Vashon photographer Ray Pfortner’s annual Shoot to Show class focuses on photography from many angles. Now in its 11th year, Shoot to Show is sponsored by Vashon Allied Arts and begins with four evening sessions plus two field shoots and ends with a juried photography show at The Hardware Store Restaurant on July 3.

Helping students understand what makes the best possible composition for each image taken is the workshop’s cynosure, with  special attention given to capturing a sense of place — from the broader, dramatic views down to the details. As in the past, this year the class will team up with the Vashon Maury Island Land Trust to photograph land trust properties in honor of the nonprofit’s 25th anniversary.

Tom Dean, director of the land trust, will meet with the class to identify specific properties. Pfortner said students then will pick two or three properties to photograph as a class assignment. The students will work as a group at two different places for the planned field shoots.

In a recent email, Pfortner wrote that the power of art can often turn things around. Early Shoot to Show classes photographed the Glacier property to showcase the land for Preserve Our Islands.

“I think we played a role in preserving (the Glacier property),” Pfortner said, “with our (photographs) of the beauty of the property in the landscape, marine life, flower and butterfly images.”

Other years, the class has photographed properties the land trust already owned. The images were used on the land trust’s website and calendars.

The workshop is open age 15 and up with any level of experience and any kind of digital camera. Each student will submit work to be adjudicated for the show. The judges this year will include Melinda Sontgerath of The Hardware Store Restaurant, Holly Houston, manager of Vashon Allied Arts’ artist-in-the-school program and — full disclosure — Juli Goetz Morser, arts editor at The Vashon Beachcomber. Pfortner said other judges may be added to the panel by the students.

“One year we had the White House photographer for President Clinton on the panel,” Pfortner said. “Another year we had a Seattle Times photographer jurying. Both were student suggestions.”

The workshop includes four Monday evening classes on March 30, April 6 and 20 and May 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. The two Saturday group field shoots are scheduled for sunrise on April 4 and sunset on May 2.

To register, see vashonalliedarts.org or call VAA at 463-5131. Scholarships are available.

Helping students understand what makes the best possible composition for each image taken is the workshop’s cynosure, with  special attention given to capturing a sense of place — from the broader, dramatic views down to the details. As in the past, this year the class will team up with the Vashon Maury Island Land Trust to photograph land trust properties in honor of the nonprofit’s 25th anniversary.

Tom Dean, director of the land trust, will meet with the class to identify specific properties. Pfortner said students then will pick two or three properties to photograph as a class assignment. The students will work as a group at two different places for the planned field shoots.

In a recent email, Pfortner wrote that the power of art can often turn things around. Early Shoot to Show classes photographed the Glacier property to showcase the land for Preserve Our Islands.

“I think we played a role in preserving (the Glacier property),” Pfortner said, “with our (photographs) of the beauty of the property in the landscape, marine life, flower and butterfly images.”

Other years, the class has photographed properties the land trust already owned. The images were used on the land trust’s website and calendars.

The workshop is open age 15 and up with any level of experience and any kind of digital camera. Each student will submit work to be adjudicated for the show. The judges this year will include Melinda Sontgerath of The Hardware Store Restaurant, Holly Houston, manager of Vashon Allied Arts’ artist-in-the-school program and — full disclosure — Juli Goetz Morser, arts editor at The Vashon Beachcomber. Pfortner said other judges may be added to the panel by the students.

“One year we had the White House photographer for President Clinton on the panel,” Pfortner said. “Another year we had a Seattle Times photographer jurying. Both were student suggestions.”

The workshop includes four Monday evening classes on March 30, April 6 and 20 and May 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. The two Saturday group field shoots are scheduled for sunrise on April 4 and sunset on May 2.

To register, see vashonalliedarts.org or call VAA at 463-5131. Scholarships are available.