Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th
The world’s leading photojournalists from VII Photo have teamed up with the technology specialists from AbelCine to present an immersive, two-day educational program. This program examines the technology, craft and business practices of today’s successful visual storytellers. The event is structured as a combination of seminars, panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and networking. We welcome attendees with all levels of experience and creative interests.
10:00 AM Keynote Address
A look at the future of photojournalism from a thought leader within the industry.
Tom Kennedy (Executive Director, American Society of Media Photographers)
10:45 AM Evolving Audiences, Changing Markets
This is a period of intense transition in the field of photojournalism and, in particular, how we create, share and ultimately reach clients and audiences. This seminar will explore new ways to effectively work in the whirlwind of change, create interesting projects, find new clients and reach ever broader audiences with photography and visual storytelling. There will be a special emphasis on the uses of social media to be creative and effective in the development of your vision, career and outreach.
VII: Ashley Gilbertson, Ed Kashi
Panelists: Kainaz Amaria (NPR), Ben de la Cruz (NPR)
11:45 AM Lunch Break
A light lunch will be provided for all attendees.
12:45 PM The New Market: Still and Motion
Media outlets traditionally reserved for photography have stretched their borders to include video essays and mixed media presentations, and photographers are often the creators. The New York Times Op-Docs, Red Border Films at Time and short films on the New Yorker are all places where photographers are showcasing their video work. Additionally, for the past several years, documentary films at Sundance or Academy Award nominees have been created by photographers. This is no accident – photographers excel at this visual language. The new market means that photographers are not only shooting in new ways, but that storytelling opportunities that previously excluded us are now open. This panel will use concrete examples of work being created using the same sensibility (and often the same tools) from our photographic training. The panel will also explore the opportunities available in a variety of formats – mixed media, short form video, narrative length film.
VII: Jessica Dimmock, Ed Kashi
Panelist: Julie Winokur (Talking Eyes Media)
1:45 PM Balancing Advocacy, Journalism and Funding
As the support and space for meaningful visual journalism has shrunk in the editorial world, there are now new ways to create stories with impact and purpose in collaboration with advocacy groups and like-minded organizations, whether large institutions or small NGOs. This seminar will provide examples of how you can make a difference and make a living.
VII: Ashley Gilbertson, Ron Haviv
Panelist: Pete DiCampo (Everyday Africa), Nathalie Applewhite (Managing Director, Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting)
2:45 PM Break
3:00 PM Getting Your Job Done (Safely) in a Changed World: Security and Awareness
Photojournalists put a human face on crises that too often remain hidden, but the human costs of covering those areas have multiplied as media resources have shifted. This panel of journalists, editors and freelancers will speak about the challenge from all sides to keep journalists safe.
VII: Ron Haviv
Panelist: Delphine Hagland (Reporters Without Borders), Neal Jackson (Founder & Executive Director, Trauma Training for Journalists)
4:00 PM Equipment Evolved: Photographer Toolbag
This seminar will discuss the tools you need to produce hybrid visual works for the new markets and opportunities opening up to photojournalists and documentary storytellers today.
VII: Jessica Dimmock
Panelist: Jeff Lee (AbelCine)
5:00 PM Reception
Day 1: Workshops
Workshop #1: Survival: The Complete Travel Toolkit
Ron Haviv will share tips and tricks on how best to survive and thrive in the before, during, and after of a shoot. Your assignment starts before you leave your house: planning, packing and preparing are key components of success, and even the best plans can go awry. This workshop will discuss how to plan for success and cope with disaster, with suggestions and anecdotes from a seasoned professional and photojournalist. Learn directly from Ron how to identify and avoid the mistakes he has made over his three-decade career.
Instructor: Ron Haviv (VII Co-Founder and Photographer)
Workshop #2: Seeing Like a Photographer, Shooting Like a Videographer
We come from the belief that photographers make great videographers. As still photographers, we are often taught the old adage that “if your picture isn’t good enough, you weren’t close enough”. And because of this, with a small camera in hand, we aim to get as close as possible – close to our subjects, to the emotional feel of a situation, inside of places previously unseen, close to what feels like the truth. When we are introduced to video, while the tools may get heavier, that instinct does not change. But photographers often don’t know how to shoot to make a scene and a narrative. This is something that must be taught, practiced, and observed. This workshop is designed to talk about how to shoot for an editor – how to come back with footage that is visually varied and dynamic, and doesn’t leave holes that are impossible to fill once the situation has left. We will discuss the importance of storyboarding, shooting for coverage, and how to learn to provide the connective tissue that is so essential to video. This workshop applies to short form and long form alike and pairs well with the afternoon workshop, Equipment Options for Today’s Storytellers.
Instructors: Jessica Dimmock (VII Photographer) & Jeff Lee (Training Manager, AbelCine)
Workshop #3: D.C. Uncovered with Ash and Ed
Ashley Gilbertson and Ed Kashi will lead students around D.C. and guide them on how to approach subjects, compose their frames, and find new and unexpected angles. A short editing critique will follow the shooting session, and the best work from each student will appear on the VII Photo Instagram feed.
Ed Kashi (VII Photographer) & Ashley Gilbertson (VII Photographer)
Workshop #4: Equipment Options for Today’s Storytellers
These days the equipment possibilities are endless, and as you transition to shooting video, it is hard to know where to begin. Making video can range from holding your DSLR in front of you to attaching cameras to stabilizing rigs. We will walk you through the equipment available to you and how to find the perfect marriage between the technical application of the gear and the creative vision you are hoping to achieve. We will also discuss the choices that go into sound recording – doing it on your own, using off camera audio recordings, or working with a sound guy (or girl). We will explore various set ups and how they will change how you operate in the field. During this workshop we will explore the individual equipment priorities for participants and help them develop the kit that is best suited for their needs. This workshop pairs well with the morning workshop, Seeing Like a Photographer, Shooting Like a Videographer.
Instructors: Jeff Lee (Training Manager, AbelCine)& Jessica Dimmock (VII Photographer)
Note: Canon Professional Services (CPS) members will receive a signed VII photographer’s 8×10 print (valued at $100) at the event. When registering, please be sure to include your CPS member number.
