An upcoming workshop and lecture from photographers Ash and Brian Adams aims to give attendees the tools they need to tell their own community’s stories visually.
Ash and Brian Adams are a married couple based in Anchorage. They worked together on “I am Alaskan,” a book of Brian’s photos, edited by Ash, that showcase Alaskans’ diversity. Brian’s most recent project, “I am Inuit,” was featured last month in Alaska Magazine. Brian is Inupiat and spent part of his childhood in Kivalina.
Kivalina features in Ash’s photojournalism work as well. She’s doing a long-term project documenting cultural and climate-related change in the village. She’s also been pursuing a project in Mountain View in Anchorage, one of the nation’s most diverse but impoverished neighborhoods, and may show some photos from that project during the couple’s lecture, she said.
Brian will talk about his personal work and portraiture.
During the workshop, they’ll talk about what makes a story-telling photo and how “you can have your voice in your images while still objectively telling a story,” Ash said, adding “I don’t think you can ever really take a photographer out of their photographs.”
Though they’ve been recruiting attendees from middle and high schools to the workshop, anyone can come, Ash said, from professionals to amateurs.
“We’re kind of just walking through what makes a good image,” she said. “It’s not always what people think.”
So far, Ash said it’s been “just incredible” to see the images that result from the workshops.
“Anybody can make an image that really says something about their community and what’s important to them,” she said.
They’ve created an Instagram handle, #chasingak, for people to post their own photos and community documentation after the workshop.
“What better way for a community to get stories out there than their own images, their own voices?” Ash asked. “Younger people are starting to think about that… start thinking about what our stories look like, and how we can convey truths to the rest of the world via images.”
The Adams’ lecture is Friday, Nov. 18 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the APK lecture hall. Their workshop is the next day, Saturday, Nov. 19 from 1-4 p.m. Visit foslam.org/events or email ben@huffphoto.com for more information about the workshop. Register early as space is limited.
“If you’re interested in photography, come to the lecture and definitely come to the workshop. No amount of experience is too small or too great,” Ash Adams said.
• Contact Capital City Weekly editor Mary Catharine Martin at maryc.martin@capweek.com.
