The Color of Winter with Tillman Crane
Join master photographer and platinum palladium printer Tillman Crane for an intimate four-day winter workshop that celebrates stark beauty and subtle color palette of the Maine winter landscape.
Tillman Crane
With over three decades of teaching experience and a deep connection to his home state, Tillman brings both technical mastery and a poetic eye to the classroom and field.
This workshop includes two full shooting days, two half shooting days, and daily classroom time for group critique and creative development, all designed to help you see more deeply—and photograph more intentionally.
Students will benefit from Tillman’s deep knowledge of the region and years of experience photographing its most beautiful winter landscapes.
You’ll be guided to a curated selection of beautiful, off-the-beaten-path locations across Midcoast Maine—frozen harbors, snow-covered woods, forested paths, iconic lighthouses and historic coastal villages—each offering striking opportunities to create winter imagery that goes well beyond the postcard.
One morning will be spent photographing the vibrant spectacle of the National Toboggan Championships in nearby Camden, a playful and visually rich experience unique to Maine where color, energy and motion collide with the hush of snow and pine.
Students will also be welcomed into Tillman’s home studio for a platinum palladium printing demonstration—a rare behind-the-scenes look at the process that has defined much of his fine art career. (Please note: this is not an alternative process workshop; students are encouraged to use digital cameras so images can be reviewed and discussed each day in class.)
Whether you're new to photographing in snow or eager to explore the subtle color and serenity of winter, this is a rare opportunity to deepen your craft with a gifted teacher, supportive peers, and the wild beauty of Maine as your subject.
LIMITED TO: 8 PARTICIPANTS
DATE: Thursday, February 5, 9:00am to Sunday, February 8, 3:30pm, 2026
TUITION: This program is $2,795 per person and includes tuition, workshop materials, gear loaners, daily refreshments and some group meals.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Hands-on instruction with Tillman Crane
Two full and two half days of location shoots
Daily classroom sessions with group conversation and critique
A studio visit and platinum palladium printing demonstration
One group dinner, and working lunches and refreshments on classroom days
Lodging is not included, but we’ll provide recommendations for lovely nearby inns. Transportation to each location will be coordinated on-site, and carpooling will be encouraged for those less confident in winter driving conditions.
NOT INCLUDED: ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL: Travel to and from Maine and accommodation are NOT included but wonderful nearby recommendations can be made. Food & beverage outside of shared meals noted in the itinerary, miscellaneous expenses, equipment, and insurance are not included. Because of our rural setting we do recommend you have a car for the duration of the workshop.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to renew your spirit, connect with nature and spark your creativity while enjoying the beauty of Maine in the winter.
WHERE: Blenheim Park, Bremen, Maine. Approximately 1hr north of Portland Maine, 3hrs north of Boston and 7 minutes drive from downtown Damariscotta.
QUESTIONS? EMAIL WORKSHOP PRODUCER KERRY PAYNE STAILEY
BLENHEIM PARK MAINE
OUR BEAUTIFUL LAKESIDE SETTING:
The workshop will be held in beautiful Midcoast Maine at Blenheim Park set on 16 landscaped, lakefront acres. It’s located about 1 hour north of Portland, Maine and about 7 miles from the charming town of Damariscotta.
In addition to an inspiring workshop with likeminded artists, our lakeside setting will do wonders for your spirit too. We’ll sprinkle in activities to help make this not only a wonderful time to advance your artistic vision, but a great opportunity for you to ‘reset’ from the daily grind, while building lifelong connections with other artists who share your interest in creating this type of work. Blenheim Park is home to Maine’s largest cherry orchard, cherry blossoms, lawns, woods, and manicured gardens.
GETTING HERE
Three airports serve the Midcoast region:
Portland International Jetport (PWM) – ~60 miles / 1 hr 15 min. The best selection of flights.
Bangor International Airport (BGR) – ~81 miles / 2 hours. Served by Delta, US Airways, and Allegiant.
Knox County Regional Airport (RKD) – ~27 miles / 40 minutes. Daily Cape Air flights from Boston (BOS) on Cessna C402 aircraft. Note: luggage is limited to one 50-lb checked bag, one carry-on, and a personal item.
Rental cars are available at all airports (RKD has Budget only). Participants will carpool to field locations.
Terrain & Walking
Most walks are short and on easy terrain, though a few outings may include up to a ½-mile walk.
We recommend insulated, waterproof boots suitable for snow and occasional ice.
Weather
Winter on the Maine coast is softened slightly by the ocean, but it’s still winter:
Highs: 30º–45ºF
Lows: 10º–30ºF
Conditions: Sun, clouds, overcast skies, or snow
Wind: Gentle breezes are typical; gusts can reach 20–25 mph
Please come prepared for variable weather.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR, TILLMAN CRANE
“Great photographs can be made in ordinary places. My photographs are always about the elusive qualities of light. Regardless of the subject – stone, tree, building, machine, or object – it is the light that I am really trying to capture. I can be fascinated by an object and try to photograph it, but if the light is not right, the image doesn’t work. My job as a teacher is to help you find how you relate to what you are photographing, to find the light that makes your images work the way you want them to, to help you create images that tell your viewers how you feel about the environment you are working in. I want to help you find your vision, not copy some one else’s vision. It doesn’t matter what camera you have in your hands, it is what is going on between your ears that is important.”
Tillman Crane, an award winning photojournalist in East Tennessee, began his teaching career in 1988 at the Maine Photographic Workshops. As Resident Faculty he taught over 60 one and two week workshops as well as teaching in the year round Resident Program. He earned his MFA from the University of Delaware in 1990 while teaching at the Workshops. In 1996 he began the photography program at the Waterford School in Sandy Utah. In 2001 he and his family returned to Maine where he founded Tillman Crane Photography where he produces exhibition quality platinum prints, teaches his own workshops and has published four books of his work.
Tillman worked with large format cameras and recently has embraced the digital world. He now works in both the analogue and digital world, producing beautiful platinum prints from both analogue and digital capture.
He has taught workshops in Mexico, Scotland, England, Canada, China, and Japan as well as over 100 workshops in the USA. He has taught for Maine Media Workshops, Santa Fe Workshops, Visionary Wild, Peters Valley School of Craft, Coupeville Art Center, and Inversnaid Photography Center, and in 2026, we’re delighted to welcome him to Blenheim Park Maine!
Kerry Payne Stailey
A NOTE FROM YOUR HOST, KERRY PAYNE STAILEY: “I’m thrilled to welcome Tillman Crane to our teaching roster and cannot wait to be a part of the magic that is made during your week with him. To have this estate filled with photographers sharpening their artistry and enjoying the beauty of Maine in the winter is a dream come true.”
Kerry is an Australian born, Maine based photographer and educator whose work has been published widely and exhibited internationally. She has studied photography, documentary film making and writing at the International Center of Photography, School of Visual Arts and New York University, and she has consulted to many highly respected photographers and photo educators in the course of her career. Now based in Maine, she, along with her husband Justin, owns and operates Blenheim Park Maine.
CANCELLATION and WITHDRAWAL: If you are unable to attend the following cancellation policy applies:
Withdraw 45 days or more prior to the start of your workshop and we will refund all payments made, less processing fees paid to online service providers.
Withdraw less than 45 days, but more than 30 days prior to the start of your workshop and we will refund 50% of your workshop tuition.
Withdraw 30 days or less prior to the start of your workshop, we cannot offer a refund, however you may transfer your place in the program.