Explore Your Photo Creativity Workshop
Sometimes the biggest challenge photographers have is using their creativity to find the best photographic opportunity in front of them. Bryan Peterson's book "Learning to See Creatively" wrote of various photographic opportunities.
His ideas included the following:
* The 'obvious' photographic opportunity is one that reality offers you which is generally straight forward.
* The 'unseen' opportunity is the one that uses reality less obviously and requires the photographer to use their creativity more to create something unique.
* The 'scratch' opportunity is the one that uses props and/or models to create 'staged' compositions that are inspired in part by observing reality and using ideas that pop into the artist's head.
Let's explore the 'unseen' and 'scratch' photographic opportunities at our Creativity Workshop on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 from 6-8pm at The Hobbs Studio in Chesapeake!
Bring your camera and some gear (tripod, small portable flashes, led flashlight, reflectors, etc.) to exercise your creativity indoors and out. We have organized some everyday objects and props to create themed creative centers to challenge members to develop their own ideas to photograph and explore their creativity to find interesting images. If you look online you will find examples of interesting ways photographers have used inanimate objects with creative styling, unique lighting, intentional composition to imbue personality, surrealism, nostalgia and storytelling. Now we want you to try it!
Using Jeannie Hobbs-Klink's studio and outdoor area, we will set up the themed centers for you to work your creative photographic magic. Jeannie has limited light sources available for a few of these indoor centers, so bring your portable battery-powered unique light sources to play with (ideas: off-camera flash, fairy lights, led flashlights, etc). Outdoor setups will have the use of natural light as well.
If you have small fun props that fit into our themes below, bring them to photograph during your center assignment. Depending on how many people show up, we will pair up members into teams of 2-3 to rotate among the different centers every 30 minutes, as time allows.
Themes included:
* Doll Drama - antique leather suitcases with various doll types
* Purdy Birdie - a unique tall birdcage with some feathered bird ornaments to arrange
* Faux Flower Garden - Faux flowers in various vases for you to arrange
* Glass/Wine/Beer Bottle Challenge - table setting, wine glasses, various beer and wine bottles
* Candlelight Mood Challenge - various battery-powered candles on reflective surface
* Boot Shoot - various styles of shoes and boots
* Toy Wonderland - Hot wheels, police car and police men, military action figures and various toys
* Plus Others
Depending on space, we may have more or fewer themes and centers. We will have extra props included at each center to give photographers multiple options.
As an added BONUS, Jeannie will also have one area set up for her photography stuff yard sale. She has a lot of things she wants to sell and will have them available for members to buy at this event!
We look forward to seeing everyone explore their creativity at this event!