Wanderlust: The Art of Travel Photography - John C Campbell Folk School Photography Workshop

From November 12th through November 17th, I will be teaching a travel photography workshop at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.  I'm looking forward to coming back to teach at this very special place again.  The class is called "Wanderlust: The Art of Travel Photography" & its going to be so much fun teaching it!

The folk school interviewed me a few weeks ago, so that potential students and others could learn more about me as a photographer & and what to expect in class. They featured me on their blog along with a Q&A and several of my travel photographs. I've been meaning to share this all of September and here it is the 27th of the month already! You may read it here.

Its not too late to sign up for this class! And please by all means, if you know of anyone who may want to take it please share this with them.  The ideal student is an intermediate photographer, however I'm willing to work with students just starting out in photography.

You may sign up here.
Learn more about the class here.

The folk school is in the southwestern part of the state {North Carolina}, but they get students from all over the country and out of the states too. I remember meeting a student from another class who was from New Zealand!  It's a unique place, rather like adult camp.  You can stay on campus in one of the houses or cottages & meals there are out of this world!  I need to lose 10 pounds before November 12th!


© elizabeth larson photography - www.elarsonphoto.com

Tuscany, Italy - Montage 2009

john c campbell folk school - brasstown, north carolina

from august 25th-31st, i taught a photography workshop at the john c campbell folk school . this was my second time teaching at the folk school & what a wonderful experience it was.  its such a magical place - if you haven't taken a workshop here before, you must.  in the very least, go visit them!  they have a fabulous craft store as well & you can even make reservations to dine there family style.

the folk school offers a variety of workshops from cooking, blacksmithing, woodturning, to weaving just to name a few. and of course they offer a variety of photography workshops. terry my better half joined me for the week, taking a music class.  he learned to play the hammered dulcimer, which to me looks like no easy task.  he also borrowed my mountain dulcimer and his wonderful instructor anne lough even showed him a few songs & now he is showing me how to play! his class performed for morningsong in front of the entire school on friday morning, which was fantastic.  

my class consisted of five students coming from as far away as washington state and texas.  they were wonderful and all of them learned so much.  especially in such a short period of time.  the class was "lifestyle portraiture" and we mostly worked with one another as models, but we had a few along the way willing to participate as well :) my students really were great and up for all kinds of adventures.

we hiked the nature trail on campus which was a bit overgrown but a great place for portraits. we even found a bamboo forest which was a fun spot. i took them on a few assignments around campus, including in the vegetable & herb gardens and of course we ventured into many of the studios. thanks to all of the instructors & students who allowed us to do so - and to photograph you & your creations! 

on friday morning, the last day of classes we took a field trip to the river walk in nearby murphy. its where i photographed four of my students in a group portrait pictured below.  its too bad my 5th student dave couldn't join us, as he had to make travel arrangements home.

at the end of the week, i had my students chose 3 to 5 of their strongest/favorite images {or more!} and then i put together a slide presentation for everyone at the school to see at the closing ceremony friday evening.  i heard lots and lots of compliments! please see for yourself - you can view my student's work here. 

below are just a few of my images from the week we spent there. if you'd like to see a more comprehensive gallery of images please come on over to my business facebook page here - elizabeth larson photography and give us a like!  i would love you for it ♥ 

it was such an wonderful week and almost like a vacation for us.  i look forward to coming back to teach this same workshop again march 16th-21st, 2014. to learn more and/or to sign up please do so here via the folk school's website. hope to see you there!

jill+andrew: summertime mountain wedding • rutherfordton, nc

 last fall, while teaching a photography workshop at the john c campbell folk school, terry and i met some really wonderful people! one of the couples we met and enjoyed hanging out with after classes were andrew & jill. andrew was the instructor for the clay/pottery class and his girlfriend jill was taking a rug weaving class. it was such a fun week, filled with wonderful memories. i can't wait to go back this summer to teach another photography workshop again.

fast forward a couple of months later. when we learned jill and andrew had become engaged last winter we were so excited for them!  equally excited and flattered when they asked if we'd like to join them & for me to photograph their wedding, planned for august 11th.  so when their wedding finally came, we made the trip to the mountains for the weekend and had a fabulous time!

the weather was absolutely beautiful the day of their wedding.  a cool breeze and temps in the 70's,  you can't beat that! quite a difference to the weather we had in july.  they rented a rustic 1930's log cabin for both the ceremony & reception, which was not only quaint it was also quite lovely.  the wildflowers were gorgeous, the food delicious, and they had a really fun band from asheville.  and then there was the cheesecake!

i loved how jill and andrew made their wedding uniquely theirs. not only did they include their three children in the ceremony and andrew's brother as best man, they also added personal touches to really make it their day.  jill, a very talented artist, hand painted all of the invitations, the welcome sign in the entryway, wall tapestries, and the cool burlap chair covers.  andrew's pottery was used as serving bowls for the food, vases for the flowers on the tables, and as display pieces throughout the room.

not surprisingly, we met some really interesting people at their wedding!  friends and relatives traveled from as far away as great britain. when terry & i sat down for a bite to eat, we joined a table full of artists... what fun! jon another potter, whom we also met at the folk school and his wife kim sat at the table with us too.  what an enjoyable time we had!

we look forward to hanging out with jill and andrew {and jon & kim!} again in the near future! because of another commitment, we missed their holiday kiln opening party in december, but keep checking back via their website for more events! we highly recommend andrew's gorgeous pottery. we proudly own a piece! 

ceremony+reception: rutherfordton clubhouse

wedding celebrant: rev. everette chapman

caterer: green river barbeque
dessert/cheesecake: DIY

band: the stereofidelics
flowers: DIY created lovingly by a friend

pottery centerpieces & serving bowls: andrew stephenson pottery {the groom}

invitations, chair covers, welcome sign, wall tapestries: DIY via the bride 

all images © elizabeth larson photography