Michael Seewald Elevates Photography Education with Exclusive Master Maker Program

For the discerning art enthusiast and aspiring creator, the journey to excellence is rarely solitary. It is marked by mentorship, critique, and the refinement of one’s craft under the guidance of seasoned masters. In the world of fine art photography, Michael Seewald stands as one of those rare figures whose expertise and passion transform the work of those he teaches.

Famous for traveling to seventy locations worldwide to take his powerful photographs and for award-winning exhibitions, like the Kunming, China exhibition sponsored by Audi, Michael is now offering his most personal learning experience to date the Master Maker program. It aims to offer one-on-one, customized training to artists who wish to develop their creative vision.

A Strategy for Facilitating Creative Growth

The Master Maker course provides students with a weekly fifteen-minute one-to-one critique via Zoom, where one or more images can be submitted for Michael's close scrutiny. There is also a one-hour group critique session each month, where artists learn from Michael's critique as well as from the other photographers.

This is the format that not only enables participants to acquire technical skill, it instills the intuitive eye that distinguishes great work from fine. Several of Michael's students have won highest honors, attributing their success to his fine-tuning of their photos and their encouragement to compete with him. For others, these wins have been career-changing.

The Seewald Philosophy of Art Creation

Michael reminds his students repeatedly that we don't want to merely take pictures, but create photographs. His "FunShops," dubbed by graduates, are designed with a deep grasp of composition, light, and visual storytelling. Students are taught the subtle but very powerful skills of controlled eye movement, advanced compositional methods, and the skill of creating photographs that will keep a viewer's eye longer than a moment.

These exercises are equally as useful to painters as they are to photographers. They address the fundamental issue of how to map a three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional plane and maintain depth, beauty, and emotional content.

Successful Past in the Competitive Photography Business

One of Michael's students is Kim Signoret-Paar, whose tale is legendary at Seewald workshops. Six months after completing his three-day workshop, Kim created a retro Romania photo employing the techniques that she had learned from Michael. It won a Best of Show award at the San Diego International Photo Competition, beating out 4,300 entries from across the globe. Years later, she won the same award in a remarkable coincidence.

Another Massachusetts alumnus, Michael Gotthelf, testified to the three-day workshop and called the experience "an unqualified yes" when queried about whether or not it was worth traveling for. These are not individual incidents, they are part of a long history of students making artistic breakthroughs under the guidance of Michael.

Interactive Three-Day Workshops at Iconic Venues

Though Master Maker is a continuous mentoring process, Michael still offers his legendary three day photography workshops in San Diego, Carmel, Napa, and Yosemite, among others. Every workshop is an in-depth, full range course of study covering both technical competence and compositional art.

Students leave with a Certificate of Completion, a sixteen-by-twenty-inch Seewald painting of their choice valued at $1,000, and a fresh perspective on their art. The workshops are similarly balanced between intense learning and a playful sense of friendship and creative play, with graduates often saying they are too fun to be workshops.

The New Seewald Gallery of Del Mar

Want to learn about Michael's world? The newly opened Seewald Gallery at Del Mar Plaza is an elegant setting to view his work in person. Wednesday to Sunday, noon to nine at night, the gallery offers a glimpse into his life as an artist, from the streets of European capitals to the peaceful Asian and American countryside. Individuals are encouraged to come by, view the collection, and talk about the art and the creative process.

Art for a Cause for Marine Families

Michael's artistic endeavor goes beyond exhibition and education. In his Bless a Marine Family endeavor, he directs the force of art towards acts of appreciation for the serving men and women. For a donation of $100, supporters can adopt a framed art piece worth $200, which is then donated to a Marine family deployed near Camp Pendleton.

Each donor receives a photograph of the Marine with the painting, and by doing so, creates a bond that makes the act of generosity a lasting gesture. It is a program that is a combination of gratitude, imagination, and community pride, symbolizing Michael's belief that art should enrich lives both aesthetically and emotionally.

Why Michael Seewald's Method Works

In a world where all it takes is a smartphone to take a picture, the distinction between fleeting snapshots and lasting works of art is purpose, craftsmanship, and vision. All three are nurtured by Michael Seewald's workshops. He teaches his students to take their time, to consider not just what they're photographing, but why, and to employ methods that give each element of the photo a purpose. The results speak for themselves in the accolades, exhibitions, and personal satisfaction of his students. More importantly, they speak in the quiet moments when a viewer pauses before a photograph, drawn in by its composition and compelled to linger. 

A Personal Invitation to Create 

Whether you are a novice artist looking to establish your own style or a seasoned photographer looking for a new perspective, Master Maker is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn from a master. Michael's instruction is as open-handed as it is detailed, the product of decades of real-world success and a deep passion for the work. As he is quick to remind us, great art is not happenstance but acquired skill through learning and application. For those who will take that next step, Michael Seewald stands ready to lead the way one critique, one observation, and one inspired image at a time.

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