Several days later, the workshop began.

The evening before the first official day of the workshop, an opening night party was held at the AAVI.
At the party Yuda and I had our first encounter with photography students from around the world, and we both came away with the feeling that the photojournalism community is not one to be reckoned with.
A group of quality, interesting, caring, fun & slight insane people- all a pleasure to get to know and all the kind of people you want around you.

Stanley Greene sitting at the entrance to AAVI

The evening’s purpose was to give us all a chance to meet and to introduce our selves to our instructors.
Both Yuda and I had dcided weeks before that we want to take part in Andrea Bruce & Staphanie Sinclair’s class.
Though there were many different incredible classes to choose from at the workshop, we both felt that Andrea & Stephanie’s class on creating intimate photo essays , was exactly what we wanted to learn.

So there I went, to find Andrea & Stephanie and introduce my self.
I was immediately struck by how warm these tow women were (and are).
Both of them, experienced war photographers, greeted me with such large smiles that I found it hard to believe how tough the were.
I admit at first I had a bit of a “wow” effect and felt slightly intimidated by them, but the moment I started telling them about my self and asking them questions about who they were I quickly forgot the fact that I had studied their work at photojournalism class back home, and just slipped into normal conversation with fellow photographers.

During my first conversation with Andrea she told me two thing:

1. She invited me to join them and the rest of our class at a restaurant where we could all get to know each other better.
2. She told me the best news I had heard since arriving- because a fellow photographer who was about to hold another class had his course added to the list too late, the number of students to register to his class was too small. So instead of holding a small class he had decided to integrate his class into ours, which meant we would be getting two classes for the price of one. I thought that was just great.

So off we were to the restaurant and as we were walking there I noticed a guy who had a more mature look to him. Figuring he must simply be one of the older students, I didn’t pay him much attention.
But when we arrived at the restaurant I realized, by the way he was talking, that he must be an instructor.
So I turned to Andrea and asked her who the guy was, and she explained to me that he was the photographer who was joining her and Stephanie as our instructor.
So I asked the obvious question - whats his name?
Smiling she replied- Oh, his name is Shaul Shwarz.

I choked.

- Sorry? Whats his name? Shaul Shwarz?
- Yes.

Recognizing what was obviously an Israeli name, I imediately introduced my self.
Shaul, who himself was overwhelmed to discover that there were other Israelis at the workshop, immediately took Yuda and I under his wing.
For the rest of the workshop he kept us close and helped us at every turn.

As it turns out he started out as a photographer at the Israeli Air Core and then moved to the US to work as a New York based photojournalist.

The next day, our workshop started with the first class with Andrea & Stephanie, and then met up with Shaul who told us that Ben Lowey would be joining as as well that night. This news was also exciting for me- I have admired Ben’s work since I started learning photojournalism, and I immediately recognized a great opportunity to learn from the best.

Over the next few days I had the incredible experience of meeting some of the best photographers in our field and I had a great learning experience.
I was especially pleased to meet Stanley Greene (who let me crash several of his classes and taught me a lot)
, David Griffin who was very open and willing to explain a lot of the comings and goings of the magazine business and National geographic, Hugo Infante who is a real head case but I huge laugh and Guy Calaf who was also very open and inviting.
And so, that’s how my workshop began, and it was an incredible experience.

Here is a list of all the instructors and how I summarize my meeting with each of them

All the instructors (not photographed by me)

From left to right, top to bottom:

Eric Beecroft-The organizer of the whole workshop, great guy though I think the pressure got to him towards the end of the week he looked exhausted.

Guy Calaf - Energetic chap and I didn’t get to speak to him aas much as I had hoped to, though over a lump of cooked meat at an Argentinian restaurant I got the impression he was a very interesting guy (no pan intended ).

Tewfik El sawy - didn’t get a chance to talk to him but he also seemed to be an interesting man. (Well, truthfully they all did ).

David Griffin - photo editor of National Geographic magazine, a surprisingly friendly guy (not that I expected him to be unfriendly, but for a person who probably gets bugged by photographer’s questions left & right, he was more than happy to listen to mine for quite a while without complaint :)).

Adriana Zehbrauskas - Never spoke to her, but her work was very impressive.

Ben Rusnak - Great guy! He gave us a short talk on working with NGOs (answered A LOT of my unanswered questions) & even afterward gave me the attention I needed to wrap my head around the subject. Though I think I may have embarrassed my self with him at some point when I was slightly drunk at a Salsa club… can’t really remember, but I think I may have pushed him off his chair…. hopefully he doesn’t remember either

Ben Lowey - Crazy guy, but I loved him. Taught me a lot about the work and I am sure I’ll be taking advantage of his friendship in the future :). One on one time + portfolio review, great lessons.

Hugo Infante - Also a nut case, but a very friendly one. The only Chillean (Person from Chille) I have ever met, so if they are all like him, thats one hell of a country. One on one time over meat at the Argentinian restaurant

Stanley Green - No words, simply no words to describe how I admire this man. Fascinating & down to earth (as much as a war photographer can be), he inspired me a lot. Got only some one on one time, but I crashed all his classes, so what more can you ask for?
Plus he convinced me to get my Leica, and I am at awe of how much of a difference this camera can actually make in the field when using it.

Kael Alford - Lovely lady, great work & sadly I didn’t get a chance to talk to her one on one, but from what I did get to hear from her she seemed to have a lot to teach me.

Rodrigo Cruz - not actually an instructor but his work was amazing and he was an incredible fixer. Got us all we needed.

Shaul Shwarz - Great great great guy. Taught me a hell of a lot during this week. If there is one person I will try and keep in contact with, its him. I’ll bug him enough so he doesn’t forget me :). More one on one time than any other instructor, and I hope to get more in the future when he visits my area.

Stephanie Sinclair - Oh Stephanie, wonderful lady & one who gave me a lot of advice. A person who seems to be full of so much energetic happiness (at least on that week) that you have to take notice. As one of my instructors she taught me a hell of a lot more in one on one time than she realizes.

Eros Hoagland - Another very friendly guy. His work as fascinating and when I cornered him with my own questions he gave me as much one on one time as I wanted. Wish there were more people like him, he left an impression.

Andrea Bruce - Too sweet to be a war photographer, if you ask me. And yet she seems to get the job done a hell of a lot better than many others. A great a person to get to meet, really loved her. Had a lot of one on one time with her too, great inspiration.

Paula Bronstein - Fascinating & inspiring woman. I only got one chance to talk to her one on one, but those 10 minutes gave me a great window into her work and what drives her. I hope to meet her again, because she gave me a lot, and could probably teach me SO much.

Michael Robinson Chavez - Hilarious guy, great sense of humor and a very very good photographer & journalist. Didn’t get a chance for one on one with him, but he was fascinating none the less.

Renée C. Byer - Didn’t get to meet her at all nor did I see her work. Sorry Renee :).

Scott Mc Kiernan - Didn’t get to meet him either… sorry Scott

And last, but certainly not least, is Kadir Van Lohuizen (laying across the sofa)- funny guy I didn’t get to speak to him one on one, but his work was awesome and his stories at the panels were very helpful. Seemed like a funny guy.

Some students and I hanging outside of AAVI (photo by the lovely Amnada Rivkin)