A portrait photography workshop Critical Encounters with Laura Liverani
- i-comcul
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
Co-hosted by Sophia University Department of English Studies and the Institute of Comparative Culture
Date and Time:
December 6, 10:00 – 16:00 (with breaks for lunch and coffee)
Venue:
L-911, 9F, Sophia Library
Format:
In person only
Eligibility:
Students, faculty, and staff of Sophia University.
Participants must watch the documentary film "Ainu Neo An Ainu," which will be screened on December 5th.
Register from here: https://forms.gle/8GoGzmgPFv1YcjUV8
Registration deadline:
November 15, 2025
Contact: wadhwamegha@sophia.ac.jp
The photographic portrait studio serves as a space of encounter, exchange, and performance of individual and social identities. The outcome of this performative exchange oscillates between the sitter’s self-representation and the photographer's projected gaze, either reinforcing stereotypes or expressing unconventional ideas about the self and other.
This workshop, led by documentary photographer and filmmaker Laura Liverani, explores personal and social identity through photographic portraiture, drawing inspiration from vernacular photo studio practices. Liverani will share her hand-on experience working with diverse communities, in Japan and elsewhere.
The workshop timeline includes:
- Overview of historical and contemporary portrait photography practices
- Modes of representation: signifiers and codes in the photographic portrait
- Basic photography techniques: lighting, framing, exposure
-Practical exercise: setting up a makeshift photo studio for participants to take collaborative photo portraits of each other.
Laura Liverani is a documentary photographer, filmmaker, and university lecturer. Her work has been shown in museums, galleries, and festivals, including the Singapore International Photography Festival and Tokyo Photographic Arts Museum. She published in international media, such as Marie Claire, The Guardian, Washington Post. She collaborates with museums and universities on visual research projects, such as Politecnico di Milano and University of Tokyo. She lectures internationally and has led workshops at institutions like National College of Art Dublin and HSD Düsseldorf. Laura is a member of the international photojournalism agency Prospekt.
This workshop is organized by Megha Wadhwa and John Williams (Professors, DES, Sophia University/Member of ICC, Sophia University).
