Bringing Your Photography Project to Publication: A Masterclass with Mary Virginia Swanson

Date  | Saturday–Sunday, November 7–8, 2026

(8 participants must be registered by October 7, 2026 in order to run the workshop)

Time  |  Public Lecture Friday evening 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

• 3844 York St Denver, CO 80205

(the lecture is required for those taking the class)

Workshop Saturday–Sunday, 10 AM – 5:30 PM

Instructor  |   Mary Virginia Swanson

Location |  Colorado Photographic Arts Center

1200 Lincoln Street, Suite 111, Denver, CO, 80203

Cost  |  $765 Member and $850 Non-Member

Skill Level  | Intermediate to Advanced

CPAC adheres to a strict payment, cancellation, and refund policy. Special Guest Workshops follow this refund policy instead of CPAC’s General Refund and Withdrawal Policy.

Refund Deadlines

• 61 calendar days or more before the workshop start date: A refund will be issued, minus a $75 administrative fee.
• 31–60 calendar days before the workshop start date: CPAC will retain 50% of the applicable workshop fee. The remaining amount will be refunded.
• 30 calendar days or less before the workshop start date: No refund will be issued.

All Special Guest Workshop refund requests must be submitted by email to edu@cpacphoto.org.

Objective:

Gain a clearer path for bringing your photography project into book form. In this intensive workshop, students will explore the current landscape of photobook publishing and self-publishing while receiving direct feedback on their projects, practical guidance on next steps, and a deeper understanding of how audience, sequencing, design, and production decisions shape a successful publication.

Course Description:

This two-day workshop is designed for photographers who are actively considering how to bring a body of work into publication. Through lectures, case studies, discussion, and project review, Mary Virginia Swanson will help participants better understand the many decisions involved in moving from photographic project to finished book.

Topics will include the differences between pursuing a traditional publisher and self-publishing, how to research publishers and opportunities, how to think about audience, and how sequencing, design, structure, and materials can support the content of the work. The workshop will also address practical aspects of photobook production, including grants, dummy awards, fundraising, contracts, marketing, and distribution.

Participants will have the opportunity to share their own projects with the group and engage in focused dialogue around where the work stands now and what the next steps toward publication might be. Students should come prepared with a body of work already underway, as this workshop is intended for photographers who are ready to think seriously about how a project might function in book form.

Students will leave with a stronger understanding of the publishing process, a clearer sense of audience and direction, and more confidence about the path forward for their project.

Instructor Bio:
Mary Virginia Swanson is an author, educator, and advisor who has spent her career helping lens-based artists identify the strengths in their work, understand their audiences, and present projects in a professional and timely manner. She is the co-author, with Darius D. Himes, of Publish Your Photography Book, first released in 2011 and updated in a third edition by Radius Books in 2023. She is an active member of the contemporary photobook community and regularly serves as a portfolio reviewer, juror, and workshop instructor focused on helping artists bring projects to publication.

Materials Needed:

• Work prints no larger than 8 x 10 and/or
• A PDF for digital projection
• At least 20 images you plan to include in your publication
• A notebook for taking notes

Additional Notes:

This workshop is best suited for photographers who are building a body of work they anticipate bringing to the book form upon completion. Participants should arrive ready to share work, ask questions, and engage in discussion about both creative and practical approaches to publishing.