We know many of you have been waiting for this… and so have we!! The TPW team is SO excited to announce our project for 2015 – The Artist Within!!!
This new project is going to allow each of us to dig deeper within our inner artists as we explore David duChemin’s ‘The Visual Toolbox’ together as a community e-book study.
This e-book study is for all levels and all types of photographers. Whether you are a beginner or have been taking photos for more than a decade, whether you are a hobbyist or have been in business for many years, whether you photograph landscapes or traditional portraits… this e-book study is for you! The TPW team has been talking about this project for awhile now, and the best way to provide all of the information to you is by answering some questions you might have. If there’s anything we’ve left out of the information below, please be sure to ask!
What is ‘The Visual Toolbox?’
David duChemin describes the e-book best on his website. In David’s own words, “The Visual Toolbox, 50 Lessons for Stronger Photographs is my curriculum for year one of a photography school that doesn’t exist, but could. It’s the bones, a year’s worth of lessons and assignments for photographers who want to do more than just master their cameras, but to create photographs. It’s for photographers who are stuck and for those having a hard time making it an aesthetic art and not merely a technical craft. It’s for anyone who can benefit from sitting at the feet of a photographer who has learned – and is still learning – these lessons the hard way and wants others to benefit from them.”
How will the project be structured?
While this is not a workshop, it will be structured in a similar manner as workshops are structured. We will have a forum dedicated to TAW. Within that dedicated forum, we will have weekly sub-forums that correspond with the 50 lessons and 37 assignments in the e-book. We will focus on one assignment per week and will discuss the lesson(s) that lead(s) up to that assignment. David has the e-book laid out so that some assignments have multiple lessons that lead into them; others have just one. Similar to many of our workshops, we will spend Sunday to Saturday discussing the lesson(s) for the week. Any images you wish to share for the assignment will be ‘due’ no later than Saturdays. We will start a new lesson(s)/assignment set each Sunday. Some lessons/assignments will have more than one week dedicated to them, depending on holidays and lesson/assignment ‘intensity.’ The Photographer Within team members will be initiating discussion threads each week; however, all participants are encouraged to start their own discussion threads, ask questions, share their work, etc.
Who can participate in this project?
Any TPW member can participate. It is open to everyone in our community. Do you know someone who would love to participate but who isn’t a TPW member yet? During the month of February, your friend will be able to join TPW for 20% off all membership types!
Where do I buy the e-book?
David duChemin announced last fall that a publishing company had acquired the e-book. The publishing company will release the print version on April 10th. Amazon – among other retailers – will sell the book when it is released. Because of the print version being available soon, the electronic version is no longer available. However, we know that many photographers already own the e-book, which is – in part – why we are launching the project prior to April.
Can I participate if I do not own the e-book?
Absolutely! Since no one will be allowed to share any part of the e-book in its exact form due to copyright laws, it might be a little more difficult to follow along without the e-book. That said, we think there will be enough discussion about the lesson topics from those who do have the e-book for anyone to have a fairly solid understanding of what’s covered in the e-book. However, we would also encourage anyone without the e-book who wants to participate to purchase the print version of the book as soon as it becomes available in April.
What is the cost to participate?
Participation in TAW is included as a benefit of your regular TPW membership; there is no additional charge to participate.
Will I receive feedback on the assignments I post?
Our hope and vision for TAW is that it is a community project where TPW members get what they give. If you offer feedback on others’ work throughout the year, you are more likely to receive feedback on your own photo shares. Though TPW team members will be participating in this project, we are there to learn and grow alongside TPW community members, not simply to provide feedback on every image. Remember that, regardless of skill level, everyone is capable of offering feedback of some kind, and we encourage all participants to take the time to do so; it can be one of the best ways to learn and see growth within your own work.
When do we start?
The dedicated forum will open for posts on Sunday, February 1st. Members are welcome to join the project at any time during the year, though.
What is the best way to keep up with announcements about TAW?
In addition to checking the board regularly, be sure to like and follow TPW’s Facebook page, and also make sure you are signed up to receive TPW newsletters.
We are so excited to get started next month with the TPW community! There is so much talent, warmth, and genuine connection within our community, and we look forward to nurturing all of those things in 2015 through this project! We hope you’ll join us… and rediscover The Artist Within you! 