2025 Chicago Architectural Fine Art Photography Workshop
Chicago is a dream destination for architectural photography, offering a skyline that showcases the work of nearly every renowned "starchitect." From Frank Lloyd Wright to Jeanne Gang, the city is a living museum of cutting-edge design and engineering marvels. The mix of historic landmarks like the Tribune Tower and modern icons such as the Aqua Tower provides endless opportunities for creative exploration. The variety of architectural styles and bold designs has inspired my most diverse and expansive portfolio to date. Every visit offers something new to capture, making Chicago the heart of my most impressive artistic work.
MAY 16-18, 2025
INSTRUCTED BY SHARON TENENBAUM
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE COMPRISED OF 3 PARTS:
PART I: PRE-COURSE ZOOM INSTRUCTIONS - 2 three-hour Zoom sessions (total of 6 hours) in which Sharon Tenenbaum will be teaching how to create her signature Blurred Cityscapes (as in her body of work Impressions of a City). Additionally, we will touch on various forms of fine art architectural photography (abstract, expressive, long exposure, image stacking, advanced b&w post-processing, etc.). Sharon will explore with participants the diverse ways in which each location visited during the workshop can be photographed.
Zoom Session 1: Thursday, May 1st, 2025 10:00 am - 1:00 pm PST
Zoom Session 2: Thursday, May 8th, 2025 10:00 am - 1:00 pm PST
Participants will receive the recordings of these sessions.
PART II: FIELD SHOOTING in CHICAGO - Guided on-location shoots MAY 16-18, 2025. Sharon will be giving personal attention to each participant and guiding them toward achieving a variety of fine art architectural styles.
May 15 - Meet and Greet in the evening. Clu Quarters River Hotel, Chicago.
PART III: POST-COURSE REVIEW ON ZOOM - Students will submit 6 images of various fine art architectural forms they took during the workshop. Sharon will review and critique the images from participants in 2 additional Zoom sessions of 3 hours each (total of 6 hours).
Zoom Session 3: Thursday, May 29th, 2025 10:00 am - 1:00 pm PST
Zoom Session 4: Thursday, June 5th, 2025 10:00 am - 1:00 pm PST
Participants will receive the recordings of these sessions.
NOTE: To maximize your benefit from this workshop, it is recommended to have knowledge of Basic and Intermediate Photoshop (layers, masks, selections, pen tool, and gradients).
The fundamental principles of Image Stacking and Long Exposure Photography will not be taught during the workshop, rather, they will be mentioned, clarified of course should you have any questions, and most certainly, encouraged to use. If you already have knowledge of these techniques, awesome! You will benefit greatly and Sharon can help you take your images to the next level! However, If you need to brush up on your Photoshop skills and would like to learn the Image Stacking technique, please refer to Sharon’s Online Workshops which are taught periodically.
This workshop will have a strong emphasis on learning the Blurred Cityscapes technique, as well as
developing Vision in approaching and creating
Fine Art Architectural images.
LIMITED TO 10 PARTICIPANTS
WORKSHOP PRICE $1,650 USD
MAY 16-18, 2025
AN ALUMNI OF SHARON’S MULTIPLE-DAY DESTINATION WORKSHOP?* YOU RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT!
CHICAGO 2025 WORKSHOP $1,650
*Excludes Sharon’s 6 hr. Photoshop Workshops.
**If you are eligible for a discount, please go ahead and complete the payment. This will reserve your spot and Sharon will refund you the discount.
***Registration fees do not include flights or accommodation. See below in Additional Notes for accommodation recommendations.
****Please be aware that in case of cancellation, there is a $200 non-refundable fee.
“If you are looking for ways to revitalize your photographic art and creativity I highly recommend Sharon’s workshop. I attended Sharon’s New York City workshop in the Spring of 2019. It was superb. Sharon is a terrific teacher, and I learned some really important fundamentals for using Photoshop to transform RAW images into works of fine art. She is also an expert in capturing long-exposure images which is a new specialization for me. Time and money well spent. Thank you, Sharon!”
THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU IF YOU ARE…
INTERESTED IN LEARNING THE TECHNIQUE OF BLURRED CITYSCAPES.
This workshop will have a strong emphasis on learning how to create impressionist style architectural images as in Sharon’s body of work: Impressions of a City.
LOOKING TO ENHANCE YOUR IMAGES WITH CREATIVE ARTISTIC IDEAS?
Additionally, throughout the workshop, we will explore a variety of Architectural Fine Art techniques (Stacked Images, Gradient Lighting, Long Exposure, etc.) that celebrate the ART in Architecture.
A PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIAST WHO WANTS TO STEP UP THEIR GAME AND CREATE SOME JAW-DROPPING IMAGES?
My objective in this workshop is to not only provide you with thought-provoking ideas and concepts, but to provide an immediate context that will allow you to record memorable images of iconic settings in a way that will challenge you and will allow you to bring home images your colleagues, friends, and family will drool over.
A VERY ORGANIZED, RATIONAL AND LOGICAL INDIVIDUAL WHO WANTS TO DISCOVER AND ASSERT YOUR CREATIVE SIDE?
Sharon builds on her analytical engineering background to create systematic and easy-to-understand step-by-step lessons to help you understand and gain insight into different and creative ways of transforming architectural images into Art.
LOOKING TO MEET AND ENGAGE WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIASTS?
During the workshop we will be spending full days together, shooting, chatting and socializing. It is a great opportunity to meet and make life-long friends and creative peers.
LOOKING TO EXPAND YOUR ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO?
Chicago is a modern architectural mecca. Starchitects from all over the world have left their signature stamp here. Placed along the beautiful backdrop of the Chicago River, modern buildings stand alongside some of the oldest skyscrapers in North America.
HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT FROM THIS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?
You
will learn how to develop your own unique artistic approach to creating photos that are considered fine art.
Learn
the process of creating fine art photography from pre-visualizing your images through effective post processing techniques.
Understand
how to create an Artistic interpretation of reality.
Grasp
how Long Exposure Photography can assist in your exploration of Fine Art Digital Photography.
Create
images that transcend ordinary photography and elevate it to an art-form.
WORKSHOP PRICE $1,650 USD
MAY 16-18, 2025
AN ALUMNI OF SHARON’S MULTIPLE-DAY DESTINATION WORKSHOP?* YOU RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT!
CHICAGO 2025 WORKSHOP $1,650 USD
*Excludes Sharon’s 6 hr. Photoshop Workshops.
**If you are eligible for a discount, please go ahead and complete the payment. This will reserve your spot and Sharon will refund you the discount.
***Registration fees do not include flights or accommodation. See below in Additional Notes for accommodation recommendations.
****Please be aware that in case of cancellation, there is a $200 non-refundable fee.
Student Work from Previous Workshops:
What students have to say about Sharon’s teachings:
“Excellent balance of shooting and lecture time - theory and technical material. Also, the feedback on our work was truly useful. That is generally not the case in workshops I have attended. I appreciated the examples of other fine art photographers as it provides inspiration for our own work. Overall, this was the best workshop I have attended.”
“Over the years, I’ve participated in many workshops on photography, including workshops by many “name” photographers, BUT this was honestly, one of the most enjoyable, and productive workshops I’ve attended. Thank you.”
“I have never met a Photography Instructor quite like Sharon! I’ve taken two of her Photography classes at Langara College; The Long Exposure and Fine Art Photography Courses. Her instruction was, very detailed, clear, direct and informative. I came into these two classes with very high expectations and came out completely satisfied. I can say without a doubt that Sharon helped me take my photography to the next level.”
About the Instructor, Sharon Tenenbaum:
Sharon is an internationally recognized Fine Art photographer. Originally trained as a Professional Civil Engineer, Tenenbaum is an entirely self-taught artist, having learned her craft through personal research and practical experience behind the camera.
Some of her achievements are first-place awards in the 2021, 2015, 2013, 2011 and 2008 International Photography Awards for her architectural images, a publication in National Geographic and publications of three books, a Vancouver Photography Book ‘Vancouver Like No Other’ and E-Books: ‘How to Create Long Exposure Fine Art Photography’, and ‘Left & Right Brain, A photographers understanding of these mindsets and how they affect our visual interpretation of art’.
Sharon teaches photography workshops online and around the world. She also teaches photography courses at Langara College and Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
GEAR:
LENSES: Ideally you want at least two lenses, a wide-angle (anything less than 24mm), and a mid-range lens 24-70 mm. Any lens on top of that is bonus (on a budget, a mid-range lens can suffice). If you are into abstracts, then a zoom lens can come in handy. However, please note that with zoom lenses there is a big difference between the fast version and the slower (apertures). We are photographing buildings, hopefully, they are not moving fast or at all! so no need to get the heavier, pricier version of a zoom lens if you don’t plan on using it for sports or portraits.
CAMERA: A camera with bulb mode (for long exposures).
FILTERS: ND filters (for long exposures) and a grad filter for sunrise/sunset. Look under Gear and Filters Blog for which filters to get.
TRIPOD: As for the tripod, I would not recommend bringing your heavy-duty ‘hurricane-resistant’ tripod. Everything you bring, you will be lugging with you all day long. The ultra-light travel tripods are not on my favorite list either if they are too flimsy. Anything mid-range will be just fine.
OTHER: Remote shutter release.
GETTING AROUND: Please be prepared to walk a fair bit and carry your photography gear. For some of the shooting outings, we will be walking or cabbing.
ACCOMMODATION: Sharon will be staying at The River Hotel (75 E Wacker Drive Build,Chicago, Illinois 60601). Feel free to make your accommodations there or anywhere else you choose and connect with the group from your location. I do highly recommend booking your accommodations as soon as possible (but with flexible cancellation options) as prices tend to go up if you wait until the last minute.
LASTLY: I understand that some participants will be traveling to the workshop location with their spouses. Please be aware that due to group size constraints, spouses will not be allowed to join the group on our photography outings.
REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS:
All payments are refundable upon request of cancellation minus a non-refundable $200 deposit. Cancellations (except the mentioned fees) are refunded in full up to 120 days prior to departure. Cancellations between 119 and 90 days prior to the course start date are refunded 50% of total charges (less aforementioned fees), and between 89 and 60 days prior to the course start date are refunded 25% of total charges (less aforementioned fees). No refunds will be issued within 59 days or less of the course start date. If payment is not received in full 90 days prior to departure, we cannot guarantee your spot on the workshop as any participant wishing to register in full can take that spot. In the event of low registration, the workshop will be canceled and all fees will be refunded in full.
As life has unforeseen events, in case of force majeure or other unforeseen events and the workshop will have to be cancelled you will be refunded for the workshop fee in entirety. However, Sharon Tenenbaum will not be responsible for your flight or hotel refunds, so please be sure to purchase travel insurance.
DISCLAIMER:
If you have registered and have not received an email notice of confirmation/cancellation from Sharon, please email to follow up.
The workshop itinerary is subject to changes due to weather or other constraints/demands.
Participants MUST sign a waiver form before participating in the workshop. You will be sent the form before the workshop.