This is the third blog post in a series about self-study in general and, in particular, furthering my education in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography.
I’m adding these three posts from my old blog, they add context to my current method of studying, and they may prove helpful for others self-studying. This is the third (and final retrospective) post of the three. My process of studying changed as I figured out what works best for me. This post brings me almost up-to-date.
It’s been two years since I started self-studying documentary photography and photojournalism, and this is only my third blog post. Not a stunning start. For nine months, I worked on the Professional Photography Course at the London Institute of Photography—maybe more of that later—so there is some mitigation. However, I am more than a little disappointed with my progress.
The Method
If you’ve read the earlier posts, you may remember that I’d decided to work as closely as possible to the London College of Communication BA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography syllabus. It felt like an artificial framework almost immediately, without a tutor to guide me. I spent almost as much time deciding which sections of the textbooks best related to each unit of the course as actually studying.
At some point last year, I gave up. I copied all the notes about Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe’s Understanding Photojournalism into a new document and started afresh. This time, working through the book from beginning to end, as simple as that.
It was refreshing to have such a simple guide to follow. This probably says more about me than which approach might suit you. I’ve realised I like a clearly defined path to follow. I had to remind myself more than once that I’m doing this for enjoyment. There’s no exam at the end of it. In fact, it’s unlikely that anyone else will ever read my nearly eighty pages of notes. So, why not do it in a way that suits me?
I mentioned in an earlier post that I was writing my notes in Evernote. I’m now using Google Docs for several reasons, one of which is that Docs automatically creates an outline based on the hierarchy of headings used. This made it very easy to reference earlier notes as I was writing.
Was it worth it?
Yes, it was definitely worth it. I now know far more about the history of documentary photography and individual photojournalists than I did. It’s also given a greater clarity and context to the knowledge that I did have.
Photograph by Stuart Franklin/Magnum
At several points along the way, I headed down huge rabbit holes. One such was an investigation into the story of Tank Man. I became fascinated by the stories of the five photographers who shot the same scene from slightly different viewpoints and, of course, the Tank Man himself. In fact, I started writing a long blog post about it and what I’d found. That was until I found Patrick Witty’s definitive post on his blog, Field of View.
I’ve since become a subscriber to Field of View. Whether you opt for the free or paid versions, I’d highly recommend it. Witty, a former photo editor at The New York Times and International Picture Editor at TIME, amongst other roles, has a level of knowledge and experience few others can match. As with the Tank Man article, he’s often interviewed some of the photographers involved firsthand.
Studying has prompted me to put down my page-turner thrillers and read the biographies of Lynsey Addario (excellent); Marie Colvin by the inspirational Lyndsey Hilsum (also excellent); Ben Bradlee (good, although far from impartial); Clarissa Ward (a page-turner itself), and Diane Arbus (there’s so much to say!).
What’s Next?
My studying days are not over. I have Michelle Bogre’s ‘Documentary Photography Reconsidered: History, Theory, and Practice’, which I’ve barely opened. I will work through that in the same way. After that, my current plan is to turn my focus on a photographer or an important event and study that more independently. High on that list is The Photo League – see below. I now better understand how to study in a way that suits me.
One thing I’ve learnt this month year
Boy on the Roof, Pitt Street, New York, 1938 by Walter Rosenblum.
I’m embarrassed to say I knew nothing of the Photo League. Founded in 1936 by Sol Libsohn and Sid Grossman, the Photo League was a cooperative of photographers based in New York who shared an ethos around a range of social causes. The league championed socially conscious photography.
Some of the most renowned American photographers of the time were either members or supporters of the Photo League. This included Lisette Model, Margaret Bourke-White, W. Eugene Smith, Helen Levitt, and FSA photographer Arthur Rothstein. The list includes the next generation of photographers, including Richard Avedon and Robert Frank.
In 1947, during the post-war McCarthyist communist paranoia, the Photo League was prescribed an anti-American communist organisation, and it folded in 1951.
There’s a short history of the Photo League on the Morris Engel archive. It mentions a documentary, Ordinary Miracles: The Photo League’s New York, but I haven’t found a copy in the UK. It’s available on Amazon Prime in the US.
This is my ongoing list of movies about newspaper journalism and photojournalism. As a newspaper obsessive, during the UK’s COVID-19 lockdown, I started compiling and reviewing a list of films set in newspaper offices or featuring journalists. Since then, it’s continued to grow. This is the list of films I’ve discovered so far and will add more films as I come across them.
I’ve not included more general journalism movies, those about TV journalism, or most comedies. A completely biased editorial decision, I know.
The majority of these are shot in the US and featuring US newspapers. I’m particularly keen to get recommendations from other parts of the world and films not in the English language.
If you have a newspaper-related movie recommendation, please leave a comment below.
A Mighty Heart
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story ▶︎ USA. 2007
A Mighty Heart is a real-life drama directed by Michael Winterbottom from a screenplay by John Orloff. It is based on the memoir of the same name by Mariane Pearl. It details the search for her husband, the kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
A Private War
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story ▶︎ USA (2018)
A Private War is gritty dramatisation of the final ten years in the life of celebrated Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin. The film focuses on her time in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. There’s only so much of a life you can cover in two hours; Rosamund Pike is excellent in the lead role, however, I felt we didn’t learn enough about what drove Colvin to such extremes and made her take the risks she did.
If you want to learn more, I’d highly recommend Lindsey Hilsum’s biography, In Extremis: The Life and Death of the War Correspondent Marie Colvin.
Absence of Malice
▶︎ Drama ▶︎ USA (1981)
Absence of Malice is an American thriller directed by Sydney Pollack, starring Paul Newman, Sally Field, Wilford Brimley, Melinda Dillon and Bob Balaban.
A Miami liquor wholesaler (Paul Newman) wakes one day to a front-page story in the local newspaper indicating he is being investigated in the disappearance of a local union official.
The story was written by a Miami Standard newspaper reporter (Sally Field), who reads it from a file left intentionally on the desk of a federal prosecutor. It turns out the prosecutor leaked it to squeeze Gallagher for information. The film details Gallagher’s efforts to clear his name.
Ace in the Hole
▶︎ Drama ▶︎ USA (1951)
Ace in the Hole is a 1951 American film noir starring Kirk Douglas as a cynical, disgraced reporter who stops at nothing to try to regain a job on a major newspaper.
The story is a biting examination of the seedy relationship between the press, the news it reports and the manner in which it reports it. The film also shows how a gullible public can be manipulated by the press. (Wikipedia – edited)
All the President’s Men
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story ▶︎ USA (1976)
It’s a classic. With the possible exception of Citizen Kane probably the best-known film on my list. You’ve probably seen it, but trust me it warrants another look, and if you’ve never watched it you’re in for a real treat.
On 17th June 1972, five men broke into the Democratic National Committee offices housed on the sixth floor of the Watergate Building. An event which, in large part, led two years later to the resignation of President Nixon.
The film dramatises the first seven months of The Washington Post’s two-year investigation into the burglary. Depicting the length of investigation is the only place where, for me, the film falls down. In all other ways, it’s the quintissential newspaper movie!
All the President’s Men Revisited
▶︎ Documentary ▶︎ USA (2013)
Sadly, not currently available to stream in the UK.
Bad Education
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2019)
Bad Education is a 2019 American crime drama film directed by Cory Finley and written by Mike Makowsky. It is based on the 2004New York magazine article “The Bad Superintendent”by Robert Kolker, about the true story of the largest public school embezzlement in American history. (Wikipedia)
Bad Press
▶︎ Documentary ▶︎ USA (2023)
“When the Muscogee Nation government abruptly repeals its landmark Free Press Act to muzzle the tribe’s hard-hitting news outlet, defiant and foul-mouthed journalist Angel Ellis charges headfirst into a historic battle to restore her tribe’s press freedoms. An enthralling, edge-of-your-seat nail biter that unfurls with the energy and suspense of a political thriller, BAD PRESS is a timely and unprecedented documentary about a lone journalist fighting a corrupt system for her fellow citizens.” (Producer’s logline)
The Big Clock
▶︎ Drama ▶︎ USA (1948)
Anticipating a much-needed vacation from Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton), his abusive boss, magazine editor George Stroud (Ray Milland) finally reaches a breaking point when Janoth insists he skip his honeymoon and go out of town on assignment. Stroud resigns and finds solace over multiple drinks with his boss’ unhappy mistress, Pauline York (Rita Johnson), at a local bar. Together they come up with a half-inebriated plot to embarrass Janoth – but, the plan takes an unexpected turn toward murder. (Rotten Tomatoes)
Bill Cunningham, New York
▶︎ Documentary ▶︎ USA (2010)
Bill Cunningham New York is a 2010 American documentary film directed by Richard Press and produced by Philip Gefter.
Full of uptown fixtures (such as Wintour, Tom Wolfe, Brooke Astor, David Rockefeller—who all appear in the film), downtown eccentrics and everyone in between, Cunningham’s enormous body of work documents its time and place as well as individual flair. (Wikipedia)
Black & White and Dead All Over
▶︎ Documentary ▶︎ USA (2013)
Currently not available to stream in the UK.
Black and White and Dead All Over is a 2013 documentary film directed by Chris Foster. The film investigates the demise of American print journalism by following Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman, journalists for the Philadelphia Daily News newspaper. It also interviews other highly regarded journalists. (Wikipedia)
Call Northside 777
▶︎ Drama ▶︎ USA (1948)
Call Northside 777 is a 1948 reality-based newspaper drama directed by Henry Hathaway. The film parallels the true story of a Chicago reporter who proved that a man jailed for murder was wrongly convicted 11 years before.
James Stewart stars as the persistent journalist and Richard Conte plays the imprisoned Frank Wiecek. Wiecek is based on Joseph Majczek, who was wrongly convicted of the murder of a Chicago policeman in 1932, one of the worst years of organized crime during Prohibition. (Wikipedia)
Capote
▶︎ Drama ▶︎ USA (2005)
Capote is a biographical drama about American novelist Truman Capote directed by Bennett Miller, and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as the man himself.
It was released September 30, 2005, coinciding with Capote’s birthday. The film received acclaim from critics for Hoffman’s lead performance and won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his portrayal of the title character.
Citizenfour
▶︎ Documentary (2014)
Citizenfour is a 2014 documentary film directed by Laura Poitras, concerning Edward Snowden and the NSA spying scandal.
The film centres around Poitras and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald. It shows the incredible bravery of, 29-year old, Snowden who leaves a long-term relationship, his family, his job and his country, knowing, he can never return.
A gripping account of a man standing up for his principles against the greatest of opposition.
Citizen Kane
▶︎ Drama ▶︎ USA (1941)
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film produced and directed by Orson Welles. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The picture was Welles’ first feature film. Citizen Kane is considered by many critics and experts to be the greatest film ever made. It was voted number 1 in five consecutive British Film Institute Sight & Sound polls of critics, and it topped the American Film Institute’s 100 Years … 100 Movies list in 1998, as well as its 2007 update.
The film was nominated for Academy Awards in nine categories and it won for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Mankiewicz and Welles. (Wikipedia)
Deadline U.S.A.
▶︎ Drama (1952)
Deadline – U.S.A. is a 1952 American film noir crime film and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ethel Barrymoreand Kim Hunter, written and directed by Richard Brooks. It is the story of a crusading newspaper editor who exposes a gangster’s crimes while also trying to keep the paper from going out of business, and contains a subplot of him trying to reconcile with his ex-wife. (Wikipedia)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie with so many different poster designs.
everything is copy – Nora Ephron: Scripted & Unscripted
▶︎ Documentary (2016)
Everything Is Copy — Nora Ephron: Scripted & Unscripted follows Ephron’s career “from her gig as the “mail girl” at Newsweek to reporting for the New York Post to becoming a prestigious essayist at Esquire to successfully writing and directing Hollywood movies that revitalized the romantic comedy genre.
The film captures Ephron’s “razor-sharp wit while at the same time presenting her flaws through interviews with her closest friends like Meg Ryan, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, the late Mike Nichols and journalists like Gay Talese and Richard Cohen.” (Wikipedia)
After 149 years and 311 days, the Rocky Mountain News published its final edition on February 27, 2009. This short film by Matthew Roberts documents that final day.
Foreign Correspondent
▶︎ Drama (1940)
Foreign Correspondent (a.k.a. Imposter and Personal History) is a 1940 American black-and-white spy thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It tells the story of an American reporter based in Britain who tries to expose enemy spies involved in a fictional continent-wide conspiracy in the prelude to World War II. (Wikipedia)
The Front Runner
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2018)
It chronicles the rise of American Senator Gary Hart, the front-runner candidate to be the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee and his subsequent fall from grace when media reports suggested he was having an extramarital affair.
Not strictly a newspaper movie but it does include portrayals of Ben Bradlee (Alfred Molina) and Bob Woodward (Spencer Garrett). Bradlee has to be the most portrayed newspaper editor in history.
The Insider
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (1999) ▶︎ USA
Lowell Bergman is the producer of Sixty Minutes, a CBS News production with a national reputation for investigative journalism. Bergman contacts Jeffrey Wigand, the former Vice President for Research and Development at Brown & Williamson Tobacco, regarding consulting for a story. Wigand is nervous and so specific about what he can and cannot discuss that Bergman realises there could be a larger story.
Joan Didion: The Centre Will Not Hold
▶︎ Documentary (2017) ▶︎ USA
Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold is a 2017 documentary film about Joan Didion and her work.
In the film, director Griffin Dunne, Joan Didion’s nephew, incorporates archival footage and conversations with Didion about the eras she covered in essays, novels and screenplays, as well as events in her personal life. (Wikipedia)
The Journalist
▶︎ Drama (2019) ▶︎ Japan (with English subtitles)
The Journalist (新聞記者, Shinbun Kisha) is a 2019 Japanese drama film loosely based on the 2017 book of the same name by Isoko Mochizuki, directed by Michihito Fujii.
It received 6 Japan Academy Prize nominations and won three, including Picture of the Year, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. (Wikipedia)
Kill the Messenger
▶︎ Drama (2014) ▶︎ USA
Kill the Messenger is the true story of Gary Webb, an investigative journalist working for the San Jose Mercury News. Webb was passed court papers implicating the CIA in supplying arms to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. This much I knew; what I wasn’t aware of, or maybe I’d forgotten, was that the bulk of that funding came from the sale of cocaine imported into the US. The arms were being flown out, the planes were then loaded with drugs for the return journey.
The Killing Fields
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (1984) ▶︎ UK
The Killing Fields is a 1984 British biographical drama film about the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, which is based on the experiences of two journalists: Cambodian Dith Pran and American Sydney Schanberg.
At the 57th Academy Awards it received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture; it won three, most notably Best Supporting Actor for Haing S. Ngor, who had no previous acting experience, as well as Best Cinematography and Best Editing. (Wikipedia)
The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee
▶︎ Documentary (2017) ▶︎ USA
“As any rational person would expect, the subject of HBO’s The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee–the executive editor who presided over the Washington Post’s coverage of the Watergate scandal that drove Richard Nixon from office–quickly emerges as a heroic figure. What’s not so expected, what comes as something bordering on shock, of a gratifying kind, is how much else the film takes on in this buoyant and mercilessly frank look at Bradlee’s life and career.” (Dorothy Rabinowitz, The Wall Street Journal)
Nothing but the Truth
▶︎ Drama, loosely based on a true story (2008) ▶︎ USA
“When reporter Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) writes a story that reveals the identity of a covert CIA operative, the government demands that Rachel reveal her source. She defies the special prosecutor (Matt Dillon) and is thrown in jail. Meanwhile, her attorney, Albert Burnside (Alan Alda) argues her case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.” (Rotten Tomatoes)
Official Secrets
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2019)
During the build-up to the Iraq war, the US and UK were desperate to get approval for the proposed invasion from the UN, but some of the non-permanent members of the Security Council were reluctant, to say the least. The NSA requested the assistance of GCHQ in getting information on diplomats representing those countries that could be used to ‘encourage’ them to tow the line.
Page One: Inside the New York Times
▶︎ Documentary (2011) ▶︎ USA
Andrew Rossi’s documentary focuses on the Media Desk at The New York Times. Shot in 2010 it covers, amongst other stories, the Wikileaks publication of the Afghan war logs.
The standout star, for me, is David Carr, a writer and columnist who steals every scene he’s in. Carr is irascible, smart and at times, very funny. In fact, just how I want my New York journalist to be.
The film grossed over one million dollars at the US box office and has been nominated for two News & Documentary Emmy Awards as well as a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature.
the Paperboy
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2012) ▶︎ USA
The Paperboy “ … follows Miami reporter Ward Jansen who returns to his hometown in Florida to investigate a murder case involving a death row inmate. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, David Oyelowo, John Cusack and Macy Gray.” (Wikipedia)
“A Camp Classic”, The New Yorker.
“ … why The Paperboy isn’t a bad movie”, The Guardian.
Available to watch on Prime video.
The Parallax View
▶︎ Drama (1974)
The Parallax View is a 1974 American political thriller film produced and directed by Alan J. Pakula, and starring Warren Beatty, Hume Cronyn, William Daniels and Paula Prentiss. The screenplay by David Giler and Lorenzo Semple Jr. was based on the 1970 novel by Loren Singer.
The story concerns a reporter’s investigation into a secretive organization, the Parallax Corporation, whose primary focus is political assassination. (Wikipedia)
The Pelican Brief
▶︎ Drama (1993)
The Pelican Brief is a 1993 American legal thriller film based on the 1992 novel by John Grisham. Directed by Alan J. Pakula (All The President’s Men and The Parallax View), the film stars Julia Roberts in the role of young law student Darby Shaw and Denzel Washington as Washington Herald reporter Gray Grantham. (Wikipedia)
The Post
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2017)
In 1967, Robert McNamara, the US Secretary of Defense, formed the Vietnam Study Task Force to write an “encyclopedic history of the Vietnam War”. This report, commonly known as ‘the Pentagon Papers’, detailed the systematic lying by US administrations to the American people, starting with Eisenhower, through JFK and Johnson to Nixon.
Set four-years later, The Post portrays the true story of The Washington Post publishing the Pentagon Papers. It shows that this became a difficult ethical question for the Publisher of the Post, Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep), as she was close friends with McNamara.
Press
▶︎ Drama (2010) ▶︎ Republic of Türkiye
Press is a 2010 Turkish drama film directed by Sedat Yilmaz that tells the story of six employees at the Diyarbakır office of Turkey’s first Kurdish-language daily newspaper.
Eighteen year- old Firat opens up and cleans the newspaper office everyday, and helps with distribution. Following increased threats and attacks, Firat volunteers to guard the office at night, and by day he tries to learn the trade. When the newspaper’s distribution to Diyarbakır is blocked, the team has to come up with new ways to reach their readership. (Wikipedia)
The Price of Truth
▶︎ Documentary (2023) ▶︎ Russia (with English subtitles)
Russian journalist, television presenter, and the editor-in-chief of the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, Dmitry Muratov, was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Maria Ressa for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace”. And, on 1 September 2023, Muratov was declared by the Russian authorities to be a “foreign agent”.
This documentary follows Dmitry Muratov as he tries to secure the safety of his staff and the future of their newspaper.
Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins
▶︎ Documentary (2019)
The late journalist and media commentator Molly Ivins, an outspoken liberal from Texas, has an illustrious reputation among connoisseurs of political writing of the late 20th century, but is not so well known outside the US. This affectionate but thankfully not hagiographic documentary, directed by Janice Engel, offers a handy preçis of her biography, character and impact. (The Guardian)
Reds
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (1981)
Reds is a 1981 American epic historical drama film, co-written, produced, and directed by Warren Beatty, about the life and career of John Reed, the journalist and writer who chronicled the October Revolution in Russia in his 1919 book Ten Days That Shook the World. Beatty stars in the lead role alongside Diane Keaton as Louise Bryant and Jack Nicholson as Eugene O’Neill.
Beatty was awarded the Academy Award for Best Director and the film was nominated for Best Picture, but lost to Chariots of Fire. (Wikipedia)
Salvador
▶︎ Drama (1986)
Salvador is a 1986 American war drama film co-written and directed by Oliver Stone. It stars James Woods as Richard Boyle, alongside Jim Belushi, Michael Murphy and Elpidia Carrillo, with John Savage and Cynthia Gibb in supporting roles.
The film tells the story of an American journalist covering the Salvadoran Civil War who becomes entangled with both the FMLN and the right-wing military dictatorship while trying to rescue his girlfriend and her children.
The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Woods) and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Stone and Boyle). (Wikipedia)
Shattered Glass
▶︎ Drama (2003)
Shattered Glass is a 2003 biographical drama film about journalist Stephen Glass and his scandal at The New Republic. Written and directed by Billy Ray, the film is based on a 1998 Vanity Fair article of the same name by H. G. Bissinger and chronicles Glass’ fall from grace when his stories were discovered to be fabricated. It stars Hayden Christensen as Glass, alongside Peter Sarsgaard, Chloë Sevigny, and Steve Zahn. (Wikipedia)
She Said
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2022)
“She Said is an upcoming American biographical drama film directed by Maria Schrader, written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, and produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner. It is based on the 2019 book of the same name by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, journalists from The New York Times who exposed Harvey Weinstein’s history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women. The film stars Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as Twohey and Kantor, respectively.” (Wikipedia)
As of December 2022, the film is now showing in the USA and UK, and available to stream online. See the website link below.
Shock Corridor is a 1963 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Samuel Fuller, and starring Peter Breck, Constance Towers, and Gene Evans. The film tells the story of a journalist who gets himself intentionally committed to a mental hospital to solve a murder committed within the institution.
In 1996, Shock Corridor was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. (Wikipedia)
Spotlight
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2015)
Tom McCarthy’s film is set inside The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team, the oldest continuously operating newspaper investigative journalist unit in the United States.
The film starts in 2001 with the arrival of Martin ‘Marty’ Baron, the new Editor of The Globe. The film hints that the paper had previously reported on the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, but hadn’t followed it up as Baron would have expected. Not having grown up in the shadow of the Catholic Church, the new editor lacks the reverence that holds back the native Bostonians and he prompts the Spotlight team to investigate further.
State of Play
▶︎ Drama (2009)
A thief is shot and dies in a Washington back alley, a delivery driver who witnesses the crime is also shot and is in a coma. The following morning, Sonya Baker, a researcher for a US Congressman, is hit by a metro train which is initially thought to be suicide. You know, I know, we all know, that if there are three deaths in the first five minutes of a movie there’s probably connection and there is here.
I’d also recommend watching the BBC TV drama of the same name.
Storm Lake
▶︎ Documentary (2021)
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Art Cullen and his family fight to unite and inform their rural Iowan farming community through their biweekly newspaper, The Storm Lake Times—even as the paper hangs on by a thread. Twice a week, they work as civic watchdogs to protect their hometown and the legacy of credible journalism, at large—come hell or pandemic.
Available to watch on Prime video in the US. Art Cullen won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing for his book of the same name.
Tabloid
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2010) ▶︎ USA
Tabloid is a 2010 American documentary film directed by Errol Morris. It tells the story of Joyce McKinney, who in 1977 was accused of kidnapping and raping Kirk Anderson, an American Mormon missionary.
The incident, known as the Mormon sex in chains case, became a major tabloid story in the United Kingdom and triggered a circulation battle between two popular tabloid newspapers, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express. (Wikipedia)
True Crime
▶︎ Drama (1999)
True Crime is a 1999 American mystery thriller film directed by Clint Eastwood, and based on Andrew Klavan’s 1995 novel of the same name. Eastwood also stars in the film as a journalist covering the execution of a death row inmate, only to discover that the convict may actually be innocent. (Wikipedia)
Veronica Guerin
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2003)
Veronica Guerin is a 2003 biographical crime film directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role. The screenplay by Carol Doyle and Mary Agnes Donoghue focuses on Irish journalist Veronica Guerin, whose investigation into the drug trade in Dublin led to her murder in 1996, at the age of 37. (Wikipedia)
The Year of Living Dangerously
The Year of Living Dangerously is a 1982 Australian romantic drama film directed by Peter Weir and co-written by Weir and David Williamson. It was adapted from Christopher Koch’s 1978 novel The Year of Living Dangerously. The story is about a love affair set in Indonesia during the overthrow of President Sukarno. It follows a group of foreign correspondents in Jakarta on the eve of an attempted coup by the 30 September Movement in 1965. (Wikipedia)
Zodiac
▶︎ Drama, based on a true story (2007) ▶︎ USA
Zodiac is a 2007 American mystery thriller film directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt, based on the 1986 non-fiction book of the same title by Robert Graysmith.
The film tells the story of the manhunt for the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s, taunting police with letters, bloodstained clothing, and ciphers mailed to newspapers. The case remains one of the United States’ most infamous unsolved crimes. (Wikipedia)
This is the second blog post in a series about self-study in general and, in particular, furthering my education in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography.
Note: I’m adding these three posts from my old blog, they add context to my current studying methods and my prove helpful for others self-studying. My process of studying changed as I figured out what works best for me. The process I outline here isn’t the way I’m studying now.
This month, nothing highlighted the cavernous gap in my knowledge of photojournalism quite as much as my almost complete ignorance of the work of Philip Jones Griffiths, but more of that later.
The Goal
I’m basing my study around the outline for the London College of Communication (LCC) BA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography. My intention is to apply for the course when time and money permit (which, in this context, are the same thing). I’m adding relevant resources to that blog post as I find them.
This Month
I didn’t achieve as much as I’d hoped – although I do need to keep reminding myself that I’m not writing to a deadline, there isn’t a tutor waiting, red pen in hand. I think some of that pressure comes from the fact that I’m not working to a deadline. I am conscious that nothing prevents me from just deciding not to do this any longer. I guess I’m trying to prove something and stop myself from taking that easy option.
Unit 2: Practical Documentary Photography & Photojournalism
“This unit will introduce you to the skills and knowledge required to identify, research, shoot and edit a series of photographic images within particular genres of documentary and photojournalistic image-making.”
Book: Understanding Photojournalism, Chapter 1 – What is Photojournalism
I continued reading around the themes raised, attempting to answer, ‘What is Photojournalism’, which isn’t as obvious a question to answer as you may first think.
Book: Documentary Photography Reconsidered: History, Theory and Practice by Michelle Bogre
The plan is to work through the chapters relevant to the Unit. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a copy of the book when I needed it (I’ve since received a copy for my birthday), so I’ll return to that once I’ve finished Unit 3.
Book: Witness in Our Time: Working Lives of Documentary Photographers
I explored the work of several of the featured photographers, but I was particularly fascinated by the life of the incredible Hansel Mieth. She seemed like such a ballsy woman, someone I’d loved to have met. There’s a great documentary on Vimeo if you’re interested.
Unit 3: Histories & Theories of Photojournalism & Documentary Photography
“This unit introduces you to the key historical and social issues surrounding photojournalism and documentary photography from their earliest stages to the present day.”
Book: Understanding Photojournalism, Chapter 2 – History and Development of Photojournalism
There is so much to explore in the history of photojournalism; a single chapter cannot give more than the broadest overview. Several times, I found myself disappearing down the inevitable rabbit holes. For a newspaper junkie like me, it was intriguing to see the first photograph ever published in a newspaper—the New York ‘Daily Graphic’, in 1880. I also found myself counting cannonballs in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and no, I’m still not sure which image came first.
I’ve made a note to delve deeper into the work of Jacob Riis and Lewis Hine, but the greatest inspiration most certainly came from the work of Philip Jones Griffiths.
One thing I’ve learnt this month
I’m genuinely ashamed to say I didn’t know the work of Philip Jones Griffiths whatsoever.
Philip was a Welsh-born photojournalist and pacifist principally known for his work in Vietnam during the war; he also worked in the UK and Cambodia.
His best-known book, Vietnam Inc., is widely regarded as one of the most honest portrayals of the Vietnam War. Eugene Richards describes it as “one of the books of the 20th Century.”
There are two excellent documentaries on Vimeo about Jones Griffiths. One made by his long-term partner Donna Ferrato, shot days before he died (above) and the other (below) by the Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation.
After his death, John Pilger wrote:
“I never met a foreigner who cared as wisely for the Vietnamese, or about ordinary people everywhere under the heel of great power, as Philip Jones Griffiths. He was the greatest photographer and one of the finest journalists of my lifetime, and a humanitarian to match. His photographs of ordinary people, from his beloved Wales to Vietnam and the shadows of Cambodia, make you realise who the true heroes are. He was one of them.”
This is the first blog post in a series about self-study in general and, in particular, furthering my education in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography.
Note: My process of studying changed as I figured out what works best for me. The process I outline here isn’t the way I’m studying now.
At some point in mid-2021, I was feeling a little discouraged by not being able to work on the projects I’d been planning. So, I turned my attention to improving my knowledge about the field of documentary storytelling in general.
I know the structure of crafting a photo story, and I think my ethics are well-tuned; maybe we all do? Are my instincts correct? Is the way I tackle a project the best approach? These are some of the questions I hope to answer. I’m also interested in learning more about the history of photojournalism.
I’ve been working on projects for a few years; I’ve attended some excellent short courses, including the highly recommended Missouri Photo Workshop. But I’ve never undertaken any long-term formal education in the subject – a situation I’m determined to remedy at some point.
So, self-education, how easy and valuable is it in reality? I’m going to document my process for two reasons. Hopefully, it will prove helpful to others – even if it becomes a guide on how not to proceed.
The Start
It started a little haphazardly. I bought a few books, some good, some not so much. I watched Matt Black: The Documentary Commitment, which I would recommend, more of that to come. In the process, I have created a list of resources that I’ve shared here, which might be helpful. All good as far as it goes, but I needed some structure.
Then, something led me to watch the recording of last year’s online open day for LCC’s Photojournalism and Documentary Photography BA. It’s a well-regarded course and one I’d like to apply to at some point. I realised that on the LCC website is a detailed outline of the BA course. Could this be the guide I’d been looking for!
I have broken down the outline and started adding resources that seem to fit the various units of the course. You’re joining me almost at the beginning of this journey. I intend to add to the outline as I discover different resources.
Jennifer Good, the LCC BA Course Leader, and Paul Lowe, a tutor and highly respected photojournalist, have published ‘Understanding Photojournalism‘. The book chapters closely mirror the BA course units – I’m taking this as my starting point.
I’m going to blog – maybe monthly – so you can see how I’m getting on. (Plus, writing the blog will give me an excuse to not study when I need one!)
A few caveats I feel obliged to include:
I’ve only been working on it for a few weeks. As I go on, I’ll probably find that some of the resources I include would be better off as part of a different ‘unit’.
Working as I am is no substitute for guidance from a qualified tutor. If I had the money/time, I’d be applying for the BA now.
I’m not a tutor; I am literally making this up as I go along.
Method
It’s been a long time since I’ve undergone any formal education, and without a tutor on call, I wasn’t sure of the best way to proceed.
I started writing longhand in a notebook. Although I enjoyed the process of writing my notes, and apparently, we absorb more information if we write notes by hand, I soon realised I should have started digitally. Particularly as I’m still discovering how best to do this, the convenience of being able to go back and easily edit is invaluable. So last week, I took a few days to type up the notes I’d made so far. I’m glad I made that decision early in the process.
I’ve fallen into working by reading each chapter and underlining relevant sections in the book as I go. Then I reread it and typed up my notes. I’m using Evernote, although I’m sure any note-taking app will work. Evernote allows me to insert images, PDFs and even YouTube videos. There’s a free version of Evernote that does everything you need.
Progress so far
I started reading the book before finding the outline, so I didn’t have a structure set up. Although I’d read through a few chapters, as I’m not working to a timetable, I’ve gone back to the beginning, writing more detailed notes.
Hopefully, I’ll still be as keen this time next month so I’ll let you know how it goes. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, get in touch.
One thing I’ve learnt this month
I’ve always been a fan of David Hockney’s joiners, always imagining they were nothing more than wonderful collage images. I hadn’t realised Hockney was addressing the ‘problem’, as he saw it, of the passing of time in a photograph.
When you photograph a scene, you capture the whole area of the image at the exact moment (within fractions of a second). When we look at a scene, our eyes move around it, viewing different areas at different times. Hockney’s ‘joiners’ answer that problem; he talks about it in this video.
If you’ve not been to a rodeo, think of a cross between a circus and a village show. Add a few cowboys, corn dogs and some funnel cake, and you’ve got yourself a rodeo!
We were on holiday; I wasn’t there to shoot, so we found a place high on the bleachers to watch the show. However, there’s something about the rodeo that appeals to both the documentary photographer and the event photographer in me.
So, the plan had been to watch most of the show, then get close to the bullpen to catch a few shots of the bull riding, which is the highlight of the night. However, I soon realised that wasn’t going to happen. There are ten rows of tightly packed bleachers in front of me; without jumping off the back, there is no way down.
My previous rodeo experience was a very rural country event. There was a crowd, but you got the impression that many people were related to the riders.
Here we’re in the north Georgia town of Dalton, and it’s standing-room only. The Sheriff is here making sure that something, I don’t know what, doesn’t happen. The Dalton Fire Department truck takes pride of place; the firefighters are sitting on top.
We all stand for the national anthem, and the announcer introduces Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, instructing us all to get out and vote for the Republican Party in the upcoming midterm elections. My suckled-by-the-BBC impartiality hackles start to bristle. My wife steps in and shuts me up, which, considering the circumstances and the twenty-five-foot drop behind me, is fair enough.
Ms Greene – the Representative in the House for Georgia’s 14th District – strongly supports former President Donald Trump. However, the crowd seemed far more interested in their funnel cake than the Congresswoman. However, there was a cheer of support when someone suggested pitting Nancy Pelosi against one of the bulls.
At the end of the evening, some of the riders gather for a practice session to hone their skills. This allowed me to get a few shots from the night, although it was a lot less than I’d planned.
If you ever get the chance, get to the rodeo; politics aside, it’s a great night.
At some point early in 2021 (mid-COVID-19), I was feeling a little discouraged by not being able to work on the projects I’d been planning. So, I turned my attention to improving my knowledge about documentary storytelling in general.
The full story is in this blog post, but to cut a long story short. I’ve taken the course outline from LCC’s Photojournalism and Documentary Photography BA, which I’ve added below. I’m adding resources that seem to fit the various units as I find them. To date, I’ve added the reading I’m proposing up to the start of year 2. I’m sure my thoughts on this will change as I work. The plan is to update this page as I go along.
I’m aiming to blog about it, just to let you know how it goes. If you have any suggestions in relation to any of this, please get in touch.
(updated: 23 April 2022)
Year 1
Unit 1: Introduction to Photojournalism and Documentary Photography
“This unit acts as an introduction to the course and to your subject specialism. Topics covered include effective learning and studentship at undergraduate level as well as introducing basic technical skills.”
The effective learning aspect of this unit is where I first fell down (blog post). Naively, however,I feel as though I’ve got the ‘basic technical skills’ aspect covered.
Unit 2: Practical Documentary Photography & Photojournalism
This unit will introduce you to the skills and knowledge required to identify, research, shoot and edit a series of photographic images within particular genres of documentary and photojournalistic image-making.
The text I’ve found that seems most appropriate:
Book: Understanding Photojournalism, Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe
Chapter 1 – What is Photojournalism
Book: Documentary Photography Reconsidered: History, Theory and Practice, Michelle Bogre
Book: Witness in Our Time: Working Lives of Documentary Photographers. I’ve so far explored the chapters on:
Hansel Mieth (1909–1998), by far the most inspiring chapter so far. She seemed like such a ballsy woman, someone I’d loved to have met. See Documentary Photography Self-Study blog #2 for a link to the Vimeo documentary.
Walter Rosenblum (1919–2006): It’s very interesting to read about The Photo League, which I need to delve into further.
Michelle Vignes (1928-2012): This chapter is a little disappointing as it exclusively talks about Vignes as a documentarian during the early days of Magnum, but not as a photographer in her own right.
Unit 3: Histories & Theories of Photojournalism and Documentary Photography
“This unit introduces you to the key historical and social issues surrounding photojournalism and documentary photography from their earliest stages to the present day.“
The texts:
Book: Understanding Photojournalism, Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe
Chapter 2 – History and Development of Photojournalism
Chapter 4 – Photojournalism Today
Book: Documentary Photography Reconsidered: History, Theory and Practice, Michelle Bogre
Chapters to be added.
Unit 4: Documentary Storytelling
“This unit helps to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to produce a documentary storytelling project. It will examine contemporary ways of using images for storytelling and help you develop an understanding of visual and narrative structure.”
The texts:
Book: Understanding Photojournalism – Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe
Chapter 3 – The Single Image and the Photostory
Unit 5: Moving Image
“This unit will train you in the skills of basic moving image/film-making within a photojournalism and documentary photography context. You will be supported by expert tutors in developing content and technical skills, resulting in the production of your own short film.”
This should be really interesting, I know very little about the process of video documentary practice, although I’m very keen to experiment.
Unit 6: Media Ethics & Media Law
“This unit will introduce media theories that underpin and help us to understand the role of communication systems, modes of representation and systems of meaning. You will learn about the main media laws that affect the work of photojournalists and documentary photographers.”
The texts:
Book: Understanding Photojournalism – Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe
Chapter 5 – Power and Representation
Chapter 6 – Ethics
Year 2
Unit 7: Contemporary Documentary 1
“This unit will help you to develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to produce a documentary project and associated theoretical research. You will be encouraged to go beyond traditional narrative documentary approaches and to look at ways in which to disrupt expectations about storytelling and start to embrace experimental narratives and structures.”
The texts:
Book: Understanding Photojournalism – Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe
Chapter 7 – Aesthetics
Chapter 8 – A Network of Trusted Witnesses
Unit 8: Elective Unit
“The Elective unit provides a choice of stimulating conceptual and practical projects that will compliment the core units of your course.“
Unit 9: Contemporary Documentary 2
“In this unit, you will further develop the knowledge and skills necessary to produce an in- depth documentary project and associated research. The unit is designed to encourage you to think holistically about the theoretical, philosophical and subjective aspects of documentary photography in relationship to the development of your own practice.“
Unit 10: Reading & Writing Practice
“This unit explores the practices of reading and writing within, around and about photojournalism and documentary photography. The unit culminates in the submission of a Dissertation Proposal, and you will also create an analytical reading journal that records and articulates your engagement with literature in a personal way.“
Year 3
Major Project part 1
“In this unit you will begin the exploratory process of researching and making visual work towards your final major project. You will begin to develop a written proposal, complete a risk assessment and begin to make work that will be further developed in the Major Project Part 2 unit.“
Major Project part 2
“This unit requires the consolidation of your Major Project and its presentation in an appropriate form which will be negotiated with tutors and can encompass, for example, a portfolio of photographic prints, multimedia piece or a photographic monograph.“
Dissertation
“In this unit you will write an extended written essay and will work closely with selected supervisors to present a substantial research project.“
Contemporary Professional Practice
“This unit asks you to consider your future goals and how to best prepare yourself for your career after university. You’ll do extensive research into your chosen career field, produce a web presence, a creative identity package and an interview with a relevant professional.“
If you have any suggestions in relation to any of this, please get in touch.
I started this list of online courses, documentaries, books, and talks while studying documentary photography and photojournalism during the UK’s coronavirus lockdown.
Since then, thanks to the contributions of others, it has continued to grow. My interests are documentary photography, photojournalism, and investigative journalism, so this list reflects that; however, many of the organisations offer courses in related areas that may be of interest. Let me know about the ones I’ve missed.
Courses, Articles, Documentaries, Books, Talks & More
There are a vast range of tutorials on YouTube, CreativeLive, Domestika, Skillshare and Udemy. Some are excellent; many are not. I don’t intend to cover those here; the quality is too inconsistent, and it would be a full-time job. I will list those created by recognised educational organisations, established practitioners or established companies in the field, such as VII Agency, Magnum, Nikon, etc.
Listing here doesn’t indicate I’ve taken the course; in the vast majority of the cases, I haven’t. This is purely a resource that may be useful.
The documentaries are available on a wide range of platforms, from the BBC and DVDs to Netflix and YouTube. I’m adding streaming links as I come across them.
The sections include:
Articles and Blogs
Courses and Classes – Commercial
Courses and Classes – Educational/non-profit
Courses and Classes – Free
Documentaries
Mentoring
Reading List
Talks, Interviews, Podcasts, and Video Guides
Useful Resources (how-tos)
Articles and Blogs
Blind Magazine has several excellent articles which may be useful.
A History of Documentary Photography by Guillaume Blanc, a doctoral student in the history of photography at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
How to Build a Photography Project by Gaia Squarci, a photographer and videographer who teaches multimedia at ICP (International Center of Photography) in New York.
Masterclass with Donna Ferrato by Meero Studio. Donna Ferrato discusses the power of documentary photography, her fights for women, her personal work and demonstrates some steps of the making of producing a publication in her New York studio.
Masterclass with Larry Fink by Meero Studio. Larry Fink discusses his career, images, style, and the essence of photography.
Field of View: Patrick Witty’s substack. The former Photo Editor at The New York Times and International Picture Editor at TIME, amongst other positions, deep-dives into iconic images from history. I guarantee you’ll learn something.
New York photojournalist Michael Brochstein has a range of interesting articles and videos, all aimed at photojournalists. These include Organizing 100,000+ Images Per Year Made Easy’(Digital asset management) and Personal Security for Photographers & Their Equipment.
VII Insider Blog has a selection of high-quality articles from the VII Foundation.
Courses & Classes: Commercial
Duckrabbit An award-winning film production and training company. They hold a mini-documentary workshop, which I have my eye on. Training was suspended for COVID, but if you’re interested, add your name to their mailing list – maybe I’ll see you there.
Eyes in Progress Offers a range of masterclasses and mentoring. Tutors include Alec Soth, Anders Petersen, Mark Power and Todd Hido; this really is the A to Z of top-flight contemporary photography.
International Centre of Photography The highly respected, NYC based, ICP has a range of online short courses in different aspects of documentary photography.
Leica Akademie Leica’s training academy offers a range of free and paid talks by established photographers (change country via the dropdown at the bottom of the page).
Learning with Experts: Photo Journalism An online course taught by award-winning Panos Pictures photographer Stuart Freedman. This course has two varieties: a Peer Option, where you learn in an online classroom with other photographers, or the Expert Option, where you get personal feedback from Stuart.
Lewis Bush The London College of Communication’s MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography Course leader teaches classes online and from his own studio in South London. Recommended
London Institute of Photography (LIoP) Offers a range of online and in-person courses based in London’s Brick Lane. Online courses include: Complete Foundation Photography Course, Beginners Photography Course, Intermediate Photography Course, Lightroom, Photoshop and Photography Careers
Masterclass has a range of classes from well-known industry experts for an annual fee. Of interest may be:
Annie Leibovitz – portrait photography
Ken Burns – documentary filmmaking
Bob Woodward – investigative journalism
Masters of Photography Classes from Albert Watson, Joel Meyerowitz and Steve McCurry – these are priced per class.
Magnum The world-famous agency offers online classes from various Magnum photographers. It also offers (very expensive) mentoring with the likes of Matt Black and Susan Meiselas.
Alec Soth: Photographic Storytelling
The Art of Street Photography, with contributions from Bruce Gilden, Martin Parr, Susan Meiselas, Richard Kalvar, Carolyn Drake, Peter van Agtmael and Mark Power.
Bieke Depoorter: Chance Encounters
Matt Black: The Documentary Commitment – I’ve watched this twice and I’d highly recommend it. Matt talks very personally about his approach, ethics, and how he researches and organises his projects. Recommended
MediaStorm An award-winning film production and interactive design studio. They have a range of online and in-person courses on subjects including video and stills documentary, production workflow and a week-long storytelling workshop.
Paul Hill and Maria Falconer The photographers run a range of workshops, both online and in-person. They also offer 1-2-1 tutoring and mentorship. Paul is the more documentary-focused, being a former photojournalist, having worked for the Birmingham Post & Mail, The Guardian, The Observer, and the BBC, amongst others.
Photography Ethics Centre Two courses are available: the Photojournalism Ethics Series, this is a paid three-part online course, and a shorter free course is listed below. Also, check out the three-part public lecture series on Ethical Literacy on the VII Insider site facilitated by Savannah Dodd, founder and director of the Photography Ethics Centre.
Courses & Classes: Educational/non-profit
The Eddie Adams Workshop (USA). The Eddie Adams Workshop is a merit-based, four-day photojournalism seminar held in upstate New York every Columbus Day weekend. It is tuition-free, and students are chosen based on the merit of their pictures.
Foundry Photo Workshop (USA, location varies). Foundry provides opportunities for those from majority world nations and aims to be affordable for those students. It produces a quality workshop that offers real-world experience in reportage, honest feedback from respected professionals, and a genuine community at an accessible cost.
The International Center of Photography (NYC, USA). A highly respected institution based in New York City. They offer both full and part-time courses, in-person and online.
Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism
Visual Storytelling Intensive
Documentary Practice: Visual Strategies
The Photo Essay: Strategies for Visual Storytelling
The Kalish (USA). Part of the Rochester Institute of Technology, “The Kalish Workshop is an inspirational and intense five-day experience led by award-winning faculty and staff members who focus on the editing and decision making aspects of visual storytelling.”
London College of Communication (London, UK) Part of the University of the Arts London. A highly respected UK university with far too many courses to mention. A few that are particularly relevant:
BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography (LCC)
MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography (online and in-person) from the London College of Communication (LCC)
Documentary Photography Online Short Course (LCC)
Magnum and LCC Intensive Documentary Photography Course (LCC)
The Margate School (Margate, UK) The Margate School offers a one-year post-graduate course titled The Still & Moving Image. “Using experimentation and exploration to develop your practice, this course is supported by both practical and theoretical sessions within the School, the local environment and wider community.”
Missouri Photo Workshop (across Missouri, USA). In its 77th year (2025), this annual week-long workshop is organised by the Missouri School of Journalism; the faculty comprises photojournalists, photo editors and photographers. I’ve attended the workshop and would highly recommend it.
Mountain Workshops (across Kentucky, USA) An annual five-day workshop organised by Western Kentucky University. It comprises five disciplines: photojournalism, video storytelling, picture editing, digital storytelling, and K-12 educators—for a week-long workshop.
Prism Workshop, (Chicago, USA). The Prism Workshop is a non-profit organisation that aims to offer “education, resources, mentoring, funding, professional development and community to visual journalists from traditionally underrepresented communities including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.”
BA (Hons) Documentary Photography is a full-time in-person course established by Magnum photographer David Hurn in 1973.
MA Documentary Photography, part-time online course
University of London, Goldsmiths College (London, UK)
MA Photography and Urban Cultures – they say, “the degree encourages creative interplay between practice and theory – you’ll develop your practical photography skills and examine key ideas and debates in the representation and evocation of contemporary city life.”
Courses & Classes: Free
Blind Magazine Blind has a range of video tutorials, including some created by Noor Images. I’d recommend looking at:
Portraits in an Uncontrolled Environment by Sebastián Liste
Shooting Portraits With Artificial Light by Sanne de Wilde
Using Natural Light for Portraits by Olga Kravets
The Eddie Adams Workshop (USA). The Eddie Adams Workshop is a merit-based, four-day photojournalism seminar held in upstate New York every Columbus Day weekend. It is tuition-free, and students are chosen based on the merit of their pictures.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offer a number of courses through its Open CourseWare program. “OCW Scholar courses offer all the resources you need to learn independently. The courses are based on materials MIT students use in classrooms and include special custom-created content.”
Alberto Diaz: Chevolution (2008). A documentary about the famous portrait by Cuban photographer Alberto Diaz made of Che Guevara, one of the most recognisable snapshots in photography. Watch free on Plex
Alec Soth: Somewhere To Disappear. This isn’t documentary photography as such, but I did find Soth’s approach inspiring. – YouTube
Andrea Bruce: Lessons in the Field. Andrea Bruce shares valuable insights about creating compelling narratives, critical thinking, earning trust, perspective, and the importance of fixers to photojournalists’ work. VimeoRecommended
Bill Jay: Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay.YouTube
Cindy Sherman: Guest of Cindy Sherman (2008). Photographer Cindy Sherman talks about being the master of disguise through her photographic role-playing and delivers an intimate look at her artistic methods. Film website
Danny Wilcox Frazier: Driftless: Photographs From Iowa. Documentary photographer Danny Wilcox Frazier captures life in rural Iowa, the land in which he grew up. VimeoRecommended
David Seymour, Gerda Taro, and Robert Capa: The Mexican Suitcase. A 2011 documentary about the over 4000 film negatives created during the Spanish Civil War by David Seymour, Gerda Taro, and Robert Capa. It follows the journey of the photographs from their disappearance at the beginning of World War II to their rediscovery in 2007. Amazon Prime (but not in the UK)
Don McCullin: McCullin. Don speaks candidly about his three-decade career covering wars and humanitarian disasters on virtually every continent, and the photographs that often defined historic moments. At some points, it’s far from an easy watch. This is not the film to introduce the kids to photojournalism, but that aside, it’s recommended. Amazon Prime Video UK | YouTube
Everybody Street: Highlights the lives and work of New York’s iconic street photographers. YouTube
Frame by Frame: A 2015 documentary that follows four Afghan photojournalists who face struggles as they report during the ‘photo revolution’ that is occurring in the post-Taliban free press. On Apple TV.
Francesca Woodman: The Woodmans (2010) Amazon Prime (but not in the UK) – A peek into the life of Francesca Woodman, a young photographer known for her self-portraits and photos of other women.
Joakim Eskildsen: Nothing Special Joakim Eskildsen is a Danish documentary photographer praised for his work on the Roma people and poverty in the United States. Joakim tells his own story and that of the people around him. website
Letizia Battaglia: Shooting the Mafia Kim Longinotto’s 2019 documentary details Letizia Battaglia’s career, documenting the life and crimes of the Mafia in Sicily. Amazon Prime
Nan Goldin: All the Beauty and the Bloodshedwebsite Filmmaker Laura Poitras (see Citizenfour) details Nan Goldin’s personal fight to hold the Sackler family accountable for the opioid overdose crisis. Currently showing in the UK on the BBC i-Player. Outside the UK on YouTube/Apple TV etc. Recommended
Nan Goldin: I Remember Your Face (2014). Documentary filmmaker Sabine Lidl observes photographer Nan Goldin through interactions with the friends who became her subjects.
National Geographic: The Last Roll of KodachromeYouTube
National Geographic: The Photographers
National Geographic: Search for the Afghan GirlYouTube
Oscar: Portrait of a Photojournalist. A short film about Guatemalan photojournalist Oscar Gutierrez. YouTube
Philip Jones Griffiths (The Magnificent One:) The legendary anti-war photographer and author of VietNam Inc., gives the interview of a lifetime, only 48 hours before he died at his home in London on March 19, 2008. Moving and recommended. Vimeo
Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light. From The American Masters Series (1996). YouTube
Ron Galella: Smash His Camera. Infamous paparazzi photographer Ron Galella. Apple TV
Saul Leiter: In No Great Hurry: 13 Lessons in Life with Saul Leiter. An endearing portrait of an increasingly influential photographer and artist. Film website. Recommended
Saul Leiter: Masters of Photography series. YouTube
Shooting the Darkness: An RTE documentary about the local photographers in Northern Ireland who covered ‘the troubles’. – BBC iPlayer and RTE.
Simon King: How To Become a Documentary Photographer. A short film featuring British documentary photographer Simon King. YouTube
Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen photographs Byker. A BBC Nationwide interview from 1974. YouTube
Susan Meiselas, Richard P. Rogers and Alfred Guzzetti. Pictures from a Revolution.Film website
Tales by Light.Netflix series. “Photographers and filmmakers travel the world capturing people, places, creatures and cultures from new, previously unseen angles.”
The History of Photography. BBC series – watch free online – Recommended
Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People.YouTube
Tim Hetherington: Which Way is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington. The film is available on several streaming platforms including Apple + and Prime Video. Tim Heatherington Wikipedia
Tish Murtha: Tish is a documentary about the working-class British social documentary photographer Tish Murtha, who captured the impact of Thatcherism on the north of England but could not escape the poverty and inequality she exposed. Film website. Recommended
W. Eugene Smith: The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith. Smith the master of monumental projects exceeds himself in recording 4000 hours of audio tape and took 40,000 photographs in the Jazz Loft between 1957 and 1965. There is a trailer on YouTube that is guaranteed to make you want to watch the whole thing. Recommended
William Eggleston: The Colourful Mr Eggleston.YouTube
William Klein: The Many Lives of William KleinYouTube – Recommended
Zana Briski: Born Into Brothels. Documentary photographer Zana Briski journeyed into Calcutta’s underworld to photograph the city’s prostitutes. Watch free online
Mentoring
There aren’t many photographers who are so sure of their process and the direction a story should take that they wouldn’t benefit from the objective eye of a colleague. Often, that could be one of your peer groups. But occasionally, the dispassionate view of a more experienced practitioner is needed.
Ed Thompson Documentary photographer and lecturer, Ed offers online mentoring and training as well as teaching a post-graduate course at The Margate School.
Magnum The world-famous agency offers (very expensive) mentoring with the likes of Matt Black and Susan Meiselas. For the rest of us, check out their online classes from various Magnum photographers, including one I’ve watched with Matt Black, which I’d recommend.
Stuart Freedman Documentary photographer and writer Stuart Freedman offers mentoring and coaching. His website has more details.
VII Academy Offers a two-year mentorship programme for photojournalists who have already started their careers.
Reading List
Please avoid buying from Amazon if you can. There are so many great local bookshops that would appreciate your support.
For academic articles, try searching the UAL Research Online (University of the Arts, London) – to narrow things down, select the college as ‘London College of Communication’.
A recommended reading list for the Technique and Theory in Documentary Photography from Blind Magazine.
Basics Creative Photography 02: Context and Narrative by Maria Short. The author is a photographer, writer and lecturer in photography at the University of Brighton. This book has been updated since the edition I own. I haven’t had a chance to see the later edition.
The Documentary Impulse by Stuart Franklin is out of print, but used copies are still available online. Franklin explores why we are driven to visually document our experiences and the world around us. He focuses on photography but traces this universal need through art, literature, and science. Recommended by Bojan Fürst.
Pictures on a Page: Photo-journalism, Graphics and Picture Editing by Harold Evans. Legendary journalist, writer and editor (The Sunday Times, The Times) offers a complete analysis of how photographs are taken, selected and edited for newspapers and magazines. Harold Evans wrote a range of books of interest to budding journalists and photojournalists.
The Photo Essay—Photographs by Mary Ellen Mark. Mary Ellen Mark offers an overview of her career and insight into the problems that photojournalists working internationally face. In an in-depth interview, Mark discusses problem-solving in the field and offers some ideas about photographing people in various parts of the world.
Photography: A Critical Introduction by Liz Wells. There are several editions. At the time of writing, the latest is the 6th edition. The publisher says: ‘ … this seminal textbook examines key debates in photographic theory and places them in their social and political contexts. Written especially for students in further and higher education and for introductory college courses, it provides a coherent introduction to the nature of photographic seeing.’
Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach by Kenneth Kobre (seventh edition). Kenneth Kobré heads the photojournalism program at San Francisco State University. The publishers say, ‘Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach is the definitive book on photojournalism, delivering a blend of insightful interviews with professionals, practical techniques, and high-impact photographs.’
A Photojournalist’s Field Guide: In the trenches with combat photographer Stacy Pearsall. I’ve not read this yet, but it is on order, so I’ll update it once I’ve read it. The publisher says, ‘In this comprehensive, practical guide, award-winning photojournalist Stacy Pearsall offers the techniques, guidance, and inspiration needed to succeed in the dynamic and exciting field of photojournalism.’
Recorded Reality – Early Documentary Photography by Gail Buckland. Presents documentary photographs taken with calotype and wet plate cameras up to the advent of the dry plate around 1884. It is out of print, but it is widely available online.
Understanding Photojournalism by Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe. Highly Recommended. Both authors are lecturers on the highly respected Photojournalism and Documentary Photography courses at the London College of Communication. Includes annotated guides to further reading.
The Universal Journalist by David Randall with Jemma Crew. ‘This is the only ‘how to’ book on journalism written by writers and editors who have operated at the top level in national news.’ There are really helpful chapters covering interview techniques, research, using social media and more. Make sure you get the latest, 6th edition.
Visual Sociology by Douglas Harper is expensive, but there is a new edition due to be published in June 2023. Recommended by Bojan Fürst.
Eugene Richards: An interview with one of my most significant influences, Eugene Richards, following his presentation of the 2014 Missouri Honor Medal.
Forhanna has a series of 16 webinars created by editor/curator Marc Prüst on Visual Storytelling. Recommended by reader Bojan Fürst.
How to Get Started in Photojournalism. New York photojournalist Michael Brochstein presents this comprehensive beginner’s guide to photojournalism, which includes answers to some of those questions you’ve been too embarrassed to ask.
Leica Akademie offers a range of free and paid talks by established photographers. (change country via the dropdown at the bottom of the page. I particularly enjoyed the Semiotics for Storytelling Photography by Simon King.
Masterclass with Donna Ferrato from Blind Magazine Donna Ferrato discusses the power of documentary photography, her fights for women, personal work, and shows some steps of the making of the publication in her New York studio.
Photo Ethics on Film: a series of short videos from The Photo Ethics Centre. These videos use clips from TV or film as examples to explain what is and isn’t ethical or legal. The Photo Ethics Centre also offers free and paid courses.
Photo Wings truly is a hidden gem. They have an incredible range of talks and interviews, including those with Alec Soth, Sally Mann, Ed Kashi, and Matt Black. A particular favourite is talks from the Eddie Adams Workshop.
Photowings Lessons in the Field series:
Adriana Zehbrauskas Adriana takes us with her on an assignment to document baptismal ceremonies at the Basilica de Guadalupe, where we learned how she creates a connection and builds trust with the people she photographs.
Andrea Bruce Andrea shares valuable insights about creating compelling narratives, critical thinking, earning trust, perspective, and the importance of fixers to the work of photojournalists.
James Whitlow Delano While on location, James shared some valuable insights: the philosophical and technical approaches he takes to photojournalism and bearing witness.
Maggie Steber. Maggie provides insight into her style of teaching, the ways we can learn to find our own visual voice, and tips for editing and storytelling.
Matt Black Matt provides insights on his photographic philosophy and how he connects to the people, communities and landscapes he encounters. He shared tips about critical thinking, resilience, and how to tell complex stories using photographs.
Question Everything Former This American Life and Serial reporter Brian Reed “re-examines everything about journalism, the profession he thought he knew”. Based in the US, Brian Reed looks into issues around First Amendment rights and the challenges to journalism in the 21st Century. Excellent, highly recommended.
VII Insider has a great range of talks and interviews with photographers at the top of their game. You’ll need to register – free of charge – to access the videos.
Ethics in a Time of War. Particularly relevant at the moment (April 2022 – Russia is attempting to invade Ukraine) is a discussion between Savannah Dodd, the founder of the Photography Ethics Centre and David Campbell.
Useful Resources
Associated Press (AP), News Values and Principles AP, one of the foremost news providers, publishes guidance on values and principles in a range of areas, including the use of photographs, attribution, quotations and privacy. Use this as your guide, and you won’t go too far wrong. Also, see AP captioning guidelines below.
Collins Online Dictionary A free online dictionary in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Chinese and Korean.
Disaster Preparedness Resources Particularly related to covering a hurricane. Photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Kathleen Flynn lists advice and resources that may be useful when covering a hurricane. Also, see Trauma & Journalism Resources below.
How to Build a Photography Project by Gaia Squarci, a photographer and videographer who teaches multimedia at ICP (International Center of Photography) in New York, from Blind Magazine.
NPR’s photo caption guidelines Photo captioning guidelines from NPR “an independent news organisation committed to informing the public about the world around us”.
NPR Training Includes articles as diverse as How to make photos and radio at the same time to 5 techniques to spell any name correctly, every time.
Style Guides: house manuals for news organisations. You may not agree with everything, but they’re a good starting point.
The Guardian: The Guardian, helpfully, doesn’t restrict access to its style guide behind a paywall. Items not covered by the style guide refer to Collins Online English Dictionary.
Trauma & Journalism Resources: Photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Kathleen Flynn lists resources that may be useful for journalists, photojournalists, or anyone affected by trauma. Also, see Disaster Preparedness Resources above.
