Photo Independent

I’m very excited to be exhibiting work at Photo Independent in Los Angeles, May 1-3. Special thanks to my friend, Sarah Hadley, who encouraged me to take part in this great art fair.

Photo Independent is an international exposition of contemporary photography. Here are the details:

Raleigh Studios Hollywood, 5300 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, CA

Opening Night Premiere Party and Preview: Friday, May 1, 5-10pm

General Fair Hours: Saturday, May 2: 11am-7pm, Sunday, May 3: 11am-6pm

Tickets are available here. Use the promo code: photo50 for 50% off ticket price.

My booth will be located at Stage 8, Booth #608.

I’ll be in LA for the fair so please let me know if you plan to attend!

LACDA 11th Anniversary Represented Artists Exhibit

One of my pieces from the “Urban Pop” series will be on display at the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art April 9 through May 14. It’s part of a group show entitled “LACDA 11th Anniversary Represented Artists Exhibit”. These shows are always incredibly diverse and interesting. Please check it out if you’re in LA!

Trucker Girl

Recap of Exhibition at Schneider Gallery in Chicago

It was such a thrill for Heather and me to be in Chicago for the opening of the 25th Anniversary Exhibition at Schneider Gallery. Thank you so much to all of you who attended. It was wonderful to see you! And a big, loving congratulation to Martha Schneider for 25 years of having a contemporary photography gallery in Chicago! Here are some installation shots from the show.

Solo & Group Exhibitions at Schneider Gallery, Chicago

I’m deeply honored and thrilled to announce that my work will be on display at Schneider Gallery in Chicago for the month of December. Schneider Gallery is celebrating its 25th Anniversary that month. Congratulations to Martha Schneider for being a unique voice in the Chicago art scene for so long. All emerging, contemporary photographers owe you a debt of gratitude for everything you’ve done for us.

Seven pieces from my “Urban Pop” series will comprise a solo exhibition at the gallery’s “Street Level Project Space”. The images will fill four large windows overlooking Franklin Street, just north of Superior Street. They are all large, borderless prints, mounted to Dibond, with an acrylic face-mount. Sizes range from 20 x 30 inches to 30 x 45 inches.

In addition, I will have two pieces inside the gallery as part of its “25th Anniversary” group exhibition. The show consists of works from many of the gallery’s represented artists. I can’t wait to see it!

Opening Reception:
Friday, December 5th, 5:30-7:00 pm.
230 West Superior St.

I will be there. Chicago friends, please stop by. I’d love to see you!

On a personal note, Martha came into my life three years ago when we had a Portfolio Review together at the Filter Photo Festival. She’s been an incredible advocate of my work ever since. More importantly, she is a wonderful, kind, loving person whom I am honored to call a friend. Thank you, Martha!

The Year in Education

Education has always been an important part of my life (college grades notwithstanding). When I had the opportunity to become a Teaching Assistant at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography (RMSP) in 2010, I jumped at it. I’ve been a Teaching Assistant there ever since, first in the Summer Intensive program and then in the Workshop program. In 2014, I assisted two workshops for the school; Basic Photography in Missoula, and The Coast of Maine, which is one of my favorites.

Over the past year, I’ve also begun to transition from assisting to teaching. This past March, I lead my first-ever workshop in Venice, Italy. When I considered where I wanted to teach my own workshop, I decided that it should be in a place I absolutely loved, was fantastic to photograph, and also manageable in scale. Venice met all three conditions and the workshop was a tremendous success! I plan on offering it again in 2016.

In addition to the workshop experiences, in April I gave a lecture at RMSP on “Photography as Contemporary Art”. It was great fun researching this topic as I discovered many talented and dedicated photographers working today.

Lastly, I taught a series of five classes this fall on “Basic Business” for photographers. The classes were part of RMSP’s Advanced Intensive program and the 25 students all walked away with their very own business plan intact.

All-in-all, it was a great year of sharing some of my knowledge with others. I’m hoping for more of the same in 2015!

Exhibition at Plonk – Missoula

Plonk is one of my favorite places to go in Missoula. It has a great vibe and wonderful combination of specialty cocktails, food, wine, and exceptional service. Brett & Shanna, the owners of Plonk, came to my opening at Glacier Sotheby’s in August and expressed interest in displaying some of my work at Plonk. I was flattered.

Three of the pieces from my “Urban Pop” series are now on display and can be seen as soon as you walk in the front door. For those of you in Missoula, please stop by sometime and check it out.

Thanks so much to Brett & Shanna!

2015 Venice Workshop Cancelled

It is with a heavy heart that I am canceling my 2015 Venice Workshop. However, it’s for a very good and exciting reason. I will be launching a new business venture in the spring of 2015 and have come to the realization that, as much as it pains me to admit it, going to Venice in March is just not in the cards. I do plan on running the workshop in 2016. Stay tuned for details!

Venice, Italy–Developing Your Personal Vision Photography Workshop

The combination of Doug’s quiet extraordinary teaching skill and Venice’s uniqueness changed me. Something clicked inside me. Yes I learned some new technical skills but most importantly I also had some ah-ha moments. Photography is not just about mastering technical skills; it’s also about inspiration and emotion and confidence.- 2014 Workshop Participant

I’m very excited to announce my second annual Venice, Italy-based photography workshop, March 8-13, 2015. I’ve been to Venice many times and it’s one of my favorite places in the world to photograph. While you may be familiar with the quintessential images of canals and gondolas, there is so much more to experience and photograph in this magnificent city.

We will spend a week making photographs and memories to last a lifetime, all the while developing your personal vision in photography. We’ll visit Venice’s well known locales such as San Marco Square, the Doge’s Palace, and the Rialto Bridge. We’ll also go beyond the classic icons  and discover the more intimate side of Venice that I have come to know and love. A significant amount of time will be spent exploring remote squares, side streets and alleyways. We’ll travel to the less frequented islands of Murano, Burano, and San Michele, to experience the world-famous glass-blowing, vibrant-colored houses, and a one-of-a-kind cemetery. We’ll photograph the unique Rialto Market at daybreak, while the fishmongers are setting up shop. We’ll shoot Venice at night, when the streets are empty and you feel like you have the city to yourself. When not photographing, we’ll be dining in magnificent restaurants, drinking great wine, eating gelato and experiencing the fantastic Venetian culture.

Doug’s knowledge of Venice and his flexibility towards weather, location, lighting and opportunity guarantee you a stellar workshop. 

The discussions with Doug, over excellent wine, the early mornings and late nights made this an amazing experience that surpassed my expectations. -2014 Workshop Participant

March 8-13, 2015
Tuition: $3,800* (includes lodging, breakfast, entrance fees, travel to group photography locations during the workshop)

*This price is indicative of a “Comfort Double” room at Hotel Flora. There are additional room options that would change the price. If you are interested in learning about the additional options please indicate this on the registration form. 

Limited to 6 participants

What to expect: This workshop is about photographing and experiencing a more intimate side of Venice. We’ll be spending some time with lectures in the classroom as well as ample time for critiquing and discussing images, but most of our time will be devoted to making images. There will also be personal, one-on-one, instruction in the field throughout the week. This week will be about your photographic vision. We’ll work on defining that and honing it so that your photographs represent what you want to express in the best possible way. We’ll discuss working on projects, in series’ of images, and story-telling through your work. My aim is that you come away from this week not only with some wonderful photographs but also an entire new and more enlightened way to think about your photography.

Where we’ll stay: We’ll be staying in the Hotel Flora, a beautiful and charming hotel that has been run by the same family for 50 years (founding father was a photographer!). Just minutes from San Marco square, but tucked away in an intimate alley, its location couldn’t be better.

Why March? Winter/early spring is my favorite time to be in Venice. The light is fantastic! The city is largely void of the masses of tourists that pile into the city from May to September. Carnivale has just ended. Lack of crowds means much better photographic opportunities, less crowded restaurants, shorter to non-existent lines to get into museums, churches, and other attractions. Weather in Venice is moderate in March, especially compared to that in the northern half of the U.S. Expect temperatures of between 40 & 55 F each day. Though not nearly as cold in March as in January, check out this article from the New York Times entitled, “Venice in Winter”.

What it includes:

• Personal instruction in photography
• A curated tour of the best places to photograph in Venice
• Lodging (Checking in 3/7 and checking out 3/14)
• Breakfast daily
• All boat/taxi rides to and from locations
• Admittance fees (churches, museums, etc.) during the workshop.

You are responsible for transportation to Venice and to and from the airport, lunches, dinners, and any incidentals.

Overall the best photographic experience I’ve ever had. Inspirational and empowering! Highly recommended! -2014 Workshop Participant

Register Now

Questions? Email me at doug@dougnessphotography.com

Missoulian Article

Megan Marolf wrote a really nice piece on my “Urban Pop” show that was published in the Missoulian today. Thanks, Megan!

Here’s the article:  Wall Street to Walls