Gold Sharon Tenenbaum Photography - Talk & Learn Patreon Series

287 Talk & Learn May 12, 2026 - Low Key
May 13
Low-key photography is all about restraint, intention, and control. Instead of illuminating everything in the frame, you work primarily with shadow, allowing darkness to dominate while carefully introducing light only where it matters most. The result is often dramatic, moody, and deeply focused—images that feel intentional rather than descriptive.

This is one of my favourite topics. It literally lets you paint with light—isn’t that what photography is all about?

In low-key work, light becomes your brush and shadow your canvas. You decide what to reveal and what to conceal, guiding the viewer’s eye with precision. Low-key images let you selectively choose which part of the scene you want your viewer to see, stripping away distractions and emphasizing form, texture, and emotion. It’s less about what’s there, and more about what you choose to show.

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288 Talk & Learn May 19, 2026 - Action
May 19

Action photography is all about capturing movement, energy, and the feeling of a moment in motion. While many people immediately associate action photography with sports, the theme goes far beyond that. Action can be found anywhere — in the movement of people on a busy street, a dancer mid-motion, fabric flowing in the wind, an animal in motion, crashing waves, or even subtle gestures that suggest energy and momentum. The key is that the image should clearly communicate movement and make the viewer feel that something is happening within the frame.

A successful action image does more than freeze a moment; it tells a dynamic visual story. Motion can be captured in different ways — by freezing the action sharply, by intentionally introducing motion blur, or by combining both techniques to create tension and atmosphere. The challenge is not simply photographing movement, but doing so with intention, composition, and timing so the final image feels alive and full of energy.

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289 Talk & Learn May 26, 2026 - Food
Food photography is about far more than simply documenting a meal or creating traditional cookbook-style images. While beautifully plated dishes certainly have their place, this theme encourages you to think beyond straightforward presentation and explore food as a creative photographic subject.

Food can be approached through mood, texture, colour, shape, light, abstraction, storytelling, or even humour. The image does not necessarily need to make the viewer hungry — it should make them feel something. You might focus on the steam rising from a cup of tea, the chaos of a busy kitchen, the graphic patterns created by ingredients, or the relationship between food and the people interacting with it.

This theme is an opportunity to experiment with atmosphere, composition, and visual narrative. Think about how light interacts with texture, how colour can create emotion, and how food can become part of a larger story rather than simply the subject itself. The goal is not just to photograph food, but to interpret it creatively through your own photographic vision.

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290 Talk & Learn June 2, 2026 - Landscape
Landscape photography is one of the most widely photographed genres in the world. Beautiful mountains, forests, coastlines, deserts, and skies are captured every day by millions of photographers. Because of this, creating a landscape image that truly stands out requires more than simply photographing a beautiful location — it requires vision, originality, and intention.
For this theme, we are looking for landscape images that push beyond the predictable. Strong compositions, unique perspectives, and creative techniques should play an important role in your approach. Consider using methods such as Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), multiple exposures, long exposures, unusual focal lengths, selective focus, or creative post-processing techniques such as color manipulation and tonal reinterpretation. The goal is not experimentation for its own sake, but rather using technique to strengthen mood, emotion, and storytelling.

Most importantly, your image should communicate something about the landscape itself. What drew you to the scene? What feeling, atmosphere, or story are you trying to convey? Even highly abstract or creatively interpreted landscapes should remain connected to the essence and “nature” of the environment being photographed.

This theme challenges you to move beyond postcard photography and create work that makes the viewer stop, pause, and look longer. Surprise us with your vision. Show us not just what the landscape looked like, but how it felt to experience it through your eyes.

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291 Talk & Learn June 9, 2026 - Salon Show - Student Work
A special Salon Show featuring the bodies of work created by participants in the Series Development course. This session celebrates not only the finished images, but also the months of thought, exploration, perseverance, and creative growth that went into bringing each series to life.
Creating a successful photographic series is one of the most challenging undertakings in photography. Unlike a single strong image, a series requires consistency, cohesion, and a clear artistic voice. Participants were challenged to move beyond individual photographs and create a body of work that communicates a deeper idea, emotion, or narrative.

A key component of the process was the development of a vision statement. This statement served as a roadmap, helping photographers define their intent, make creative decisions, and maintain focus throughout the project. As we review each series, we will discuss how effectively the images support the artist’s vision and how the work evolved from concept to completion.

This promises to be an inspiring and educational session, offering valuable insights into the creative process behind long-term photographic projects. Whether you are considering creating a series of your own or simply wish to better understand what separates a collection of images from a cohesive body of work, this Salon Show is not to be missed.

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292 Talk & Learn June 16, 2026 - Seascape

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292 Talk & Learn June 16, 2026 - Seascape

The sea has inspired photographers and artists for centuries, offering an endless range of moods, emotions, and visual possibilities. From the raw power of crashing waves during a storm to the serenity of a calm ocean at dawn, seascapes can evoke feelings of awe, solitude, peace, mystery, or even tension.

For this theme, consider how you can use light, weather, movement, colour, and composition to communicate the emotional character of the sea. Are you drawn to its strength and drama, or to its quiet and contemplative nature? Look for images that go beyond simply documenting a shoreline and instead capture the unique relationship between water, light, and atmosphere.

Keep in mind that this is a Seascape theme—not a skyscape, cityscape, or landscape. While the sky, coastline, boats, structures, and surrounding environment may play supporting roles, the sea itself should be a dominant and essential element of the image. Be mindful of how much of your composition is actually water and whether the image would still qualify as a seascape if the sea were removed.

As always, we encourage originality in both vision and execution. Challenge yourself to create an image that makes us stop and look twice, whether through an unusual perspective, creative technique, compelling light, or a powerful emotional connection to the sea.

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293 Talk & Learn June 23, 2026 - Close Up

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293 Talk & Learn June 23, 2026 - Close Up

The Close Up theme challenges you to look beyond the obvious and discover new ways of seeing the world around you. By moving closer to your subject, you can reveal details, relationships, and perspectives that are often overlooked when viewed from a normal distance.

For this theme, avoid predictable close-up subjects such as flowers, insects, and other traditional macro photography. Instead, seek out original subjects and explore how getting physically closer can transform an ordinary scene into something visually engaging and thought-provoking.

Consider how proximity can change the viewer's understanding of a subject. What details become important? What stories emerge? How does the close-up perspective create a stronger connection with the subject? Your goal is not simply to magnify something small, but to present a familiar subject in a fresh and unexpected way.

Successful images will demonstrate creativity in subject selection and show how a close-up perspective can reveal something new, surprising, or meaningful about the world around us.

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294 Talk & Learn June 30, 2026 - Bridges

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June 30
Bridges are much more than structures that connect two points—they are symbols of connection, transition, movement, and human ingenuity. Whether grand architectural landmarks or simple footbridges tucked away in nature, bridges offer endless photographic possibilities.

For this theme, look beyond simply documenting a bridge and consider how you can use it as a compositional element within your image. Explore leading lines, patterns, symmetry, light, shadow, reflections, and the relationship between the bridge and its surroundings. Consider photographing the entire structure, focusing on interesting details, or incorporating people to add scale and storytelling.

Think about the many ways bridges connect not only places, but also ideas, cultures, and experiences. Challenge yourself to find a fresh perspective and create images that reveal something unique about the bridge and its role within the landscape or urban environment.

Successful images will demonstrate thoughtful composition, creative vision, and an ability to transform a familiar subject into a compelling photograph.

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295 Talk & Learn July 7, 2026 - High Key

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High key photography is all about creating bright, luminous images that evoke a sense of lightness, elegance, and simplicity. Rather than relying on deep shadows and dramatic contrast, high key images are characterized by soft tones, clean backgrounds, and an abundance of light while still retaining important detail in the highlights.

For this theme, think beyond the traditional high key portrait. Explore how the high key aesthetic can be applied to architecture, nature, still life, landscapes, or everyday scenes. Consider how light can simplify a composition, reduce distractions, and draw the viewer's attention to your subject.

A successful high key image isn't simply overexposed. The challenge is to maintain subtle detail, create separation between the subject and the background, and use light intentionally to produce an image that feels fresh, airy, and visually engaging.

Experiment with natural or artificial light, exposure, and composition, and challenge yourself to create photographs where brightness becomes an essential part of the story.

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296 Talk & Learn July 14, 2026 - Choose a Colour

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For this theme, your challenge is to create an image where one colour becomes the dominant visual element and plays an important role in the composition, mood, or story.
Choose a single colour and use it intentionally to guide the viewer's eye or evoke an emotion. The colour may come from your subject, the light, or the environment—but it should feel natural and integral to the image.
A few guidelines:
Black and white are not considered colours for this assignment.
Please do not create your chosen colour by simply applying a colour filter or tint in post-processing. The colour should exist naturally within the photograph.
A blue sky on its own is a little too predictable. Challenge yourself to find a more original and creative use of colour in your surroundings.
Think about how colour influences mood, creates contrast, establishes harmony, or becomes the subject itself. Whether subtle or bold, successful images will demonstrate thoughtful composition and a creative use of colour rather than simply documenting something that happens to be that colour.
Surprise us with your vision, and don't be afraid to look beyond the obvious.

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