Foundry Photojournalism Workshop

Under the light of the full moon, the shamans gather for a protection ritual at the start of the night to ward off armed men, shortly after hearing gunshots nearby. In a retomada, the shamans are on the front line, armed with their maracas and prayer songs, they are the spiritual force that supports and guides the collective action. Lanranjeira Nhanderu, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. 6 March 2023. © Renaud Philippe.

foundry

The Foundry Photojournalism Workshop is an event that focuses on teaching participants about visual voice, lessons from the field, the creative process, how to work with photo editors, and general business practices.

In the latest edition, over 90 students from 40 Majority World and underrepresented communities in G20 countries participated in the online event. Eleven instructors taught in nine different languages in a series of classes and one-to-one sessions. Portfolio reviewers from national and international press, galleries, and agencies also provided valuable advice.

Foundry Photojournalism Workshop was established in 2008. Since 2019, it has been led by PhotoWings and supported by The VII Foundation.

students

countries represented by students

languages

foundry educators

Ali Arkady

France

Anush Babajanyan

Germany/Armenia

Michael Robinson Chavez

Manoocher Deghati

Marko Drobnjakovic

Stephen Ferry

Ron Haviv

New York, USA

Kirsten Luce

Alison Morley

Daniel Schwartz

Solothurn, Switzerland

Smita Sharma

Maggie Steber

Miami, USA

Adriana Zehbrauskas

Phoenix, USA

student testimonials

©Vahed Mehrdad for Foundry 2023

“First of all, thank you for creating this good opportunity for photographers who don’t speak English very well. I usually haven’t been able to participate in workshops because of this, so this opportunity was a rare event for me. Foundry 2023 was a great experience for me to make contact with world-class photographers, especially since the chosen teacher of Farsi classes is also my fellow citizen, which was a good thing for me, as I do not speak English very well. It helped a lot to shape my photo series and guided me on how to complete my work in a better way for the future.”

– Mehrdad Vahed, Iran
Attended classes in Farsi by Manoocher Deghati

My mom, my siblings, and I, standing in an empty road, Aden road 2006. My father was preparing us to be far in this photo. ©Sadiq Al-Harasi for Foundry 2023

“It was really amazing to be part of the Foundry Workshop! I’ve learned many things and met many people from different countries and backgrounds. I’m very excited to apply for the upcoming workshops and events that will help advance my skills as a documentary photographer.”

– Sadiq Al-Harasi, Yemen
Attended classes in Arabic and Kurdish by Ali Arkady

“I think Foundry was a success for me because it provides real possibilities in the photo industry. We work on the story with acclaimed professionals, show our projects to the editors, and meet colleagues for future collaborations and inspirations. This is a very real entry gate to the industry. For me, photography, and especially photojournalism, is a hard industry – there is no obvious or direct path as it happens when you want to become a doctor. Programs like Foundry help me understand how it works and how to shape my professional career. Thank you for making it! Looking forward to what it brings next :)”

– Jagoda Lasota, Poland
Attended classes in English by Kirsten Luce

“I have attended several documentary photography workshops in the past years; Foundry was truly game-changing. But to be so, you need to be ready. I was ready for it at this point in my life, and so it came. The knowledge, professional, and emotional support that this workshop and community gave me is something I will cherish forever.”

– Mina Delic, Serbia
Attended classes in English by Maggie Steber

“I just wanted to say how great it was to be part of Foundry Workshop – it was fantastic! Marko’s approach to photography and storytelling was eye-opening, and it was brilliant to meet so many other young photographers!”

– Guy Peterson, UK
Attended classes in English by Marko Drobnjakovic

“Foundry gave us the opportunity, within a very short space of time, to open up not only to ourselves but to the rest of the world.“

– iAko M. Randrianarivelo, Madagascar
Attended Foundry classes in French by Stefano De Luigi

“Foundry Workshop was a success because it helped me improve my skills, expand my network, and gain valuable feedback on my work. Being from a small village in South Asia, I gained more confidence in interacting with people worldwide. I am also very grateful for the support and guidance I received from all the instructors and mentors.”

– Avijit Ghosh, India
Attended classes in Hindi/English by Smita Sharma

foundry

foundry educators

Ali Arkady

Anush Babajanyan

Michael Robinson Chavez

Manoocher Deghati

Marko Drobnjakovic

Stephen Ferry

Ron Haviv

Kirsten Luce

Alison Morley

Daniel Schwartz

Smita Sharma

Maggie Steber

Adriana Zehbrauskas

student testimonials

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