Today’s feature is a stunning Marfa travel story from Sara Johansen. Sara is hosting a workshop in Marfa, Texas this September, and we here at Shoot It With Film are so excited to be one of the sponsors for the event.
Scroll below to see an amazing set of images from Marfa and learn more about The Wandering Artist Retreat…
Analog cameras and films used: Nikon F100 (Find at KEH Camera or on eBay), Pentax 645N (Find at KEH Camera or on eBay), Holga 120N (Find on Amazon) | Kodak Portra 160 (Find on Amazon), Kodak Portra 400 (Find on Amazon), Ilford HP5 (Find on Amazon)
Connect with Sara: Website | Instagram | Wandering Artist Website | Wandering Artist Instagram
The Wandering Artist Retreat is Headed to Marfa
By Sara Johansen
After hosting two amazing retreats up in northern Minnesota, I set out to find a new destination for my film photography retreat, The Wandering Artist. I knew it wouldn’t be an easy task, as some of the details for going to the North Shore of Lake Superior truly helped make the magic of previous retreats.
Details that helped create a safe and inviting space for photographers to really reconnect with their creativity and passion. I knew I wanted a place that was a bit quiet and a little bit slower pace to allow for that reconnection. But also a place that was inspiring, eclectic and of course, photogenic.
Enter in Marfa, Texas.
If you’ve never heard of Marfa, Texas, here’s a very quick rundown.
It’s a small town (we’re talking less than 2,000 residents) out in west Texas that has a unique flair for art, community and really good food. In the 1970s artist Donald Judd moved to Marfa in search of a more “authentic” place, creating stunning art there.
Slowly over time it has become an incredible artist stop, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere.
Recently, I visited Marfa to really get a feel for the town and plan the retreat.
From The Chinati Foundation (a contemporary art museum where you can see Judd’s work) to El Cosmico (a quirky campground with colorful trailers) to the Marfa Fire Department building (a cute pink building downtown) to one of the newest restaurants in town (Bordo), Marfa delighted me endlessly.
Oh, and don’t forget that on the way into Marfa you get to pass by one of the most iconic art installations in the country, Prada Marfa, a “fake” Prada store, literally on the side of the highway in the desert.
And yes there are products, but no, you cannot go in and buy. Looking only! And all the pictures, obviously.
I’m so incredibly excited to be hosting The Wandering Artist – Meet Me In Marfa, September 14-17, taking photographers and artists alike on a little journey through this special town while teaching all things film photography.
It’s a perfect spot and time to get unstuck and just have some dang fun, helping you take the much needed time for yourself!
The retreat is an all-inclusive workshop, meaning I have it all planned, you just have to show up.
It includes lodging, meals, transportation and more, and there are incredible sponsors with PhotoVision Prints (who doesn’t love a discount on developing?!), Ultraviolet Backdrops (if you love their new Backdrop In A Bag you will LOVE their generous sponsorship), AGX Film Lab (we are doing film soup!) and of course, the wonderful Shoot It With Film.
For all the details, including how to get to Marfa (spoiler alert there’s a road trip situation in a 15-passenger van planned, and it will be epic), what I’ll be teaching along with what my guest artist for the weekend, Shoot It With Film contributor Jen Stamps, will be teaching, head on over to my website, www.sarajohansen.com.
There you will find all the details and how to register, but hurry! September will be here before we know it and the cut off for registration is August 1st.
Now, what are you waiting for? Meet me in Marfa, and let’s create just to create.
Check out all of our film photography features here, and if you want to have your own film work featured on the site, view our submissions process!
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