Join the workshop with Ian Willms - a Canadian visual artist, member of Panos Pictures, whose work has been published in National Geographic, The New York Times and TIME. His project The Hound was selected at Trieste Photo Days 2025 by Matt Black as the first confirmed exhibition of Trieste Photo Days 2026.
An exclusive opportunity to explore one of the most delicate aspects of documentary photography: how to approach a subject, gain their permission and build trust in a short amount of time, in both public and private settings.
A starting point will be "the pitch", a concept described by photographer Alec Soth as a quick explanation of who you are and what you are doing, aimed at earning a stranger's trust.
The workshop alternates a theory session with hands-on fieldwork, so participants can face real situations: approaching people, explaining what they are doing, handling unexpected interactions and making decisions while shooting.
Workshop Schedule
Location: Palazzo Gopcevich - Sala Didattica (1st floor)
Via Gioacchino Rossini, 4, 34121 Trieste TS (Google Maps)
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM
The workshop will be held in English.
Participants: maximum 15
Introductory Session - 10:00-11:30 AM
Ian Willms will present his work through images from The Hound, followed by a discussion with participants about their goals.
The session will cover how to talk to strangers and pursue your own vision when photographing in public, along with an overview of photojournalism and documentary photography through the work of photographers such as Mary Ellen Mark, Nan Goldin, W. Eugene Smith and Gordon Parks. It will also explore the differences between working as an outsider or an insider, and how to develop and communicate your artistic vision.
Shooting + Review - 12:00-5:00 PM
The second part of the day will be dedicated to an outdoor shooting session, followed, if possible, by a review and/or editing session.
Fieldwork will allow participants to put into practice what was covered in the introductory session and to engage with real situations: approaching people, explaining what they are doing, gaining permission and trust, handling unexpected interactions and making decisions while shooting. The goal is to build greater confidence in your approach and learn to move with more awareness outside your comfort zone.
Trieste Photo Days recommends.
Not from Trieste?
Write to info@triestephotodays.com and we will put you in contact with the best hotels in the city that reserve rooms specifically for the festival. You can book your room at a fixed price with guaranteed availability.
This way you do not have to think about anything – just enjoy your photography weekend.
What to Bring
Each participant should bring their own camera. It is also recommended to prepare a selection of photographs that best represents your identity as an author and the direction you wish to develop in your photographic research, preferably drawn from a long-term project or body of work.
Participation and Enrollment Fee
The workshop is aimed at photographers who feel comfortable with their camera and want to develop their approach and confidence in photographing people in public.
Workshop for a maximum of 15 participants.
The workshop is open to Exhibit Around Members and DOTLOGIC subscribers in good standing with their 2026 membership fees, who may take part by paying only the workshop enrollment fee.
Standard fee: 180 € (+20 € if not a member/subscriber)
Hurry, places are limited!
Register for the Workshop and Exhibit Around APS
Payment
- PayPal to paypal@exhibitaround.com or www.paypal.me/ExhibitAroundAPS (+20 €)
- Bank Transfer to Exhibit Around APS
IBAN: IT34P0306909606100000186758
BIC/SWIFT: BCITITMM
Bank: Banca Intesa - Milano, Piazza Ferrari 10, bank code: 55000
Reason for Payment: "Your Name + Workshop Willms" - Cash at the Exhibit Around APS office: via San Francesco 6, Trieste, Italy (by appointment: 040 372 0617)
Instructor: Ian Willms
Ian Willms (b. 1985) is a Canadian visual artist and a member of Panos Pictures, one of the world's leading documentary photography agencies. His long-term photographic projects tell stories of Indigenous sovereignty, ecological destruction, untold genocides, the psychological toll of the pandemic era and more. Ian has worked on assignment around the world, photographing geopolitical conflicts, cultural trends, social issues, natural disasters, organized crime and other subjects.
Ian's ancestors fled violent persecution in Ukraine before emigrating to Canada a century ago. The empathy that drives his work stems from his formative years growing up in a community with lived experiences of mental health challenges, addiction, homelessness, poverty, racism and gender-based oppression.
As a freelance contributor, Ian has worked with many of the world's leading media outlets, including National Geographic, The New York Times, TIME, GEO, New York Magazine and The Guardian Weekly. His work has received support and recognition from The Eugene Smith Fund, World Press Photo, Sony World Photography Awards, Pictures of the Year International, The Canada Council for the Arts and the Lange-Taylor Prize, and has been exhibited around the world.
