Fotografie Forum Frankfurt
Braubachstraße 30-32, 60311 Frankfurt am Main
close
Workshop
FRANCESCA HUMMLER“MINDFUL SELF-PORTRAITURE: OBJECTS, ARCHIVES, AND IDENTITY”
“MINDFUL SELF-PORTRAITURE: OBJECTS, ARCHIVES, AND IDENTITY”
Saturday, May 9/10, 2026, 10 am–5 pm
Subjects
Self-portrait, archive, family history, memory, mindfulness, mindful photography, self-expression, storytelling, identity
Workshop schedule
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Morning
Introduction to mindful photography and self-portraiture as a reflective practice (Jo Spence, Rosy Martin, and Marianne Hirsch)
- Presentation of the personal materials brought by the participants
Afternoon
- Exercise mapping personal histories and developing concepts for the self-portrait series
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Morning
- Practical photography exercise with individual guidance and feedback
Afternoon
- Editing session and group discussion
Preparation
Please bring a small selection of personal materials that will inform your photographic work. This could include objects of personal significance, clothing or costumes, and images from family photo albums or personal archives. These materials will serve as starting points for discussion and for developing self-portrait exercises during the workshop. No prior experience with self-portraiture is required.
Equipment
Camera or smartphone and Laptop or tablet for reviewing and editing images; simple tripod or stabilizing device if available.
Location
Fotografie Forum Frankfurt,
Braubachstraße 30–32, 60311 Frankfurt
Francesca Hummler: Das Badezimmer, 2021, from the series “Unsere Puppenstube” © Francesca Hummler
Language: German and English
Price members: 350 €
Price non members: 450 €
Number of participants: Min. 8 / max. 10 persons
Registration deadline: April 28, 2026
Duration: 2 days
This workshop explores self-portraiture as a reflective photographic practice grounded in mindfulness and personal history. Rather than focusing on technical perfection, participants use the camera as a tool for observation, presence, and inquiry. Through guided exercises, discussion, and image-making, the workshop invites participants to slow down and engage with photography as a process of looking inward as well as outward.
The approach is informed by artists and researchers such as Jo Spence and Rosy Martin, whose work in co-counselling and photo-therapy examined how photography can investigate identity, memory, and lived experience. It also draws on Marianne Hirsch’s concept of the family archive, which explores how photographs shape the narration of family histories across generations. While not therapeutic, the workshop is inspired by these methods and encourages attentive, thoughtful image-making.
In the workshop the participants will experiment with self-portraiture as a form of visual thinking, working with personal objects, costumes, or family photographs. Through exercises such as mapping personal histories and staging self-portraits, participants will create image sequences reflecting personal themes, memories, and relationships. The workshop offers new ways of approaching photography as a tool for reflection, storytelling, and self-expression.
Francesca Hummler: from the series “Kuckucksei”, 2021–23 © Francesca Hummler
Francesca Hummler (b. 1997) is a German-American visual artist, educator, and curator working with photography and based in San Diego, California. She holds a B.A. in Media Arts and a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of California San Diego and received an MA in Photography with distinction from the Royal College of Art in London in 2022, where her dissertation examined American identity through the lens of photographic healing.
Her artistic practice explores identity, family archives, and generational memory, drawing on her experience as the daughter of German immigrants in the United States. Influenced by the principles of photo-therapy developed by artists such as Jo Spence and Rosy Martin, her work frequently uses self-portraiture and collaborative portraiture to investigate personal histories and questions of belonging.
Hummler’s work has been exhibited internationally, including at Paris Photo, Photo Elysée in Lausanne, Les Photaumnales, and HANGAR Gallery. In 2022 she received the Young Talent Award from the Vonovia Award for Photography, and her work has been collected by the Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Türkiye.
Sign up here for workshop with Francesca Hummler:
Please note that for this event the access is limited and a previous registration is necessary.
After the submission of your data we will send you a confirmation by e-mail. This e-mail also includes the bank information for the transfer of the workshop fee. Your payment should reach our account fourteen days before the start of the workshop and is necessary for the participation. In the event of your absence without prior notice of at least 14 days we can unfortunately not refund the fee of the workshop.
With your registration you will confirm that you have read and understood the PRIVACY POLICY of Fotografie Forum Frankfurt.
Do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail at anmeldung@fffrankfurt.org or telephone at +49 (0) 69 291726 if you have any questions regarding workshop schedule, registration or payment.
Thank you for your registration. We will contact you shortly.
FOTOGRAFIE FORUM FRANKFURT
The Fotografie Forum Frankfurt (FFF) is one of the leading centres of photography in Europe. As an exhibition space, institution and event forum the FFF deals with all types and aspects of photography. Since its founding in 1984 it has presented more than 300 exhibitions with historic and contemporary artists. Additionally, the programme of the FFF comprises of regular workshops, talks and discussions with internationally renowned photographers, artists and experts.
