KU hosting photography workshop in Hays

The University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design will host a free, one-day photography workshop for high school students at the Hays Arts Center on July 10.  

Students will spend the day developing camera skills and learning about the art, science and history of photography. Led by Mike Sinclair, professional photographer and the KU photography program’s professor of practice, and assisted by KU photography students, the workshop will give participants the opportunity to see how creative interests, personal experiences and technical know-how can combine to communicate ideas in new ways.

The free event will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to students entering their freshman through senior year of high school. Space is limited, and the registration deadline is July 2.

Students will explore photography by shooting a variety of photographs in different settings. In the morning, students will take an expedition into the area surrounding the Hay Arts Center where participants will learn how technique and individual perspectives can tell stories, challenge assumptions, clarify complicated ideas and make the familiar unfamiliar.

During afternoon sessions, students will learn how to utilize camera controls, environmental conditions and compositional strategies to create intriguing still life photographs and evocative portraits that capture movement, emotion and personality.

This day of guided instruction and open discussion will be an educational and enlightening experience for students who are looking to broaden their creative skillset, develop their portfolio and deepen their understanding of what is possible through photography and visual communication.

About workshop instructor Mike Sinclair:

Commercial and fine art photographer Mike Sinclair’s subjects have included state and county fairs, parades, Fourth of July celebrations, parks, amateur musicals, artist’s studios, and the parks, boulevards and architecture of his hometown Kansas City. His 2016 book, “The Nelson,” documented the museum’s transformation from temple of culture to civic hub. His most recent book, “Troost Avenue,” was self-published in 2020. His photographs have been published in The New York Times, Time and Harpers, and they are in several public and private collections including The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. He has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Charlotte Street Award.