mix of the two.

#3. All images must be sent as 8-bit jpegs, with a maximum of 10” on the long side, and 72 or 100 dpi. Please do not send larger files, as they take too long to download; please do not send smaller files as they may be too small for viewing.

#4. For those working with traditional film/darkroom processes, try to convert your images to digital files to send to my email address, at the size listed in rule #3. You can re-photograph your final print with a digital camera or scan the image. If there is a way to also send a copy of the straight print—effectively a contact proof of the negative—prior to any darkroom manipulation, that would help me evaluate your darkroom methods, just as viewing the original and final files digitally gives me great insight into your thinking and processing.

#5. The cost for viewing and responding to the images will be $10 per image. Your original file (always sent to me in 8-bit jpeg form), together with your final processed image, counts as one image. This means a minimum charge of $100 for ten images, plus $10 for each additional image beyond the initial set of 10 images.

#6. Should you wish to send a subsequent set of images in the future (after sending your initial set of 10 or more images, and receiving my responses), please include the initial set you had sent (at no charge). This will serve to remind me of ones I had seen and commented on, but you pay only for the new ones you are asking me to review. Subsequent reviews must must have five (5) or more new images, also at $10 per image. (A reprocessed image counts as a new image in a subsequent review.)

In addition to reviewing and commenting on individual images, I will also attempt to comment on overall tendencies—including strengths or weaknesses—that I see in your imagery, with suggestions of how to further strengthen your strong points, and how to overcome the weaknesses. All reviews will be via email, unless you request direct response via Skype, FaceTime or Zoom, which can be arranged at our mutual convenience.

Questions?: If you have questions about this online feedback—this “virtual workshop”—please email me at barnbaum@aol.com or phone me directly at (360) 691-4105. (If you are phoning from outside the US or Canada, use the country code prior to dialing my phone number.)