Meaningful Image Core Course 2026
Wally the team mascot for the year
Do you ever struggle to define what makes a photograph truly powerful—or to put into words what your own work is really about? Are you frustrated when others don’t seem to see beyond the surface of your images? Do your photographs feel disconnected, as if they’re missing a common thread?
This intimate, hands-on workshop is designed to help you find your unique voice as a photographer, uncover the deeper meaning in your work, and refine how you communicate your artistic vision. Through guided discussions, thoughtful exercises, and ideas and worflows for creating cohesion, you’ll develop the skills to bring clarity and consistency to your photography.
Perfect for any level, this workshop is for those who want to dig deeper into their creative process and gain confidence in their artistic choices. With a small group and one-on-one attention, you’ll get the support you need to push your work further.
Don’t just take photos—make work that resonates and is truly meaningful.
Included
Give me some more details
This workshop is entirely online—no travel required! You can participate comfortably from home, even in your PJs.
To ensure a supportive and personalized experience, the workshop is limited to six participants. This small group setting allows for meaningful discussions, a sense of community, and the flexibility to tailor the experience to your needs.
We’ll meet online every few weeks for 2–3 hours per session. Each session will focus on a key theme, such as refining your voice, vision, signature, and photographic style.
You’ll receive assignments between sessions, with follow-up discussions and feedback to help you refine your work.
This is your chance to develop your unique photographic voice in a collaborative and inspiring environment.
Curated Readings each month
One curated assignments and reading each session (exercises, books, articles, essays)
Live group meetings.
Meetings will be over Zoom
Open, supportive, and thought-provoking conversations
You are awesome so why wouldn’t the discussions be awesome too!
Ways to connect ideas to your own photography
Focus in on you as a creative individual not on some generic one size fits all approach.
Chance to build community through shared dialogue
You always can use more friends who can support your art and photography. Just think just of the reunions you’ll have.
Pricing
Cost $2300
Early Bird $2000
Non-refundable Deposit $500
Date: Starts in October 2026 end early May 2027
Times: Tentatively (subject to change) Monday 3:00-5:00 pm Pacific Time
Sessions are all online via Zoom
I have been involved in several of Daniel’s workshops, both online and in person. I find that he is a true teacher. He is always prepared, has a tone of photographic and teaching experience. He makes sure that you are put in a position to get all that you can from the experience. He communicates really well and is fun to be around.
What are we focusing on in this workshop?
- Picking the right images
- Understanding what photography means to you
- Who you are as a photographer
- Why one image works and another doesn’t
- Developing language to talk about your work, your artistic seeing, and projects
- Learning how to speak about photographs
- Define and develop actionable steps to sharing your work with others
- Developing editing, organization techniques, and workflows for consistency of your style and voice.
- Reviewing work
- Making prints
- Discussions of editions and presentation considerations
What will I need to participate in the workshop?
You will need to have access to a computer, tablet, or phone that can use Zoom. You will need Internet access to attend the sessions.
You will need to be able to produce digital images (digital camera or scans of film) for shooting assignments, editing assignments, and critiquing images.
Come with an open, upbeat attitude. We want to make an inclusive and supportive community of photographers, so being respectful, supportive, and engaging is important.
We will send you a detailed information document 90 days before your workshop. This document will include specifics of where and when to meet, gear and clothing recommendations, and more.
What are your guidelines to participate in a workshop?
We treat each other with mutual respect.
We do not engage in disruptive or unsafe behavior that disturbs others, threaten others physically, or engage in verbal harassment.
We don’t act unreasonably or interfere with others’ use of the facilities (online or in-person) or class time.
When providing feedback, we provide honest, open dialogs about our work and the work of others in a respectful manner.
Silly Dog Studios does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political ideology, or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran.
Silly Dog Studios values and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and perspectives of people in our community. Encouraging and protecting diversity creates an environment that promotes freedom of thought, shared learning and creativity. If you have an issue with celebrating all our awesome diversity, we aren’t the workshop for you.
Please note that anyone who violates these guidelines will be removed from a workshop, course, or program. No refunds will be given.
Can I be put on a waitlist?
Absolutely. Life happens and we want to make sure that we can get you in a workshop if at all possible. If the workshop is full, we will take down your name and contact you if a spot becomes available.
Are there prerequisites for this workshop?
For almost all of the workshops there are no prerequisites, and that includes this one.
In the event a workshop does require some advanced or prior knowledge it will be specifically called out on the workshop registration page.
If you are ever concerned about the specific topics or technical requirements for a workshop, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to answer any of your questions so that you can feel great about your decision to sign up.
Do you offer payment plans?
Some workshops do have a non-refundable, transferable deposit, but unless noted, a workshop payment is due in full at the time of registration. We do understand that sometimes it makes sense to be able to pay for the cost of a workshop over time. If you want to discuss that as an option, please contact us and we can figure out something that will work for you to be able to attend the workshop.
What happens if I sign up and then want to quit. Are there refunds?
The short answer is we don’t provide refunds on workshops, classes and courses.
Our approach is that your payment for the program is a commitment to participate, just as it is our commitment to provide the best experience possible. It is a commitment on both our parts.
Do you offer refunds if I have to drop before the course starts?
Our approach is that your payment for the program is a commitment to participate, just as it is our commitment to provide the best experience possible. It is a commitment on both our parts.
So, the short answer is we don’t provide refunds on workshops, classes and courses.
If you need to cancel your reservation with more than 60 days’ notice, funds paid are transferable to a future workshop space permitting. With less than 60 days until the workshop, there are no refunds or transfers.
There are no refunds or transfers for any reason once the event, class or workshop date has begun.
If you are participating in a travel workshop, we highly suggest that you get trip insurance to reduce your risk.
Do you offer any discounts?
Some workshops do offer an early-bird rate. The early bird rate, when offered, will be automatically calculated in the price. The rate is available for workshops with early-bird pricing until four weeks before the workshop start date.
I also offer a discount for alums and referrals for some workshops. These are not automatically applied. If you want an alum or referral discount, please get in touch with me before registering for your discount code.
Alum discounts may not be used for any online class or workshops except for the Meaningful Image full-length course.
