Back in June, I had the opportunity to attend Film is Not Dead–a photography workshop put on by Jon Canlas. It was Jon’s book, Film is Not Dead, and his passion for shooting personal work and simply shooting and practicing your craft for yourself that gave me the tools and confidence boost I needed to start shooting film again two years ago. The book gave me a solid starting place to begin and grow off of. So I was very excited to finally be able to attend the workshop I’d been eyeing for a few years, especially when he announced it was the last year he’d be offering it and there was one just up I-5 in Portland.

The workshop was a week filled with learning, shooting, living with nine strangers-now-friends, being pushed to try new things, and picking Jon’s brain. I learned and scribbled down so much information I’m still processing it all. Jon contains such an incredible wealth of knowledge on film, photography, and business and life experience of things gone well and things gone horribly that it was amazing to spend a few days with him, learning from him, and watching him work and shoot. Jon has a wonderful way of being an open book and being willing to answer any questions we had for him while driving home the point that he is not there to create little mini-versions of himself. His goal is to give us the tools and the kick in the pants we need to go out and FIND our own voice and vision and accomplish our goals and dreams.

Throughout the workshop, we not only learned from Jon but from each other as well. He began the workshop–as I hear he does them all–stating, “All egos get left at the door.” I was so blessed by all my fellow attendees, learning with and from them, and cheering each other on.

I learned so many things, yet I left with more questions than I came with. I realize that while I can learn from him, sit over his shoulder while he’s editing his work, ask him piles of questions, and have him stand over my shoulder and critique me while I shoot, I must then go out and FIND my own voice and vision, what works for me, what is home for me and no one can hand me a nice packet of answers for those things.

All in all, it was an excellent workshop and my hands are full with new tools, knowledge, inspiration, encouragement, feedback, and friends. I believe Jon is only offering four more workshops, so if you have a chance to go, I highly recommend it.

So, to begin with, here are a few photographs of where we called home for the week and some behind the scenes shots. More photographs of the shoots we did, places we saw, and people I met to come.