February/March 2007 Newsletter

Greetings! Although it has been a while since you’ve heard from us, Phil has been hard at work for the past 2 years on a new photography collection and book project titled Women Empowered. Coinciding with this new book’s release will be a number of lectures, book-signings and gallery exhibits across Canada and the US. Phil is also teaching a portraiture workshop in June in California and planning several BRIDGES mentor workshops abroad this year! Please refer to links below for specific times and locations of events, exhibits and workshops.

- This past weekend Phil had the honor of speaking at the 5th Annual Western Regional International Health Conference here in Seattle at the UW. His “Documentary 101” workshop led participants through the process of creating a documentary work using either film or still photography. The session was designed to be applied to documenting participants’ field work or research travel.

- Later this week Phil heads to Calgary, Canada where he will lecture on his new body of work – Women Empowered. A book-signing will follow.

- The Women Empowered photographs will make their debut in a 7-week display in the lobby of the United Nations building in New York City. A tour of galleries will follow this year with shows across North America including Colorado, California and Vancouver, BC.

- Borders Books has a string of book-signing events scheduled in March for Phil’s new book. He’ll make stops in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Redmond, WA in Border’s locations to sign copies of Women Empowered.

- In June Phil will host an environmental portraiture workshop in southern California with the Julia Dean Photo Workshops. This workshop will explore the process of building a photographic project from initial conception, to creation, and finally distribution through exhibits, books, and the Internet. Phil will share his experience in developing the initial and final concept, in addition to finding partners to help finance and distribute the final product. Discussions will include topics on lighting and on approaching and creating rapport with subjects. The weekend will be divided among lectures, demonstrations, making and evaluation environmental portraits on Venice Beach, and class critiques. Phil will also spend one-on-one time discussing each student’s work and the direction he or she would like to take.

- BRIDGES mentoring workshops are planned for South Africa and Guatemala later this year. Our international workshops off a unique combination of cross-cultural adventure, in-depth photographic study and the opportunity to learn the BRIDGES program while working with our students. These workshops are offered in the communities where the BRIDGES program is established and bring together people from very different cultural backgrounds though creative collaboration. As we work alongside the students, they offer a unique, first-hand introduction to their communities.