Photography Wide Open

About the Event

Presented by Fotophase and Wide Open Art, Photography Wide Open is a participatory program exploring how the aesthetic experience of making photographs may influence perception and wellbeing.

World renowned artist Mark de Paola will introduce Photography Wide Open, his distinctive approach to working at the widest aperture and, at times, without looking through the viewfinder. Through conversation and guided photographic exercises, participants will be invited to engage more deliberately with their surroundings and discover what becomes visible when instinct begins to guide the image-making process.

Dr. Alessia de Paola, a psychiatrist whose work bridges art and science, will offer insight into how the brain processes visual information and how sustained attention shapes the experience of observing and creating an image.

By bringing artistic practice into conversation with scientific inquiry, the program invites participants to experience photography as a form of active seeing and consider its potential to support reflection and wellbeing. No prior photographic experience is required.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a camera and SD card for a guided photographic practical exercise.

About the Organizers

Fotophase is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops artist-led photography programs informed by neuroarts research. Participants are guided through the process of making photographs and reflecting on what they notice. Fotophase uses these experiences to explore how photography may support wellbeing and to build a stronger evidence base for its role within arts and health.

Wide Open Art is a platform for artist-led experiences and creative collaboration founded by the team behind dePAOLA
Pictures. Rooted in Mark de Paola’s philosophy of working “wide open,” WOA collaborates with established photographers and filmmakers whose practices expand the possibilities of visual storytelling. Its programs create opportunities for participants to engage directly with artists, develop an authentic creative voice and experience new ways of seeing. Fotophase is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization