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.

Hidden Content:

**Hidden Content: Content of this hidden block can only be seen by Gold Members(click for instructions) after they click 'Like'.**

 

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.

Hidden Content:

**Hidden Content: Content of this hidden block can only be seen by Gold Members(click for instructions) after they click 'Like'.**

 

​

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.

Hidden Content:

**Hidden Content: Content of this hidden block can only be seen by Gold Members(click for instructions) after they click 'Like'.**

 

​

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.

Hidden Content:

**Hidden Content: Content of this hidden block can only be seen by Gold Members(click for instructions) after they click 'Like'.**

 

​

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.

Hidden Content:

**Hidden Content: Content of this hidden block can only be seen by Gold Members(click for instructions) after they click 'Like'.**