Our Instructors
Thomas Werner
Thomas is the author of the book The Fashion Image for Bloomsbury Publishing, London, with a second book on fine art photography currently being written for Routledge Publishing. He is a co-founder of ascend(ed) Design, a boutique India centric educational organization focused on helping aspiring creatives achieve their goals. An Editor at Large for IRKmagazine, a Paris based fashion and culture magazine and web site, founder of Thomas Werner Projects Podcast, and past Photography Program Director at Parsons School of Design in New York, Thomas currently lectures internationally on the topics of photography, fashion, innovation, education, and contemporary professional practices, with a series of recent presentations and workshops in 6 cities across China. He is the former owner of Thomas Werner Gallery in Manhattan’s Chelsea Art District, and a former National Board member and New York Chapter President for the American Society of Media Photographers. Werner also lead a team developing a media and literacy web site and resource center in five languages, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic and English for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations/UNESCO. He has worked with the United States Department of State on cultural projects in Russia, and been a photography consultant for COACH and Rodale Publishing, among others. Thomas was a recurrent instructor at the United Nations Education First Summer School, and is now presenting workshops on effective message development and visual communication on an international basis.
Over the last 15 years his research has been Russia centric spending an average of 20 days a year there partnering with 32 cultural, educational, and governmental organizations to develop projects in 29 cities. The focus has been the introduction of contemporary education methodologies, and the development of creative cultures within the country. Russian partners have included; The State Hermitage Museum, the National Center of Contemporary Art, Perm Regional Government, The Moscow Biennale for Young Art, National Centre of Photography for the Russian Federation, The Central State Archive of Film, Photographic and Phonographic Documents, The Moscow Biennale, The Pro Arte Foundation, and others. He has curated exhibitions in the United States and abroad, including seven co-curated exhibitions at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His private collection of Russian photographs and artifacts, have been exhibited internationally.
Julien Crouigneau
Julien is an accomplished Renaissance Man in the creative fields of design, photography and art direction. Having started his career with STARK over 25 years ago he is now the Creative Director for cosmetic product design at Mazarine Atelier Pascalie in Paris where he has worked with renowned brands such as Helena Rubinstein, Lancome, Louboutin, Shu Uemura, L'oreal, Maybelline…
He is a known graphic designer as well as having been published in over 10 reference books for his innovative graphic design. He is also the co-Creative Director and co- Editor-in-Chief of IRK Magazine and is a sought after fashion and art photographer.
Maria Baltazzi
Maria Baltazzi is an Emmy award winning producer and creator of TV shows, was one of 4 Senior Producers for seasons of Survivor, Borneo (1st), Australia (2nd), Africa (3rd), Thailand (5th), Pearl Islands (7th), All-stars (8th), and Vanuatu (9th). After her time with Survivor Maria launched her own production company called Sojourn. Working through Sojourn, she developed and Executive Produced with Mr. Burnett, Expedition Africa: Stanley & Livingstone for History. The series was Emmy nominated for Outstanding Cinematography Non-fiction.
Other series include National Geographic’s Earth Live!, ABC’s pilot, The Gift, Lifetime’s Women of The Bible from creators Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, Animal Planet’s critically acclaimed 3-part series, Battleground: Rhino Wars. This project was shot in South Africa around the Greater Kruger Area, north of Johannesburg. The story revolved around four US Special Forces Operators working alongside a South African anti-poaching team to hunt down rhino poachers. The show aired in the United States, South Africa, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and China. World’s Toughest Truckers, a co-production for Discovery US and Channel 5 UK; One Man Army for Discovery and Renegade 83; Sarah Palin’s Alaska for TLC and Mark Burnett. This series debuted at almost 5 million viewers; this was the biggest premiere in TLC’s history.
Maria has been on all seven continents twice and in more countries than she can count. Location production experience include: Alaska, Antarctica, Australia, Borneo, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, England, Fiji, Guatemala, Hawaii, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Mongolia, Okinawa, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, St. Barts, St. Martin, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Zanzibar. She is an innovator whose career is an inspiration.
When Maria graduated with her MFA from The Art Center College of Design she decided that she wanted to travel and create adventure television. She has made that dream happen, and more.
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