Advanced Documentary

Catalog description

Prerequisites: Photojournalism I or the equivalent experience Beginning photojournalists develop a project, and acquire the practical knowledge to enter the profession. Students will work with a director of photography to develop a long-term project with an eye-toward publication (print, blog, self-published). Students will develop an idea; consider similar projects/competition; research appropriate publications/outlets for their work; craft a pitch; present to editors; explore alternative modes of production and distribution; and learn about practical business considerations (representation, rights, etc). Students should come to the first meeting with a one-page project proposal in hand. There is a lab fee charged for this course. Students should email [email protected] to be enrolled in this course. The email should list relevant experience or courses taken that fulfill the prerequisite. Whitney Johnson is the Director of Photography at The New Yorker where she oversees the photographic vision for the print magazine, digital editions, and the website. She produced and edited the photo essays “Service” and “Portraits of Power”, which won National Magazine Awards in 2009 and 2010, and contributes regularly to Photo Booth, the magazine’s photography blog. Before joining the magazine, Johnson worked at the Open Society Foundations, coordinating a grant competition for photographers and the Moving Walls exhibition. Johnson teaches at New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts, Columbia University’s School of Journalism, and the International Center of Photography, and is on the advisory council of the Alexia Foundation. She holds a BA in American Literature from Barnard College, and pursued postgraduate work in American Studies at Columbia University.