LEWIS CHAPLIN (LOOSE JOINTS):
“STRATEGIES: APPROACHING THE PHOTOBOOK”
SEPT.19- 22, 2026, FOTOFILMIC SPACE, BOWEN ISLAND, BC

This workshop is built on the philosophy that photobook-making is an organic, exploratory and holistic process that requires both structure and spontaneity. At Loose Joints all stages of the book-making progress are done collaboratively and simultaneously, with elements of edit, sequence, design and production all interlinked at every stage of the creative process. This workshop aims to follow this approach into developing the participants’ existing bodies of work into a space that engages organically and spontaneously with both the limitations and freedoms of book-making, while teaching essential knowledge around editing, sequencing, graphic design and production,  as well as insights into the technical, logistical and financial sides of publishing a photography book.

Instead of relying on traditional lectures, presentations, or rigid methodologies, this workshop will embrace a more hands-on, iterative approach using books as references and inspiration. By integrating conceptual discussions with practical experimentation, the goal will be to push participants beyond their usual frameworks of sequencing, storytelling, and design. Participants will be encouraged to embrace unpredictability, chance, and failure as vital elements of their creative process. As such, the workshop will offer a unique space for deep engagement with each applicant’s project, fostering an environment where critical discussion and experimentation lead to the development of a compelling body of work on the page over the course of 4 days.

In summary, participants to this workshop will:

– move through structured yet flexible stages designed to refine their photobook projects

– explore different aspects of photobook development through open discussions and hands-on experimentation

– engage with key photobooks and reflect on their own projects, exploring themes of narrative, sequencing, and creative process

– get introduced to concepts of unpredictability and chance through experimental exercises and creative tools allowing them to challenge their usual ways of working

– receive an in-depth one-on-one session for tailored guidance on the editing, design, and conceptualization of their book project

This 4-day intensive workshop is open to 10 participants only.