A New 2026 Vernon Chalmers Photographic Short Course with Focus on Existential Photography, Philosophy and Motivation
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| 'Navigating the Colour of Being' |
The primary goal is on the individual photographer's cognitive photographic development, emotions, perception, genres and personal growth, not equipment.
Facilitated by Vernon Chalmers Photography on an one-on-one basis irrespective of the delegate's experience or camera equipment. The course will be facilitated on two different pedagogic levels: Developing Photographer and Advanced Photographic Thinker. Course Overview: This immersive course invites delegates to explore the symbolic and emotional dimensions of colour through the lens of existential photography. Rooted in philosophical inquiry, motivational principles and visual storytelling, 'Navigating the Colour of Being' blends contemporary photography with reflective practice - guiding delegates to see colour not merely as aesthetic, but as a metaphor for the human condition.
Course Concept:
- Colour as Ontological Metaphor: Colour is treated not just as a visual element but as a metaphor for the layered nature of being and the fluidity of identity.
- Existential Resonance: The course invites delegates to apply photography as a tool for navigating and reflection of inner landscapes.
- Symbolic Navigation: Delegates own visual motifs will be guidance to the philosophical, emotional and motivational terrain of existence.
Learning Essence:
- The Course explores contemporary photography theory and application as a lived experience.
- Delegates Engage with image making not only through image presentation, but with existential and motivational principles for each delegate to explore his / her own phenomenology of image making.
- Motivational depth emerges not from aesthetic perfection, but from authenticity. This aligns with the broader intrinsic drive to foster self-awareness and existential experimentation through photography as art.
- Visual Reflection with each delegate's own image selection and personal assessment to guide future photographic purpose and personal growth opportunities.
"Vernon Chalmers’s course and training concept of 'Navigating the Colour of Being' offers a profound Synthesis of Art, Philosophy, and Pedagogy.
The relationship between art, photography, and philosophy has long invited deep reflection on the meaning of existence and the ways in which human beings engage with the world. Among contemporary photographers and educators in South Africa, Vernon Chalmers has emerged as a figure whose work integrates the technical mastery of digital photography with a profound philosophical sensibility.
His practice goes beyond image-making to probe the existential conditions of being, drawing connections between the visible world and the inner dimensions of human experience. The notion of “Navigating the Colour of Being” captures this duality: it reflects both the chromatic richness of photography and the metaphorical navigation of human existence through its many hues, moods, and complexities.
Rooted in the chromatic richness of photography, it extends into the existential navigation of life itself. Colour here functions not only as aesthetic quality but also as metaphor for the multiplicity of existence, the shifting moods of being, and the choices that shape human freedom.
By navigating the colour of being, Chalmers illuminates not only the visible hues of the world but also the invisible depths of human existence. His work invites us all to see more deeply, to live more authentically, and to embrace the infinite palette of life itself."
Contact Vernon Chalmers for more information.
Source / Reference
The relationship between art, photography, and philosophy has long invited deep reflection on the meaning of existence and the ways in which human beings engage with the world. Among contemporary photographers and educators in South Africa, Vernon Chalmers has emerged as a figure whose work integrates the technical mastery of digital photography with a profound philosophical sensibility.
His practice goes beyond image-making to probe the existential conditions of being, drawing connections between the visible world and the inner dimensions of human experience. The notion of “Navigating the Colour of Being” captures this duality: it reflects both the chromatic richness of photography and the metaphorical navigation of human existence through its many hues, moods, and complexities.
Rooted in the chromatic richness of photography, it extends into the existential navigation of life itself. Colour here functions not only as aesthetic quality but also as metaphor for the multiplicity of existence, the shifting moods of being, and the choices that shape human freedom.
By navigating the colour of being, Chalmers illuminates not only the visible hues of the world but also the invisible depths of human existence. His work invites us all to see more deeply, to live more authentically, and to embrace the infinite palette of life itself."
Existing Canon EOS / Photography Private Training
Contact Vernon Chalmers for more information.
Source / Reference