About the Course
Eastern Shore Weekend Photo Retreat - October 4-6, 2024
Spend a fall weekend expanding your photographic vision on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, shooting waterside landscapes, the town of Easton and the beauty of our location. Open to both film and digital shooters. We will be staying in the comfortable House on Broad Creek (www.shoreretreatsonbroadcreek.org) in Royal Oak, MD, between Easton and St. Michael’s. The property features wetland and creek views, a rocky beach and woodland paths. Instructors, Karen Keating and Paige Billin-Frye, will be on hand to push, cajole, critique and help you clarify your vision and goals for your photography in a friendly and relaxed way. A follow-up session to review your weekend images will be scheduled at Photoworks at a time that works for all participants. Meals will be provided for Friday dinner, Saturday and Sunday breakfasts, Saturday and Sunday lunches. Saturday dinner will be at a restaurant in Easton and participants will each pay for their own dinner.
From the House on Broad Creek website, the accommodations are described as “a colorful and welcoming but eclectic living space. There are books and recordings on the shelves, paintings on the walls, musical instruments (including a piano), and an assortment of rugs and objects of beauty or whimsy from around the world. We imagine that those who have an interest in the arts will feel especially at home at our place on the Shore.”
Schedule:
Friday Evening -
Arrival, dinner, sharing of our photographic work
Saturday -
Shooting at dawn – optional (sunrise is approximately 7:00 am)
Breakfast
Class 9:00-12:00 – Shooting on the property
Lunch
Class 2:00- 5:00– Shooting in Easton, MD
Dinner in Easton, MD
Back at the house, review of images shot that day
Sunday -
Shooting at dawn (optional)
Breakfast
Class 9:00-11:00 – More shooting on the property. Maybe you will have some new ideas that didn’t occur to you the day before.
Depart Shore Retreat House
Box Lunch
Afternoon class – at another local site
Late afternoon - departure for home
What to Bring:
Cameras (either digital or film)
Laptop if you plan to edit digital photos during the weekend
Tripod (optional)
Other photographic equipment that helps you express your goals
Samples of your work – either digitally or in print to show your style and content to the instructors and to your colleagues.
Toiletries
Accommodations:
Ground Level
1 small bedroom with single bed
1 bedroom with 2 single beds
1 bedroom with double bed and single bed
1 full bathroom: bath/shower
Large kitchen with breakfast/lunch table
Medium size living room
Large, sun-lit meeting/living room overlooking the water, with wood floor and piano. Includes small office nook with printer — plus sleeper sofa
Dining area
Upstairs (two separate flights)
Master bedroom: queen-size bed with room for blow-up mattress or cot
1 full bathroom: shower and Jacuzzi
Guest bedroom: queen-size bed and single bed
bathroom with shower only
Your Instructor
Paige Billin-Frye and Karen Keating
Paige began taking pictures when she was a kid, printing them with her Dad in their makeshift darkroom using the same enlarger that he had printed on with his dad when he was a kid. Since then she has studied and experimented with various aspects of photography, most recently balancing the digital world of Photoshop and Lightroom with making work that she can touch with her hands, exploring various historical processes of photo printing. Her photographs have been shown in venues in Washington, DC, where she lives, as well as across the country. Her fine art work can be seen at www.bettermousetrapstudio.com.
Working as an illustrator in children’s publishing for over 40 years, along with her photographic work, has created for her a synergy of visual practice and learning. She has illustrated over 30 books for children and has worked for many trade, mass market and textbook publishers. Her illustration work can be seen at www.paigebillinfrye.com.
She also uses her skills on a volunteer basis heading up a project to photograph the mollusk collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. The digitized images are made available to researchers around the world.
“I believe that everyone is an artist and I enjoy providing the guidance needed for students to find their own creative path.”
Karen recently retired from the Field School in Washington, DC, after 30 years as their Photography Teacher. She is the Executive Director and a teacher at Photoworks.
Karen was a recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council grant; published her photo book, “Cuba: Watching and Waiting” in 2008 and received the Center’s 2010 Teaching Award. Fine art photography in the genre of street shooting and documentary defines her style.
At Photoworks she teaches Visual Poetry, Close to Home, and various camps for youth.
karenkeating.com
"" I want the students to fall in love with the idea of visual communication and exploration – to love to make photos! I encourage my students to photograph what they know and who they are. I believe in the power of a small, trusting community for critiquing and in the process of dialogue with students. Teaching is a passion for me.""
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