read on to learn more or Click here to register: NEW YORK MAY 3-6 |NEW YORK OCTOBER 4-7 |PARIS OCTOBER 14-17 |BERLIN OCTOBER 19-22 |TOKYO DECEMBER 2-5 2024
BEHIND THE SCENES: Streets of New York 2023
ABOUT US
Husband and wife team Hugh & Claudia Brownstone offer three snd 4 day street photography workshops - experiences! - in New York, Paris, Berlin and Tokyo. In each workshop, you will grow your street photography skills in some of the most iconic settings for this genre anywhere in the world.
And have a blast doing it.
We’ll delve into the history of street photography; go broad and deep on gear choices and techniques; teach you how to expose and compose effectively; go through multiple rounds of constructive critique in a uniquely supportive way; perhaps even challenge you on the meaning of your work and help you refine or develop your unique photographic “voice.”
But most importantly: we’ll get you out on some of the world’s greatest streets with like-minded photographers!
AGENDA
A robust mix of classroom instruction, shooting and critique (anticipate at 8-10 hour days with 5-10 miles of walking on two of the four days, subject to weather and group preferences), a detailed agenda will be supplied approximately two weeks before your workshop starts. Please consider this proprietary and do not share.
Beyond our official hours, we will also - depending again on weather and the demeanor of the group — offer optional shooting sessions before and after these hours in order to take advantage of the light.
You can anticipate homework (OMG!), specifically around curation and editing.
You will want a decent-sized screen and editing software for that homework, and we encourage you to set up an instagram account if you do not already have one. We’ll tell you more about that once you arrive.
NB: our workshops are dedicated to the amateur spirit, whether you are an enthusiast or professional. We do, however, expect everyone to be proficient with their equipment, from cameras and computers to editing software and the basics of social media. If you’re not there yet, get cracking! These workshops are too fast-paced to allow for individual instruction in the basics. If you have questions, or need a little help, please contact us at hugh@3bmep.com.
our FULL workshop schedule (click to register or learn more): NEW YORK MAY 3-6 |NEW YORK OCTOBER 4-7 |PARIS OCTOBER 14-17 |BERLIN OCTOBER 19-22 |TOKYO DECEMBER 2-5 2024
TESTIMONIALS
““Hugh and Claudia’s workshops are special. They will help you discover your unique perspective on the world versus teaching you a bunch of Lightroom hacks. They will help you understand the principle of bearing witness to humanity vs just trying to capture candid snapshots. Working with them will make you a better photographer and may even prove to you that you’re actually an artist. Highly recommended.”
“[A]n amazing workshop… the love of photography translated into a love for life…”
“I had a blast… I grew so much as a photographer in multiple ways…”
”One of the most emotionally beneficial experiences in my life.”
”Convivial, encouraging and had depth from approach to editing and composition… I discovered my “why” as to my motivation for enjoying the photographic process.”
”I learned so much about street photography but I feel like I learned a lot about myself as well. I cannot thank you enough.”
”Your ability to show your compassion, interest, and intelligence served as a magnet for likeminded people. I couldn’t have asked for a better group. “
”…Hugh and Claudia fostered inclusion and respect for each of us as an individual artist….a safe harbor, a supportive cadre! I can’t imagine a better environment for growth.”
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““[T]hree and a half days away from work, family, friends, obligations, just doing something you love with people whose work you are astonished by, is very special.”
“Hugh and Claudia delivered exactly what their website promised me way back when I signed up. The amount of work put into those workshop days and nights (both before AND during) was *so* impressive —- as is the generous spirit with which they brought each of us into their process and encouraged us to find our own. Bravo, Brownstones!”
”A great learning experience.”
”Seriously one of the best things I’ve ever done for my photography!
”An unexpected bonding experience.”
”A privilege and an honor to roam the streets of lower Manhattan in such good company. What a group! What an experience! What a life! “
”We absolutely loved being there.”
”[A] wonderful experience meeting folk I’d love to see again one day. How about a re-union sometime?? “
”Priceless.”
”Looking forward to our next encounter!!!””
our FULL workshop schedule (click to register or learn more): NEW YORK MAY 3-6 |NEW YORK OCTOBER 4-7 |PARIS OCTOBER 14-17 |BERLIN OCTOBER 19-22 |TOKYO DECEMBER 2-5 2024
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTORS
HUGH
© 2020 Claudia Brownstone
Hugh is a writer, photographer, filmmaker, and Webby award-winning YouTuber born and raised in New York.With his wife Claudia, he produces the YouTube channel Three Blind Men & An Elephant. They’ve created more than 300 videos on gear & conversations with imaging industry luminaries like legendary photographers Elliott Erwitt and Joel Meyerowitz; Director of the Henrí Cartier-Bresson Foundation Agnès Sire; International Center of Photography Executive Director Mark Lubell; Leica Camera Chairman Dr. Andreas Kauffman; Blackmagic Americas President Dan May; Cooke Optics Chairman Les Zellan; and co-founder of Staley-Wise Gallery Etheleen Staley.
His Streets of New York, The Book sold out both limited edition runs.
You can see his work here; you’ll find his most recent images on Instagram.
Hugh fell in love with photography the moment he held a Kodachrome slide up to the light for the very first time; you can learn more about that in this short film produced in association with the Stadtbibliothek der Trier and others in Germany. He built his first darkroom by the age of 12; worked in a camera store by 14; ran a summer camp photography program by 16; taught a section in Cornell’s Psychology department (“The Interface between Psychology and Photography”) by 21.
His love for and knowledge of the art are clear; his enthusiasm, infectious.
CLAUDIA
© 2021 Hugh Brownstone
Claudia is the other half of the husband and wife team behind Three Blind Men & An Elephant. She’s a photographer in her own right, gimbal operator, camera operator, audio tech, location scout, and often the co-director or co-producer of Three Blind Men & An Elephant productions.
You can see her work here; you can find her most recent images on Instagram.
Her background in the visual arts began at the renowned Kunstgewerbeschule Zurich in Switzerland. After graduating and going on to create window displays for some of the largest stores in Switzerland, her career shifted into fashion, commercial, corporate, editorial, and catalog photography and video production. Beyond her logistical expertise, her work as a make-up artist has appeared on the covers of major fashion magazines across Europe.
When it comes to our workshops, Claudia brings a unique and uniquely supportive perspective and empathy.
our FULL workshop schedule (click to register or learn more ): NEW YORK MAY 3-6 |NEW YORK OCTOBER 4-7 |PARIS OCTOBER 14-17 |BERLIN OCTOBER 19-22 |TOKYO DECEMBER 2-5 2024
OUR 2023 Webby Award-WINNING series with B&H “The Art of Street Photography”
our FULL workshop schedule (click to register or learn more): NEW YORK MAY 3-6 |NEW YORK OCTOBER 4-7 |PARIS OCTOBER 14-17 |BERLIN OCTOBER 19-22 |TOKYO DECEMBER 2-5 2024
PRICING (INCLUDING EARLY BIRD SPECIAL & ALUMNI DISCOUNTS)
Accommodations, meals and travel are NOT included in our prices.
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Automatic 5%, date varies by workshop (see specific workshop for details)
WORKSHOP ALUMNI DISCOUNT: Returning attendees will receive a 10% discount (not in combination with early bird but in place of it) but PLEASE: contact us BEFORE you register so we can give you the super-secret discount code for use at checkout!
VENUES
We arrange group rates at each location, and encourage all attendees to stay under one roof - it makes coordination, timely arrivals and departures, and forging lasting bonds MUCH easier. Once those rates are confirmed, we will update our registered attendees. Please rest assured that we choose our hotels CAREFULLY for location, comfort, health, safety… and fun - hold that thought!
While meals are not included, we have different suggestions for each location; breakfast and dinner will be on your own, although we’ve always found that our attendees bond quickly and enjoy each other’s company. The evening of our second full day, we’ll have a group dinner — always fun.
COVID
Even with COVID passing out of pandemic to endemic, we ask continue to ask that all attendees provide documentary proof of vaccination AND a negative COVID test within 48 hours of class start.
Each country and locality has its own regulations and customs for dealing with COVID. Attendees must agree to strict adherence to local regulatory guidelines and regulations; we also ask that you be aware of and respectful of local customs.
We further ask that you place the integrity of our workshop “pods” as a top priority. If, for example, you plan to take advantage of the myriad attractions major cities have to offer (by all means - we understand!), we ask that you see that show, attend that concert, or have that special meal AFTER the conclusion of your workshop.
We look forward to seeing you!
liability, Payment & Cancellation
Sigh.
We put this last not so that you don’t see it, but because no matter how we couch them, the very concepts of “liability” and “cancellation” are anathema to what we’re trying to achieve — and we DON’T want legitimate concerns to overshadow the excitement of shooting street photography in what we think is the greatest city on earth for the genre.
With this written, COVID continues to be a reality with which we must contend. Like everyone else, we’ve learned some important lessons over the past two years. As a result, please read what follows carefully, because by registering for our classes, you are also agreeing to it.
The good news? It’s really nothing more than “golden rule” kind of stuff:
1) You won’t hold us liable for injury, illness, theft, damage, travel cancellation fees, etc. or any of the rest of the usual litany of things listed in most legally-crafted clauses of this type that we’ve either forgotten or not listed here because life is short and we just don’t want to devote the cycles to thinking about them.
2) Payment in full is required at time of registration, $500 of which is a non-refundable registration fee. COVID is likely to be with us for a very long time, and like any business we incur costs in setting up these workshops and forego other revenues opportunities — whether those workshops occur or not.
3) In the event of cancellation on your part, we’re always happy to apply your payment to any one of our other street workshops (no carry-over past 2025). If you cancel more than two months from start date, we can alternatively issue a refund less processing fees and non-refundable $500.
But:
If you notify us less than two months out — but still at least one month before start date — we can alternatively issue a 50% refund.
If you notify us less than one month before start date, we can only offer to apply the full payment to our next workshop - no refund, and again no carry-over past 2025.
4) If WE cancel a workshop for any reason (and believe us, we LOVE these workshops, so it would have to be pretty dire), it’s your choice whether to receive a full refund minus processing fees and the non-refundable $500 registration fee or have us apply your payment to your choice of any one of our subsequent workshops, although once again, no carryover past 2025.
Any questions, contact me directly via email: hugh@3bmep.com. If you’d like to book a one-on-one video session ahead of making a decision, please do so by hopping over to https://www.3bmep.com/booking.
And THAT is the end of THAT. No more weasel words! Hope you didn’t find any of this anything other than reasonable.