Fine Art Printing Workshops 2024

You don’t have a photograph until you can hold it in your hands

Our current printer. Canon Pro2000, Canon Pro1000, 2 iMacs to drive the Canon and Epson printers. On the right we have the Epson P900 and P9570. — Our current printer. Canon Pro2000, Canon Pro1000, and 2 iMacs to drive the Canon and Epson printers. On the right, we have the Epson P900 and P9570.

I genuinely believe you don’t have a photograph until you can hold it in your hands. For over a hundred years, you needed to have a print to have a photograph. These days, there are a lot of pictures, but not a lot you can hold. We live in a digital world now, and if we are lucky, our photographs will be seen for a few seconds before they are swiped on. That’s not how I want to enjoy my photography work.

A few of the students from the last workshop gathered around the print evaluation station

I have been running travel and destination photography workshops since 2004. I see many of the same people at different workshops. These folks spend a lot of money on the workshop, high-end camera gear, and travel expenses to get to these fantastic destinations. When asked what they did with the images from the last workshop, most say that they may have processed a few and shared them on social media. Not many have made prints. “Why,” I ask. The answers are pretty much the same . . .

• Prints are expensive
• It’s hard to make a print
• I hear you don’t get good color or BW from a lab
• I have looked at what it takes to make prints, and it’s intimidating
• Too many sliders
• I tried, but the results were horrible
• I don’t know where to start
• Printers are expensive
• Making your own prints is expensive

And the list goes on. Printing is a lot easier than you might think and is quite addicting.

An automated cutter for increased workflow is also used.

We evelauate your first set of prints, know as hard proofs and decide how they can be improved before making larger prints. — We evaluate your first set of prints, known as hard proofs, and decide how they can be improved before making larger prints.

Jody Grober checks out a print he made. The before and after was amazing. — Jody Grober checks out a print he made. The before and after were amazing.

Making Your Own Prints Is Easy and Fun, And We Will Show You How To Do It

2024 Dates
March 8-11- 1 spot left
May 31-June 3 – 5 Spots Left
October 11-14, 2024 – 6 Spots Left

With Jeff Schewe, John Pannozzo and Kevin Raber

My Journey In Photography Began

Watching A Print Develop, and I Was Hooked

A Photo Tin one of the many printing projects we will look at — A Photo Tin is one of the many printing projects we will look at

When I was 12, I had a friend whose father was a dentist and avid photographer. His name was Richard, and he was proud of his dad. His dad owned all the latest gear and loved taking pictures. One Saturday afternoon, his dad asked us if we’d like to see some photos made in the darkroom. Of course, we said yes. That was the day my life changed.

We went into this excellent darkroom with a safelight, giving us just enough light to see. His father put a negative into the enlarger, and he then focused and composed on the enlarger easel. He estimated an exposure, stopped down the lens on the enlarger, and pushed a button on the timer to start the exposure. The paper was still white.

He then slipped the paper into the first of three trays, and an image appeared within seconds. The longer the paper was in the developer, the more the image would appear until it didn’t seem to process any further. This took about two minutes. He then used tongs and moved the sheet of paper to the second tray that he called stop bath. After less than a minute, he moved the paper to the third tray called fire. After a minute, he turned the lights on, and there was a beautiful black-and-white image. It was magic! I was hooked!

We will look at black and white rints and print tonelaity — We will look at black-and-white prints and print tonality

I went home, told my mom and dad about my experience, and then started reading everything I could. I asked for magazine subscriptions and collected them like others collect baseball cards.

My parents always wanted me to amount to something. My brother and sister were great athletes, but I was kind of a nerd. Because of some eyesight problem (lazy eye), I had a hard time judging distance and was not very good when it came to swinging at something that required judging distance. Photography was going to be my sport.

My mom and dad bought me a camera that Christmas, and my dad said he would build me a darkroom. That was fun times. My parents supported me all the way, which was really cool. I had a Durst enlarger and all the darkroom gear I needed. I learned how to develop film and was never without my camera. I photographed everything and everyone. I would go to school, come home, do homework, and then head to the darkroom. I made a lot of 5×7 prints, took the photos to school, and shared them with my friends. In the end, and still today, it was all about the print.

I would never have thought this obsession would turn into a career.

Jump Ahead 50 Plus Years To Today

These two iMacs will be driving the Canon and Epson printers. We will be able to be printing to two different machines at the same time.

I have been blessed with a great career in photography. It’s the only thing I have done. I have owned studios and worked in sales and business development for one of the country’s largest color labs. I was a pioneer in digital workflows, VP of Phase One digital camera company, workshop leader since 2004, and publisher of Luminous-Landscape and now photoPXL. I have met and worked with some of the world’s leading photographers and have made countless friends.

One thing has remained constant through all this: my obsession with making prints.

We spend a lot of time around our print inspection station.

I equate printing to what it used to be like with color TVs. As a kid, I remember our first giant color TV. This TV is for those that remember put you in charge of color. You had brightness, contrast, color, tint, and other knobs that let you adjust the color on your TV. Let’s say no one agreed on what good color was. You’d visit a friend’s house, and their TVs were purple or blue or green in color cast. It wasn’t easy and a challenge in those early days.

The same could be said about Digital Color Printing. You can go to Costco these days, buy a TV, bring it home, plug it in, and have excellent color out of the box. Printing has matured into almost the same thing. Today you can buy a printer and set it up in less than an hour. Set the paper type on the printer. Open the app from the printer manufacturer and drop your images into it, size the image for the proper size, and push the print button. And, before you know it, you are making prints. You can even do it from your mobile device.

Now is the time to get back to printing. I look forward to sharing my passion for making prints and helping you learn just how easy it is to make your own prints and why it is so much fun.

The PhotoPXL – Rockhopper Workshops Printing Workshop

Prints coming off the Epson P9570 printer — Kevin Raber inspects prints coming off the Epson P9570 printer

For many years, I did a lot of destination and travel workshops each year. These were quite successful and a lot of fun. The pandemic changed all of this, and I needed to rethink things. I have slowed down my travel workshops and am now launching something new and different. Welcome to the Fine Art Printing Workshops.

We are offering several printing workshops throughout this year. These workshops are three days plus an evening where you can learn the ins and outs of making your own prints.

The Indianapolis Art Center where our workshops will be held — The Indianapolis Art Center, where our workshops will be held

I am now an artist in residence at the Indianapolis Art Center, where I have a large studio to work with and teach. Canon and Epson have been more than generous in providing printers for us to use. Several other companies have also made this new workshop series something every photographer could enjoy and learn from.

The Workshop Goal

We have large inspection tables. Here we have a variety of print output that we can examine. Different paper surfaces, different ways to print projects

During the 3-day workshop, you will learn about printing and making your own prints. Below is what you can expect to learn.

• Digital Ink-Jet Printers today
• Ink jet paper surfaces
• Glossy, Matte, Canvas, Luster, and metallic papers
• Digital workflows: what is best for you
• Importance of monitor calibration
• How simple it can be
• Soft proofing
• Hard proofing
• Why do I use master files
• Color profiles and what they are all about
• Canon or Epson Printers – try both
• Canon Professional Print Layout
• Epson Print Layout
• Printing wirelessly from your mobile phone or tablet
• Color spaces – sRGB, Adobe RGB and ProPhoto
• ImagePrint software and why I use it
• Printer resolution
• Printing projects
• Portfolio boxes
• Portfolio tins
• Calendars and business cards

Plus, we will do a field trip to Petrov Frames a local frame shop, to do a framing demo.

You’ll make a number of prints during the workshop. You’ll get the chance to print your images up to 44 inches wide and experience what it is like to make large wall prints.

• You’ll be amazed at how easy and fun it is to make your own prints today.

We have ana amazing studio and facility to expereince these workshops. Four printer and new ones comings soon. A color balanced inspection station, giant print inspetion tables, and computers to drive the printers. — We have ana amazing studio and facility to experience these workshops. Four printers and new ones are coming soon. A color-balanced inspection station, giant print inspection tables, and computers to drive the printers.

Space Is Limited To No More Than 8

Download Registration Form

Your Instructors

Kevin Raber

I see the world through the lens and a frame. Photography for me is an extension of who I am. I have gone through many stages in my career. At one time I was a portrait photographer with many prestigious clients. Over time I grew restless for something else in the field. I truly enjoy my current work as a fine art landscape photographer. There is something special about examining and photographing everything from grand scenes in nature that are there for a moment and then gone to industrial landscapes and focusing on the incredibly minute details of peeling paint and rust. I am most fortunate to be able to travel to many wonderful places.

I have fond memories of nights and weekends spent in the darkroom creating prints. The stereo blasting. It could be fun and it could be tedious. You didn’t always know what you were going to get and, at times, it required extensive hands-on darkroom manipulation. I can still smell the chemicals. I was taught by the masters of the darkroom.

Today, that has all changed thanks to the advent of computers, digital cameras and Photoshop. The darkroom is the computer. Some things are still unpredictable, but the tools to achieve the final result allow you to see them immediately on the screen in real time and right in front of you. Digital allows you to capture a range of tonalities and exposures that were impossible with film. Variables such as emulsion, temperature, chemistry and exposure are taken out of the equation. What you see on your computer monitor is what you will get when printed. One thing that hasn’t changed is the music. It goes along with creating and working on images. Thank God for iTunes.

I embraced digital early on. It continues to evolve and provide flexibility to all who embrace it. The digital age is still young and has completely transformed our industry. Never before has a switch from analog to digital been so prevalent as in photography. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next ten years takes us.

My career in photography has evolved since 1972 when I first began making a living with photography. Today I am also CEO and Publisher of photoPXL.com as well as this site. I lead photography workshops to edge of the planet locations as well as provide instructional videos to photographers on how to improve their craft.

There doesn’t seem to be anything that can dampen my passion and enthusiasm for photography. It has opened doors to the world for me and I am most grateful I can share my experiences with others. You can visit my personal; webiste kevinraber.com

John Pannozzo

Formal education from the University of South Florida in Information Systems, software analysis and design. Started in the graphics industry in 1989 with a broadcast engineering company focused on providing solutions for on air graphics, animation systems and controllers for both TV and motion picture. This work led to the creation of one of the first commercially available multi dimensional color systems.

Early markets included industrial design, Apparel CAD and motion picture for printing animation cells on Iris printers for the likes of Disney, DreamWorks, Fox Animation and many others. In 1995 ColorByte Software was formed to pursue the development of both scanning and ink jet printing applications for graphic art and fine art, including photography (the digital transformation in photography had not yet taken place).

ColorByte was the first company to release a color profiled print environment for RGB reproduction. This first of a kind software drove the Iris printer series and was sold and distributed through Iris Graphics.

For the last 20+ years we have innovated technologies for inkjet printing in both color and black and white. Our main software title ImagePrint, has been the industry leader in color critical printing for over 20 years.

Jeff Schewe

Jeff Schewe is a digital pioneer. An award winning advertising photographer by trade, he has been a long-term alpha/beta tester for Photoshop, Camera Raw and Lightroom, and has been personally involved with their development. He is also a well-known fine art printing guru and is an Epson Stylus Pro member and leader of the Epson Print Academy. Jeff is the co-author of “Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS4” as well as co-author, along with Martin Evening, of “Photoshop CS4 For Photographers: The Ultimate Workshop”.

He’s a member of the NAPP Photoshop Hall of Fame. Jeff is also a founding partner in PixelGenius, LLC makers of the PhotoKit™ line of plug-ins. Jeff has also been seen in a variety of Luminous Landscape video tutorials along with his on-screen partner, Michael Reichmann, including their Camera To Print and Lightroom tutorials.

Accommodations, Pricing and Itinerary

The workshop fee of $1800.00 includes the workshop, a welcome reception at Kevin Raber’s home, and dinner on Sunday evening hosted by Kevin and his wife, Debra.

Get together at Kevin's house and talk photography with cocktails and goodies. — Get together at Kevin’s house and talk photography with cocktails and goodies.

All other meals are the responsibility of the attendee. We will have dinners and lunch together. There is a great lunch location within walking distance of the Art Center.

There are a number of hotels close to the Art Center. A list will be provided upon registration.

You will need to bring a laptop and files to print. It would be great if you have Lightroom, Capture One or Photoshop installed so adjustments can be made to your files if needed.

Workshop Dates
March 8-11, 2024
May 31 – June 3, 2024
October 11-14, 2024

Workshop Price 1800.00

Itinerary

Day One, Friday

5:30 – 7:30 Welcome reception any the Rabers

• Get to know each other
• Let’s talk about photography and printing

• Dinner T 7:30

Day Two, Saturday

9:30 – 5:00 PM with a lunch break

• Morning lecture, intro to printing

• Printers

• Software

• Color management

• Paper choices

• File types

• Printer resolution

• Evaluating a print – details in highlights and shadows

• Afternoon

•Monitor calibration

• Soft proofing

• Hard proofing

• Printing files for evaluation

• File evaluation and correction

• Printing files

• Epson Print layout

• Printing from Lightroom

• Canon Professional Print and Layout

• Dinner as a group

Day Three, Sunday

9:1 – 5:00 PM with a lunch break

• Printing projects

• Folios

• Wall prints

• Photo Tins

• Alternative methods – Gold Leafing

• Business cards, calendars, gift cards

• Imageprint by ColorByte – Who is my favorite print software

• Production workhorse

• Cut It Out

• Third Party Software

• Topaz AI, Giga Pixel, DeNoise AI, Sharpen AI
• Lightroom for adjustments and file generation

• Black and White printing

• This will make you rethink black-and-white

• Print your files

6 PM Dinner as a group as guests of the Raber’s

Day Four, Monday

9:30 – 5 PM with a lunch break

• Large printmaking

• Printing your files

• Lunch

• Visit Petrov Frames for a framing demonstration

• Exhibit framing

• Return to the studio and finish printing files

• Your large prints will be shipped to you

4:45 – Farewells
Travel home safely

These will be busy non-stop days. There will be shoulder-to-shoulder coaching and a lot of working together. You’ll be able to print your files on different paper surfaces and sizes up to 44 inches wide.

You’ll see just how easy it is to make prints and how good they can be. We’ll look at different workflows for printing, and I’ll share the method I use. I must warn you, though, that what we will share can lead to a new addiction. Printing can be just that, an addiction. Think how much fun you will have making a portfolio of your best work. Forget shopping for gifts in the future, as you will be gifting the prints you will be making.

This is a chance to take your love for photography to the next level. You’ll make new friends who feel the same way you do about photography.

This is a 44x52 inch print made from an iPhone file. You are going to be surprised. — This is a 44×52 inch print made from an iPhone file. You are going to be surprised.

Price Includes

The price of this workshop is $1800.00 USD and includes a welcome reception at Kevin Raber’s home on Friday evening, and three days of learning the craft of making prints. We will also host a Sunday dinner where we can continue sharing over a great meal. You’ll leave with all the prints you have made during the workshop. (Shipping can be arranged if needed).

Not included in the workshop fee is transportation, air travel, meals and lodging. I do hope that we can do dinners together as a group. There are nice restaurants we can choose from. The lunch location is within walking distance.

Details with information on hotels will be provided upon registration. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by email at kwr@rockhooperworkshops.com or call 317-379-7482.

Space Is Limited To 8 People - Spots Are Filling Fast