The Photo Essay: Creating Personal Projects (Mar 24-Jun 9)
Dates: March 24 - June 9, 2025 (no classes on April 21 and May 26)
Meetings: Mondays, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM CST (10 sessions)
Location: Online Zoom Classroom
Cost: $690 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Natan Dvir
Skill Level: Intermediate-Advanced
A strong picture is said to be worth a thousand words. A project/series exploring a social, cultural, political, or personal subject has the power to tell a story in a unique, convincing, and visually compelling way. In this course, students examine and practice the various aspects of conceptualizing, planning, and executing their photo essays through frontal lectures, class discussions, personal assignments, and photo critiques. Topics include: recognizing good subjects, research, developing contacts and gaining access, funding, equipment choices, storytelling and visual strategies, editing, sequencing, using texts, and how to release your project. Important essays by contemporary photographers are discussed. Students are expected to work on personal projects during the course, present work for weekly critiques, and participate in class discussions.
Objectives:
Get a perspective of the full process and stages needed to create a photographic essay
Assess ideas for projects and research selected themes in-depth
Overcome access issues by applying a variety of approaches/strategies
Review options for funding and choose the right equipment for your work
Explore various storytelling strategies and apply them effectively
Apply a systematic approach for editing and sequencing your images
Realize the importance and creative possibilities of using texts in your work
Receive guidance and recommendations on how to release your project and how to work as a documentary photographer
Prerequisites:
Photography II or being comfortable using your camera in Manual mode. Having some experience with editing and/or processing images is a plus.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students need to send a selection of 10 images representing their work (instructions will be sent by the instructor) and be ready to discuss 1-3 ideas for projects they would like to work on during the course.
Dates: March 24 - June 9, 2025 (no classes on April 21 and May 26)
Meetings: Mondays, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM CST (10 sessions)
Location: Online Zoom Classroom
Cost: $690 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Natan Dvir
Skill Level: Intermediate-Advanced
A strong picture is said to be worth a thousand words. A project/series exploring a social, cultural, political, or personal subject has the power to tell a story in a unique, convincing, and visually compelling way. In this course, students examine and practice the various aspects of conceptualizing, planning, and executing their photo essays through frontal lectures, class discussions, personal assignments, and photo critiques. Topics include: recognizing good subjects, research, developing contacts and gaining access, funding, equipment choices, storytelling and visual strategies, editing, sequencing, using texts, and how to release your project. Important essays by contemporary photographers are discussed. Students are expected to work on personal projects during the course, present work for weekly critiques, and participate in class discussions.
Objectives:
Get a perspective of the full process and stages needed to create a photographic essay
Assess ideas for projects and research selected themes in-depth
Overcome access issues by applying a variety of approaches/strategies
Review options for funding and choose the right equipment for your work
Explore various storytelling strategies and apply them effectively
Apply a systematic approach for editing and sequencing your images
Realize the importance and creative possibilities of using texts in your work
Receive guidance and recommendations on how to release your project and how to work as a documentary photographer
Prerequisites:
Photography II or being comfortable using your camera in Manual mode. Having some experience with editing and/or processing images is a plus.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students need to send a selection of 10 images representing their work (instructions will be sent by the instructor) and be ready to discuss 1-3 ideas for projects they would like to work on during the course.
Dates: March 24 - June 9, 2025 (no classes on April 21 and May 26)
Meetings: Mondays, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM CST (10 sessions)
Location: Online Zoom Classroom
Cost: $690 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Natan Dvir
Skill Level: Intermediate-Advanced
A strong picture is said to be worth a thousand words. A project/series exploring a social, cultural, political, or personal subject has the power to tell a story in a unique, convincing, and visually compelling way. In this course, students examine and practice the various aspects of conceptualizing, planning, and executing their photo essays through frontal lectures, class discussions, personal assignments, and photo critiques. Topics include: recognizing good subjects, research, developing contacts and gaining access, funding, equipment choices, storytelling and visual strategies, editing, sequencing, using texts, and how to release your project. Important essays by contemporary photographers are discussed. Students are expected to work on personal projects during the course, present work for weekly critiques, and participate in class discussions.
Objectives:
Get a perspective of the full process and stages needed to create a photographic essay
Assess ideas for projects and research selected themes in-depth
Overcome access issues by applying a variety of approaches/strategies
Review options for funding and choose the right equipment for your work
Explore various storytelling strategies and apply them effectively
Apply a systematic approach for editing and sequencing your images
Realize the importance and creative possibilities of using texts in your work
Receive guidance and recommendations on how to release your project and how to work as a documentary photographer
Prerequisites:
Photography II or being comfortable using your camera in Manual mode. Having some experience with editing and/or processing images is a plus.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students need to send a selection of 10 images representing their work (instructions will be sent by the instructor) and be ready to discuss 1-3 ideas for projects they would like to work on during the course.
Images:
Natan Dvir