SDN education

https://socialdocumentary.net/cms/documentary-that-matters-2024

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
 


Photographers' Tool Kit

Real World Tools for Documentary and Editorial Photographers

Instructor: Amber Bracken
6:30–9:00 pm Eastern via Zoom
Eight Thursdays beginning March 28
Course type: Crit, shooting, lecture, discussion
Level: Open to all levels

Course fee: $675
Scholarship available: Click here for more information

Register Now

Option to pay 25% deposit now with balance due one week before course starts.

Photo by Amber BrackenIn this eight-week hands-on course, we will revisit the fundamental building blocks of documentary and editorial storytelling. Our sessions will include lecture, readings, and critique. Each week, students will be given specific real world assignments designed to equip photographers with sharper skills and important visual tools. Assignments can be executed either as part of an ongoing project or as stand-alone exercises, but students must budget at least a few hours each week outside class time for this work. In either case, students can expect to be challenged creatively, technically and theoretically. Strengthen your skills for photographic relationships, storytelling and execution for your next big adventure.  

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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

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Option to pay 25% deposit now with balance due one week before course starts.

 

Library of CongressPhotographic 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.  

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Copyright for Photographers

Know Your Rights

Instructor: Michelle Bogre
One day virtual workshop
Sunday, April 21
9:30 am – 5:00 pm Eastern via Zoom

Course fee: $225
Scholarship available: Click here for more information

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Supreme CourtThis day-long workshop will introduce photographers to the practical and legal issues surrounding copyright in the 21st century. Students will learn about the scope and the limitations of the protections that current law provides; how to identify and anticipate the issues surrounding sharing of works in this digital age; and how to share or protect their property rights in their works.  While primarily a lecture based class, there will be ample breaks and time for questions.   
Photo: Silk-screened images Andy Warhol later created using a photo of Prince by Lynn Goldsmith as a reference. Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States.

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In the Field
Conservation Photography and Visual Storytelling

Instructor: Lauren Owens Lambert

  1. Introductory meeting by Zoom:  Thursday April 18, 7:00-9:00 pm ET
  2. Field Day: Thursday, April 25 (Friday, April 26 rain date), 5:30 am - 1:30 pm, Manoment Conservation Research Center, Plymouth, MA
  3. Final Day: Thursday, May 2 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Manoment Conservation Research Center, Plymouth, MA

Prerequisite: Students are expected to know the fundamentals of digital photography. 
Course fee: $675

Register Now

Option to pay 25% deposit now with balance due one week before course starts.

 

Photo by Lauren Owens LambertWant 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. 

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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

Register Now

Option to pay 25% deposit now with balance due one week before course starts.

 

Photo by Lou JonesWhether 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.

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Ready to register? Click here.