ANDREW PIELAGE WAS ALL SMILES AS WE BEGAN SESSION 1 OF HIS WORKSHOP ON THE AFTERNOON OF FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026.

Doing the Wright Thing —  A Taliesin West Photography Workshop


Prologue…


I was introduced to photographer Andrew Pielage during my first visit to Taliesin West on October 23, 2022.  His exhibit entitled “Sacred Spaces” was on display in the dining room, and I was immediately drawn to the beauty, talent, and insights of his work.  I became a member of The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and, through their newsletters and emails, became aware that Andrew Pielage had an ongoing endeavor to photograph all of the Wright structures that remain standing, called the “500FLLW PROJECT”.  I also learned that Andrew Pielage conducted workshops, often held at iconic FLLW venues.  So, while I began to think about attending one of his workshops,  I had also began working on my photography skills and shooting RAW with my Nikon D500.  I also started to acquire some good lenses that would be appropriate to use in photograping architechture.  Truth be told, when I first learned of Andrew Pielage and his workshops, I did not posess the experience required to enroll in any of his intermediate workshops.  Fast forward to 2025, and I finally got the nerve to sign up for his Taliesin Weekend Workshop Scheduled for December 5-7, 2025.  Unfortunately, I had to cancel that workshop due to illness, but Wes Ford of Taliesin West and Andrew allowed me to transfer my registration to the workshop scheduled for February 6-8, 2026.  I was quite excited to be able to experience Taliesin West in a workshop environment, and began to make sure I had all of the equipment I needed for the event.  So, early on the morning of February 5, 2026.  I left McQueeney and headed for Phoenix.


Photography Workshop Day One, Friday, February 6, 2026…


After spending the night near Tucson, I headed for Taliesin West.  The workshop included a complimentary Audio Tour of Taliesin West, so, when I arrived at the campus a little after 11:00 a.m., I presented my voucher and set out on the tour.  It was a picture perfect day as I joined a throng of visitors who were also taking tours that afternoon.  I took my time, and enjoyed  getting reacquainted with the “Historic Core” of  Taliesin West.   

I WAS ABLE TO DOWNLOAD An AUDIO TOUR APP AND USE MY OWN HEADPHONES. HERE I AM, DURING MY TOUR.
THERE WERE QUITE A FEW PATRONS AT TALIESIN WEST THAT AFTERNOON, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE I TOOK IN THE MAIN DRAFTING STUDIO.

After my leisurely audio tour, I met up with Wes Ford in the Entry Court. Wes is the Events and Hospitality Coordinator at Taliesin West, and he got me checked into my room.  I would be staying at the Crescent, designed by Wes Peters, who was a key apprentice to FLLW and later, after Wright’s death, chief architect for Taliesin Associated Architects.  The Crescent is a curved structure that hugs a hillside and is a short (5 minute) walk from the Entry Court, but can’t be seen from ground level of the Historic Core.  The Crescent consists of five self-contained apartments, arranged along a curved arc, providing private views and direct access to the outdoors.  I was assigned to Unit #4, and found it to be quite spacious, comfortable, and inviting —  consisting of a large living area, bedroom area, kitchen, and bathroom.  

THE CRESCENT IS SET INTO A HILLSIDE AND FEATURES TWO CANTILEVERED PROWS AT EACH END OF THE STRUCTURE. NOTE THE DOUBLE ROOF DESIGN, INSPIRED BY THE ROOF ANGLES ON FLLW'S ORIGINAL DRAFTING STUDIO AND OFFICE.
THE ENTRY DOOR TO CRESCENT #4, WHERE I STAYED DURING MY VISIT TO TALIESIN WEST.
I TOOK THIS PHOTO FROM THE KITCHEN. THE BEDROOM WAS DIVIDED FROM THE LIVING ROOM WITH AN ORNATE WOODEN SCREEN.
A BREEZEWAY WITH DUELING FIREPLACES IS FOUND IN THE CENTER OF THE CRESCENT.
EACH UNIT HAS A PRIVATE WALLED COURTYARD IN BACK. THIS PHOTO SHOWS THE COURTYARD FOR MY UNIT, #4.

Our First Classroom Session


After getting settled into my accommodations for the weekend, I headed back to the Entry Court, carrying my camera gear (including my laptop), where I, and my other five classmates, met up with Andrew Pielage.  Andrew escorted us to the conference room where we would meet for each of our sessions.  This conference room was located off the Breezeway and and looked out on the Water Garden.  Over the next hour and 45 minutes, Andrew went over our agenda for the weekend and gave us some history relating to FLLW and Taliesin West.  His presentation that afternoon also included the basics of Wright’s organic architecture, a little history about the desert shelters at Taliesin West, and an introduction to matters to consider when composing a photograph.   

THE CONFERENCE ROOM WHERE WE MET EACH DAY WAS A PERFECT ROOM FOR OUR PURPOSES, WITH AN INSPIRING VIEW.
SOME OF MY WORKSHOP PARAPERNALIA: A COUPLE OF ANDREW'S HANDOUTS, MY VISITOR PASS, AND MY PARKING STICKER.

Our First Photo Shoot — The Desert Shelters & Sunset at Taliesin West


After our introductory classroom session, we headed out to explore and photograph some of the desert shelters constructed by FLLW’s apprentices over the years.  In the early years, when an apprentice first arrived at Taliesin West, he or she was issued a ten-foot-by ten-foot sheepherders tent which would serve as his shelter.  Not content just to erect the plain white tent, a tradition soon developed whereby the apprentices would construct bases that came to be more and more eleaborate over time.  Some of the shelters were quite simple and functional, while others were wildly artistic and whimsical.  One of the primary reasons I wanted to attend this workshop was the rare opportunity to visit and photograph these amazing structures.  It was a magical evening for this old man!  We stayed out in the desert behind the Taliesin West Historic Core as the sun set — it was quite beautiful!  Andrew put lights in a couple of the shelters, so we also had an opportunity to try our hand at some nighttime photography.  Below are a few of my photographs from that lovely afternoon and evening.  For a more complete gallery of photos of the desert shelters at Taliesin West, look here.  

THIS UNNAMED DESERT SHELTER WAS THE EPITOMY OF SIMPLICITY-- THE TENT APPRENTICES WERE ISSUED WOULD SIT RIGHT ON TOP OF THE LOW WALLS AND BASE.
ONE OF THE MORE NOTABLE DESERT SHELTERS IS "THE HANGING TENT", A STEEL CANTILEVERED STRUCTURE DESIGNED BY FATIMA ELMALIMPINAR THAT SUSPENDS A TRADITIONAL SHEPERD'S TENT EIGHT FEET OFF OF THE GROUND, BUILT IN 2001.
THIS SHELTER FEATURED RAMMED EARTH WALLS, A FABRIC ROOF, AND A FIREPLACE. IT WAS NAMED "BRITTLEBUSH".
STANDING BY THE DESERT SHELTER CALLED "LOTUS" DESIGNED BY KAMAL AMIN AND BUILT IN 1963.
ATTEMPTING TO PHOTOGRAPH "THE LOTUS" AS THE SUN SETS AT TALIESIN WEST.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE DESERT SHELTER CALLED "SKYBOX".
THIS DESERT SHELTER LOOKED MORE LIKE AN ART INSTALLATION THAN A HABITATION.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE ELABORATE DESERT SHELTERS. IT IS CALLED "RED ROOF" AND WAS DESIGNED BY FREDRICK BINGHAM IN 1970.
"DESERT PERCH" WAS REBUILT BY VICTOR SIDY IN 1999 BASED ON A SKELETON OF A STRUCTURE FIRST BUILT IN THE 1960S.
THIS SHELTER WAS BUILT BY APPRENTICE FRED PROZZILLO AND WAS KNOWN AS SIMPLY "FRED'S".
"STRAWBALE" WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY MICHAEL HEULBLEIN IN 2004. THE WALLS WERE MADE OF, YOU GUESSED IT, BALES OF HAY!
THIS SHELTER IS ONE OF THE NEWER ONES, BUILT IN 2019 BY XINXUAN LIU. SHE NAMED IT "AVA".
PHOTO OF THE INTERIOR CEILING AT "AVA". PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS CHILDERS.

After we finished up in the desert shelter area that evening, we walked back to our conference room and met for a while, discussing what we had learned and experienced that day.  And what a wonderful day it was!  Here are a couple more photos from that first day of the workshop.  

ONE OF THE NIGHT SHOTS I TOOK OF THE BRITTLEBUSH SHELTER.
THE BELL TOWER AND THE MAIN DINING ROOM IN THE HISTORIC CORE AT TALIESIN WEST.ON THE EVEING OF FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026.

Photography Workshop Day 2, Saturday, February 7, 2026…


Saturday was a very long day, but also very enjoyable.  We met at 6:30 a.m. for some sunrise photography before breakfast.  The sunrises and sunsets were modest, but the soft morning and evening light really allowed Taliesin West to shine and show its best self.  After breakfast, we headed to our classroom to learn some of the finer points of the Lightroom Classic Develop Module.  After lunch, we returned to the classroom for more Lightroom work and a very interesting and informative Critique Session.  All told, we spent six hours in class, capped off by a happy hour up on the deck above the residential area.  After our little happy hour gathering, we enjoyed another session of sunset photography before calling it a day.  With our special visitor passes, we were allowed (within reason) to wander and explore spaces at Taliesin West that are not part of the public tours.  I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of our workshop and really appreciated the hints and suggestions that Andrew bestowed upon us — right, left, up and down…  Thank you, Andrew!  The Historic Core at Taliesin West is one big “FLLW Arrival Sequence”, with surprises and hidden pleasures around every corner and in every nook and cranny.  Such a pleasure to experience it all in the context of a workshop with Andrew Pielage’s expertise and passion!  Here are a few of my pictures from day two of the workshop, followed by some comments about our Critique Session and the perforated clerestory panels (light screens) tucked above the fireplace in FLLW’s sitting room in the residential area. 

ONE OF MY EARLY MORNING PHOTOS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2026.
OUTSIDE THE GARDEN ROOM, EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.
INSIDE THE GARDEN ROOM (SOMETIMES CALLED THE FAMILY ROOM) EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.
OUR MEALS IN THE DINNING ROOM WERE ALSO A TIME FOR LEARNING.
LOOKING AT THE WATER TOWER FROM THE MOON DOOR IN THE WALLED GARDEN OUTSIDE FLLW'S BEDROOM AND PRIVATE ROOMS.
ANDREW, POINTING OUT A FEATURE FROM THE BRIDGE WHICH LIES NORTH AND EAST OF THE RESIDENTIAL AREA OF THE HISTORIC CORE AT TALIESIN WEST. YET ANOTHER STRUCTURE THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE!
ANDREW SUGGESTED THAT WE TAKE A PEEK AT THE SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM ACCESSED FROM THE MAIN KITCHEN. THE SMALL ROOM WAS NOT THAT SPECIAL, BUT THE CEILING WAS SPECTACULAR!
ANDREW PIELAGE TAKING A SUNSET PHOTO OF THE ENTRY COURT TOWER UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF ONE OF THE TAILIESIN WEST HOSPITALITY STAFF.

Time to Critique!


Our final task for our Saturday afternoon classroom session was the dreaded Critique exercise.  I say “dreaded” somewhat tongue in cheek, but I must admit I was more than a bit nervous about submitting one of my pictures for scrutiny by Andrew and my classmates.  Andrew of course, is a professional.  But most of the other five people in our group appeared to be very accomplished photographers and much more experienced than myself.  All my worry was for naught, and I made it through with my ego intact!  It was quite the learning experience —  while I don’t think my photo was the best one submitted, hopefully, it wasn’t the worst.  Next time will be better, I promise!

BEFORE WE BEGAN CRITIQUING EACH OTHER'S WORK, ANDREW GAVE US SOME HELPFUL GUIDELINES AND SUGGESTIONS.
ANDREW COMMENTING ON THE FIRST PHOTO SUBMITTED FOR CRITIQING.
HERE IS THE PHOTO I SUBMITTED TO BE CRITIQUED. IN RETROSPECT IT WAS PERHAPS A LITTLE OVER THE TOP! BUT I WAS STILL AWARDED AN OREO COOKIE FOR MY WORK!

A Note About Some Unique Perforated Clerestory Panels at Taliesin West…


During my brief career as an unofficial FLLW Aficianado, I have learned a number of obscure facts about FLLW’s design philosophy and some of the tricks of the trade that he perfected to enhance natural light in his residential structures.  Early in his career, he began to utilize clerestory windows (high set, horizonatal bands of windows set up in a room near the roofline or ceiling) as a signature element to maximize natural light, while maintaining privacy and preserving wall space for his built-in furniture.  In his first residential designs, clerestory windows usually incorporated leaded, stained, or colored glass (such as the Meyer May House in Grand Rapids, MI).  But as he looked for ways to reduce costs for his Usonian homes, he sometimes used blocks (like the Palmer House in Ann Arbor, MI) but, more commonly, he used thin wooden perforated panels, each with a unique design.  These designs were mostly abstract geometrics, but sometimes represented actual objects like birds, for example.  I did not realize there were any perforated panels at Taliesin West, but, as I milled around the deck during our Saturday afternoon happy hour,  I discovered a set at the far east end of the deck.  It turns out they were placed by Wright to provide natural light above the fireplace in the sitting room, near his bedroom.  Anyway, here are some photos of the perforated clerestory panels at Taliesin West.  What do you think the design represents?  An abstract arrow perhaps? 

OUR SATURDAY AFTERNOON HAPPY HOUR. THE CLERESTORY PANELS ARE LOCATED AT THE FAR EAST END OF THIS LARGE DECK.
THE PERFORATED PANELS IN THE CLERESTORY ABOVE WRIGHTS SITTING ROOM FIREPLACE. DOES THE SPACING SEEM A LITTLE HAPHAZARD?
WRIGHTS SITTING ROOM. THE CLERESTORY PERFORATED PANELS ARE ALMOST HIDDEN -- YOU HAVE TO BE STANDING PRACTICALLY IN THE FIREPLACE TO LOOK UP AND SEE THEM.
THE WEST END OF THE CLERESTORY PERFORATED PANELS. NOTE THE CUTOUT "LIGHTS" ON THE DESERT MASONRY OF THE FIREPLACE.
A DIFFERENT VIEW, THIS TIME LOOKING AT THE FAR EAST END. A FASCINATING USE AND DISPLAY OF NATURAL LIGHT!

Day 3, The Final Session, Sunday, February 8, 2026…


Sunday morning, we did our customary sunrise photography session at 6:30 a.m.  During breakfast, Andrew asked if, instead of doing more critiqing, we would rather visit the Sun Cottage and the Jester-Pfeiffer House.  We all enthusiastically agreed to this change in plans, so off we went.  I was very excited to (once again) be able to experience some additional parts of Taliesin West that are not usually included in any of the normal tours.


The Sun Cottage Complex


Our first stop was The Sun Cottage, an outlying private residence complex, built in 1949 to replace the Sun Trap.  The Sun Trap was a temporary timber-frame structure built in 1937 to house FLLW and his family, while more permanent living quarters were being built as part of the main structure at Taliesin West.  The Sun Trap was one of the first structures built by apprentices and helped to define the the earliest of the desert camp structures at the site.  The Sun Cottage served as the private living quarters for FLLW’s daughter, Iovanna Wright.   It also included a number of guest quarters for visitors, and is connected to the main Taliesin West complex by a foot bridge.  

THE FOOT BRIDGE THAT LEADS FROM THE HISTORICAL CORE TO THE SUN COTTAGE COMPLEX AT TALIESIN WEST.
IN THIS SHOT OF THE SUN COTTAGE COMPLEX, THE TWO DOORS YOU SEE ARE GUEST ACCOMODATIONS. THE DOOR TO THE MAIN SUN COTTAGE SPACE IS HIDDE, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE OUTSIDE OF THE FIREPLACE AND THE CLERESTORY WINDOWS IN THE LIVING ROOM.
THE ENTRANCE TO THE SUN COTTAGE. THE INTERNET TELLS ME THAT WRIGHT'S DAUGHTER IOVANNA LIVED THERE FOR MANY YEARS, AS DID HIS STEP-GRANDSON BRANDOCH PETERS, SON OF WES PETERS.
PART OF THE LIVING AREA AT THE SUN COTTAGE.
BEDROOM AT THE SUN COTTAGE. LOTS OF BUILT-INS, BUT THE LOCATION OF THAT FIREPLACE SEEMS A LITTLE OUT OF PLACE, DOES IT NOT?
ANDREW PIELAGE AND I AT THE SUN COTTAGE.

The Sun Cottage complex includes the Atrium, which we visited next.  Andrew said that, at one time, it served as a pottery studio.  It is a beautiful space, and its exterior walls are very unique, and desert masonry columns frame concrete (colored?) slabs set at angles and imbedded with different shapes and colors of glass.  The overall effect on the light inside the structure is stunning. 

IN THIS PHOTO OF THE ATRIUM YOU CAN SEE, IN THE FAR BACK LEFT, WHERE IT IS ATTACHED TO THE SUN COTTAGE COMPLEX.
LOTS OF INTERESTING LIGHT INSIDE THE ATRIUM!
ANDREW LEAVING THE ATRIUM. NOTE THE SETS OF CONCRETE SLABS EMBEDDED WITH COLORED GLASS.

The Jester-Pfeiffer House and The Pet Cemetery


We departed the Sun Cottage complex and headed to our next destination, the Jester-Pfeiffer House.  On the way, we made a brief detour to stop at the pet cemetery.  I couldn’t find much information about this obscure little peice of Taliesin West, but I did learn that Wright and his wife were both fond of dogs, and wanted a special place for remembering them.  The little cemetery consists of three fountains, a low wall, and two markers.  One grave marker is for Olgivanna’s doberman, Fiera.  The other marker is for Cheetah — I could find no information about Cheetah.  But I did learn that, over the years, FLLW had a number of dogs:  a collie named Twip, a Weimaraner named Casanova, and a stray named Pepe (who was known for doing a flamenco dance!).  

THE PET CEMETERY AT TALIESIN WEST.
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CEMETERY -- THE THREE FOUNTAINS CAN BE SEEN MORE CLEARLY IN THIS SHOT.

From the little cemetery, we walked a short distance to the Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer House.  Pfeiffer was a close and trusted apprentice and friend of the Wrights and served as the archivist for Taliesin West.  In 1971, he wanted to build a home for himself and his father, so he selected a plan from the archives of unbuilt homes.  The design Pfeiffer selected was a design that Wright had done in 1938 for Californian Ralph Jester, the reason why some people call it the Jester-Pfieffer House.  The home features three cylindrical rooms of various heights connected by horizontal flat-roof sections.  The largest room was the living room, which had a large fireplace and beautiful views from the base of the nearby mountain.  The other two smaller rooms were bedrooms, one for Pfieffer and one for his father.  This is a striking stucco home and almost looks out of place when compared to the long low lines of the other structures at Taliesin West.  I am very glad I got to experience it!  For a gallery that has more of my photos of the Jester-Pfeiffer House, look here.  

APPROACH TO THE JESTER-PFIEFFER HOUSE ON THE TALIESIN WEST PROPERTY.
NICE VIEW FROM THE BACKYARD OF THE JESTER-PFIEFFER HOUSE.
THE LIVING ROOM AT THE JESTER-PFIEFFER HOUSE IS QUITE LARGE.
THE FIREPLACE IN THE LIVING AREA OF THE JESTER-PFIEFFER HOUSE.
ONE OF THE BEDROOM AREAS AT THE JESTER-PFIEFFER HOUSE THAT LOOKS LIKE IT IS BEING USED AS AN OFFICE.
A SPRITE IN ONE OF THE COVERED OUTDOOR SPACES AT THE JESTER-PFIEFFER HOUSE.
THE JESTER-PFIEFFER HOUSE IS TRULY AN OASIS IN THE DESERT!

Last But Not Least, The Music Pavillion


On Sunday morning, February 8, 2026, I was able to experience the Music Pavillion at Taliesin West.  On my previous visits to Taliesin West, the pavillion was not available to the public, so I was delighted to be able to finally spend time there.  Where the Cabaret Theatre gives one a cozy and intimate vibe, the Music Pavillion feels open and inviting for the liveliest of performances.  The contrast of the white ceiling and the red curtains and seats is amazing, and the whole spectacle is framed by Wright’s desert masonry, along with other quirky touches, like the large fireplace up top and the small decorative theatre facade on the floor.  I can only imagine the performances that this space has seen over the years!

PART OF THE PLAZA AND SCULPTURE GARDEN IN FRONT OF THE MUSIC PAVILLION.
ANOTHER LOOK AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE MUSIC PAVILLION.
UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAD SOME TABLES AND CHAIRS ON THE STAGE AREA.
QUINTESSENTIAL FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.
LOTS OF ASIAN INFLUENCE AT TALIESIN WEST. THIS DISPLAY WAS AT THE BACK OF THE PAVILLION AND AT THE HEAD OF THE STAIRS LEADING DOWN TO THE EXIT.
IT WOULDN'T BE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WITHOUT A FIREPLACE!
VIEW FROM THE TOP.
ONE FINAL PICTURE FROM THE ENTRY PLAZA AND SCULPTURE GARDEN.

One More Thing…


During the course of the workshop, I spent a lot of time both in class and outside of class working to try to better my skills (or lack thereof!) with Lightroom Classic.  Originally, we had planned to each present three photos Sunday morning to be critiqued by Andrew and the class.  I stayed up very late on Saturday night selecting and processing photos from which I planned to select my final three critique photos.  As you read above, we decided to forego the final critique session so we could visit and photograph more of the non-public areas of Taliesin West, so I didn’t select my final three.  Since most of the photos I have used on this blog post are straight from my cellphone and not edited or processed in any way, I want to show you some of the photos that I worked on and selected to be critiqued.  While they have been resized and formatted for my blog, I am hoping they will be sharp enough for you to get an idea of what my work that weekend produced.  Here are the ten photos that I consider to be among my best and/or most interesting:

#1  “Heavenly Work Space”

#2  “Unexpected”

#3  “Midway Mini”

#4  “Arrival”

5.  “Oasis”

#6  “Sticky Fingers”

#7  “On Point”

#8  “Morning Glory”

#9  “Overlord”

#10  “Desert Dreams”

Epilogue…

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with Andrew Pielage, my classmates, and the staff at Taliesin West.  Andrew is kind, patient, happy, talented, and passionate about all things Frank Lloyd Wright.  I would highly recommend his workshops.  Based on my experience, they are a perfect blend of technical information and enjoyment of  the beauty and mystery of iconic Frank Lloyd Wright sites.  My classmates were all very nice people who were very interested and focused (wink, wink) on our subjects and subject matter during our workshop.  I couldn’t have asked for a better group. 

Taliesin West is indeed a sacred place, overflowing with sacred spaces.  Around each corner lies beauty, mystery, and evidence of the artistry and creativity of the magnificent mind of Frank Lloyd Wright.  I will close this blog with one last photo, which is a bit whimsical — I wonder if Wright directed that the hammer be placed in the entry court tower or whether it was the result of an apprentice prank — another Taliesin West mystery to ponder!