Recap: Vintage Optics Workshop in SoHo with Mark de Paola

During the weekend of Halloween, Mark de Paola hosted his second round of the vintage optics workshop here in New York City. Four students from around the country attended the event in hopes to learn more about not only classical types of lenses, but also the philosophy behind Wide Open Art, de Paola’s platform behind his thinking to “see differently.”

The first day began with introductions among all the students, de Paola’s enthusiasm about shooting wide open, and a preface to all the lenses being offered for use. Dozens of lenses were discussed, including but not limited to the Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f1 E58 Version 1, the Leitz Summar 5cm f2, and the Jupiter-3 50mm f1.5. All participants were able to write down their beginning thoughts about what lenses captivated their interests and would potentially want to try out in the street the following morning. 

The second day began with all the students meeting and taking to the sunny autumn streets of SoHo with their first choices of lenses. Participants could borrow a Leica M EV-1 if desired to assist in focusing the older glass. The workshop hosted a model for the students to help trial their lenses and to experiment with shooting wide open. Participants had the chance to capture photos of the model with direct guidance from de Paola, as well as during solo time to independently explore their creative vision. Following brunch, participants swapped their lenses and relocated with the model to a new setting, allowing fresh inspiration and creativity to flow. Following the testing, everyone wrote down their favorite lens to use for the final shoot of the last day. 

The third day began with one final shoot in Washington Square Park with the morning light. Each participant was given the opportunity of having an extensive private session with a model to help produce their remaining images with their favorite lens. After the shoot, de Paola and his producer, Sage Backstrom, sat and helped each student organize their best images from the workshop. To wrap up the workshop, everyone gathered for a group viewing of the participants’ final photographs, offering constructive feedback and sharing insights on each other’s work.

Overall, the workshop was an outstanding success here in New York City, leaving all participating photographers inspired and equipped with a deeper understanding of vintage optics and creative vision. We are tremendously excited about our ongoing partnership and continued collaboration between Mark de Paola and Camera West, and we look forward to hosting future workshops and creative events together!