Hauser & Wirth Collaboration:
Annie Leibovitz Workshop
Portraiture is a foundational skill in photography. Learning portraiture teaches young artists to observe closely, build trust, and tell authentic stories—skills that go beyond photography. At NYC Salt, we utilize portraiture to empower students to represent their communities, develop professional skills, and connect more deeply with themselves and others.
No one understands the power of portraiture quite like renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, whose intimate and deeply personal images of cultural icons have shaped the visual language of American identity. In November 2024, through our landmark collaboration with Hauser & Wirth Gallery, Annie Leibovitz led a workshop for our high school residency students during her exhibition, Stream of Consciousness.
In this rare opportunity, Annie spoke directly with our students about the art of portraiture—sharing how she builds trust with her subjects to create compelling visual narratives. Her workshop assignment was simple, yet deceptively challenging:
“Photograph someone who puts up with you,” she said. “If you can take a great picture of someone you know, you can take a great picture of anyone.”
Portraiture lies at the heart of all photography. It requires trust, patience, and an ability to see beyond the surface. Learning from Annie Leibovitz was both an inspiration and a catalyst—laying the foundation for a year-long focus on portraiture. Students produced powerful images of their families, classmates, and even themselves — photographs that reflect not just what our students see, but what they feel and understand about their subjects.
A Year of Portraiture: The Student Work
Through the Fall, students took Annie’s assignment to heart, creating portraits of people close to them as the first step in their journey. Through the Winter and Spring, in the Salt photo studio, we built on this foundation by having students continue to photograph those they knew intimately, create self-portraits, and make portraits of each other. Portraiture is essential throughout all types of photography — students build trust, observe and capture subtle emotions, and communicate authentically through their images. Working with familiar subjects allows students to move past technical concerns and focus on capturing genuine moments and feelings. The impact is profound: students develop empathy and visual sensitivity, gain confidence in directing and collaborating with subjects, and begin seeing photography as a tool for understanding and expressing their own stories. This teaching methodology lays the groundwork for powerful portraiture while helping young artists discover their unique voice and vision.
Learning from Annie Leibovitz was truly inspiring and set the tone for the rest of the program. Adam Chinitz, our Studio Program Director, built on this foundation by guiding students through advanced lighting techniques, both in the studio and on location. Thanks to a generous donation from Nanlite, students had access to professional-grade lighting equipment, empowering them to experiment and create with confidence and creativity. The combination of Annie’s wisdom, Adam’s technical mentorship, and hands-on access to industry-standard tools enabled our students to produce portraiture that was both technically accomplished and emotionally powerful—work that reflected not just what they saw, but what they felt and understood about their subjects.
