Photographing gardens is the best way to learn about design, for the camera lens reveals far more than the eye. Last spring, award-winning Portland photographer Allan Mandell taught a rousingly popular photography workshop, and he's been coaxed back to Seattle this spring for an encore. It's time to sign up for Mandell's basic or advanced class (or both).
No photographer is more successful at capturing the atmosphere of a garden, and the art of learning to see the garden in order to express its spirit on film is what Mandell teaches so uniquely and expertly.
His three-part workshops include a lecture, photo shoot at the Bellevue Botanical Garden (where you get to practice your skills with Mandell's help) and a potluck/critique session after your film has been developed.
The advanced class requires that you've taken the basic class, or have the teacher's permission, plus hands-on knowledge of how to operate your camera on its manual setting.
The basic photography course will be offered 7-9 p.m. Friday, May 21; , 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 22, with the critique session 6-9 that evening.
The advanced workshop is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. Friday, June 4; and 9 a.m.-noon and 6-9 p.m. Saturday.
Mandell will teach both at the Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 N.E. 41st St.
Cost is $110 for each workshop, plus film processing, and pre-registration is required. Each class is limited to 20 participants.
For more information or to register for either class, call 206-685-8033.
Valerie Easton also writes about Plant Life in Sunday's Pacific Northwest Magazine. Write to her at P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111 or e-mail planttalk@seattletimes.com with your questions. Sorry, no personal replies.
