William Albert Allard and the Stampede Workshop Experience

William Albert Allard is one of few photographers of his generation whose entire body of work is in colour. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to a Swedish immigrant, he studied at the Minneapolis School of Fine Arts and the University of Minnesota. His career began with an internship with National Geographic in 1964, which was the start of over fifty years of work with the publication. He is a photographer of people and has worked and been published around the world.

Allard and Colour

Allard is widely considered a pioneer of colour photography, having shot in colour since the start of his career. In 1967, he was photographing in the French Basque region when he captured a photo of two girls running home at twilight. “ a picture spoke to me in a way that made me feel that I knew what I was doing and that I was actually exploring color.”

His images have a refined beautiful quality to them that combines a skilled eye, a painterly influence, and an innate ability to frame a moment meticulously.

Contributions and Publications

Throughout more than five decades, Allard has contributed to over forty National Geographic articles and books as a photographer and writer, including articles such as “Rodeos: Behind the Chutes” and “India’s Untouchables.” He is a former Magnum contributor and has published seven highly acclaimed books. His most recent, Paris: Eye of the Flâneur, is a beautiful, intimate exploration of Paris over thirty-one years, framing the City of Light and demonst mastery of colour.

Portraits of America spans almost forty years, showing the diversity of America and those communities that are sometimes overlooked. It highlights some of his best work over the duration of his career, demonstrating his remarkably perceptive eye and talent for photographing people.

His first book, Vanishing Breed, is an exploration of the American West, diving into the hardships, loneliness, and livelihood of the American cowboy. It was called a “classic” by the Associated Press and nominated for an American Book Award in 1982.

Now, we are thrilled and honoured to have him bring his years of expertise, journalism, and experience with the western lifestyle to our Calgary Stampede Workshop.

At the Stampede Workshop

Allard will be giving valued instruction and insights over the three-part workshop July 11-13, 2018. The first evening will be a presentation and information session. The next day, students will spend a full day on the Stampede grounds, working with Allard to hone their creative vision to capture the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Students will have the opportunity to shoot on the grounds and midway, with select special access to the rodeo and chuckwagon races. The following day, there will be a critique session, where students will sit down with Allard and their classmates to review images from the event. In addition, Sony will provide every student with a new A7 Mark III and FE 24-105mm f/4G OSS lens to use. The Sony team will also be on-site with additional lenses and support.