November 19-22 |  Starting at $1600

The Inner Room: Self-Portrait Intensive in New Orleans

Limited to 4 participants.

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The Inner Room is an intimate four-day self-portrait intensive led by photographer and filmmaker Brittany Markert. This workshop invites artists to explore self-portraiture as a form of psychological inquiry, performance, experimentation, catharsis and visual world-building.

Limited to four participants. One Scholarship position.

Through guided exercises, demonstrations, individual shooting sessions, group discussion, and one-on-one mentorship, participants will develop photographs shaped by an intentional relationship between the body, environment, light, and symbolic language. The focus is not on reproducing a particular aesthetic, but on helping each artist deepen their own visual language and create images that feel emotionally and conceptually authentic.

Although self-portraiture is often understood as a solitary practice, much of the intensive will be collaborative. Participants will work in rotating pairs, assisting one another with framing, focus, lighting, direction, and camera operation while each artist remains the author and director of their own image. These partnerships are designed to foster trust, communication, and a generous creative environment.

This inaugural edition of The Inner Room will take place November 19–22, 2026, at In Rooms Foundation in New Orleans.

What to Expect

Over four days, participants will be guided to deepen the connection to their body, inner world, artistic practice and camera. This intensive combines lectures, guided active imagination sessions, conceptual discussion, historic references, practical demonstrations, dedicated shooting time, collaborative support, and individualized mentorship.

All activities take place in the heart of the French Quarter at In Rooms studio, and on location at one of Brittany’s cherished places from In Rooms 

Group Review and Integration

Works in progress will be discussed through thoughtful group dialogue and individual feedback.

Together, we will consider the impact of the images, where their emotional and formal tension resides, and how individual photographs might develop into a sequence or continuing body of work. 

Conceptual and Technical Guidance

We will examine how space, light, objects, performance, clothing, movement, and symbolism can shape the psychological atmosphere of a self-portrait. Technique will be approached intentionally as a means of strengthening the image and your unique voice.

Creative Partnerships

The Inner Room is designed as a temporary creative community.

Participants should arrive prepared to experiment, communicate openly, respect personal boundaries, and contribute generously to the work of the group.

Dedicated Shooting and Individual Mentorship

Each participant will receive time to develop and photograph their own ideas, with one-on-one guidance from Brittany. Support may include concept development, composition, lighting, directing, technical problem-solving, and recognizing what an image needs in the moment.

*The Inner Room is built around consent, clear communication, and respect for personal boundaries.

Participants are invited to take creative risks while remaining responsible for their impact on the atmosphere.

Emotions, questions and vulnerability are encouraged and welcomed.

Tuition includes all instruction, production support, staff assistance, access to scheduled locations, 1:1 guidance with Brittany, and lunch each day.

Travel to and from New Orleans, accommodations, airport transportation, and meals outside the scheduled workshop sessions are not included. Participants are responsible for arranging and covering these expenses independently.

What Tuition Includes

  • Self-portraiture as a tool of psychological inquiry

  • Translating memory, dreams, and personal mythology into visual form.

  • Using the body, objects and environment to create meaning.

  • Working with interior space, clothing, objects, mirrors, in camera effects and symbolic elements to construct an image.

  • Balancing intentional direction with intuition, chance, and discovery.

  • Communicating a visual concept while working with a creative partner who assists with focus, framing, lighting, and camera operation.

  • Building trust, respecting boundaries, and supporting another artist’s vision without overtaking it.

  • Moving beyond the single self-portrait toward sequences, recurring symbols, and a cohesive body of work.

  • Developing a personal visual language that reveals more than outward appearance

  • Considering historical examples to shape our personal vision and understanding of the craft

Topics Covered

The Four Day Arc

Preliminary itinerary offering a sense of the workshop. A detailed schedule, including exact times and locations, will be shared with participants before arrival.

Thursday - 
Arrival and Intention

Early evening arrival, optional restorative yoga, and a welcome gathering at In Rooms. Participants will meet the group, become familiar with the space, and share the questions, interests, or intentions they are bringing into the intensive.

Friday -
Seeing and Constructing

Morning — Lecture and visual presentation exploring self-portraiture, personal symbolism, performance, and the psychological image. Participants will consider how their existing instincts, recurring imagery, and creative habits shape their work.

Afternoon — Following lunch, Brittany will lead a self-portrait demonstration, examining initial concept and location selection through light, objects, composition, and execution. Participants will then begin constructing their own photographs through independent shooting, and paired assistance, with individualized guidance throughout. 

Saturday -
Embodiment and Collaboration

Morning — Guided active imagination, concept development, and individual conversations with Brittany. Participants will deepen an emerging idea while considering the body, movement, environment, and atmosphere as expressive tools.

Afternoon — Participants will work in rotating creative partnerships on location (cemetery or historic swamp landscape). Each artist will direct their own photographs while their partner assists with framing, focus, lighting, movement, and camera operation. Brittany will circulate between pairs, offering creative and technical guidance.

Sunday -
Integration and Continuation

Morning — A final guided shooting period will allow participants to revisit an image, refine an emerging idea, or experiment with something newly discovered during the intensive. Each participant will also receive an individual review with Brittany.

Afternoon — Closing group conversation reflecting on the process, the visual language beginning to emerge, and how recurring symbols or approaches might develop into a sustained self-portrait practice. Any questions and reflections are welcome during this time.

Departure follows the closing session.

Locations

Next Steps

Questions? Email [email protected]