Workshop with portrait-legend Richard Dumas at Oslo Fotokunstskole

‍

You will be coming to Oslo to host a two-day workshop on portrait photography at Oslo Fotokunstskole. What will the participants do at the workshop with you and artist and magazine founder Jan Walaker?‍

This workshop is between two people who have a long collaboration history, me and Jan. Jan and I have been working for ten years for his art and fashion magazine Hot Rod, and Jan organised many exhibitions in Scandinavia.

On the first day, it will be a masterclass showing, talking and exchanging ideas about my work. It’s about finding your own room for your expression. I call my work a SUITE! On the second day, we’ll try to work together on shooting and editing.

‍

‍

You have been working in depth with portraiture since the late 70s, producing a massive body of work of legends in art, music and film such as Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kate Moss, Miles Davis, David Lynch, Patti Smith, Keith Richards, Nick Cave, Chet Baker ++. Has the status of the photographic portrait changed during your life in photography?‍

Yes, I’ve made a lot of portraits for sure, working essentially for myself, for press or Music publishers. Look at Mona Lisa, the status of the portrait didn’t really change through the years and through different media.  As Irving Penn once said: The severe portrait that is not the greatest joy in the world to the subject may be enormously interesting to the reader.

‍

‍

Portrait photographs of notable persons are often done in the studio, often because of celebrities having busy schedules and to minimise risk for the photographer. Your portraits are often shot on location. Why do you work in this manner and what do you look for in a location?‍

To work on location, but to work as if we were in a studio, is my favourite situation. I’ve got to find quick ideas, and the inherent feeling of «risk» is something that can galvanize my creativity.

‍

‍

Analog photography and the darkroom seem to be an integral part of your artistic process. This is also an area of special focus at Oslo Fotokunstskole. Do you still work with film? Why is this important for you? ‍

Film photography and making my own prints has been my personal strong passion for 45 years. I have to find the image in the darkroom. It’s not easy because there are a million different prints possible, and you’ve got to find yours! I’m not against digital I’ll explain that during the workshop. I have worked with digital photography for 25 years along with film.

THE TWO DAY WORKSHOP WITH RICHARD DUMAS AND JAN WALAKER WILL TAKE PLACE AT OSLO FOTOKUNSTSKOLE ON MAY 25 AND 26. THE WORKSHOP IS FULLY BOOKED. CONTACT KURS@OSLOFOTOKUNSTSKOLE TO BE PUT ON THE WAITING LIST AND SIGN UP FOR THE OSLO FOTOKUNSTSKOLE NEWSLETTER TO GET NEWS ON FUTURE WORKSHOPS.