ART OF ABSTRACTION
CHICAGO
CHICAGO, ILLINIOS
We’re ready for you.
We want nothing more than for you to show up as yourself in your photography and in your life. We are excited to see what YOU bring to the table, and we’re standing by, ready to help you when you show up for your dreams.
Become the builder.
A workshop about clarity, abstraction, and the poetry of the built world. This is structure as feeling. As language. As invitation. Together, we’ll compose within contrast, sketch with shadow, and explore how precision and restraint can open up new ways of seeing. Chicago becomes your open-air studio—concrete and steel reimagined as line, rhythm, and mood.
Angles. Repetition. Pattern. We’ll train the eye to find musicality in geometry, to uncover tension within stillness, and to abstract the world into shapes that speak. This workshop asks you to unsee the obvious—to let go of labels, and begin to photograph what something feels like instead of what it is.
More than any other workshop, this is about refining your inner editor. You’ll practice restraint, precision, and deep intentionality—building images that are clean, curious, and alive with presence. What you choose to leave out becomes as powerful as what you leave in. Your compositions will begin to echo your own internal rhythm.
Yes, we’ll photograph architecture. But we’ll also photograph the pause between forms. The negative space. The quiet insistence of shadow. You’ll learn to break down what you see—and rebuild it into something entirely your own.
This is a workshop for those drawn to clarity, reduction, and the art of seeing structure as emotion. For those who believe abstraction is not about less—but about more of what matters.
Christine Clark
“PB Workshops are just what I need to re-center, refocus, and re-ignite that creative spark while honing my technical skills – all in an immersive, engaging, and “aha-moments” experience!"
“It is impossible to come to the end of a P/B workshop and not realize that you have grown in ways that you could never have imagined. Tony has a real gift for teach
Betty Giradeau
ART OF ABSTRACTION CHICAGO
Chicago, Illinois
June 7-12th 2026 / $3,500
You can too.
Check out what our students did in the last Art of Abstraction Workshop.
In the realm of photography, there are photographers, there are teachers, and then there is Tony—a remarkable blend of both. He intimately understands the intricacies of the craft, walking you through its highs and lows. He’s helped thousands of students discover their talents and succeed as photographers. Let Tony guide you where you need to go.
The A’s to your Q’s
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Our daily schedule is designed to maximize great light and photographic opportunities. We usually begin with a morning photo session on location, followed by a break for you to have a meal or work on your images. After that, we'll have a critique session, followed by an evening shoot. You'll have time to enjoy a leisurely dinner before getting some rest for the day ahead. Our schedule strikes a balance between keeping you busy and allowing enough downtime to rest your creative muscles.
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We want you to be able to choose the experience that resonates with you based on your preferences and budget, We will let you know where we will be staying and critiquing so you can select the same hotel or one nearby.
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Tuition covers six days of amazing hand-selected locations (for the utmost in photogenic beauty, of course) and daily critiques. It covers belly laughs, new friendships, top-notch instruction, and help one-on-one with Tony while photographing. And in Italy, one round of gelato.
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During our workshop, most of your time will be dedicated to on-location photography, critiques, and editing. There won't be much downtime for leisurely activities or relaxation with your partner as you would on a typical vacation.
If your partner is the independent and easygoing type who can entertain themselves throughout the day, purchasing an extra plane ticket for them might be a good idea. They can explore the local area or engage in their own activities while you focus on the workshop.
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So we strongly recommend getting travel insurance; it's always better to be safe than sorry. Check out our Terms of Service link below for details and recommendations.
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PB is for photographers who want to take amazing photographs, and we take this very seriously. Time spent on students' computer issues undermines the workshop experience for other participants, and we're just not cool with that. Please ensure all of your technology is up to date and in excellent working order before attending.
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A working laptop (with plenty of storage and a long-lasting battery and charger cable) with the LATEST version of Lightroom, your camera (in tip-top shape), and any lenses you love and that bring you joy, and some extra cards and batteries, and maybe some sunscreen (reef-safe of course!).