HOw to MPW

“We’re photographing real people doing real things in real time. Don’t violate that. We really do believe that the best pictures happen in front of us if we’re paying attention. Your job is to be super alert and catch them.”
Torston Kjellstrand

“Enjoy the ride, whether the ride goes low or high”
Lynden Steele

"Do your research. We’re gonna grill you on: Who is this person? What are they doing on Tuesday night? What are they doing on Wednesday? On Thursday? Have you asked them their schedule? Do you have access? We just want to know how well you know them and how much you’ve talked to them."

Terra Fondriest

“Be patient. Wait for things to happen in front of them, observe before you shoot and be very deliberate.”

Bill Marr

"A ‘no,’ or a failure, is just a redirect. You have to get comfortable being told no. Whether that is just an idea you pitch that the faculty just aren’t sold on or whether it’s someone in the street you meet who doesn’t want to talk to you, a ‘no’ is just a redirect. It means something better is on its way, more viable, more worth your time. Find something that you’re going to be proud to take home."

Alyssa Goodman

“Embrace the workshop and learn from the fellow students and the faculty. Don’t take it away as ‘I’m not doing well’ or ‘someone is better than me.’ You do the best you can do at this workshop and absorb everything you learn from the other photographers and the faculty and hopefully you get something meaningful so you can implement it into your work.”

Kim Chapin

“This is a chance to hit the reset button a little bit and start thinking differently because we all have been kind of changed by the way technology has changed. It’s time to get back to the roots, to get back to the Missouri Method.”

Matt Campbell

Be good citizens. Imagine it’s your own town. Imagine you live here and you know people that live here. It doesn’t have to be a horror story. It can be a simple story about the struggles in people’s lives. You can be inspired by knowing that things happen in quiet ways if you're willing to look and watch and wait.

MaryAnne Golon

"IF YOU'RE LUCKY A GOOD STORY IS GONNA BE A COLLECTION OF SURPRISES. ONE SURPRISE IS GONNA TAKE YOU TO THE NEXT SURPRISE. WHAT WE TEACH HERE IS, HOW TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF TASTE ABOUT WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAS GOT TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT."

KIM KOMENICH

“It’s about the process, not the product. Learning how to do a story this way is more important than the story you’ll do. We want people to do their best, but the more important takeaway from this workshop is learning how to do the story. Instead of doing it once, you learn how to do it for the rest of your career.”

Greg Kendall-Ball

"It’s not a competition. Every photographer is here for their own personal reason, wanting to grow, be better, have new experiences, don’t worry about what anybody else is doing or about anybody else’s story or what you think anyone else is doing. You should focus on making your ideas something you care about that your faculty can work with you to help take you to the next level of photography. "

Melissa Farlow

“EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE LOTS OF INTERESTING PEOPLE OUT THERE, IT'S NOT ALWAYS A GOOD VISUAL STORY. THE THING WE TURN DOWN THE MOST IS THE STORY THAT'S NOT REALLY A STORY."

GABRIELLE LURIE

What makes a good pitch?

“One simple declarative sentence.”

Randy Olson

“Don’t come to the table with just one pitch. You should preferably have three. Get out of your car and start walking around the town. Just ask questions, ask people what’s going on.”

Jennifer Mosbrucker

“The story is how you make people care about the big idea. Make the universal personal.”

Sarah Leen

A behind the scenes moment of how this issue’s cover photo was made.

Alix Queen | MPW.78, Maryville

What Moo-ves You?

Thank you so much to our longtime sponsor, Canon!

Canon provides gear for our photographers throughout the week and printers for our annual exhibition. Their continued support makes MPW possible!

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