Borderlands - the U.S. / Mexico Border workshop

March 2 and 16 (virtual), 26 - 27 (in person), 2022

This hybrid online and in-person workshop along the U.S/Mexico border will enable participants to learn about a region that has undergone dramatic change over the last two decades. Held on both sides of the international boundary, participants will be introduced to a complex social and physical geography through guided conversations and two trips over the course of one weekend. The travel dates are March 26 and 27 (Saturday / Sunday) with two virtual meetings on March 2 and 16. Our in-person workshop will begin in the town of Tecate, Mexico on Saturday, traveling east to La Rumorosa before returning west to Otay Mesa*. Class meetings will present specific aspects of border history, culture, and ecology, with the assistance of experienced guides from both countries. Participants are required to have a valid passport for this workshop as it involves international travel. Students may want to Global Entry card to expedite cross-border travel. Spanish language skills are not required but they are an asset.

The cost of this workshop is $595

Two virtual meetings from 4 - 6pm on March 2 and 16, with in person travel on 26 - 27 (in person), 2022.

San Diego, Calif. and Tecate, Mexico

The border is a site where many of our most pressing global issues become visible while also being home to a growing, dynamic binational population. Students will be encouraged to creatively engage with a place that is frequently mischaracterized, oversimplified and hyper-dramatized. All genre approaches and working methodologies are encouraged—from landscape photographs that study the form and architecture of the border wall, to portraiture that prompts engagement with people who reside along the boundary. Explorations might focus on the impact of border security infrastructure on the flora and fauna of the region, or the dramatic transition of biomes from the Yuha Basin to the headwaters of the Tijuana River. Participants will be encouraged to be open, think broadly, and recognize opportunities to examine an overrepresented space in new ways. 

Student work will be supported by discussions that touch upon how to do research for photographic projects, the history of photography at the border, selected essays and readings, as well as group critiques.

Guest presenters including David Taylor and Jill Holslin will provide insight and perspective on the U.S. / Mexico border region and the issues at play in that territory. This course is designed to allow you to engage meaningfully with place while prompting growth practice, and varied approaches to visual storytelling.  Ultimately the course is intended to serve as an opportunity to engage thoughtfully with the border region and make photographs that engage a space that, until very recently, has existed more as one place than two different places.

Workshop requires a minimum attendance of 6 participants with a maximum of 10 participants total. Refunds are available until December 2, 2021, after which time our Cancellation Policy guides refunds.

Who Should Take This Class?

The workshop is designed for people who want to refine their photographic practice based in portraiture or landscape, as it relates to the bi-national region of the U.S. / Mexico border. Students will and learn about the concept of landscapes being layered stories of history. An emphasis on the history of photography will serve as an inspiration for your work. All genres of contemporary photographic practice will find a home in this workshop, and the framework offers important lessons on developing any photographic project, not just those rooted in landscape or place.

 The goal of this workshop is to introduce participants to the rich and varied landscape of the U.S. / Mexico border region while encouraging new practices and personal growth in your photography. We’re excited to explore physical and virtual spaces along a dynamic cultural and physical space.

About Joaquin Palting

Joaquín Palting is a photographer based in Los Angeles, California. He is known foremost for his conceptual storytelling, which is often created using traditional large format photography and video. His work has been exhibited internationally, and has appeared in numerous esteemed publications including: The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. Joaquín’s work has also been featured on the websites of many contemporary photography tastemakers such as: Aperture, Float Magazine, Landscape Stories, Lens Culture, LenScratch, and Urbanautica.

In addition to his art practice Joaquín is a much sought after educator who teaches photography, and art, at many venues including: The University of California, Irvine, the LACP (Los Angeles Center of Photography), the Laguna Art Museum, Angel’s Gate Cultural Center, and Medium Photo. Joaquín holds an MFA in Studio Art from the University of California, Irvine, and he is presently pursing a PhD in Philosophy, Art & Critical Thought at The European Graduate School. 

Additional information about Joaquin’s work can be found on his website joaquinpalting.com