By Anne Zohner Maxwell
Dodge City Daily Globe
Area photographers will have the chance to focus on sharpening their skills during an upcoming workshop. "Perception: A Photography Workshop with Stephen Savage" will be presented by the Dodge City Area Arts Council, Dodge City Community College, and Southwest Photo and Video from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 28 at the DCCC Fine Arts Building, Classroom 103.

Savage is the executive director of the Centre for the Living Arts, a contemporary art center in Mobile, Ala. An award-winning artist and the owner of Savage Photo Lab and Gallery, Savage worked in Washington, D.C., for 20 years as a freelance photographer and artist. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Downbeat, Variety, City Paper and others.

Stacy Sparks, who teaches photography at DCCC, was a fellow student with Savage in a 1998 photo workshop, and she team-taught a workshop with Savage for high school journalism teachers offered through Colorado State University in 1999.

Those who attend the Perception Workshop can expect "high intensity" from Savage, Sparks said. "(The class will offer) personal attention for what a photographer wants to achieve at the next level," said Sparks. "It's not just for professional photographers, but for anyone who loves the craft."

The workshop is for all levels of photographers, from the beginner to the accomplished professional. Any photographer will have something to learn, Savage said.
"The Perception Workshop is designed to help people reach the next level in their photography," he said. "Beginners, intermediate, and professionals can all gain.

"It's geared for all levels - it's not dumbed down for beginners or souped up for professionals." Those who attend the workshop will gain more understanding about composition and learn how to improve their photos, Savage said.
"We'll talk about composition, how the camera sees and how to make better photos," he said, adding that he will also be showing students other photos to help illustrate important points. "We'll be looking at some historical photos and some photos by lesser-known photographers so they can see how composition works." Students will also bring their own photographs to the workshop for a critique. "It can help to hear what other people see in your own work that you aren't seeing," Savage said. "It helps to get insight in the images you're making." Students will also take a short field trip during the workshop to make photographs and put the lessons they've learned to the test.

The workshop is in conjunction with the Dodge City Area Arts Council's 2001 Darrell Williams Memorial Photography Competition. Sparks said the workshop is a way to generate enthusiasm for the annual competition, which Savage will be judging.

The competition presents cash awards for black-and-white, color and alternative photographic processes. Entries will be accepted through April 21.

The annual photo contest is in honor of Williams and his contributions to the art of photography. This is the Carnegie's 15th annual contest and exhibit, and the opening reception for the competition will run from 7 to 9 p.m. April 28 at the Carnegie Center for the Arts, 701 Second Ave.

Williams worked for 10 years as a livestock representative and photographer for High Plains Publishers' High Plains Journal, and also enjoyed photography in his spare time. Fees for the Perception Workshop are $30 for those participating in the photography competition, and $35 for those not participating. Fees include lunch.

Due to limited space, registration is due for the workshop by April 21. For more information on the workshop, contact the Carnegie Center for the Arts at 225-6388, or Sparks at 227-9220.