Photography with Intention: Documenting Your Life, Community, and Spaces

If you want to create with intention, and level up your photography skills, this workshop is for you!

You don’t need the fanciest, newest equipment to create impactful images for posterity. This 90-minute, hands-on workshop will break down some of the myths and barriers to photography and give you the knowledge and confidence to document your life, community, and spaces.

We’ll begin with some context for our venue, Dumbarton House – a Federal Era historic house museum in Georgetown that was documented in the 1930s by Frances B. Johnston, one of the first professional female photographers in America. Her 50+ year career resulted in over 20,000 photographs housed at the Library of Congress and greatly advanced the cause of preserving American architecture.

Using Johnston’s images and documentary approach as a foundation, we’ll learn fundamental principles of photography, what makes a “good” image, how to approach creating images with intention, and tips and tricks to maximize creativity.

Participants will have the opportunity to create images on the historic grounds of Dumbarton House and discuss process and inspiration as a group.

By the end of this workshop you will:

• Have a solid foundation of fundamental photography principles
• Understand the importance of intention
• Know tips and tricks to maximize the impact of your photos
• Gain hands-on experience and receive personalized feedback
• Be empowered to experiment and get curious about your surroundings

We’ll learn the “rules” so that you can break them with intention!

*This workshop is primarily geared towards smartphone photography, but the principles and approach translate to any camera. This workshop is not a dive into the technical elements of photography or camera settings.

About the Workshop Leader:

Kelly Paras is a DC-based freelance photographer whose work has been featured by The Washington Post, Fodor’s Travel, Oprah Magazine, Newsweek, and Home52 among other outlets, and has been exhibited in art shows throughout the city.

Rooted in travel photography, Kelly has documented destinations, protests, corporate events, gallery openings, neighborhoods, families, and products. She has led workshops for museum teams across the country.

In addition to photography, Kelly works in digital marketing for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and owns Flip Flop Caravan, a home décor business that sells her fine art photography prints as well as collections of vintage home accents.

Follow her on Instagram at @flipflopcaravan