A photograph can hold a moment. A poem can give that moment a voice. In this experiential course, we’ll explore what happens when photography and poetry begin to speak to one another. Using our own photographs as starting points, we’ll experiment with haiku and other short poetic forms—not simply describing what the camera has captured, but listening for the feelings, memories, questions, and unexpected associations an image might evoke. Along the way, we’ll practice slowing down, paying attention, and discovering how both photographer and poet can find the extraordinary within the ordinary.

During this five-week experiential course, participants will create original photographs and short-form poems and explore ways of bringing image and language together into something neither could quite accomplish alone. Through photographic exercises, simple writing prompts, shared looking, and supportive conversation, we’ll experiment with observation, metaphor, juxtaposition, silence, and surprise. No previous experience with poetry is necessary, and you certainly don’t need to think of yourself as a poet. Bring a camera—or your phone—a notebook, and a willingness to look closely, play with words, and discover what can happen when light becomes language and words become images.