Hibernation at an end

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Walking Winter

Long walks in winter break the malaise and settle the soul. With my son the other week, sub-freezing, sun low, we talked about the coming year.

Classes begin this week. I'm looking forward to starting up again.



As you know (I think), education is my passion. Next to actually making pictures, it's what I think about the most.

Ken Robinson:

Children starting school this year will be retiring in 2065. Nobody has a clue, despite all the expertise,...what the world will look like in five years time, and yet we're meant to be educating them for it.


What I find moving and of most immediacy is this conversation about how we learn what we learn. And the purpose of learning itself.

Working with you this spring I hope we'll scratch the surface on this topic. When we talk about photography — apertures, ISO, shutter speeds, cameras, papers, computers — I think, at root, we're also talking about paying attention to ourselves and to others, and exploring the way we learn. That's the context in which I want to begin this new year.

For me, the most interesting question isn't about which button to push, or which ink profile to use. Rather, it's about what learning is, and about how making pictures together charts our future.

To get started, I've compiled a short list of learning resources on the Courses page of my website. It's not meant to be exhaustive, but it's a place to begin.


Bobst Library

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