Portrait: A meeting in the Space
Masterclass with Aiga Rēdmane and Ģirts Raģelis
21 - 23 July, Laidi Manor (Laidi, Laidu pagasts, Kuldīga district)
 

"Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work." - Martin Parr

A portrait is one of many possible interpretations of a human being, created whilst meeting them in a specific space and time. The process of portrait photography allows us to get closer to the other person, while at the same time offers an opportunity to encounter and explore ourselves. Here the practice of self-portraiture also plays an important role, allowing the photographer to experience the conversation with the camera and "model frustration".

When creating an emotional, artistic portrait, we will focus on the message and the creative quest, in some cases leaving the technical solutions in the background. Creating portraits with a practical purpose in mind for a concrete aim or medium will require a different approach and special technical and environmental solutions. In the workshop, participants will have an opportunity to choose their individual approach whilst experimenting with the genre of portraiture. Over the weekend, we will go through and try out different portrait contexts and techniques, using both natural and studio light. Through our own and other photographers’ examples and experiences, we will attempt to define the components of a successful visual interpretation of a person.

The participants will also have an opportunity to experience themselves in front of the camera as models, in order to understand the process of portrait making from all perspectives.

Programme:

- Introductions, individual goal setting
- Inspiration - portraiture in photography, different styles and authors
- Insight into a portrait photo shoot (photographed by Aiga and Ģirts)
- Location research
- Portrait photo shoots (possible team work: photographer - model)
- Review and selection of photographs
- Image post-production
- Final presentation
 

The workshop is open to photographers who would like to explore the different possibilities of portraiture and experience joint creative process.
Bring: A digital camera, computer with post-processing software.
If you wish, you can also bring reflectors, flash or other artificial lights.
 

Language: Latvian and English (help with English translation will be provided if needed). 

Start: Friday at 19.00
Closing: Sunday at 16.00

About the workshop tutors

Ģirts Raģelis is a photographer with more than 10 years of experience in portrait and event photography. He received his professional education at the Biruta Magele International Stylist School, as well as the two-year ISSP School programme and ISSP workshops and masterclasses. Ģirts works in the cultural sector, photographing portraits and events in collaboration with the online magazine "Satori", magazine "Rīgas Laiks", Latvian Television, Dailes Theatre, choirs, orchestras and companies in Latvia. www.girtsragelis.lv

Aiga Rēdmane is one of the most sought-after and active fashion and portrait photographers in Latvia, who since 2011 has been producing cover, interview and style page photographs for major Latvian magazines. Her portraits are characterised by a fashion photography aesthetic, lush colours and expressive creative handwriting. She collaborates with Latvian fashion designers, musicians and artists, and creates publicity photographs for various brands. www.aigaredmane.com 


About the location. Surrounded by the picturesque Kurzeme countryside, the 250-year-old Laidi manor house - castle has been transformed into a cultural residence where artists, craftsmen and enthusiasts are invited to create together. The place is home to nature that inspires as well as professional tools and instruments that help to bring creative ideas to life. There is an opportunity for everyone to find their place and a way to interact with their surroundings and people. The manor is situated in a beautiful location, surrounded by a 14 hectar historic park with several ponds and a swimming area. After the day’s work, guests can enjoy tranquility and the presence of nature.  


Participation fee: 
280 EUR (250 if subscribing to 2 or more masterclasses).
The fee includes shared accommodation and meals.
 

APPLY HERE

Still life: Matter as a guide for thoughts
Masterclass with Zane Priede
28 - 30 July, at Laidi manor (Laidi, Laidu pagasts, Kuldīga district)
 

The focus of the workshop will be on using different materials as a guide for conveying a message. Mundane objects and materials in new combinations can concentrate wider stories and essences of individual experiences, opening up a new space for fresh interpretations. Our aim will be to look at the world of materials and objects from a different perspective, allowing them to serve as a starting point for an abstract, personal or social idea - expressing the intangible through the physical world.

Over two days, we will indulge in visual experimentation and a hands-on creative process. In groups and individually, we will explore the textures, materials and objects in our surroundings, select subjects and locations and physically build our own set in order to arrive at our own unique still life composition. As a result, each participant will create how/her own still series of 2-5 carefully selected photographs.

Programme:

- Inspiration - still life artists/photographers
- Introduction to Zane's work, demonstration
- Exploration of the surroundings and collection of materials
- Sketching and creating your own composition
- Photographing (possible teamwork)
- Reviewing and selecting photographs together
- Post-processing of photographs
- Final presentation

The workshop is open to anyone interested in still life or product photography, working with materials and composition.
Participants should bring a digital camera and preferably a computer with post-processing software. Also, if you wish, reflectors, flash or other artificial light sources.

Language: Latvian and/or English (depending on composition of the group, help with translation will be provided if needed)
 

Start: Friday at 19.00
Closing: Sunday at 16.00
 

Zane Priede is a designer, creative director and still life photographer. She holds a BA in Visual Communication from Design Academy in Eindhoven (The Netherlands). She has practiced design and later developed a passion for photography, which she learned on her own. Currently she works as a product photographer for brands such as MADARA Cosmetics, Selga, Dzintars, WOLT, Stenders, Flyte and the National Library of Latvia, successfully combining the perspectives of a designer and a photographer. Her still life series have been published in Lens Culture, Aesthetica Magazine, Artwort Magazine and have received several ADWARDS awards and nominations. Zane works in parallel as an artist for exhibitions, film shoots and collaborates with other photographers as a set designer. www.zanepriede.lv

About the location. Surrounded by the picturesque Kurzeme countryside, the 250-year-old Laidi manor house - castle has been transformed into a cultural residence where artists, craftsmen and enthusiasts are invited to create together. The place is home to nature that inspires as well as professional tools and instruments that help to bring creative ideas to life. There is an opportunity for everyone to find their place and a way to interact with their surroundings and people. The manor is situated in a beautiful location, surrounded by a 14 hectar historic park with several ponds and a swimming area. After the day’s work, guests can enjoy tranquility and the presence of nature. 


Participation fee: 
280 EUR (250 if subscribing to 2 or more masterclasses).
The fee includes shared accommodation and meals.


APPLY HERE

Deliberate creativity. Photography as a practice of presence.
Masterclass with Iveta Gabaliņa
25 - 27 August, Līči school (Ramata municipality, Valmiera district)

 

Engaging art practices in everyday life not only develops critical thinking, but also stimulates the synapses of brain cells, furthering the development of cognitive functions at any age. Practicing creativity reduces the stress hormone cortisol and increases longevity potential (Magsdamen&Ross, 2023). Research in neuroscience also demonstrates the positive effects of arts practice in restoring and maintaining physical and mental health, improving learning abilities and relieving pain.

"I have two powerful spiritual practices at work in my life. The first is a conversation with my inner teacher, which is best done during long walks in the woods, by the sea, or simply by following a previously unknown path. And the second is to look openly at the world through the eyes of an artist. This is also conscious practice, that can be trained with regularity. I like to think that nature has created humans for the purpose of becoming aware of one’s own existence. Developing creativity and being close to nature helps to fulfill this natural intention. In our meeting I would like to share my experience and tools for developing and applying the mentioned practices in the everyday life. Participants should be prepared to embark on a long walk and to share their experiences openly."

During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to develop their creative potential through photography-based self-discovery tools and exercises. Through the medium of photography, we will practice looking at the world and ourselves without prejudice, open-mindedly, without categorizing things into "good" or "bad". At a moment when the pace of everyday life is slowing down, the camera can become a tool in exercising presence.
 

Programme:
- Inspiration, introduction to Iveta's creative work
- Photography as a tool for self-discovery - practical exercises alone and in small groups
- Photography as a tool for empathy
- Raising and strengthening self-confidence
- Reflection on the process, conclusion
 

In order to take part, participants will need a photo camera and comfortable clothing for different weather conditions.

Language: Latvian and English (help with English translation will be provided if needed).

Start: Friday at 19.00
Closing: Sunday at 16.00
 

Iveta Gabaliņa is a practicing photographer, photography teacher and curator, programme manager for the ISSP Gallery. She has been teaching photography since 2008. She studied photography at Bournemouth Institute of Art and the MA Photography programme at Aalto University in Helsinki. Iveta has won several awards in international photography competitions - C/O Berlin Talents 2013, Burn Magazine award and CDS Documentary Photography award, as well as nominations in the world's most important photography competitions - Sony World Photography award and Leica Oskar Barnack Award. Her work is regularly exhibited in Latvia and abroad, including CO Berlin in Germany, Williams Tower Gallery in Houston, festivals in Singapore, Hanover, Australia, Poland, etc. Gabaliņa's work is included in major art collections such as the Victoria & Albert Museum Collection, Geste Paris and the Deutsche Bourse Collection in Germany. www.ivetagabalina.com

About the location:
Līči school is a historical wooden building on the banks of the river Salaca. It was originally a primary school and after came under the supervision of local kolkhoz or collective farm. In the 1990s, it was acquired by the famous Latvian composer Raimonds Pauls, who made it home for children's camps and various other cultural festivals for many years. Now the Līču school is open to guests, travellers and peace-lovers, and continues to host various cultural events. The surroundings of the school are enchanting with the silence and wildness of the Salaca river valley, occasionally disturbed only by the canoe boaters and few local inhabitants passing by, giving space for peaceful co-existence with various forest dwellers. 


Participation fee: 
280 EUR (250 if subscribing to 2 or more masterclasses).
The fee includes shared accommodation and meals.


APPLY HERE