Delta Blues Workshop

The Delta Blues workshop offers a photographic journey through the heart of the Deep South, focusing on the Mississippi Delta. This region, nestled between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers, stretches from Memphis in the north to Vicksburg in the south.

During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to photograph some of the last authentic Juke Joints and visit sites where legendary blues musicians such as Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, and Sonny Boy Williamson once traveled.

The adventure begins in Memphis, Tenn., a city alive with legendary music studios, Juke Joints, and storied nightclubs. During our stay in Memphis we will visit one or more of the famous blues clubs located on Beale Street.

The following day we will travel to Clarksdale in Mississippi—a city famous for the Crossroads where the legendary blues man, Robert Johnson, claimed to have traded his soul to the Devil in return for mastery of the blues guitar. Clarksdale is both famous for its Juke Joints, and as the birthplace of many Blues icons, including Muddy Waters and Sam Cooke.

Using Clarksdale as our home base, we will explore the surrounding countryside, including small towns, bayous, cotton plantations, and, most importantly, the people who call this region home.

Towns and outlying areas that we may visit include Indianola, home to the Delta Blues Museum; Greenville, a city rich in history; and Greenwood, where filming for the movie "The Help" took place. While in Greenwood we will try to visit both the B.B. King museum and explore Baptist Town, one of the oldest African American neighborhoods, established in 1800.

Each evening, we will visit a different Juke Joint to photograph and listen to live music. We will have at least one session mid-workshop to view and discuss your images. After the workshop we will have a Zoom call to view and share your best images.