Sarah started her photography exploration at the tender age of 8, learning the basics of dark room photography at summer camp. From there it’s been a love hate relationship. Really the “hate” part of the relationship came from unintentionally destroying 20 rolls of tech-pan film on a once in a life time trip to Ireland when she was 18. Thank goodness not only did she get to return to Ireland (a few times) the “hate” and hiatus from photography only lasted about 10 years. A lot did change in those 10 years, suddenly it seemed that there was a whole new way of making photographs, they called it digital! Fast forward 8 years and Sarah has found her way to back to film. It is with her trusty plastic side kick, the Holga that Sarah now finds her inspiration. While the Holga photography started out on a whim, for fun, letting go, and creative ease, it has since traveled throughout the US and even worked it’s way to Haiti, which in turn awarded her a solo show in LA. If you ask her what it is about photography that she is drawn to, she been known to say… “Photography is a way to hold still in a world that moves at an extremely fast pace. Without photographs to document were I have been, whom I have met, and events I have witnesses, something would be missing. Proof of a life lived and lived well.”
Sarah will be instructing Rebirth attendees on the ins and outs of the Holga, coupled with encaustic photography and collage. Both are mediums in which breaking the rules is encouraged and in fact, the secret to total domination of the creative world, or something along those lines. Sarah’s Holga work has won several 1st place and best in show awards and most recently she has had work published in Toy Camera, a book for and about Lo-Fi photography.
Chris is a documentary photographer living in New Orleans, Louisiana for the past 17 years. While a majority of his work focuses on wedding and portrait photography, he still takes every chance he can get to get out and explore personal work. In 2009 he had the opportunity to photograph His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama and in 2010 he had a selection of his iHolga(iPhone) images displayed in Berlin and NYC. Last year his wedding work took him to Hawaii and Cabo. Recently his work has been on display in New Orleans and Los Angeles and was the featured photographer at the Leica Las Vegas Workshop. “I always have a camera on me, even if it’s a trip down the street for pizza, who knows what may happen, you may miss that decisive moment”.
Chris will be assisting attendees with portfolio reviews, editing,camera technique questions, processing and scanning film, as well as leading some of the exercises during the week at Rebirth.Sadly to report “the Hair” retired last year.
Will began his career as a commercial product photographer in the mid-nineties. After seven years creating catalog images, he felt his career heading in the wrong direction and decided to refocus on what drew him to photography in the first place–curiosity, exploration, and passion. Currently, he resides in a small Mississippi Delta town with his wife, Jamie, plus Sam and Homer, the pound puppies (the real ones in charge). Will’s business serves commercial clientele throughout Mississippi and the Southeast. His personal work is represented in numerous galleries and collections, including the prestigious Viking Range Permanent Collection, and has been a part of nearly 20 solo and group shows over the last seven years. In addition to his photography business Will is active in the photographic and arts communities, serving as an executive board member for the Delta Arts Alliance, a past board member of the Mississippi Blues Commission, and a member judge for the ShootQ Grant
Will’s role for Rebirth is to serve as local host and tour guide. He will also be leading exercises in finding light, developing project concepts, and finding direction as an artist. While not officially part of his duties, he will also likely by in charge of gravel road wandering, getting lost, and navigating back to civilization through the use of only an iPhone camera, a used Yashica twin lens, and a worn out mixed tape of blues music.
Laura Beth is originally from Senatobia, Mississippi and now resides in Cleveland where she serves as the art director for wiljax Photographic Design. In 2004 she received an AA in art from Northwest Mississippi Community College and in 2006 was awarded a BFA from the Delta State University art program with a major in Crafts and a minor in Painting. While at university her work was selected for several juried shows and awards.
Laura Beth will be leading sessions at Rebirth that focus on custom book creation and paper making. She will also help serve as a tour guide, as well as our resident expert in local music.