Paolo Woods ran a photography gallery and a laboratory before dedicating himself to documentary photography. He is devoted to long-term projects that blend photography with investigative journalism. He has published four books of photography in collaboration with award-winning writer Serge Michel, as well as two other acclaimed books co-signed with writer Arnaud Robert. Most recently, he has worked for three years with photographer Gabriele Galimberti on the project The Heavens, the first photographic investigation into the workings of tax havens. The show has premiered at the Festival of Arles in France and is currently touring worldwide. The book has been selected as one of the best books of 2015.
His work is regularly featured in the main international publications. He has had solo exhibitions in, amongst others, France, US, Italy, Switzerland, China, Spain, Germany, Holland and Haiti and numerous group shows around the world. His pictures are private and public collections including the Musee de l’Elysée, the French National Library, the FNAC, the Sheik Saud Al-Thani collection, the Servais collection. He has received various prizes including two World Press Photos.
Images by Wikus de Wet.
It’s one year we started our partnership with the International Summer School of Photography (ISSP), a week long "informal education program" that takes place every year since 2006 in the beautiful Latvian countryside. ISSP offers advanced workshops by renowned international tutors in combination with an exciting evening programme of talks, presentations and portfolio reviews.
This year ISSP hosted 72 photographers in 6 workshops leaded by Anouk Kruithof, Paolo Woods, Federico Clavarino, Jason Evans, Alejandro Chaskielberg and Taiyo Onorato.
I was there for the whole duration of the program, in a relaxed and informal environment, where students and teachers (or masters as they are called at ISSP) work side by side in this intense learning/teaching experience. Teaching photography is a topic a lot discussed especially during the last year, this has brought an important attention on the educational system, made by institutions and alternative photography programs.
I wanted to know more about the perception people and professionals have of the meaning of studying (and teaching) photography today, so I went to Latvia to spend some time with the ISSP 2016’s masters talking about their personal experience both as teachers and students.
What is your main focus and interest when you teach photography?
On one side to transmit enthusiasm and the urge to produce images that are both necessary and sincere, on the other to learn from students and their approaches and experiences.
Talking about your experience as a student, if you could have the chance to go back in time there is something that you would like to change in your educational path?
I never studied photography. At least not in a formal way. I wish I had that opportunity. I think it is an amazing possibility and luxury to be focused solely on one's development.
Nowadays teaching photography seems a kind of trend, what do you think about the educational system? And how is changing in your opinion?
I know very little about this. My impression is that a lot of schools/universities are producing very formatted approaches and photographers that are great for the market, a bit less for photography.
Website
www.paolowoods.netPaolo's workshop at ISSP 2016: Tell me a story
