All Studio Workshops are conducted in our Pacifica, California Studios (near San Francisco), run from 9am to 5pm. Overnight Accommodations link (for Studio Workshops in Pacifica, California)
Workshops Currently Building List of People Email us so we can build a list of people and determine a date.:
Evening Lecture
none currently scheduled
1 Day Studio Seminars Offered Occasionally -Color Management
-Digital Black and White
-Beauty in Photography: Inspiration & Composition
-Digital Portfolios
-Photographic Projects
-Professional Exhibition
Welcome to Stephen Johnson Photography Digital Photography Workshop Program. We hope you find our selection of classes interesting and useful for your needs. We take the imparting of information and the empowerment of our students quite seriously. The digital age has considerably enhanced our ability to teach, and we believe your ability to capture what you see. This program is designed to help you benefit from both of these advances. Join us on a workshop when you can.
Our workshops stress understanding the fundamentals of the photographic craft, while constantly discussing the scene elements that are getting your attention, working toward distilling those light-based elements into photographic beauty.
Topics always include exercising finesse over camera use, including exposure, depth of field, ISO and color balance. Even advanced students say they come away with a better understanding of the fundamentals.
We address being aware of movement from wind, the challenges of contrasty light, nuances of strange color and lighting. Getting the color right is important. Knowing when the color is important is critical. Design and composition discussions are constant. Asserting control over depth of field is reviewed and encouraged.
Field Workshops
Since 1978 when I began this field workshop program, I have come to consider it one of the most effective teaching formats available. The assistance I can provide in the field helps to prevent many of the problems students encounter in the darkroom, chemical or electronic. Whether it is looking through viewfinders and discussing composition, or talking through a difficult exposure problem, these field workshops have proven to be very useful and enjoyable experience. Individual problem solving is a high priority in my workshop program. Classes are kept small to maximize individual attention.
Digital photography offers unique & powerful opportunities for field photography instruction: • reviewing work on camera screens as it is made and on portable computers. • examining exposure, composition and emotional impact • group evening reviews can be conducted using digital projection • high resolution prints put images to the ultimate test
Studio Workshops
I founded the Digital Studio Workshop program in 1992 in response to the growing need for education with photography’s transition from silver to digital. Having lectured on the subject for years, and taught photography for decades, it seemed a natural service to provide for which I believed I had a strong set of skills and strengths as an educator.
Since that time, thousands of students have come through the program locally, and at various locations around the US, Europe and Mexico. When people want to know the answers, we hope that they will come to us, where digital photography been done just about longer than anywhere else, taught by someone who’s pushed the technology and companies forward for 15 years, someone with decades of fine art photography experience. We invite you to join us in this program.
Fully Equipped Hands-on Digital Photography Lab
In the past, I have been frustrated in teaching digital printing. I wanted to teach hands-on classes more often, but my own space was limited to seminar and demonstration. Other labs were under-powered, under-equipped and constrained on ink and paper. I gradually became determined to build my own facility that could rise beyond those constraints.
With these desires in mind, I have assembled our digital lab with the equipment to teach printing and digital photography the way I think it ought to be done, with solid information, great facilities and careful feedback, proper lighting, time and thought.
Refunds and Cancellation (note changes)
This workshop is financially dependent on adequate class registration. Where
minimum enrollment requirements are not met, the class will be canceled, and
a full refund given. You will be notified at least one week in advance if a
workshop is not going to take place. Student initiated cancellations
received prior to one month before the workshop will receive credit for a future workshop of similar value,
a 50% credit will be given for notice received at least 2 weeks immediately
prior to the workshop (a full credit less a $50 overhead fee will be given
if another student is able to fill the spot from a waiting list). No credit
will be given if cancelled less than 2 weeks prior to the workshop. Credits need to be redeemed within one year.
Workshop Scholarship Program
In order to make workshops available to people who cannot afford them and to support students studying photography, we have started a photography workshop scholarship program. We will try to reserve a spot in every class we can, particularly field workshops. Scholarships are available to full-time college students enrolled in a photography program. Let people know who you think might be interested. Applications must be for a particular workshop. To apply, please download the application form and send it to us by mail or email
Workshop Spouse Policy
Our workshops are designed to be intense visual experiences with fellow participants committed to photography and the workshop learning experience. Workshops often include short hikes, evening critiques and lectures. While we welcome spouses to group dinners (and lunches where practical), but would rather other activities are arranged for partners during the day when the group dynamic and size can be effected by non-participants. Thank you for your understanding.
Referral Discounts
As we are always trying to enlarge our reach out to people to let them know about the workshops, we have instituted a discount policy that can be earned by referring people to the program. It is simply, if they list you are having referred them, and they take a workshop, you get 10% off the next workshop you take from us within one year. These referrals are cumulative and can even bring you a free workshop. Again, they do have to be redeemed within one year. Deal? Deal!.
Education in the Bank
On occasion we offer a special discount on future workshops as an added incentive to enroll in a particular class. This could be either a percentage of a workshop fee or a fixed dollar amount. This discount does have to be used within one year of the workshop it is attached to.
