Welcome to SDN Education, an initiative of the Social Documentary Network offering classes taught by outstanding instructors for photographers and people interested in advancing their knowledge and skills in the field of documentary photography and photojournalism. In addition to studio classes on the theory and practice of creating documentary projects, we also offer lecture classes in photo history, discussion groups, and more.
Festival Workshop Series
Photography as Activism
An Historical Overview
Instructor: Michelle Bogre
7:30 – 9:00 pm Eastern via Zoom
Eight Wednesdays beginning March 27
Course fee: $475
Scholarship available: Click here for more information
Option to pay 25% deposit now with balance due one week before course starts.
Photographic activism has emerged as a dominant narrative today as fairness and equity are being violated to degrees unimaginable in a supposedly evolved 21st century world. Activists see the world in political terms. They are driven by the desire to change an inequity, underscored by the belief that societal changes can be made towards a perceived greater good. This class will present a global overview of the theory, history, and philosophy of activist photography from the late 1800s to modern day. The class will explore this history thematically, allowing us to see how the underlying politics impacts the photographic approach to similar subjects. The class will be structured through lectures, discussions and photographic analysis.
More information and to register »
Ready to register? Click here.
In the Field
Conservation Photography and Visual Storytelling
Instructor: Lauren Owens Lambert
Prerequisite: Students are expected to know the fundamentals of digital photography.
Course fee: $675
Option to pay 25% deposit now with balance due one week before course starts.
Want to get out in the field with your camera? Want your photography to educate people about science and the environment? This two-and-a-half-day workshop will focus on conservation photography and documenting the work of biologists in the field. You will learn lighting, lens options, in-the-field studio setups, and anything else you need to get as many different kinds of photographs in one day with minimal equipment. Our goal at the end of this class is for each student to have a set of images that can effectively tell the story of the day or whatever other focus you may choose; the science, the environment, the people, or the wildlife. Have fun, ask questions and think creatively.
More information and to register »
Ready to register? Click here.
Street Photography in East Boston
Instructor: Lou Jones
A two-day, in-person workshop. Class meets at Lou's studio in East Boston
Saturday, April 27 and Saturday, May 4, 2024
9:30 am – 5:00 pm Eastern
Course type: Shooting, critique, and discussion
Must have experience using a digital camera and photo editing.
Course fee: $650. Lunch included on first day of class
Scholarship available: Click here for more information
Option to pay 25% deposit now with balance due one week before course starts.
Whether professional or amateur, photographers have persisted in using their cameras to pursue personal interests. Everything can be subject matter: political, humanitarian, abstract and personal. This workshop will focus new subjects or old ideas into long-term photo essays based on subjects found in East Boston or other areas of Boston you may choose to focus on. Whether your strengths are photojournalism, documentary, still life, or fine art, we will investigate how to harness aesthetics, logistics, marketing, and dissemination into a cohesive body of work.
More information and to register »
Ready to register? Click here.
