PDNedu, Vol. 14, No. 2, Fall 2015 by PDNedu

VOL. 14 ISSUE 2 // FALL 2015

THE MAGAZINE FOR EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND PHOTO EDUCATORS

THE

DOCUMENTARY & PHOTOJOURNALISM ISSUE

LIFE AS LYNSEY ADDARIO THE WAR PHOTOGRAPHER GETS CANDID ABOUT HER CAREER

ONE TO WATCH: ANDREW RENNEISEN FIVE DAYS IN HAITI WITH THE RISING PHOTOJOURNALIST

+ MULTIMEDIA 101 WITH AMI VITALE, FUNDING YOUR LONG-TERM PROJECTS AND MORE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PDN AND NIKON

PHOTO Â© LYNSEY ADDARIO/GETTY IMAGES REPORTAGE

In Generation Image, your camera is your voice. Are you saying enough?

Join the conversation. #IAMGenerationImage

VOLUME 14 // ISSUE 2

14 News and Views PDNedu/Nikon seminar at PPE and PDN’s 30 panels hosted this fall; Q&A with Nikon I AM Generation Image campaign film director Douglas Gautraud; Star Teacher David Rees from University of Missouri

17 Media Reports Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment; Gillian Laub’s Southern Rites; Wendy Ewald’s This Is Where I Live

18 Photo Gigs Brian Storm, founder and executive producer of MediaStorm

20 Is It Legal?

Caption t/k Photos © (clockwise from top) Lynsey Addario/Getty Images Reportage, Alexandra Hootnick, Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images Reportage, Gillian Laub

Nancy Wolff breaks down what types of found footage for a documentary film fall under fair use

22 Ask MVS Mary Virginia Swanson outlines the steps to take before, during and after your senior thesis show

24 Project X Two New York City nonprofits dedicated to photographers; the affordable, international Foundry Photojournalism Workshop

28 Storytellers

Syracuse University graduate student Alexandra Hootnick finds her voice through documentary storytelling BY HAL STUCKER

32 One to Watch Getty Images Reportage Emerging Talent honoree Andrew Renneisen spends five days in Haiti BY BRIENNE WALSH

38 It’s a Living Nikon Ambassador Lynsey Addario looks back on covering more than a decade of conflict overseas BY HARRISON JACOBS

44 Special Report Three schools that provide a rigorous foundation in photojournalism BY JACQUI PALUMBO

DEPARTMENTS

50 Business Smarts

58 What Does It Cost…?

06 Editor’s Letter

Multimedia 101 with Ami Vitale INTERVIEW BY BRIENNE WALSH

To study, live and work in Minneapolis? BY AMANDA BALTAZAR

08 Contributors

54 Step x Step

64 Product News

10 Letters & Student Photo Op

A survey of funding and sponsorship options for long-term projects BY MARY VIRGINIA SWANSON

The latest gear for students and instructors BY GREG SCOBLETE

70 PDNedu Asks Photographers… Tips for being sensitive to

subjects while photographing and sharing their private lives COMPILED BY JACQUI PALUMBO

72 Out of the Past Mary Ellen Mark leaves a lasting legacy with her passing BY HILARY REID

THIS PAGE: Jamey Stillings’ series, “The Evolution of Ivanpah Solar,” is a long-term aerial project funded through various means. Read up on how to research funding and sponsorship options for your projects on pg. 54 in this edition of Step X Step.

PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015

Photo © Jamey Stillings

TIPS & TECH

IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU SEE THE WORLD,

CHANGE YOUR LENS.

INVEST IN A NEW PERSPECTIVE For 80 years, NIKKOR lenses have set the standard for sharpness and craftsmanship. That’s why there’s nothing like a Nikon camera with a genuine NIKKOR lens. Explore Nikon’s full line of legendary NIKKOR lenses. nikonusa.com/nikkor START HERE AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED

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HOMECOMING

BLAIR BUNTING RETURNS TO HIS STOMPING GROUND ARMED WITH THREE NIKKOR F/1.8 PRIME LENSES dvertising photographer and Nikon Ambassador Blair Bunting’s first camera was a Nikon F, gifted to him by his father for Bunting’s high school photography class. 14 years later, the camera still sits proudly on his desk. Shooting professionally for about ten years, Bunting’s client list includes ESPN, The Discovery Channel, The New York Times and many others. His subjects range from athletes to automobiles and beyond. Recently, he returned to his high school for a shoot with fitness athlete Kelli Lyn Willer on the football field. Reminiscing on one of his earliest shoots there, he says, “I had my 1972 Nikon F with a NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4 for my photo class. I photographed a girl named Elaine and it was one of the first shots where I felt really, really empowered and thought I could do this for a living.” Bunting’s homecoming involved a little more gear this time. Equipped with a Nikon D3x and three NIKKOR f/1.8 prime lenses—the AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED, AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G and AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G—Bunting put the lenses through their paces. From the tack-sharp images, excellent detail capture and beautiful color rendition, the lenses delivered with a lack of distortion and absence of lens flare. Bunting was also pleasantly surprised by the light weight—“It’s a good day when the model gets a better work out than you do,” he jokes. The NIKKOR f/1.8 prime family covers a broad focal range including 20mm, 28mm, 35mm (DX), 50mm and 85mm models. Photographing outdoors presents its own set of challenges, and Bunting used a mix of available light and flash from Profoto B1 heads for images of the female athlete. For the shot of her running up the bleachers, Bunting shot with the 20mm f/1.8G ED lens at 1/3200th of a second and at ISO 100 using high-speed sync to capture her mid jump. Although Bunting was concerned about shooting directly into the sun, the 20mm lens handled the scene extremely well and exhibited no flare. Equally flare-free was a shot of Willer stretching,

Photos © Blair Bunting

captured with the 50mm f/1.8G lens wide open. Perhaps more importantly, Bunting points out, “Usually when you shoot wide open, you’re going to see some softness. There was no softness, no fringing [with the 50mm]. I was absolutely blown away.” Of all the lenses, Bunting says, “The image quality and depth-of-field controls is stunning,” but, he adds: “especially with the 85mm.” This focal length is not only ideal for portraits but also works well for athletes running or, in this case, jumping between the slats of a horizontal ladder. Shot at f/6.3 for better depth of field, 1/250th of a second and ISO 125, the bright tie-dye colors are reproduced perfectly. And, says Bunting, “when you look close, you can see every hair on her head.” Examining repeating patterns can be useful in determining lens distortion. Bunting opened an image of Willer running up the bleachers in Adobe Photoshop and virtually drew a straight line from the center to either end. “There’s no bend between the center and the corners. That’s a big deal,” says Bunting. Bunting notes that even though the f/1.8 lenses are affordable, there’s no loss of quality at the professional level. “You could easily shoot a pro campaign with the NIKKOR f/1.8 line.” He adds: “You’ll see some of these images [shot with the f/1.8 primes] in my portfolio.” PICTURED: Kelli Lyn Willer running up the bleachers and stretching on Blair Bunting’s former high school football field (left); Nikon’s family of f/1.8 prime lenses (below).

Made for Generation Image.

For more work by Blair Bunting visit www.blairbunting.com PDNEDU. COM FALL 2015 5 At the heart of every image

VOL. 14 ISSUE 2 // FALL 2015

EDITOR’S LETTER

Forging a career in documentary photography and photojournalism takes commitment that goes far beyond the production process. Taking photos is just one of the many moving parts, alongside extensive research, forming relationships with subjects, traveling abroad for long stretches of time and acclimating to different political climates and social expectations. But the reward for the lifestyle that these types of photographers adopt is unparalleled: making work that can shape opinions and effect change, and bringing overlooked stories into public discourse. In this issue, we feature Nikon Ambassador Lynsey Addario, known for her empathetic coverage of conflict and critical social issues overseas. Her best-selling memoir, It’s What I Do, was picked up for a film adaptation by Steven Spielberg earlier this year. Addario reflects on her career and gives no-holds-barred advice about what it takes to be a war photographer on page 38. Also featured in this issue is Getty Images Reportage Emerging Talent Andrew Reneissen on page 32, and Syracuse University graduate student Alexandra Hootnick on page 28, both of whom have illustrious careers ahead of them. The issue also covers various opportunities and advice for aspiring documentarians and photojournalists, including which schools to attend (Special Report, page 44), coverage of the affordable Foundry Photojournalism Workshop (Project X, page 25), and how to fund your long-term projects (Step X Step, page 54). PDNedu readers will notice a big change this issue: longtime editor Jill Waterman has moved on to the next chapter of her career. Jill has led PDNedu since its inception, and our team will work hard to fill her shoes. It was truly a pleasure to put this issue together. Students and educators should feel free to reach out to me directly at jacquelyn.palumbo@ emeraldexpo.com. —Jacqui Palumbo

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PHOTO+ John McGeary VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER, PHOTO+ Lauren Wendle MANAGER, CUSTOM MEDIA & EVENTS Moneer Masih-Tehrani MANAGING EDITOR Jacqui Palumbo COPY EDITOR Elissa Hunter DESIGN Ami Pourana, Lucy Reading-Ikkanda CONTRIBUTORS Amanda Baltazar, Mindy Charski, Harrison Jacobs, Hilary Reid, Greg Scoblete, Hal Stucker, Mary Virgina Swanson, Brienne Walsh, Nancy Wolff PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Daniel Ryan CIRCULATION Lori Golczewski ONLINE PROJECT MANAGER Reiko Matsuo ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Mark Brown (646) 668-3702 SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mike Gangel (646) 668-3717 Lori Reale (858) 204-8956 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Dennis Tyhacz (646) 668-3779 Jon McLoughlin (646) 668-3746

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ON THE COVER From Lynsey Addario’s series “Veiled Rebellion.” Of the series, she writes: “Afghan women suffer under the constraints of tribalism, poverty and war. Now they are starting to fight for a just life.”

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CONTRIBUTORS AMANDA BALTAZAR is based in the soggy Pacific Northwest, a far cry from the Midwestern city of Minneapolis, where she immersed herself for What Does It Cost? on pg. 58. Baltazar writes about photography, retail, food and beverage, and has plenty of options for taking photos of stunning scenery and her cheeky kindergartener. She lives with her daughter and husband. To learn more, visit her website at <www.chaterink.com>.

MINDY CHARSKI is a Dallas-based freelancer who writes about photography, marketing and small-business topics. She received her master’s in journalism from Medill in 1997 and, though she had excellent mentors, would have loved to have taken a photojournalism class from Star Teacher David Rees, whom she profiles on pg. 16. She also covers two New York City nonprofits supporting photographers for Project X on pg. 24. You can follow Charski on Twitter @MindyCharski.

HARRISON JACOBS is a New York City-based writer and photographer and a news editor at Business Insider. For this issue of PDNedu, he spoke with one of his photographic heroes, Lynsey Addario, about her important (and dangerous) career covering more than a decade of conflicts and social issues overseas. Read all about Addario’s work in It’s a Living on pg. 38. Follow Jacobs on Twitter @HarrisonXJacobs and learn more about him at <www.harrisonjacobs.com>.

HILARY REID is a Brooklyn-based writer of fiction, reviews and criticism. Her writing has appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, ELLE.com, InterviewMagazine.com, The New York Times and T magazine online. Reid is a graduate of Skidmore College and works for the publishing imprint of The New York Review of Books. See her review of Mary Ellen Mark’s new book with Aperture Foundation on pg. 17 and a tribute to the late documentarian in Out of the Past on pg. 72. Photo © Jonno Rattman

GREG SCOBLETE is the technology editor at PDN and Rangefinder, and has covered photography and digital imaging for a number of print and online outlets over the past 15 years. When he’s not writing about photography, Scoblete contributes to a foreign policy website and will often opine about artificial intelligence and technology. See his roundup of new products on pg. 64 and follow him on Twitter @GregScoblete.

HAL STUCKER is a Brooklyn, New York-based writer and photographer. His articles and photographs have been published by BostonReview.net, New York Daily News, The New York Times, Smithsonian and WIRED. For this issue of PDNedu, he reports on the affordable, international Foundry Photojournalism Workshop on pg. 25, and profiles Syracuse University graduate student Alexandra Hootnick in Storytellers on pg. 28.

MARY VIRGINIA SWANSON is an author, educator and consultant. She is the recipient of awards such as the 2015 Honored Educator by SPE, the 2014 Susan Carr Award for Education from ASMP and the 2013 Lifetime Achievement FOCUS Award from the Griffin Museum of Photography. See her new marketing and business advice column on pg. 22, and an excerpt from her upcoming book, Finding Your Audience: An Introduction to Marketing Your Photographs, about funding long-term projects on pg. 54.

BRIENNE WALSH is a writer who has contributed to Art in America, Architectural Digest, Departures, Interview, The New York Times, PDN, Rangefinder and The Village Voice, among other publications. See her review of Gillian Laub’s highly anticipated book, Southern Rites, on pg. 17; a profile on our One to Watch pick, rising photojournalist Andrew Renneisen, on pg. 32; and an inteview with Nikon Ambassador Ami Vitale about diving into multimedia projects on pg. 50.

PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015

Matthew Jordan Smith photographed by Brian Smith

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LETTERS

Susan McWhinney Assistant Professor Advertising Photography Program Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, New York

Dear PDNedu: I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your publication and how valuable I feel it is to the academic community. The content is rich and diverse and addresses many issues important to aspiring young artists, while simultaneously featuring information pertinent to professors and professionals. In the past, you have featured the work of two of our students as well as an article on my own course, Professional Practices in Photography. That kind of exposure is a thrill for young photographers and is an excellent way of inspiring them further in their career aspirations. Please continue this great work.

B. Proud Adjunct Associate Professor The University of the Arts Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

WANT TO SEE YOUR WORK IN PDNEDU? Send in one of your best shots along with a letter to jacquelyn.palumbo@emeraldexpo.com, and we will consider your work for publication in the next issue.

Photos © Svetlana Blasucci

PDNedu’s recent Family issue is a beautiful example of how beneficial this magazine is as a classroom resource. Combining stories on business and creativity, PDNedu gives a rounded perspective on the life of a working photographer. I really enjoyed three stories that covered the business end of photography from three different perspectives: the cost of living and working in New Orleans, a story on Jay Maisel’s career and a roundup of business advice from three Nikon Ambassadors. All three of these articles could very easily be assigned as reading and integrated into classroom discussions. Each article discussed issues relating to both finance and lifestyle choices and encouraged readers to consider a number of factors as they begin making decisions regarding where they will live and what type of work they will create. The information found in “What Does it Cost?” is perfect to get students in my Portfolio Development class thinking about their business plans.

ABOVE: Solnyshko orphanage in Novo-Nikolskoe, Russia, where Blasucci lived as a child before being adopted (top); Alexander, Blasucci’s brother, in his home in NovoNikolskoe (bottom).

STUDENT PHOTO OP Svetlana Blasucci School of Visual Arts, New York City Growing up as an adopted child was always a struggle. I never felt like there was a place for me in this world among the people I called my friends. Recently, I took a trip to my birthplace near Smolensk, Russia. My parents hired a private investigator to find my birth family. He told us that my father, Yuri, had died of lung cancer in 2010, and my mother, Valentina, had disappeared into Moscow. Valentina left our family continuously after the birth of each of my siblings and myself; she was mentally ill and unable to care for our family. My birth father lost his job when the former Soviet Union dissolved. I was born a month earlier, in November of 1991. I have two older siblings, Galina and Alexander. Galina wanted no contact with me when I came to visit. That was difficult to accept. She is four years older and her memories may be more vivid of that time when we were all taken from our family home due to neglect. I was only three months old. Alexander opened up his humble home to my parents and me. Hugging him when saying goodbye, and feeling how skinny he was brought me to the realization that my world and his are so very different. He returned to Novo-Nikolskoe, the poverty-stricken village in which we were born. He always knew about my existence but had no way to find me. I had to find him instead, making my family a little bit bigger and my heart and world whole for the first time. See more from Blasucci’s series “My Motherland. My Home” at www.svetlanablasucci.squarespace.com.

PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015

Art That Works Earn a Degree or Take Classes in San Francisco or Online School of Photography // Advertising / Documentary / Fashion / Fine Art / Still Life Student Artwork by Maria Kanevskaya, School of Photography

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JUDGES

SNAPSHOTS

NEWS AND VIEWS TO GET YOU THINKING.

HOT EVENTS // STAR TEACHER // SPONSOR NEWS // PHOTO GIGS // IS IT LEGAL? // PROJECT X // AND MORE

“When I’m shooting, I communicate that I’m in charge, I’m the one taking the picture—sometimes I actually say that, but mostly I just act the part.”

Photo © Mary Ellen Mark

— Mary Ellen Mark

PG. 17

”Samantha Monte and Khalil Samad, Staten Island, New York, 2006” In the book Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment, published by Aperture Foundation, the late documentary photographer provides instruction by example with her work.

PDNEDU.COM SPRING 2013

PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015 13

HOT EVENTS

SNAPSHOTS

PDN’s 30 panels in New York City, Savannah and Chicago The 2015 PDN’s 30 seminar tour has kicked off and includes five more fall dates, starting off with two in New York City: Photoville in Brooklyn Bridge Park on September 13, followed by the School of Visual Arts on September 23. The seminar will also travel to Savannah College of Art and Design and Columbia College Chicago, plus another New York City date at PhotoPlus

Expo on October 22. Each seminar will bring together a panel of PDN’s 30 photographers, who have been recognized as 2015’s emerging photographers to watch, along with leading industry creatives, to share advice with new photographers. You can see this year’s talented PDN’s 30 group and keep up to date on upcoming seminars at <www.pdns30.com>.

Sign Up For a Free PhotoPlus Expo Young Adult Pass Photographers ages 17 to 25 can attend PhotoPlus Expo 2015 for free with a Young Adult/Next Gen Expo Pass. The annual expo will be held at the Javits Center in New York City from October 22– 24. Register ahead of time at <www.photoplusexpo.com> and be sure to RSVP for the PDNedu and Nikon panel on October 22 at <pdnedu.com/ nikonpanel>. Titled “Things I

Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Career in Photography,” Nikon Ambassadors Tamara Lackey, Cliff Mautner and Joe McNally will provide a candid look at how to get your career off the ground without making rookie mistakes, moderated by educator Mary Virginia Swanson. The event will provide drinks and include a Q&A session with the Nikon Ambassadors.

INSIDE SELECTION: Douglas Gautraud, a Kentucky-based filmmaker, discusses how a passion project led to his role as the director of Nikon’s I AM Generation Image campaign in hand, documented them as they

part about working on the project?

PDNedu: The short film you

shared their experiences. Here,

DG: I think people are incredibly

mentioned, My Mom’s Motorcycle,

Gautraud discusses his role in the

fascinating. There are so many

went viral. What was that story

campaign and how he tells stories.

different things that make up who

about, and why do you think it

someone is; learning what those

resonated with so many viewers?

PDNedu: How did you connect with

things are, and what makes them

DG: That story is about a lot of things:

Nikon to become the director of the

special, had to be my favorite part.

it’s about how we connect to people, places, and times through objects;

Photo courtesy of Nikon

film? What did your role entail?

The mission of Nikon’s I AM Generation Image campaign is simple: to find members of this generation who have unique stories to tell. Arming them with DSLR cameras, the campaign inspires these storytellers to take better quality photos in order to stand out and be heard among the millions of images shared in today’s visually rich world. Nikon partnered with director Douglas Gautraud, who met each storyteller and, with a Nikon D810

PDNEDU. 2015 PDNEDU.CCOM OM FALL SPRING 2014

Douglas Gautraud: They had seen

PDNedu: What did you like about

it’s about legacy and longing to live

my film, My Mom’s Motorcycle,

shooting the campaign with the

up to those that came before us; it’s

and gave me a chance to write a

D810?

about the digital world we live in and

treatment for the campaign. I think

DG: My favorite thing is that it made

how it leaves us craving physical

what was important for Nikon was

great images, it did so reliably and it

experiences and realities; it’s about

for the director to truly understand

can fit in my backpack.

a mother’s love for her son and a son’s youthful ignorance; it’s about

and appreciate each story, and to be able to add to them; I believe I did

PDNedu: What do you think are

how my mom became the owner of

that. As the director of a project, you

the most important elements of

a motorcycle. I think people liked my

are involved in almost every decision

storytelling?

film because it says something true.

that has to be made. I reached out

DG: Storytelling is a complicated

It helps that the truth I conveyed was

to interview each person I filmed,

undertaking that has no formula. I

wrapped up in a 5-minute story that I

created a list of the themes and

find, however, that the stories I enjoy

spent so many hours editing until the

aspects of their story that I thought

most are the ones that find a clever

pacing was perfect.

were most important and from there,

way to say something true about

a shot list is created and we go to

people and the world we live in. Good

PDNedu: What’s next for you?

make a film.

stories find a way of taking something

DG: Keep directing projects until I

familiar and making it new again by

know what I’m doing. Maybe then I’ll

shifting our perspective.

make a movie.

PDNedu: What was your favorite

...there was a 24/7 gallery space that allowed you to price and sell your own artwork without the hassle.

For more information visit Discover Your Greatest Work

Your Art Gallery

STAR TEACHER LEFT: Rees holding the camera of his mentor, Angus McDougall, who was chair of the photojournalism program at Missouri when he was a student.

Photo © Randy Cox

SNAPSHOTS

DAVID REES Photojournalism mentor for nearly three decades [ By Mindy Charski ]

David Rees says he was drawn to photojournalism because it’s a discipline that offers the opportunity to enter another person’s life and become an advocate. It’s also a ﬁeld, he adds, that encourages careful observation, demands ethical behavior and requires technical expertise. The very same can be said for educating, another of Rees’s passions, and for years he has merged the two. Rees is a professor and the chair of the photojournalism faculty at the Univeristy of Missouri’s School of Journalism. He’s also co-director of the Missouri Photo Workshop, which was founded in 1949 and today boasts a roster of expert faculty members. “The opportunity for me to combine my loves for teaching and photojournalism has been remarkably rewarding,” Rees says. Rees began his career as an educator in 1971, teaching high school students in the small town of Harvard, Nebraska, for two years. He began experimenting with portraits, nighttime time-lapse pictures and darkroom techniques as a kind of “creative therapy” away from his hectic days of teaching, coaching junior high football and track and directing school plays. About a year after leaving the classroom, he made his ﬁrst stop at the Missouri School of Journalism for a master’s program. While Rees had had plenty of 16

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experience with writing as an English major undergraduate, he says he was drawn to telling stories “in an immediate and visceral way” with images. Rees’s professors were just part of his education equation. He also learned from fellow students; via internships like the one he had at National Geographic; and even from the construction, factory and restaurant work he did to earn money while in school. He now describes those jobs as “opportunities to get to understand how the world works, who other people are who are maybe different from you and how to build relationships even with those who are from a very different background.” Rees returned to the Missouri School of Journalism to teach in 1986 after almost a decade at the college town’s Columbia Daily Tribune, and he has since focused on being what he describes as “a positive force” in his students’ education. He has many opportunities to do so. In addition to working as administrator of the ﬁve full-time photojournalism faculty and ofﬁce support staff, he teaches some of the school’s core photojournalism classes. He’s also the director of the Angus and Betty McDougall Center for Photojournalism Studies, which digitizes and organizes works of photojournalism for education and research. Rees supervises

the graduate students who do the work and helps curate the resulting exhibits. In addition, Rees is in his fourteenth year as co-director of the Missouri Photo Workshop, which requires shooters to pitch a story and capture it within a 400-frame limit. Rees and co-director Jim Curley select the faculty, evaluate applicant portfolios and handle numerous other tasks for the weeklong workshop. In the classroom, Rees says he likes to create an environment that encourages an open exchange of ideas because he believes students are often the most effective teachers, both for themselves and for others. Likewise, to help prepare future journalists for the ethical decisions they’ll face, Rees pushes students to develop their own value system, then helps them test it using case studies. Mutual respect is another teaching tool Rees employs. “When students recognize that the teacher is taking them seriously, respects them for their views and the values they hold, then learning can be a true partnership and an invigorating experience,” he says. One recipient of that respect is Sarah Hoffman, who received her bachelor of journalism degree from the school in 2013. In recalling a course taught by Rees, she says, “In our ﬁrst class, with freshmen to graduate students of varying degrees of experience, we were all held to the same standard.” Hoffman, now a staff photographer at the Omaha World-Herald, says her former professor has a way of asking simple questions that made her look deeper and think more critically about her work. She says, “David is like the light bulb that ﬂashes over your head when you have a realization—never in your face, but there when you most need it.” EDU

THE DAVID REES VISITING PROFESSIONALS FUND A new permanent endowment has been established by Missouri alumnus Sandy Colhoun in David Rees’s name at <www.giving.missouri.edu/rees>. The David Rees Visiting Professionals Fund in Photojournalism will help fund sponsorship of visiting photojournalists at the school. Rees has led Pictures of the Year International, The Missouri Photo Workshop and Photographer of the Year during his tenure, and Colhoun says he is aptly deserving of the honor. “It is hard to imagine a teacher more devoted to the field of photojournalism than David Rees,” he says. “With his thoughtful and gentle demeanor and a discerning eye, Dave has quietly guided thousands of aspiring photojournalists as they launched their careers.”

MEDIA REPORTS

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Some of PDNedu’s favorite photo-related media MARY ELLEN MARK ON THE PORTRAIT AND THE MOMENT The Photography Workshop Series Aperture | Paperback, 128 pages, $29.95 “I want every picture be iconic (which, of course, is impossible),” wrote the late documentary photographer Mary Ellen Mark in the latest edition of The Photography Workshop Series, published by Aperture Foundation. It is Mark’s blend of frank reminiscence and honest advice paired with her photos selected from over 50 years of photographing that makes this book an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Mark’s work and technique. Mark offers advice both straightforward (“If you’re shy

with the camera, go to places where people are there to be photographed—a prom, a parade, a state fair—to get more comfortable”) and abstract (“Be an interpreter, not just an observer”). The reader gets a taste of what being a student in Mark’s workshop might have been like—about a quarter of the book is filled with her students’ work, and Mark’s explanations of why each picture works. It is clear that Mark both influenced and learned from her students. As Laurie Ray Baxter, one of Mark’s students, writes in the introduction, “A great artist leaves traces of her genius like a genetic imprint upon her chosen endeavor. Mary Ellen’s influence on the art of photography and those of us who practice it will long endure.” —Hilary Reid

Cover photos by Mary Ellen Mark

SOUTHERN RITES by Gillian Laub Damiani Hardcover, 160 pages, $50 During a year in which racial inequality has yet again come to the forefront of American discourse, documentary photographer and filmmaker Gillian Laub’s book, Southern Rites, could not be timelier. In 2002, Laub was sent by SPIN magazine to capture the racially segregated homecoming and spring proms in Mount Vernon, a small town in Montgomery County, Georgia. The single assignment turned into a decade-long project, leading to a New York Times Magazine spread in 2009, and eventually,

the town’s first integrated prom the following year. In 2011, Laub received a text from Keyke, one of the students she had come to know intimately. Justin Patterson, her junior-year prom date whom Laub had photographed, had been killed by Norman Neesmith, a 62-year-old white man. In Southern Rites, Laub reveals the layers of the divided town through intimate photographs and first-hand accounts. Her photographs paint a humanistic portrait of a turbulent region, capturing Vidalia onion fields, dilapidated houses, families in mourning and young couples in sparkling prom dresses. Laub also created a documentary with the same name, Southern Rites, which aired on HBO earlier this year. —Brienne Walsh

Cover photo by Gillian Laub

THIS IS WHERE I LIVE by Wendy Ewald MACK Hardcover, 400 pages, $70 For 40 years, Wendy Ewald has facilitated the creation of socially compassionate photographs through collaborative projects, working with locals in the communities she visits to help them photograph their lives. “Because local people, especially children, know their own lives more intimately than any photographer from the outside possibly could, they often make pictures of uncanny openness and depth,” she writes in the introduction for This Is Where I Live. In this book, Ewald worked with 14 diverse groups in Israel and the West Bank over the course of two years,

including young Jewish Israeli men and women at two military academies; Gypsy children in East Jerusalem; Palestinian women elders; and Jewish Israeli, Palestinian, Bedouin and Druze children in various schools. Each chapter is dedicated to a community, with a short forward, a collection of images and an interview or essay from a community member. The collection of image speaks to a shared human experience within a divided, turbulent region. Ewald notes in her introduction that she is not the first person to try and make sense of the cultural, religious and geopolitical issues, but, she writes, “I went with the hope that by working with the people who lived there, I could make a valuable, if incomplete, portrait of Israel and the West Bank today.” —Jacqui Palumbo

Cover photo by Hiba, from the Druze village of Julis

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PHOTO GIGS

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BRIAN STORM Q & A with the founder and executive producer of MediaStorm, a Brooklyn-based multimedia production studio with a focus on documentary storytelling. a super-talented team with a diverse set of skills in production, motion graphics, design, web development, partnership development and social media.

Storm: I originally launched MediaStorm in 1994 and put it on hold to work at MSNBC and Corbis. In 2005 when we launched the second time, the digital landscape had changed dramatically. The tools and distribution had advanced and it seemed like a great moment to focus on the telling of stories that really matter.

Storm: We want to do stories that are

PDNedu: You spent years at Corbis and MSNBC working with multimedia. What made you want to launch a production studio?

PDNedu: How large was your team when you founded MediaStorm in 2005? How has the studio grown? Storm: MediaStorm started in my

apartment with a team of two. Since then, we’ve assembled the right people to go after the opportunities that exist in the digital space for storytellers. We have

PDNedu: What stories do you aim to tell through MediaStorm? universal, that are going to matter over a long period of time. The possibility to create positive change is also important. Given the global connections that can be made now via the web, I’m now looking for projects that have a call to action that can go viral and do some good in the process.

PDNedu: How are stories pitched? How many are personal or passion projects versus commissioned projects? Storm: We receive hundreds of pitches every year. We don’t really have a central theme—we just try to ﬁnd projects that

BELOW: Three MediaStorm titles: Intended Consequences, about female survivors of Rwandan genocide; The Long Night, about minors in the American sex trade; and A Darkness Visible, which examines 30 years of Afghan history.

we think are going to matter and are worth investing in, then we ﬁnd the right partners and work to make them happen.

PDNedu: For commissioned projects, what types of clients work with MediaStorm? Storm: Editorials, nonproﬁts and NGOs make up the bulk of our clients. They come to us for universal stories that help people better understand the complex issues of our time. We don’t do breaking news coverage; we don’t do quantity. We are focused on creating quality projects that have longevity.

PDNedu: What do students learn in your MediaStorm workshops? Storm: We love to share and teach; I think that is a really great way to learn. Our focus is not on the technical elements—though there are lots of technical tips and tricks to share—but rather on the methodology of how we produce the type of stories that we publish and how approaching the reporting process with an eye toward a cinematic narrative can create an arc of distribution opportunities.

PDNedu: In your opinion, what are the fundamentals for exceptional storytelling? Storm: Stories that bind us regardless of race, religion or border. Stories about common people with experiences often not noted in the history books. The key to successfully executing those stories is committing time to reporting and to post-production. Quality is the central ingredient to having an impact.

PDNedu: In your opinion, how has multimedia storytelling changed, and what do you think the future holds? Storm: Multimedia used to mean a one-man band keeping costs low. Now we believe in collaboration and teamwork to tell stories. The explosive distribution that is available to visual storytellers will play a key role in shaping the future of our ﬁeld. EDU

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IS IT LEGAL?

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FAIR USE: USING FOUND FOOTAGE IN A DOCUMENTARY FILM â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am making a documentary film and found some great material on YouTube, including clips from television shows, music videos and user-generated videos that I would like to use. Can I use this material in my documentary under fair use without obtaining permission? With all questions involving whether fair use applies to a work protected by copyright, the frustrating answer is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It depends.â&#x20AC;? Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the use of copyrighted work without consent of the owner for certain uses. As codiďŹ ed in Section 107 of the current copyright act, fair use does not offer speciďŹ c exemptions but rather requires courts to balance a list of four factors. In other words, its offers guidelinesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not rulesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and no formula can be applied with certainty. It is described as the most misunderstood area of copyright law, even by courts that decide if the doctrine applies on a case-by-case basis. While the preamble lists examples

of fair use, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research, the list is not exhaustive. A better answer here is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Show me how the work is used, how much of it was used in relation to the whole work, and the context of the use.â&#x20AC;? As a general rule, any work you ďŹ nd, whether published in print or online, including YouTube videos, is likely protected by copyright and requires consent of the owner. The owner of the work retains the exclusive right to authorize its reproduction, public display, distribution or performance, as well as the creation of any derivatives, for the duration of copyright, which is currently the life of an author plus 70 years (for an individual). Exceptions begin when a work is old enough to be out of copyright,

is a government work and not subject to protection, or is published by the creator under a license that permits use without permission. The four factors to be considered for fair use are (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonproďŹ t educational purposes; (2) the nature of the copyrighted work (for example, if it is factual or creative); (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. These factors are not all treated equally. Simply because a work may be commercial does not mean that its creator can rely on fair use. In fact, the

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filmmakers to obtain releases or permissions for third-party materials used in a documentary film. However, many of these insurers are now allowing a filmmaker to rely on fair use for certain material, provided the filmmaker obtains a legal letter of opinion supporting the fair use defense. In publishing, biographies have always relied on short quotations from source material with credit. A similar concept applies to documentary film. For example, using a limited portion of a larger work in circumstances where the use does not replace the underlying material may be considered fair use. In some instances, the use of an entire work may be fair use if it is not used for esthetic purpose and is used in a historical context or to establish an important point. If your documentary film is commenting on how the media is reporting on a particular subject, using short video clips may be fair use. Because each situation must be looked at on a case-by-case basis, it’s important that you have an experienced lawyer

review the film before distribution to determine whether your reliance on fair use is justified or if any changes to the film need to be made. You should also keep a shot list and maintain records as to where you found the third-party material. And in general, you should only use as much of the underlying work as you need in order to make your point, and you should be able to articulate why you need it in the film. EDU

photo © David Lindner

purpose of the use is becoming one of the more relied-upon factors by the courts. Lately courts have been asking whether the subsequent use of the copyrighted work is “transformative” and adds new expression to the underlying work and does not merely replace or supersede the first work. However, if there is a market for licensing the material for documentary films, that will be a factor to consider. And if you are using a video merely to enhance a documentary, and it does not serve a different purpose other than the original use of the material, it is less likely to be fair use. Because these concepts are hard to define in the abstract, the documentary film community has put out a statement of best practices for fair use at www. cmsimpact.org/fair-use/best-practices/ documentary. In addition, if you want to distribute your film, you will need to acquire “errors and omissions” insurance to cover any claims based on failure to obtain necessary permissions, including copyright. Previously, insurance companies required documentary

Nancy E. Wolff is a partner at Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard, LLP. Her practice focuses on intellectual property and digital media law <www.cdas.com>.

GOT A LEGAL QUESTION? Jacquelyn.Palumbo@emeraldexpo.com

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ASK MVS

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MARY VIRGINIA SWANSON GIVES ADVICE ON MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR SENIOR SHOW “This fall I am concentrating on building the body of work I plan to exhibit next spring in my senior show. What should I be thinking about now to ensure that my exhibition is the best possible launch for my career?”

BEFORE: This is the time to plan both the physical exhibition and the marketing of the show—two very different aspects that must be well thought through. First, determine the budget for the installation. Familiarize yourself with the space where your exhibition will be installed, and decide in advance how many and what size prints the gallery can properly accommodate. If you hope to exhibit large-scale prints or utilize

NIKON NEWS Photographers and filmmakers looking to sharpen their technical skills and read up on new projects will find a great resource in Image Chaser <www.imagechaser.com>, a NikonUSA blog that hosts content written by photographers in the field. Contributors to Image Chaser include Nikon Ambassadors such as Bill Frakes, Lucas Gilman, Tamara Lackey, Sandro and Ami Vitale, in addition to other seasoned photographers. You can also keep up with new Nikon equipment on the site through product news and hands-on testing by photographers. For the latest content, follow NikonUSA: facebook.com/nikon YouTube.com/NikonUSA twitter.com/nikonusa instagram.com/nikonusa

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costly matting and framing techniques, you may need to begin fundraising; the sooner you can conﬁrm those contributions, the better. Whatever costs you cannot secure will likely be your responsibility, which may change your plans for the installation. Then, determine the marketing budget. You may want to create the following marketing pieces: an announcement with an image to be featured in the show in both print and electronic format, a take-away containing your contact information for distribution at the show, and poster-sized announcements on campus and elsewhere. Learn from the venue what assistance, if any, they will provide; the rest of the marketing components will be your responsibility. No matter who is paying for the announcement, you should compile a mailing list of those you wish to know about the show. Beyond friends, family and fans, consider which industry professionals you want to reach out to (photo editors, commercial studios, agents/reps, gallery directors, curators and more). I strongly encourage sending a print announcement rather than email for those individuals you do not personally know, and as this is likely to be the ﬁrst time they see your name, don’t expect a personal reply. Finally, talk to the gallery about the possibility of a “gallery talk” to speak about your work during the exhibition run. Set the time for it early on, and include the date (or dates) in all of your press materials. DURING: Document the opening-night festivities for your social media accounts and your website. After the opening, continue to be present. Promote your “gallery talk,” your

opportunity to speak about your work during the exhibition run. You can also shoot installation views on your website homepage with “Currently on View: (Location)” providing dates, hours and driving/parking directions. Leave a book for comments and a sheet to capture contact details for those who wish to be added to your mailing list. AFTER: The images of the show will live on through your website, but if you have purchased your own frames, consider another venue that might be able to host the show following its launch, such as your local public library or community centers. Remember to write and thank everyone who helped make your exhibition possible. Add the details to your résumé. Consider a follow-up to your targeted mailing list summarizing the event. Include exhibition views, testimonials and copies of press received—all great reasons to be further in touch with those individuals you hope will become your professional community. EDU

Mary Virginia Swanson is an awardwinning educator, author, mentor and entrepreneur in the field of photography. Visit her website at <www.mvswanson. com.> GOT A MARKETING OR BUISINESS QUESTION? Jacquelyn.Palumbo@emeraldexpo.com

Photo © JessicaTampas

There are many elements that together constitute a successful exhibition, and getting an early start is a great idea. Think about your upcoming show in three stages: before, during and after the event.

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PROJECT X

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Two New York City nonprofits support rising photographers through distinct missions. [ By Mindy Charski ]

Empowerment—it’s crucial for photographers in the early stages, but it can be hard to generate. Enter NYC SALT and Crusade for Art Brooklyn, two New York City-based nonprofits that empower new and emerging talent in photography at different junctures. NYC SALT focuses its efforts on student photographers. The Chelseabased group uses photography to direct low-income, immigrant teens in New York City toward higher education and a career path. Photographer Alicia Hansen began the program as an after-school class with

Photos: © Sean Carroll (Crusade for Art Brooklyn); © Alicia Hansen (NYC SALT)

BELOW : An attendee at the first Crusade for Art Brooklyn pop-up print sale (top); co-directors Liz Arenberg and Sara Macel (bottom).

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eight teens in 2005. She launched it as a nonprofit two years later, she explains, as a way for her and others in the creative community to efficiently contribute their time and talents to young New Yorkers. In addition to hosting camps and after-school workshops in local high schools, the organization offers a 35-week residency class that immerses students in digital photography, exposes them to career paths in the creative industry, provides internships and freelance job opportunities and includes a college prep program. Students can attend the free residency program for multiple years while in high school and are mentored through college. The class has previously offered 16 spots a year and is expanding to 24 this fall. Every student in the program has been accepted into college, Hansen says. Some SALT graduates continue to pursue photography in college, while others choose communications programs to adapt their new skills to marketing, advertising or graphic design. “I think that learning how to see the world around you in a different way through the lens of a camera is applicable to any life or career experience,” Hansen says. “Whether they’re going to be photographers or not, the tools that we’ve given them through SALT will be valuable in whatever career path they choose.” One recent SALT grad, Irvin Vega, is pursuing photography through an internship with the women’s lifestyle site, SheKnows Media. In addition to technical skills, Vega says he learned responsibility and commitment from his three years in the residency. “SALT is not only a life-changing experience, but it’s unique and very special,” he says. “There’s nothing like this, and being surrounded by people who support and help you makes [the program] 100 times better.” After undergraduate or graduate

ABOVE: NYC SALT students using cameras on location. The program, founded by Alicia Hansen, celebrates a decade of advocacy for young photographers this year.

school, resources for emerging photographers can be scarce. The nonprofit Crusade for Art aims to fill that void by creating opportunities for photographers, particularly fine-art photographers, and connecting them with collectors. Crusade for Art recently launched its 10-person Brooklyn chapter, holding its first pop-up print sale in June. Atlanta-based photographer Jennifer Schwartz founded the national organization in 2013; there is already an established chapter in Chicago and a fledgling one in Boston. The group’s national programming is broad and includes awarding an annual $10,000 grant to an applicant with an idea for building audiences for photography. The local chapters act as “the ground force of the movement,” Schwartz says. At the Brooklyn pop-up event, for instance, limited edition print sales helped fund the group’s show at Photoville, the annual photo festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park in September. Inclusion in the festival is highly competitive, and the Crusade for Art Brooklyn show stood out because it will feature members making live portraits of the audience as an interactive installation. “We are trying to find people who love art but haven’t really found themselves collecting art because they think it’s too big of a thing to get into,” says Liz Arenberg, photographer and co-director of the Brooklyn chapter. “We’re trying to open that door for them.” The grassroots events also help the artist members find collectors without waiting for gallery representation— collectors with whom they can potentially build relationships. “Brooklyn is an ideal place for a chapter because the community values local artists,” says Sara Macel, Arenberg’s co-director. Macel adds that the group plans to expand its programming and membership in the future. EDU

PROJECT X

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A week with the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop [ By Hal Stucker ]

At first glance, the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop seems too good to be true. For one week a year, aspiring photojournalists gather in an exotic locale, taught by some of the top photojournalists in the field. By design, the workshop is an inspiring and nurturing experience for young talent, with a price tag that young talent can afford. But there’s not a catch. The workshop is the brainchild of Eric Beecroft, a photographer who saw a strong need for a photojournalism workshop series not limited to the upper crust. “You see a lot of them out there that would be great to take, but there’s no way for college students and young photographers— particularly in the developing world—to afford the $2,000 to $4,000 fee, plus travel,” he says. “So we created Foundry with the idea of making something that was affordable for most anyone.” The first workshop was held in Mexico in 2008 and, since then, Argentina, Bosnia, Guatemala, India, Thailand and Turkey have played host to the gatherings. This year’s workshop was held in July

in Bali, Indonesia, and offered general tuition for $975 and regional tuition for just $475, incentivizing photographers from the host region to participate. “Wherever we go, we try to bring in as many local photographers as we can,” Beecroft says. “We want people to come who might not ordinarily be able to— people who want to learn how to be, not necessarily professional photojournalists, but better visual storytellers.” The workshops are funded by the nonproﬁt PhotoWings, an organization dedicated to promoting the power of photography as a tool for social change. Foundry instructors have included such luminaries as Paula Bronstein, James Whitlow Delano, Ashley Gilbertson, Ron Haviv, Benjamin Lowy and Maggie Steber. All instructors volunteer their time, with only their travel and lodging covered. During the weeklong workshop, students are encouraged to make lasting contacts with each other, with the instructors and with the people they meet while photographing. Students are also encouraged to stay in the locale for a while after the workshop wraps up, in

the hopes of learning more about local life and to discourage what Beecroft refers to as the “fly in, fly out” photojournalism mentality. Some of Foundry’s distinguished alumni include Toni Greaves, an awardwinning documentary photographer who was selected as a PDN’s 30 in 2009, and Kirsten Luce, whose work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times and The Washington Post. Another distinguished alumnus, Venezuelan photographer Oscar B. Castillo, has spent years photographing life among the criminal gangs of Caracas, his country’s capital. Foundry offered him the opportunity to experience both sides of the program—Castillo began as a student at the first workshop in 2008 and returned as an instructor in 2014. “[Foundry provided] a compilation of photographic visions I might not have experienced in a lifetime,” he says. “It gave me my first tools to understand my work, and both its bright and dark sides.” EDU

SPEND A WEEK WITH FOUNDRY Visit <www. foundryphotoworkshop.org> to learn more about the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop. Enrollment for the 2016 workshop will begin in the spring, Scholarships are also available to some students upon submission of a 20-image portfolio.

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Photos: Courtesy of Foundry Workshop (left); © Neal Jackson (right)

THIS PAGE : Students at the 2015 Foundry Workshop in Bali (left); 2013 Foundry Photojournalism Workshop participant Samar Hawa of Beirut photographing a homeless woman in Sarajevo (above).

Nikon pros get candid in the panel discussion, “Things I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Career In Photography”

When: Thursday, October 22 @ 4:00-5:30 PM Where: Show Floor Theater, 2015 PhotoPlus Expo, Javits Center Join us for this free event for students at PhotoPlus Expo 2015. Hosted by Nikon and PDNedu, the panel features Nikon Ambassadors Joe McNally, Tamara Lackey, Cliff Mautner and and is moderated by renowned educator Mary Virginia Swanson. You’ll have the chance to mingle with the Nikon Ambassadors, enjoy refreshments and get advice on entering the professional photography field. PHOTOPLUS EXPO IS FREE TO ATTEND FOR STUDENTS. SIGN UP FOR THE PANEL IN TWO STEPS: 1) REGISTER AT WWW.PHOTOPLUSEXPO.COM FOR A FREE NEXT GEN/YOUNG ADULT EXPO PASS* *REGISTRANTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 17-25 YEARS OLD QUALIFY

2) RSVP TO THE PANEL AT WWW.PDNEDU.COM/NIKONPANEL

Meet the NIKON AMBASSADOR panelists: Joe McNally Named by American PHOTO as one of the 100 most important people in photography, McNally is an internationally-acclaimed photographer whose career has spanned 30 years and has included assignments in more than 50 countries. McNally has worked as a contract photographer for Sports Illustrated, as a staff photographer at LIFE and, currently, as a 25-year, ongoing contributor to National Geographic. He has shot cover stories for TIME, Newsweek, New York, Entertainment Weekly and The New York Times Magazine, and his advertising and commercial clients include FedEx, Land’s End, General Electric and Adidas, among many others.

Cliff Mautner Cliff Mautner’s career has spanned more than three decades in multiple fields. Today, he’s known for his illustrious career as a wedding photographer after spending 15 years as a photojournalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mautner has been honored with the WPPI Lifetime Achievement Award and was named one of the ten best wedding photographers in the world by American PHOTO. Mautner is also the founder of the highly successful Lighting and Skillset Bootcamp, a workshop that has drawn students from over 40 countries, empowering photographers with the skills needed to acquire a style of their own.

Tamara Lackey Tamara Lackey is a renowned professional photographer, speaker, author and program host. Her authentic lifestyle photography, from children’s portraits to celebrity portraits, have been featured in publications such as O, The Oprah Magazine, Town & Country, Vogue, Food & Wine and Rangefinder, and on TV shows such as The Martha Stewart Show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Today Show and Good Morning America. She is the recipient of the 2015 WPPI/Rangefinder Humanitarian Award as the passionate co-founder of Beautiful Together, a nonprofit that supports children without families.

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STORYTELLERS

GETTING OUT

IN THE WORLD ALEXANDRA HOOTNICK FINDS HER VOICE THROUGH DOCUMENTARY WORK BY HAL STUCKER

LIKE MANY PEOPLE pursuing a career in photography, Alexandra Hootnick has had a long-standing love for the medium. “When I was a kid, I had one of those little Polaroid cameras, the ones where you’d pull the picture out and it’d be about the size of your thumb,” she laughs. “I loved shooting with it.” Since then, Hootnick’s work has garnered some high-profile exposure, with her pictures appearing in Bloomberg Businessweek, National Geographic Traveler and The New York Times Lens blog. Having been raised in Pompey, New York, she’s returned to central New York to pursue a second master’s degree in photography at Syracuse University. Her body of work on Amish farmers in nearby Madison County, New York, has won considerable attention. In May, Hootnick received the Marty Forscher Fellowship Fund student prize, a special award in the PDN Photo Annual. Hootnick does find herself somewhat surprised, though, to now be observing the world through a viewfinder full-time. Shooting photographs for a living was far from her first career choice and her involvement in journalism itself was something of an accident. “I studied psychology undergrad and did pre-med,” she explains. “But then, at the last minute, I decided I didn’t want to take the MCATs.” Intuitively, she could see that medical school, her original plan, could easily

Photo © Alexandra Hootnick

THIS PAGE: From Hootnick’s series on upstate New York family-run farms. Hosanna Wagler runs through a field of laying hens on Goose Green Farm. The chicks are her favorite, though. “I would like that they just stay baby birds,” she told Hootnick.

consume the next ten years of her life and possibly more. “I decided to take my 20s to explore and learn more about the world.” The path she’s taken to become a fulltime photographer has not been straight, meandering through several turns that first began with an interest in working with underprivileged communities. “I’ve always been interested in social justice issues,” she says, “and after I finished undergrad, I was considering joining the Peace Corps, but instead I enrolled in Teach For America.” The TFA program recruits recent college graduates to work as teachers, asking them to commit to two years of service. Hootnick taught second graders in San Jose, California, from 2008 to 2010, but at the end of her stint, she found herself profoundly disillusioned with the program, witnessing qualified teachers being laid off to be replaced with cheaper, less welltrained recruits. Hootnick turned her disappointment into a positive, deciding to pursue a career in journalism rather than stay in teaching. “I felt journalism would be 30

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a good direction,” she says. “What I’d experienced with Teach For America was upsetting to me, and seemed like part of a much bigger picture that I was only beginning to understand. And I felt that by pursuing a journalism career I could write about all this and investigate it further and get the whole story out.” To get a taste of the profession before making a ﬁnal career decision, she went back home and enrolled in a summer journalism “boot camp” offered by Syracuse University. With journalism, Hootnick felt she’d ﬁnally found a career path worth pursuing, and applied for graduate programs at both Syracuse and Columbia in New York City. That fall, while waiting to hear whether she’d been accepted at either school, she took an introductory photography course, interested in exploring the visual side of storytelling. Hootnick was accepted to both programs and opted to attend the latter, signing up for Columbia’s investigative journalism program in 2011. At this point, she still thought of herself as a writer. But when Columbia

hired photographer Nina Berman, the Journalism School’s ﬁrst full-time photojournalism professor in the fall of 2012, Hootnick eagerly signed up for Berman’s class. A few weeks into the semester, Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, ﬂooding New York City streets and subway tunnels, decimating seaside neighborhoods in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens and New Jersey and taking more than 100 lives. Overnight, Sandy became the biggest news story of the year. Berman’s students were eager to join the press corps covering the aftermath. “Nina changed the entire syllabus for the semester,” Hootnick says. “The class concentrated on putting together projects photographing the areas and the people affected by the hurricane.” It was here that Hootnick began to develop a more complete understanding of photography’s power to tell a story. She began photographing in the hard-hit Midland Beach community in Staten Island, where nine people had died within a roughly eight-block radius.

Hootnick would spend several months photographing in Midland Beach, telling the story of one family’s attempt to return to normal life. Hootnick graduated from Columbia in 2013 with an article about Teach For America as her master’s thesis, and a version of the story would later be published in The Nation, a coup for any young journalist. Yet Hootnick found the writing process tougher than she’d expected. “I had to hole up in my apartment to write the story,” she says. The isolation, in particular, “was not a fun experience,” she explains. “But it showed me that what I really love, personally, is the reporting aspect, being out in the world, talking with [people] and seeing what their lives look like, which is what I was doing as a photographer and what, I’ve discovered, makes me happy.” Hootnick has just ﬁnished her ﬁrst year of a master’s program in multimedia photography and design at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Last summer, she became interested in how real estate development has changed the landscape from farmland to housing developments in the area around Syracuse. Under the guidance of instructors Ross Taylor and Lynn Johnson, she developed a project about regional farmers, seeking families who still singularly own and operate their own farms without hiring outside labor. “There are very few of them now,” she says. “And the two families I’ve been photographing didn’t originally start out as farmers; they moved here from outside communities. So I’ve been photographing them over the last full year while they’ve learned about farming.” One of the two families, owners of Goose Green Farm, raises chickens and turkeys, giving Hootnick the opportunity to photograph the slaughterhouse. She’d never seen animals slaughtered before, but she felt it was important to the overall story. “I eat meat and I think it’s important for people to see and understand the full process, to know the whole story of how a chicken ends up on

All photos © Alexandra Hootnick

OPPOSITE PAGE: A portrait of Deborah Dunn, a resident of Midland Beach, Staten Island, from Hootnick’s series on the area post-Hurricane Sandy. THIS PAGE: Two photos of the Wagler family in their home and working on Goose Green Farm. Having their family together in one location was a major factor in Mervin and Marlene Wagler’s decision to begin farming.

your table,” she explains. Overall, she has found a meaningful connection with the families she photographs. “I don’t want to idealize it, but the ability of a family to relate to each other and relate to the land seems rare now,” she says. “And I’m glad I can help show that there are still other ways of life besides the technologydriven one many of us seem to be living.” Though she knows she’s entering a challenging profession, Hootnick works to stay positive. “Lynn had us doing ‘photo yoga’ every morning, a way to meditate and get our heads out of our work and recharge for a bit,” she says, explaining that at the end of each class, each participant would pick a quote out of a jar. “I remember one I picked from Andy Warhol,” she recalls. “‘I never fall apart, because I never fall together.’” EDU

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Photo Â© Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images Reportage

ONE TO WATCH

FIVE DAYS IN HAITI

ANDREW RENNEISEN CAPTURES HAITI HOLY WEEK BY BRIENNE WALSH

THIS PAGE: A young Catholic dancer looks out from St. Anne’s Chapel during preparations for Easter Sunday mass in the Cité Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti on April 5, 2015. Religion plays a large role in Haitian culture. Over 80 percent of people living in Haiti identify as Catholic, making Holy Week a significant time of the year in Haiti.

hen Andrew Renneisen was invited to see the nonproﬁt Hands Together in PortAu-Prince, Haiti, the photographer didn’t have a plan for a series in mind. The suggestion came from his former principal, Father Chris Beretta, of the all-boys Catholic high school, Salesianum School, in Wilmington, Delaware. Hands Together has been providing food, water, education and employment to residents in Cité Soleil, Haiti’s largest and poorest slum, since 1986, and it is run by Father Tom Hagan, a priest of Father Beretta’s order. Renneisen booked his ﬂight to Port-

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Au-Prince for Holy Week, the procession of ceremonies leading up to Easter, at the beginning of April 2015. “I knew Holy Week pretty well, having gone to a Catholic high school,” Renneisen explains. “I ﬁgured it would be an interesting time to be down there—and it really was.” Renneisen says he has always been drawn to Haiti for its unique culture, including the prevalence of the practice of voodoo mixed with Catholicism. And as a documentary photographer interested in fomenting social change, the Caribbean country’s history of poverty and its recovery from the 2010 earthquake also engages him. “I’ve taken photographs in some

very impoverished cities in the United States, but Haiti looked like someone had dropped a bomb on Camden, New Jersey,” Renneisen explains. “The poverty was eye-opening.” He realized that Cité Soleil was a place where he could tell a more indepth story about a community—a story unlike those that feed the insatiable appetite of the catastrophe-consuming 24-hour news cycle. “The news media just grazes the surface of so many issues,” he says. “I want to go deeper and build relationships with the people I photograph.” Unlike many of his peers, Renneisen, at 23, already has some freedom to tell stories he thinks are worthy of attention.

Top left photo © Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images All others © Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images Reportage

“The news media just grazes the surface of so many issues,” Renneisen says. “I want to go deeper and build relationships with the people I photograph.” After attending the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, he moved to New York City in June of 2014 to begin a four-month internship with The New York Times. During his time there, he covered local news in the ﬁve boroughs as well as events with a larger national scope, such as the funeral of Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who died while being

arrested by an NYPD ofﬁcer. Since his internship, Renneisen has shot more for the Times, and has also been published in The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, TIME and The Washington Post. Renneisen has quickly built a name for himself as a photojournalist by covering major domestic news events—the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, the 2015 protests in Baltimore and, most recently,

the aftermath of the Charleston, South Carolina, church shooting in June—often funding the trips himself. “There are so many issues in the United States that are deeply rooted in history,” he explains. “These stories are just so important and relevant.” Renneisen often books ﬁrst and contacts editors while on location, asking to be put on assignment or have his work published. His bold strategy works. His photographs of the Baltimore protests ran in Mother Jones, and he THIS SPREAD: (clockwise) Father Tom Hagan leads the procession of the Way of the Cross ceremony; Liturgical dancers bring the offering of the gifts during Easter mass at St. Anne’s Chapel; A woman prays on Good Friday outside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake.

wound up with an assignment for Getty News while on his trip to Haiti. It is through Getty that Renneisen has landed his biggest break. In addition to shooting assignments for News, he was one of seven photographers chosen for the Getty Images Reportage roster of “Emerging Talent” last November. It’s easy to see why Renneisen has found success through his work. Along with the visual impact inherent in his images, his photographs close the gap that usually exists between photographer and subject. While Renneisen comes from a place of privilege, one never gets the sense that he is merely a voyeur—or, even worse, exploitative. Rather, he makes connections with his subjects, no matter the difference in their socioeconomic or racial backgrounds. On this trip, Renneisen built the foundation for such connections. He arrived in Port-Au-Prince the Thursday before Easter, and his only obligation was to take photographs of Cité Soleil’s Way of the Cross ceremony for Getty Images News. Otherwise, he was free to shoot what he wished. Father Tom Hagen, who is well 36

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respected in the slums (an estimated 80% of the population of Haiti is Catholic), introduced Renneisen to a group of men and women who acted as gatekeepers to the community. They served as translators and introduced him to subjects who otherwise might have been wary of being photographed. Although the destruction of the 2010 earthquake is still apparent in the Hands Together community, what struck Renneisen most was the beauty of Holy Week. “I don’t know if there was one ‘wow’ moment,” he says. “The whole time, I was thinking, ‘Wow.’” Rituals he thought he was familiar with were imbued with a joy he had never experienced. He explains: “On Easter, I photographed young women bringing gifts to the altar. At home, our procession of the gifts is just part of Communion. But they came in and danced. It was absolutely stunning.” Renneisen only spent ﬁve days in Port-Au-Prince, but he intends to return. “I showed my face in the community there,” he says of Cité Soleil. “So now I can go back and keep on building those relationships.” Despite the brief trip, his images paint a broad depiction of life in Haiti. Renneisen captured not only the religious rituals of Holy Week, but the

everyday life of Haitians in vibrant color, celebrating the resilience of the community. Renneisen often tells stories in black and white, but of this series, he says, “If you take away the color, you take away the story.” For now, he doesn’t have speciﬁc plans for the Holy Week series as a whole, but his aim is always to keep making powerful work. He says, “If someone can look at one of my images and be like, ‘Wow,’ if I can change the mind or opinion of one person, then I’ve taken a successful image.” EDU

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Photo © Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images Reportage

ABOVE: Haitian Catholic students sit during services on Holy Thursday at St. Anne’s Chapel.

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ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A LIVING

BY Harrison Jacobs

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Photo © Lynsey Addario/Getty Images Reportage

THIS PAGE: From Addario’s series “Syrian Refugees’ Young Brides.” Yasmeen, 16, sits with her baby in August 2014. Yasmeen returned home to live with her family at the Zaatari refugee camp after leaving her abusive husband.

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“I WILL BE FAMOUS SOMEDAY IF YOU just let me in,” Lynsey Addario once told a wary security guard in Argentina. She was 22 years old and trying to get into La Casa Rosada, Argentina’s presidential mansion, where Madonna was ﬁlming a movie. An editor at the Buenos Aires Herald had told her that if she got the photo, he’d hire her to freelance—her ﬁrst newspaper job. She talked her way onto the press riser, and a veteran photojournalist lent her his 500mm lens so that she could snap a few photos of the pop icon. The younger Addario may not appear to have much in common with the battle-hardened, veteran photographer that exists today. Since 1995, she’s photographed Syrian refugees in

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Jordan, embedded with U.S. military in Afghanistan, followed rebel armies in Libya, and has been kidnapped twice. A quick search turns up her empathetic and often haunting series on The New York Times, National Geographic and TIME, as well as a wealth of interviews and ﬁrsthand accounts of her experiences. Addario has never been reluctant to speak about the brutality she’s witnessed, the intersection of her professional and personal lives and her role as a leading female photojournalist in conﬂict zones. Earlier this year, her memoir, It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War, was published to critical acclaim. After a bidding war by major movie studios to bring her account to the silver screen,

Warner Bros., Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Lawrence snagged the honor. Looking back, it may seem inevitable that Addario would become a driving force in her ﬁeld, winning awards including a MacArthur Fellowship and a Pulitzer Prize, and becoming a Nikon Ambassador, but at La Casa Rosada, she was just another scared twenty-something.

PHOTOGRAPHY AS A HOBBY AND PHOTOGRAPHY AS A PROFESSION Throughout her youth, Addario had no idea that she would become a professional photographer. “Photography was always a hobby for me,” Addario said in a phone interview with PDNedu. “I didn’t know any professional photographers or

Photos © Lynsey Addario/Getty Images Reportage

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photojournalists. I didn’t understand that it was a job.” She received her ﬁrst camera, a Nikon FG, from her father at 13 and taught herself to shoot with a battered “How To” manual. Throughout her teenage years, she photographed nature and still lifes (she was too shy to photograph people, she claims), but never thought of photography as a profession. During college, majoring in international relations at the University of Wisconsin Madison, Addario spent a year studying at the University of Bologna in Italy. Encouraged by the anonymity of a foreign country, Addario fell in love with street photography. She was ignited by Europe and the freedom to travel. The experience sparked her desire for a life

LEFT: From the 2009 series “Veiled Rebellion.” Afghan policewomen shoot rifles at a firing range outside Kabul. Very few women get permission to join the force from their husbands and male relatives. Of 100,000 officers, only about 700 are female. ABOVE: From the series “Unrest in Libya.” Volunteer fighters at a base in Benghazi, Libya, March 1, 2011.

abroad. At the time, she imagined herself as a diplomat or a translator. After graduating, Addario moved to New York City and began to test the waters of professional photography, assisting a fashion photographer. She also worked at a SoHo shirt company, and at night, waitressed in Greenwich Village. When she had scrounged together a few thousand dollars, she followed her wanderlust to Buenos Aires, so she could earn money teaching English. When she wasn’t teaching, she photographed the streets. She spent weeks at a recurring protest march against Argentina’s “Dirty War,” improving her photos every time. Her then-boyfriend urged her to freelance for the local English daily. “I decided that I was going to beg the Buenos Aires Herald for a job. That’s what I did. I went back every day until they couldn’t turn me away. I was relentless,” Addario says. For weeks, she did assignments that were never published. Then one day, she talked her way through the security of La Casa Rosada. Addario freelanced for the Herald for the rest of the year. Around the

same time, Addario saw an exhibition by famed Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. Upon entering the exhibition, Addario says that she was “overcome by his images,” and calls it a pivotal moment in her life. “[Photojournalism] was a way to tell a story,” writes Addario in her memoir. “It was the marriage of travel and foreign cultures and curiosity and photography.”

GETTING A FOOT IN THE DOOR Addario returned to New York with a bundle of clips and a newfound vision. She scored a meeting with Joan Rosen, then Associated Press’ New York State photo director. As Addario tells it, Rosen still laughs about that meeting. Addario’s photos weren’t great, but Rosen put her on the freelancing circuit because Addario wouldn’t take no for answer. Initially, Addario’s assignments were on spec, meaning she wasn’t paid unless they used her photos. But soon, she received assignments for everything from mayoral press conferences to New York Yankees’ ticker-tape parades. At this point, Addario was learning about the sacriﬁces required to be a photojournalist. A personal life wasn’t easy. She never had money. She spent every waking hour waiting for the AP photo desk to call. She vacationed alone in Cuba, trying to ﬁnd stories to photograph. On her 25th birthday, she convinced her father to give her a $15,000 loan to purchase photo

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ABOVE: From the series “Baghdad, After the Storm.” Pilgrims visit Al Kazimiyah Shrine, a Shiite holy site relatively unharmed by the years of violence.

equipment in lieu of the wedding sum her three sisters had received. After three years freelancing for AP, Addario was offered her ﬁrst big assignment. There had been a string of unsolved murders of transgender prostitutes in New York, and Addario was to photograph the women of the community. Addario hung around the Meatpacking District every weekend without a camera until, eventually, one of the prostitutes invited her to her apartment in the Bronx. Addario brought chocolate-chip cookies and milk. Over the next ﬁve months, she gained access to private moments with the women that she’d never seen during a daily assignment. “I learned that the more time you put into a story, the more people are comfortable with you and realize that you are just there to talk about their lives,” said Addario. “It set a precedent for all of my work.”

HEADING OUT INTO THE UNKNOWN Addario still ached to spend quality time abroad, and in 2000, she pulled the trigger, contacting publications with correspondents in India to ﬁnd freelance work. “All I needed was one editor saying 42

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they would give me one assignment and, in my head, I’d be ready to stay,” Addario says. An editor at The Christian Science Monitor told her the news organization commissioned a lot of work from India. Addario took that as an offer. She hopped on a plane. In New Delhi, Addario stayed with other journalists in dingy apartments and worked her way into an expatriate community. Her ﬂat mate, the bureau chief of Dow Jones, recommended that she photograph women living under the Taliban in Afghanistan, since there were few, if any, female photojournalists there. Addario jumped right in. “I didn’t get scared until right before I was about to go,” she recalls. “I had this realization of, ‘What am I doing? All these things could go wrong and there’s no embassy.’ No one knew what Afghanistan was before 9/11.” Addario made three trips to Afghanistan under the Taliban. She learned how to take photographs in a place where photography is illegal and how to navigate a dangerous and strict culture. Though her photos were insightful, she had trouble selling them. No one was interested in the South Asian country before 9/11. She moved on to Mexico City with another journalist. As her career progressed, life back home moved on. Her sister’s husband died of lung cancer; her mother was in a car accident that left her unconscious for three days. Closer still, her boyfriends

came and went. “This job doesn’t lend itself to a personal life,” Addario says. “It’s hard, but that’s the reality.”

HISTORY IN THE MAKING Addario was in Mexico City on September 11, 2001. As newscasters talked about Afghanistan, the Taliban and terrorist training camps, Addario got on a plane to New York and ﬂew east a week after that. Through Yemen’s news agency, Saba, she was able to land freelance gigs from The New York Times, chasing stories that only someone with deep knowledge of the country could get. “The period after 9/11 gave young photographers who hustled…an unparalleled opportunity to make a name for themselves. Those weeks in September launched an entire generation of journalists who would come of age during the War on Terror,” writes Addario. As someone who had spent considerable time in a Muslim world that was now being viliﬁed by Western journalists, Addario aimed to depict the region honestly. “It’s easy to be dismissive of a culture that’s built on a different foundation than your own. I try to take those misconceptions and turn them upside down by showing the diversity of women’s lives in the Muslim world,” Addario says.

In her ﬁrst photo essay for The New York Times Magazine, “Jihad’s Women,” she accessed female-only schools to interview and photograph devout Pakistani women, many of whom sympathized with the Taliban and felt the 9/11 attacks were justiﬁed. In the series, she humanized the women, rather than dismissing them as radicalized. It’s an approach she’s stuck to ever since.

Photos © Lynsey Addario/Getty Images Reportage

TO THE FRONT LINE AND BACK AGAIN As Addario tells it, she never intended to become a war photographer; she just went where the story was. But the story became the war. After covering the invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq, she spent six years on the wars. In 2007, she embedded with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan. According to her, those two months in the Korengal Valley were the closest she’s ever been to war. During the weeks she and her journalist partner spent with the troops, Addario hiked tedious six-hour patrols up vertical terrain. At the end of the day, she caught the quiet moments—a soldier learning Russian, another reading recycled magazines and books. She made friends; she saw those friends take bullets and shrapnel. Some didn’t survive. Addario has dozens of harrowing stories from the front lines, and has covered multiple conﬂicts in Iraq, Libya and Syria since, but her heart returns to the crises forgotten in the heat of war. In 2013, Addario traveled to Uganda to document women suffering from breast cancer. In Africa, where so many resources go toward the HIV epidemic, almost none go toward helping women with a very treatable cancer. Many simply view it as a death sentence. “The stories that are not on the front line mean so much to me. Those stories don’t get enough attention,” says Addario. To that end, she is constantly pitching editors on these “quieter stories,” among them maternal mortality in Sierra Leone, women who attempt suicide by selfimmolation in Afghanistan and young brides in Syrian refugee camps. Addario says that the key to placing these stories is choosing the right publication and ﬁnding a link to major international news.

THE CHANGING BATTLEFIELD Addario has also experienced ﬁrst-hand the greatest danger for photojournalists today. She was kidnapped in 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq, and again in March 2011, in Libya, along with three other New York

Times journalists. For six days, she was bound, assaulted and transported. After her second kidnapping, Addario needed to modify the way she approached and photographed conflict. “The front line isn’t black and white anymore,” Addario says. “Journalists are now a target in a way they never were before. It’s something I have come to live with over the last 15 years.” But Addario is not one to shy away from the stories she wants to tell, and she persisted in traveling, even after she became pregnant with her son with her husband, Paul de Bendern. Against her doctor’s orders, she traveled to Gaza, Kenya, Senegal and Somalia, hiding her pregnancy from her editors at The New York Times (Addario later penned an essay for them about being pregnant in the field). This type of courage has marked Addario’s career. She never listened to what people told her she couldn’t do, whether as a woman, a foreigner or a photographer. For those looking to break into photojournalism, Addario tells young photographers that it means a lot of hard work and sacrifice. “It’s a struggle for everyone,” says Addario. “The advice I have is to be very focused, figure out the stories that you want to tell, be persistent and show editors your work. No one is going to come to you.” Her pep talk can come off as harsh. Recently, a young photographer asked her how to get into the business. She told him to start traveling, shooting

ABOVE: From the series “ISIS in Iraq.” Iraqi Yazidi families camp out near Bahjad Kandal camp in Northern Iraq. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced since ISIS began making its way across the country.

and contacting editors for assignments. When he told her that he didn’t want to travel much because of his girlfriend, Addario told him to break up with her. “He thought I was insane,” says Addario. “I told him you have to decide what your priorities are. If you are not willing to make that sacriﬁce, there are 10,000 young photographers who will.” Addario made that sacriﬁce multiple times, leaving behind her life back home for a life of adventure and danger. Recently, she’s found more balance. She’s married to another journalist, has a three-year-old son in London and makes sure that none of her assignments last longer than a couple of weeks. It’s a slice of hard-earned stability. EDU

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SPECIAL REPORT

A FOUNDATION FOR

PHOTOJOURNALISM A look at three schools that train photographers to enter the highly competitive photojournalism field. [ By Jacqui Palumbo ]

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UC BERKELEY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM Berkeley, California

says. “[The international reporting class] proved useful early in my career; shortly after graduating, I made my way to Kiev during the Orange Revolution in 2004.” Murrmann is now the photo editor of Mother Jones, and works with some of the top photojournalists in the ﬁeld to tell the stories affecting the world today. Murrmann was also drawn to the J-School for the acclaimed photographers who get involved with the program. Larry Fink, Antonin Kratochvil, Susan Meiselas, Eugene Richards and Sebastião Salgado have all had a presence there, be it through teaching or speaking at the Reva and David Logan Gallery. The school also offers real-world opportunities to its photo students through the travel program (past trips have included Cuba, India, Myanmar and South Africa) and the Dorothea Lange Fellowship (awarded to one student per year to fund long-term projects). Thesis projects culminate in a self-published, small-edition book and a summer exhibition at the Reva and David Logan Gallery.

Website: www.journalism.berkeley.edu Degree offered: Master of Journalism Length of program: Two years, graduate Size of department: 107 students Annual tuition: $31,100 (out of state); $15,800 (in state)

Photos © Alex Menendez / UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

AT BERKELEY’S SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM (THE J-SCHOOL), photojournalism students get the full package, with rigorous training across all aspects of new media. And, with only a little more than 100 students in the graduate program, students works closely with professors to cultivate their technique. Ken Light, who has taught at the J-School for 30 years and is the director of the Center for Photography at Berkeley, explains that the small class size offers the ﬂexibility to take classes across 13 areas of journalism, including broadcast media, documentary ﬁlm, investigative reporting, magazine and multimedia. “We are not a traditional photo program, where all you do is take photography classes and little else,” Light explains, adding that the faculty expects students to be “fully integrated” into all sides of journalism. Students graduate with the means to tell stories through all types of media, which Light believes is critical in today’s varied multimedia landscape. But the foundation of storytelling is writing, which 2004 graduate Mark Murrmann says prospective students should expect to do a lot of. “Everyone has to write—a lot,” he says. “You get to try your hand in long-form writing, political reporting, investigative reporting [and] international reporting.” This emphasis on fundamental reporting skills is why Murrmann chose the J-School, though, and he found that the knowledge he gained through reporting would later inform his photography. “I very quickly learned how a lot of expectations I had about being an international journalist were very wrong,” he

ABOVE: New admits from the J-School’s class of 2016 lean in to listen to a faculty panel during the school’s spring welcome visit for first-year students (opposite page); Students guide visitors through their multimedia thesis projects at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism 2014 Showcase (this page).

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UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI Columbia, Missouri

AFTER ROXANA POP RECEIVED HER BACHELOR OF ARTS IN Journalism in her home country, Romania, she began researching graduate schools where she could continue to develop the visual aspect of storytelling. Pop discovered many of her favorite Romanian photojournalists had attended University of Missouri (Mizzou) including Calin Ilea, who suggested she apply for a Fulbright scholarship to attend. She did, and was awarded the scholarship, beginning her studies at Mizzou in 2012. Pop, like all students at the School of Journalism, was trained in the “Missouri Method,” which has been practiced at the school since 1908. The method trains students both in the classroom and in a real-world setting at the Columbia Missourian, a morning newspaper published and delivered to Columbia residents five days a week. The director of photography at the paper, Brian Kratzer, is also an assistant professor at Mizzou, integrating both settings into his teaching. Kratzer oversees all visuals for the print paper and its digital edition, and staffs students in his department. “Students are held to a high standard of accountability, accuracy, professionalism [and] ethics—all of the expectations one would have at any highly regarded news organization,” he says. The Missouri Method has a long history of producing top photojournalists, and while its foundation of ethics, hands-on experience and creative growth has remained consistent, there is plenty of freedom for students to work as they choose. In both the undergraduate and graduate program, students map out their own courses, culminating in a capstone or thesis project, on which they work closely with professors. Pop worked directly with department chair David Rees on hers, a documentary series on a closed-gate educational community in Chautauqua, New York. The professors find opportunity in the program’s structural freedom as well: One of Kratzer’s favorite courses is an “unofficial” one, an Advanced Documentary Video Journalism group he formed two years ago in which students identify and film documentary stories. Outside the classroom, students are privy to a number of opportunities from what Kratzer calls the school’s “rich

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ABOVE: National Geographic photographer Jodi Cobb (left) and environmental photographer and filmmaker James Balog (right) speaking to students at two of Mizzou’s photojournalism facilities.

documentary photojournalism heritage.” Pictures of the Year International (POYi), a highly esteemed competition for photojournalists, and College Photographer of the Year (CPOY) were founded through Mizzou, and every year, industry leaders arrive on campus to judge the entries and attend the awards ceremonies. In The Missouri Photo Workshop each September, participants pitch stories to revered faculty members, shoot documentaries and are featured in a viewing of the work. Pop, who participated in the 2012 workshop, says, “A great thing about being a Mizzou student is that you ‘grow up’ by these great events organized by the school.” She adds: “If you are smart enough to understand that early during the program, then you can learn a lot just by being there.” Pop has continued her thesis project since graduating, and began assisting documentary photographer Matt Eich this year. She returns to Romania this fall when the three-year Fulbright scholarship ends, and she credits the Missouri Method and Eich’s mentorship with giving her the know-how to approach work back home. She says: “I leave feeling ready to continue my photography career back in my country and help develop photojournalism in Romania.”

Website: www.photojournalism.missouri.edu Degree offered: Bachelor of Journalism, Master of Arts Length of program: Four years, undergraduate; two years, graduate Size of department: 65 (undergraduate); 35 (graduate) Annual tuition: Undergraduate: $25,198 (out of state); $10,586 (in state); Graduate: $15,964 (out of state); $6,568 (in state)* *According to chair David Rees, all MA candidates receive scholarships or graduate teaching assistantships that waive tuition fees and provide a small stipend.

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* XPSL DMPTFMZ XJUI NBTUFS QSJOUFS 3JDIBSE +BDLTPO BOE UBMLFE UP IJN BCPVU UIF LJOE PG MPPL * XBOUFE *U XBT JNQPSUBOU GPS UIF XPSL UP NBJOUBJO JUT %PDVNFOUBSZ 1IPUPHSBQIZ BOE 1IPUP KPVSOBMJTN JOUFHSJUZ We both agreed that we were afraid of losing the deep blacks in the images with a digital process; but with our introduction to Canson Infinityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rag Photographique, I found that the prints were able to interpret my photographs very well. ÂŠ Pamela Chen

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INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY

New York City

FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS LOOKING FOR A SHORTER PROGRAM, International Center of Photography (ICP) offers a One-Year Certificate for Documentary Photography and Photojournalism. While the educational period doesn’t result in a traditional undergraduate or graduate degree, ICP’s program is invaluable to its students, and its international reputation for excellence carries weight in the field. For Nancy Borowick, a 2009-10 ICP alumna, one year was exactly what she needed. Borowick studied photography and anthropology in college, but after graduating, she says, “I realized that I needed something more—not necessarily an MFA, but a program that could help fine tune my skills as a photographer and storyteller.” The year is divided into three terms, with an optional session over January break. Students take a mix of ten-week courses and weekend workshops. Core classes are required of all students, but workshops offer the opportunity for a specific focus. Borowick took a workshop centered on working with NGOs, citing “great interest” in learning about nonprofit work; today, she applies what she learned to her professional life, recently returning from a trip to Ghana, where she was on assignment with the Touch A Life Foundation. “I think back to workshop often,” she says. Borowick found more than academic support at ICP. In 2009, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She began photographing her as a way to spend time with her, but turned the series into her long-term project, which students spend five months developing. She received both emotional support and critical feedback on her work, and she continued the project in stages for years afterward, while both of her parents were in treatment for cancer concurrently. The project has received recognition from the Arnold & Augusta Newman Foundation, the PDN Photo Annual, The New York Times and TIME LightBox, among others. ICP’s Career Day was also a pivotal moment for Borowick. Founded in 2001 by chair Alison Morley, Career Day brings more than 100 photo editors, creative reps, gallerists, curators, publishers and more to review students’ print portfolios. “Many students are able to place their stories with magazines or newspapers, and often publish books or exhibit their work later based on connections from Career Day,” Morley explains. Borowick made such a connection, meeting Newsday photo editor Rebecca Cooney, who later contacted her for an assignment that

would be the ﬁrst in a three-year relationship. The school draws industry professionals as faculty, too. Workshop instructors are leading photographers and multimediamakers, such as Stephen Ferry, Ron Haviv, Ed Kashi, Sylvia Plachy, Maggie Steber and Julie Winokur. “They offer a range of realtime, real-life advice and critique,” Morley says. The program is especially diverse in perspective, with international students making up about half of the student body. ICP champions all the new platforms used to communicate visual stories. Morley says the program is ever evolving, adopting new technology and curricula. “Shifting times in photojournalism have required new sources of engagement with the viewer,” she explains, adding that video, multimedia and interactive media platforms are available to students. One year may seem like a short period to dive thoroughly into documentary photography and photojournalism, but it’s an asset for those looking to put in the work and get out into the ﬁeld. A concentrated program allows students to dig deep into technical skill, creative theory and business, Morley says. “It’s an intensive fulltime course of critique, real-world assignments and dialogue.” EDU

Website: www.icp.org/school/programs/documentaryphotojournalism Degree offered: Certificate in Documentary Photography and Photojournalism Length of program: One year Size of department: 33-39 students Annual tuition: $32,817

ABOVE: Photos from the opening reception of “The Tipping Point,” the 2015 showcase of student work from the International Center of Photography’s One-Year Certificate programs.

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BUSINESS SMARTS

101 NIKON AMBASSADOR AMI VITALE GIVES THE RUNDOWN ON PREPARING FOR, SHOOTING AND MARKETING MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS. INTERVIEW BY BRIENNE WALSH

FOR NIKON AMBASSADOR AMI VITALE, the transition between making still photographs and creating multi-media projects was easy, if not obvious. As a photojournalist who had traveled to over 90 countries to capture moving, life-changing images for publications such as National Geographic, Newsweek, TIME and Smithsonian, she was already a uniquely gifted storyteller. The skills she needed to acquire were technical, and she learned them through trial and error. Today, when she is hired to work on a project, the client more often than not asks for both still and motion work. Here, Vitale discusses the unique

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challenges of multimedia projects, from getting started with new gear to funding projects and marketing them.

BRIENNE WALSH: WHEN DID YOU FIRST START MAKING MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS? AMI VITALE: I was terrified to pick up a video camera. In 2009, Nikon asked if I knew anything about making videos. I hesitated and—much to my own surprise—blurted out, “Yes, of course.” They asked me to shoot their campaign for the D300S, one of the first hybrid cameras that shot video and still images. I assumed I’d have time to practice and learn video before the assignment began; however, the camera only arrived the night before the job began. I frantically studied the manual on the long flight to India, where we were shooting, and

wondered if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. It ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. Never have [photographers] had so many tools and platforms available to reach new audiences. In a time when media is searching for new paths, I’m ﬁnding that I am busier than ever telling meaningful stories for a variety of outlets using a combination of stills and video.

BW: DO YOU APPROACH MAKING A FILM DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU DO TAKING A STILL PHOTOGRAPH? AV: Motion work has helped me to be a better stills photographer. I look at stories very differently than I did in the past. When it comes to the esthetics, video and stills are similar: You must have an eye for

ABOVE: Vitale visited communities along the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh for a multimedia project about flooding in the region due to climate change.

composition, pay attention to light and find great storytelling moments. However, the biggest difference in shooting stills and motion is in the way you think about the narrative. There is more conceptualizing, and you have to create a shot list with video. [On location] I wander less and think more about what each shot represents and how it fits into the overall story. Everything needs to be well thought out for it to flow. There are also technical challenges that are very different. You cannot have bad audio. It’s even more important than the visuals in a film, so focus on getting clean sound. Shooting video is also different because your shots need to be stabilized. I think the biggest difference is getting used to a tripod or some kind of stabilization [device]. You can’t easily correct for hand-held shake and it just looks unprofessional.

BW: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST CHALLENGING PROJECT TO DATE? AV: One of the more challenging stories I’m working on is documenting the poaching crisis in Kenya. Conservation is not always just about saving animals; it’s political, too. There is money involved. There are people with different viewpoints. There are weapons. Saving these great animals also means navigating very challenging issues, including security and stability. Conf licts have intensified in semi-arid northern Kenya where poor, mostly pastoral communities continue to fight over diminishing pasture and water resources. Men who once carried spears have exchanged them for AK-47s or M-16s. To combat poaching and cultivate wildlife conservation, local problems must first be addressed, and strong community-led institutions need to be developed. I’m navigating my way around these issues, and the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. It takes time—years—to properly tell these important stories and do justice to the people whose lives we are documenting.

“ USE AUDIO AND GIV VE VOIC CE THE POWER OF THE STILL IMAGE IS IMMENSE, BUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO

TO THE PEOPLE IN THE IMAGES ADDS ANOTHER LEVEL TO

POWER RFUL STORY YTELLIING.”

BW: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A PHOTOGRAPHER SHOOTING MOTION FOR THE FIRST TIME? AV: My top three tips would be to think through the concept, remember that audio is more important than the visuals and anticipate that the physicality of carrying around a tripod is probably going to be different than what you’re used to. But also think like a photographer. Frame a beautiful shot, record for a while, and see what comes through the frame. Photographers have a very distinct advantage because we’re already thinking about the esthetics of the shot.

BW: WHAT GEAR WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO DOCUMENTARIANS WHO ARE JUST GETTING STARTED?

AV: You don’t need much. As I mentioned, audio and stabilization gear are essential. Start with simple gear and learn the craft of storytelling first. I’d rather see a film with a strong story rather than a slick film without any depth.

BW: IN TERMS OF PUBLISHING A PROJECT, DO YOU RECOMMEND ANY PLATFORMS—WEBSITES, BLOGS, HOSTING SITES OR ANYTHING ELSE—THAT ARE BOTH EASY TO USE AND GOOD FOR EXPOSURE? AV: Use all the platforms available simultaneously. Instagram for 15-second teasers, Vimeo and Youtube [for hosting], and Facebook and Tumblr and whatever you can to get your stories out there.

ABOVE: A rickshaw puller walks along a flooded road in Bangladesh. Any rise in ocean levels represents a grave danger to the country; scientists believe there could be more than 35 million refugees by the year 2050.

PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015 51

Photos © Ami Vitale ABOVE: Families live next to train tracks in the densely populated capital of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Every year, nearly half a million people enter this mega-city because of the impacts of climate change.Migration hits the poor hardest: It disrupts children’s education, devastates any savings a family might have and makes them strangers in their own land.

BW: TO WHOM SHOULD YOUNG DOCUMENTARIANS BE MARKETING THEIR WORK? AV: It depends on what kind of outcome you are looking for. Is this a full-length film? There are grants to help in production and editing and distribution. Personally, I have not gone down the path of full-length docs. I make short films and I approach my clients in the same way I do as a still photographer. First, create a body of work on a topic that you genuinely care about. Then, approach the organizations that have an interest in those issues. Show them your work and think about how you can benefit them and tell their stories in a unique way.

BW: ARE THERE ANY VALUABLE RESOURCES YOU

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WOULD RECOMMEND FOR YOUNG DOCUMENTARIANS? AV: There are a million workshops available. MediaStorm offers some intensive ones in New York City and the annual Eddie Adams Workshop is held in upstate New York. There are also online resources like lynda.com, Skillshare.com, CreativeLive.com, Newsshooter.com. Also, research grant organizations such as Alexia Foundation, MacArthur Foundation Documentary Film Grant, Bertha BRITDOC Journalism Fund, Film Independent Fast Track, Film Independent Screenwriting Lab and Sundance Screenwriters Lab offer invaluable opportunities to documentarians.

BW: FINALLY, WHAT IS YOUR MAIN PIECE OF BUSINESS ADVICE FOR A YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER HOPING TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? AV: The amount of drive—and just plain hard work—necessary to accomplish a story for the best organizations in the world cannot be overemphasized. You must have the eye, the drive, intellect,

ethics and maturity. The truth is that the shooting is an extremely small part of the job. Most of the work is researching, writing, planning and ﬁnding funding for long-term projects. Find one project and stick with it. EDU

NOW PLAYING: AMI VITALE

Ami Vitale tells the story of a family critically affected by climate change in her short documentary with Panos Pictures, Bangladesh: On the Frontlines of Climate Change. Watch it at <digitalmag.pdnedu.com> or on Vimeo at <vimeo.com/31369520>

STEP X STEP

Photo ÂŠ Jamey Stillings

Educator Mary Virginia Swanson breaks down funding and sponsorship options for long-term photography projects

This article is excerpted from Chapter Five of Mary Virginia Swansonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book Finding Your Audience: An Introduction to Marketing Your Photographs. Order it at <www.mvswanson.com>. 54

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mong the greatest gifts an artist can receive is support in one or more forms to continue and complete a project. The encouragement and support from friends, family and community can come to you in many forms and help sustain your passion to tell your story. Two questions that are essential to

ask when beginning your path toward completing your project are: 1) Who else is interested in this subject? 2) What do I need to produce this work? For most artists, support is necessary for research on their subject, production of the work, creating prints, installing exhibitions, and publishing the work. The path to support begins with research. Resources to support photography

projects can take many forms. Some artists need research and travel funds to move projects forward, others need studio space and art-making materials. Upon completion, additional support may be needed for the preparation and touring of exhibitions and related publications. Assistance for artist’s efforts can be found in a variety of forms from public support, private industry, foundations and social media.

TYPES OF FUNDERS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES: Programs established and administered by a branch of the federal or state government to foster the arts in our country. Diverse programs for individuals exist at multiple levels throughout most of the United States, administrated by local, regional, state and federal programs. Depending on the community, political environment and cultural legacy, many areas are known for providing outstanding support for emerging and professional artists, offering funding for professional advancement, studio space and emergency grants. In addition to funding allocated for the arts, many cities have dedicated funding for a “Percent for the Arts” program from hotel taxes, new stadium taxes, state lottery income and other revenue sources. Government funding can vary from year to year depending on economic conditions. Start local. Begin your research by looking into local funding opportunities and whenever possible engage in face-to-face dialogue with potential funders. PRIVATE OR FAMILY FOUNDATIONS: Private, nonproﬁt organizations with grant programs determined and directed by its trustees/directors. Private foundations typically have a clearly deﬁned and often more focused mission, and support projects that align with their existing initiatives. Example: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation <www.gatesfoundation.org>, whose initiatives include improving global health, preventing disease, combating hunger and poverty in developing countries and improving public education.

When considering which corporations are likely to respond positively to your project, pay close attention to the photographs corporations feature on printed materials, media campaigns and on their website. Family foundations often have multiple areas of interest, reflecting the backgrounds and experiences of the founders. The late Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008) was generous during his lifetime and beyond; gifting artwork to organizations that championed causes he believed in was a frequent activity. He established the foundation in his name in 1990 (rauschenbergfoundation. org) and the organization thrives today, underscoring Rauschenberg’s belief that art can change the world. The Foundation’s program areas include broadening Rauschenberg’s legacy and offering grants to emerging and established artists through its residency program, fostering collaborations through targeted philanthropic initiatives that engage art, education, activism and collaboration. CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS: Programs established and administered by a philanthropic division within a for-profit corporation for the expressed purpose of supporting their stated brand values. Corporate support is often limited to disbursement within the geographic region(s) in which the parent corporation’s headquarters and local branches offices operate, thus more directly benefiting their employees and their communities. Each type of funding source— government, private and corporate—will have formal guidelines available with clearly described areas of charitable support and paths to submission, many noting first what they do not fund. Some long-established charitable foundations target their support, seeking partnerships directly, and therefore will not accept unsolicited proposals. An increasing number of foundation grantmakers are requiring proposals to be submitted online, contracting with companies such as CyberGrants (cybergrants.com) to facilitate

all aspects of the application process.

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS AWARDED TO INDIVIDUALS: There is a long tradition of grants given to artists based on the quality of their artwork. Numerous philanthropic family foundations such as the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation’s “Fellowships to Assist Research and Artistic Creation” (gf.org) as well as federally funded programs at the city, state and national level, award funds to artists to initiate, produce or complete their work. Large numbers of artists apply for such awards, the receipt of which adds prestige to your professional ré sum é . Artists are required to submit examples of their work, and in some instances, to provide letters of support from respected individuals in the ﬁeld. Typically grants to individual artists are awarded directly to the person receiving the award, rather than requiring that funds be administered by a ﬁscal agent that then disperses the monies to the award recipient. Accomplished artists are widely familiar with publications and websites that provide information on grants to visual artists; emerging photographers/artists should invest time becoming familiar with these resources. Start your search for funding in your own community, as many county and state programs offer public sessions to advise artists of application procedures and deadlines. The public is often allowed to observe the jurying process when government funds are being awarded, which can provide valuable insights into the grant-giving process (volunteer to assist during the granting cycle if you are able to do so). Join email lists for local and state arts organizations to receive information on funding opportunities and approaching deadlines. PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015 55

Ô IN ADVANCE OF PREPARING YOUR PROPOSAL D EFINE THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR PROJECT

Being able to discuss your project in industry-standard terminology will add credibility to you and your work. Take note of how experts utilize subjectspecific language to discuss issues related to your topic. P RACTICE WRITING ABOUT YOUR PROJECT: 1+1+1+3

In order to most easily facilitate the various proposal guidelines you are likely to encounter, you should be able to sum up your project in the following formats:

n SENTENCE

This is referred to as the classic “elevator speech.” You meet someone at a reception, a lecture or on a plane who asks, “What is your work about?”

n PARAGRAPH

Most submissions for portfolio review events and juried competitions will seek a brief artist’s statement on their work.

n PAGE

Many arts grants will require a one-page-maximum description of your project.

p PAGES

In this longer format, expand on the purpose, content, context, values, intention and affiliations.

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Whether or not you are awarded a grant or fellowship, judges are often influential individuals in our field who you will want to become aware of your work. GRANTS AND SPONSORSHIP BASED ON THE SUBJECT OF YOUR PROJECT What is the subject of your artistic explorations? Are you making work that addresses social or environmental concerns? Is your work created in response to a specific place or culture? Are you exploring the sciences or other fields through your project? By seeking out private foundations and corporations that share a passion and commitment to a common subject, you are far more likely to be successful in finding support for your projects. The majority of philanthropic foundations and corporations give grants or offer sponsorship based on the subject of the work you are pursuing and/or the geographic area in which your project is based. Many companies have established a separate foundation to provide funding support and this information may be available online. The Foundation Center (foundationcenter.org) is a useful source. Conduct a search on its home page on “FUNDER DATA” by the specific corporation name; if it is a formally established foundation there will be a direct link to their website, mission statement, deadlines and contact information. If you don’t yet have a lead to follow by name, start with a search by ZIP code: you may be surprised to find like-minded philanthropists doing great work nationally or globally who are located nearby.

UNDERSTANDING CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP Many corporations or small businesses welcome the opportunity to partner on visual projects that bring their corporate culture to a broad audience or in some cases bring their brand to a very targeted demographic. When considering which corporations are likely to respond positively to your project, pay close attention to the photographs corporations feature on printed materials, media campaigns and on their website. Is portraiture important

to convey their brand? Are they focused on who makes their product, who buys their products or the locations where their ofﬁces are located? Or do they feature landscape photographs in their branding, signaling an appreciation for the environment? Are they declaring they are utilizing “green” business standards? This will give you a sense of their corporate mission and corporate culture, as well as a window on the role photographs play in communicating their corporate message. Many recently established corporations that do not yet have a history of funding visual arts projects may welcome your proposal to engage them in alignment with your project. If your mission is consistent with theirs, it may well be a good match. One advantage to seeking support from younger corporations not yet listed in guides to funding sources is turnaround time can be relatively short, often

AT LEFT AND PREVIOUS PAGE: Images from the Jamey Stillings’ series, “The Evolution of Ivanpah Solar.” Stillings sustains his long-term projects through editorial and corporate licensing, institutional acquisitions, fine-art print sales, corporate sponsorship and an association with Blue Earth, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. His new multi-year project, Changing Perspectives, will be an examination of renewableenergy development around the world. See more at <www.jameystillings.com>

your project. If you have a partner non-profit organization that is serving as your fiscal agent, donations can be processed through the organization’s PayPal account, giving donors a tax benefit for supporting your project. Another important aspect of Indiegogo’s model; if your project is not fully funded by your stated deadline, you will still receive the promised support from donors.

reviewing applications as they are received.

A DIFFERENT PATH TO FINANCE YOUR PROJECT: CROWD-SOURCED FUNDING Crowd-sourced funding is an important development for people seeking an alternative form of fundraising for their creative project. While there are slight variations in procedures and policies of the crowd-funding companies entering this market, the basic premise is the same. You create a campaign for your project following detailed guidelines (including an informational video clip), and if accepted, a page about your project will be featured on the host company’s website. Visitors who wish to contribute to your project can do so directly from your campaign’s page and are frequently rewarded with incentives such as small prints, copies of publications and more. Utilize email and social media platforms to spread the word

about your project and important funding deadlines. If your ﬁnancial goal is reached within the time allotted, individuals who have pledged support for your project will at that time have their pledge amount withdrawn from their designated credit card and you will receive the value of the donations at that time, less predetermined service fees. Upon completion of your project you will be required to deliver any premium products you have promised to donors in return for their ﬁnancial support. The two most prominent crowd-sourced funding companies that artists are utilizing to seek support are, in order of their founding dates: INDIEGOGO www.indiegogo.com Founded in 2008 Indiegogo presents more funding options to those who are considering supporting

KICKSTARTER www.kickstarter.com Founded in 2009 Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing funding platform for creative projects: if you do not reach your funding goals by the stated deadline, none of the funds pledged will be secured from the sponsors. Additionally, your project will be recorded on the Kickstarter website as “Unsuccessful.” Nearly 90,000 projects have been funded since Kickstarter launched in April of 2009, the majority of which asked for less than $10,000. Unsuccessfully funded projects number over 150,000 to date, but 79 percent of projects that reach more than 20 percent of its goal end in success. Kickstarter’s current project funding statistics are updated daily on their website at <www. kickstarter.com/help/stats>. To evaluate if this method is appropriate to you and your project, research and gain a broad understanding of the type of projects that have been successfully funded. Assess the clarity of the stated project goals and benefits offered to those who donate to the project(s). Be clear about all related fees and charges to you and to donors before submitting your project to any crowdsourced funding company. Today it is easier than ever to reach out to the public for help, and like-minded people are responding, making the benefits of finding your audience a path to achieve your project goals. EDU PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015 57

WHAT DOES IT COST?

What Does It Cost â&#x20AC;Ś to Study, Live and Work in Minneapolis? By Amanda Baltazar

Made up of the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the Twin Cities are an attractive place to live thanks to the beauty of the Midwest and the Mississippi River. In April, Livability.com ranked Minneapolis, the larger of the Twin Cities, as the healthiest city in the nation, and its park system covers nearly 17 percent of its area. The city offers plenty of opportunities for activities such as hiking, biking, swimming and kayaking in the summer, and cross-country skiing and ice skating during the winter months. The cost of living and home prices in Minneapolis are lower than on the coasts, though higher than the average for the Midwest. Unemployment is low (3.4 percent in May 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), and Minnesota is home to 18 Fortune 500 companies, including 3M, Best Buy, General Mills, Honeywell, Hormel, Target and UnitedHeath Group. Due to its extensive park system and the Mississippi River running through it, Minneapolis-Saint Paul offers many opportunities for outdoor photography, but thanks to long winters, studios see plenty of activity, too. THIS PAGE: A long exposure at the Minnesota State Fair, the largest state fair in the nation.

Photo ÂŠ David Bowman/National Geographic Creative David Bowman is represented by National Geographic Creative, a stand-alone talent agency within National Geographic. For more information on working with Bowman or the agency, please visit www.natgeocreative.com

TO STUDY

MINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN www.mcad.edu The four-year photography BFA at MCAD covers traditional through modern methods of shooting. MCAD’s BFA curriculum is based upon the “Core Four,” in which students focus on foundation classes the ﬁrst year, concentrate on a major the second year, gain practical experience through an internship or study abroad the third year, and research and develop a ﬁnal body of work the fourth year.

THIS PAGE: Young festival-goers at Rock the Garden, an annual music festival hosted by by local radio channel 89.3 The Current and Walker Art Center (above); the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (below).

TUITION: $34,000 per year—in and out of state. HOUSING: Most ﬁrst-year students at MCAD live on-campus in private, shared apartments, which the school says are unlike crowded dorms and “offer living rooms, closet spaces, bathrooms and full kitchens.” Dorms range from $2,780 for an unfurnished two-bedroom/two-person room to $3,660 for a oneperson furnished room, per semester.

MINNEAPOLIS COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE www.minneapolis.edu Minneapolis’s community college offers three options for photography: an AAS degree, an imaging diploma and an imaging certiﬁcate. Hands-on training is emphasized in portraiture, product, studio and location photography, and students will develop a working knowledge of the occupational and technical aspects of the professional photographic industry. TUITION: $5,350 per year.

www.art.umn.edu UM offers both a BFA and an MFA in photography. The BFA program teaches undergraduate students technical skills and techniques, while also helping students acquire a deep understanding of visual culture and their own relationship to photography. The MFA promotes autonomy while fostering a supportive community for students to develop their projects, which include mixed-media installations and large-format ﬁeld work. TUITION: Undergraduate: $6,030 (in state), $9,655 (out of state) per semester; Graduate: $7,729 (in state), $11,840 (out of state) per semester. HOUSING: The university offers residence halls and apartments on campus. Rates for halls range from $1,890 per semester for an expanded quad room (ﬁve people) or expanded double (three people) to $3,207 for a single room with a bath. For the fall semester, apartments start at $2,975 for a two-person “super double” and max out at $4,369 for a one-person “super single.”

HOUSING: No campus housing is available.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

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TO LIVE

Riverfront Northeast, University Neighborhood and the North Loop are great Twin Cities neighborhoods for photographers or aspiring photographers, according to Kevin Ornter, CEO of Renters Warehouse. The Northeast neighborhood “is a historic, European-style walking community located on the riverfront with plenty of locally owned shops and restaurants,” he says. This area offers various residential options, from condos and high-rises to traditional homes and quaint apartments. University Neighborhood is the only ofﬁcial neighborhood in Minneapolis that occupies both sides of the Mississippi River, Ornter points out. The Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota is its central focus, but the neighborhood is full of bike paths, cultural centers and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The North Loop, a historic warehouse district, is “the upand-coming neighborhood for millennials,” Ornter says. The Minneapolis Farmers Market, an institution since 1937, operates here, and the area has a range of new condos and retail shops. The average cost of renting a studio in these neighborhoods, says Ornter, is around $775 per month. The cost edges closer to $980 for a one-bedroom apartment and runs around $1,450 for a single-family home. For those wishing to buy, prices are on the low end when compared to national averages. A studio costs around $95,000, a one-bedroom apartment costs around $149,000 and a singlefamily home costs around $265,000. “The Minneapolis market has a history and reputation for being more stable than many other parts of the country,” Ornter says. “Minneapolis doesn’t generally see the big swings in value, whether in rents or sale prices. While homeowners won’t generally see 30 percent or more annual appreciation in home prices, they get the beneﬁt of being more insulated from the major downturns as well.” For people looking to buy right now, Ornter says values are still below the peak, and mortgage rates still remain at historic lows. It’s a great time, he says, to purchase a new home.

HOUSING

ABOVE: Bicycling in winter and summer in Minneapolis. Photography duo Ackerman + Gruber captured the snowy scene on Minnehaha Creek (top); Jonathan Chapman snapped a cyclist riding from the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge for Bicycling magazine.

TO BUY: $95,000 and up TO RENT: $775 and up

editorial portraiture and landscape shooter, has been driving a minivan—“a beater”—for the 15 years he’s been a serious photographer and spends around $100 per month on gas for it. Costs for Jonathan Chapman, an advertising and corporate photographer, are around $195 per month on gas for his Volvo station wagon, while Melissa Berg, a food and product photographer, spends approximately $75 monthly on gas.

TRANSPORTATION

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Despite the rough winters, Minneapolis was named the most bikeable city in the U.S. in May by Redﬁn, a real estate website. Some residents cycle year-round. There’s even a low-grade bike path across the entire city, says Nate Ryan, a staff photographer at Minnesota Public Radio and indie-rock station The Current, who also does freelance work shooting music videos, promo photos and outdoor lifestyle shots. There are bike trails all along the river and connected to the park system, which he frequently rides. Public transport is improving in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Through Metro Transit there are train and bus routes, both of which are being expanded, with new lines on the horizon. Adult fares range from $1.75 up to $3 at rush hour, and Go-To Cards offer greater value. However, Ryan mostly drives a Volkswagen station wagon and spends only about $50 a month on gas. David Bowman, an

$105 per month for gas

THE BOTTOM LINE:

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FOOD “Minneapolis is a great food town,” Berg says. “We have so many chef-driven restaurants where you can ﬁnd locally sourced, organic food at an exceptionally reasonable price.” Ryan estimates dinner out for two costs around $60, consisting of one appetizer, two entrees and a couple of drinks, while lunch is closer to $8 per head. Jenn Ackerman and Tim Gruber, a husband-and-wife team who shoot editorial and commercial work, only eat out about once a week. “That’s usually at a two- to three-star restaurant averaging $70 for the two of us,” Ackerman says. “Our last meal out was a three-course tasting menu and included a wine ﬂight for $100 at our neighborhood restaurant.” Bowman and his wife eat almost exclusively at home and cook

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TO WORK

service and $25 for a landline. Ackerman and Gruber pay one lump sum of $140 for cable and Internet, while Berg spends $120.

THE BOTTOM LINE: UTILITIES: $275 per month; $310 during the winter CABLE/INTERNET/PHONE: $110 per month

STUDIOS

ABOVE: Shelter Studios provides a large, sunlit space for both local and visiting photographers on Harding Street NE.

Shelter Studios is the largest commercial rental studio between New York City and Los Angeles, studio manager Tyler Cooper says. Based in Northeast Minneapolis, which was recently voted the best arts district in the country by USA Today, Shelter has six studios that can be rented individually, and each comes with a grip package. There’s also Sidecar Studios, which has two studios (5,200 square feet and 4,500 square feet, both with lots of windows), and Orbit Studios, which has three studios (660 square feet, 2,000 square feet and 3,800 square feet), one of which has a 32-foot cyc, a loading dock and drive-in access.

THE BOTTOM LINE: TO RENT: $450-700 per day

from scratch with their two daughters, and spend around $1,000 per month on groceries, which includes organic fruits and vegetables. Chapman spends the same for his family of four. “We buy most groceries from a local co-op and the rest from neighborhood markets, such as the local butcher shop or local seafood shop,” Ackerman says. They, too, estimate their monthly grocery costs to be $1,000 per month. Berg’s costs clock in much lower, at $450 a month, for herself and her young son. “I buy all organic. We have lots of great co-op options here, and farmers markets or CSAs during the growing season. I cook from scratch and avoid prepared or processed foods.”

EQUIPMENT Flashlight Photo Rental deals in lighting and grip rentals and service. The most popular lighting is the Profoto Pro-8a, Pro-7a and Acute systems, owner Raoul Benavides says. The Profoto 7a 2400 pack and head rent for $100 together. Also popular are the K5600 1600 HMIs and AAdynTech ECO Punch LEDs, which each rent for $250. At West Photo, the Nikon D800 costs $100 per day to rent, and the Nikon D4 is $150. For lenses, the AF-S NIKKOR 2470mm f/2.8G ED costs $25 per day and the AF-S NIKKOR 70200mm f/2.8G ED VR II costs $30 per day.

THE BOTTOM LINE: $225 per day EDU THE BOTTOM LINE: GROCERIES: $250/month per person DINING: $8/lunch, $30/dinner per person

UTILITIES Heat is the big expense for the Bowman family in the winter. “It can be a giant expense, depending on the size of your home,” he says. “I know people who pay $700 a month to heat their house in the winter, but we have a modest house, so we pay around $300 a month for three to six months of the year.” Chapman’s heat is gas-powered and he pays $80 a month, but between $125 and $150 for four or ﬁve months in the winter. Electricity costs for Bowman are close to $90 monthly, up to $175 for June, July and August when he and his family run the air conditioner. Ryan pays around $25 a month for electricity, and only runs his AC for a couple of weeks a year to keep costs low. Ackerman and Gruber pay a lump sum of $375 for their utilities, as does Berg, who spends $200. Ryan’s utilities are included in his rent. Ryan pays $45 for his Internet service and has no cable TV or landline phone, while Chapman pays the same, plus $125 for cable. Bowman pays $55 for Internet 62

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WHAT IT COSTS FOR

A cup of coffee

$45

Monthly gym membership

$2.78

A gallon of gas

$10

A movie ticket

A pint of beer

Parking

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PRODUCT NEWS

NEW PRODUCTS

[ By Greg Scoblete ]

NIKON D7200 A follow-up to the successful D7100, the new D7200 is Nikon’s top crop sensor (DX-format) camera. Like its predecessor, the D7200 features a 24-megapixel image sensor with no optical low-pass filter—the better to coax out extra sharpness from those plentiful pixels. It uses a similar 3D Color Matrix Metering system as was found in the D7100 and an Advanced Multi-CAM 3500II DX autofocus sensor with 51 focus points to keep your subjects tack-sharp even when they’re on the move. While the D7200 looks similar to its predecessor, there are some significant improvements under the hood, starting with the processor, which has been bumped up from an EXPEED 3 to EXPEED 4. Native ISO sensitivity has improved from 100-6400 on the D7100 to 100-25,600 on the D7200 and is expandable up to 102,400 if you’re willing to shoot in monochrome. Low-light focusing has been improved from -2 EV on the D7100 to -3EV on the D7200, which is a boon to event and natural-light shooters.The D7200 clocks in at 6 frames per second up to 100 JPEGs or between 18-27 RAW files, depending on color depth. You can squeeze out an extra fps if you switch to a 1.3x crop mode. The D7200 records HD video at 1920x1080p30 with an option for 1920x1080p60 if you use a 1.3x crop. You’ll enjoy clean HDMI output for sending uncompressed HD video to external recorders and monitors, zebra stripes to warn of over-exposed portions of a scene and a new flat picture control, which lets you de-saturate your video for improved color grading during post-processing. The D7200 features Wi-Fi for wireless remote control and image sharing, plus NFC for quick pairing with mobile devices. There are a pair of SD card slots, which you can configure in several ways, including using one slot for RAW files and another for JPEGs. You might just fill them, too, as the camera’s battery life is rated for an impressive 1,110 shots by CIPA standards. PRICE: $1,200 (body) www.nikonusa.com

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AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80MM F/2.8-4E ED VR For DX-format camera owners, Nikon’s new 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR lens hits all the right focal lengths for a go-to lens. In fact, it’s the first DX-format lens to benefit from Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat technology, which is applied to lens elements to reduce flaring and ghosting. You’ll also enjoy fluorine coating on both the front and rear elements of the lens, making them easier to wipe down when they collect dirt, moisture or smudges. The 16-80mm is equipped with Vibration Reduction that delivers up to four stops of image stabilization, per CIPA standards, for excellent performance when shooting handheld at slower shutter speeds. It has automatic tripod detection as well, to combat shake produced when shooting on a tripod. Like a growing number of Nikon’s high-end glass, this lens has an electromagnetic diaphragm that syncs with the camera’s shutter release to offer improved exposure during continuous shooting. With a minimum focusing distance of 1.2 feet throughout the entire zoom range, you have room to get close to your subjects. A silent wave motor ensures quiet, fast autofocusing and the lens stops down to f/22-32, depending on focal length. It weighs in at just 16.1 ounces. PRICE: $1,070; www.nikonusa.com

NIKON D5500 WITH 18-140MM DX LENS The D5500 doesn’t have all the features of the higher-end D7000-series, but as DX-format cameras go, it still packs a pretty powerful punch. Resolutionwise, you’re not trading down. You’ll find a 24-megapixel CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, similar to the D7200. The D5500 is also powered by Nikon’s EXPEED 4 image processor and offers a native ISO range of 10025,600, the better to retrieve details from dimly lit scenes. A 39-point AF system can acquire focus in low-light conditions down to -1 EV, while a 2,016-pixel RGB sensor enables 3D AF tracking when your subjects are on the move. You’ll also enjoy built-in Wi-Fi for wireless image transfer and remote control via a mobile device. The 3.2inch touch-screen display can be swiveled out from the camera body for framing difficult angles and taking self portraits. On the video front, the D5500 can record up to 1080p60 with full-time AF engaged. Like the D7200, the D5500 offers a flat picture profile for de-saturating footage. Aside from its powerful internals, the D5500 is one of the smallest DSLRs ever to roll out of Nikon’s factory, thanks to a unibody design that’s strong without needlessly packing on ounces (an approach favored by Formula One race cars). It pairs well with the versatile AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, which offers up to four stops of image stabilization per CIPA standards and has a silent wave motor for quiet AF. PRICE: $1,050; www.nikonusa.com

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PRODUCT NEWS

VANGUARD VEO 265 The VEO 265 tripod features a rapid column rotation that lets you quickly fold up the tripod when it’s time to it the road. It offers adjustable leg locks with three different angles and five leg sections with a max height of 59 inches. The tripod ships with a ball head and an Arca Swiss-compatible quickrelease plate and interchangeable feet (rubber or spikes). An included adapter lets you collapse the tripod down to 7.3 inches for macro shots or unusual angles. The VEO 265 can support up to 17.6 pounds of camera gear. PRICE: $180 (aluminum); $ 280 (carbon fiber) www.vanguardworld.us

EYEFI MOBI PRO With the Mobi Pro wireless SD card in your camera, you can leave the laptop at home and work directly on your phone or tablet. With the Eyefi Mobi app running on your Android, iOS, Kindle or Windows device, you can transfer JPEG and RAW images to your device where they are automatically organized and backed up on the Eyefi Cloud. You’ll enjoy a free year’s worth of cloud storage before needing to pay $50/ year for unlimited, full-resolution image storage. When you’re shooting in the studio, you can use the card’s infrastructure wireless mode to automatically transfer images to your desktop and into Adobe Lightroom. You also have the ability to selectively transfer images, if you don’t want to needlessly consume cellular bandwidth or your camera’s battery life by moving large batches of files all at once. The card itself offers 32GB of storage and Class 10 data speeds. PRICE: $100; www.eyefi.com

HP Z27Q Did you recently buy a 4K monitor? HP’s Z27q has already stepped up the game to 5K, joining the likes of Apple and Dell in piling 5120x2880 pixels into a 27-inch frame. Pixel peepers won’t simply enjoy the eye-quenching resolution but an aspect ratio of 16:9 with 10-bit color delivering over one billion colors and covering 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color space. It is calibrated out-of-the-box for sRGB, Adobe RGB and BT.709 color spaces (that last one is the same color space that Blu-ray movies are delivered in). You can tilt the monitor back by five degrees or forward by 22 degrees and swivel it 180 degrees. Alternatively, you can pop off the base and mount it to a wall and admire your work. Your connectivity options include five USB 3.0 ports—including one upstream port and four downstream connections—and two DisplayPort 1.2 connections. IPS technology gives the Z27q a viewing angle of up to 178 degrees. PRICE: $2,044 www.hp.com

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TOOLS FOR CREATION

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TENBA PACKLITE BAG The Packlite is a self-stowing camera bag that can be folded up inside its own mesh side pocket and cinched up small and tight. Its exterior is made from a water-repellent nylon and features a quick-access, self-healing top zipper. To guarantee full protection, you’ll need to combine the Packlite with its corresponding BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) insert—a padded, zippered case designed to slip into larger bags. The BYOB features adjustable padded dividers to segregate and secure your gear, plus a zippered top cover that can be folded all the way back and tucked into a rear pocket when you’ve inserted the BYOB into another case. There are four Packlite/BYOB sizes to choose from. The smallest, the Packlite/BYOB 7, is capable of storing a mirrorless camera and lens, and you can stuff a pro DSLR body with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens into the largest member of the family, the Packlite/BYOB 13. PRICE: $20-$29 (Packlite); $30-$60 (BYOB) www.tenba.com

ATOMOS SHOGUN When you’re ready to take your DSLR filmmaking to the next level, external recorders like the Atomos Shogun are usually your next step. The Shogun connects to your camera via its HDMI output to record uncompressed footage to SSD or CFast 1.0 memory (which you supply). Depending on your camera, it can save 10-bit or 8-bit files. It records your footage in editor-friendly codecs like Apple’s ProRes and Lossless Cinema DNG and can handle a video signal up to 4K/30p or HD video at 120p. The Shogun can also connect to cinema cameras via 12/6G and 3/1.5G SDI inputs. Aside from storing files, the Shogun’s 7-inch, 1920x1200 touch-screen display gives you plenty of real estate to monitor your scene in real time out of your camera. It supports 3D Look Up Tables (LUT) so you can preview video coloring effects as you shoot—if you like what you see, you can have the LUT saved as you record. The Shogun lets you upload your own metadata tags as well as mark stored footage as “favorite” or “reject” to ease your post-process workflow. PRICE: $1,995; www.atomos.com

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P H OTO G R A P H E R We want your work! Selected photo essays will be showcased in a photo book-style publication, distributed to the most important creatives in photography.

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PDNEDU ASKS PHOTOGRAPHERS

n documentary photography and filmmaking, building a relationship with your subjects is critical to the foundation of a good story. But given the often sensitive subjects inherent in documentary work, how do you tell those stories with care? Here, we asked seven imagemakers to share their insight on forming meaningful photographer-subject relationships. [ Compiled by Jacqui Palumbo ]

“What is your best tip for gaining access to your subjects’ private lives, and

”

PEOPLE TRUST YOU IF YOU FIRST TRUST THEM. That’s my work ethic as a photojournalist. If I give something and open up to the person I photograph, then they will open up to me. It takes time to build a relationship—I don’t go into a story thinking that I will get the most intimate shots from the very beginning, but hoping that I will enrich somebody’s life as much as photographing them will enrich mine. It’s a two-way street. Once I have the photographs, accuracy in telling the story behind the photographs is just as important as the trust I have with my subjects. All I try is to make sure I get the story right when I share those private moments with the rest of the world. If I manage to do that, everything else falls into place. Roxana Pop <www.roxanapop.samexhibit.com> “ACCESS” IS A COMPLEX WORD. When working on documentary stories I tend to view my relationship with people as starting a collaboration rather than gaining access. Communicating intent for the story and discussing the potential outcomes of publication is a big part of that. So is being honest

PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015

with yourself about why you’re interested in the story. People respect when you’re up front with them, even if you’re not sure which direction the piece may take. I’ve learned that having continual, open conversations about the project and where it may end up is fundamental to building respect, understanding and trust. Alexandra Hootnick <www.alexandrahootnick.com> IT’S EASY TO SAY, “BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR INTENTIONS, and where and how the images will be used and what for, then sign the release paper and leave.” But for me, gaining access to our subjects’ private lives is not my main question—it’s, “If I get access to that subject’s private life, how can the images be used to change the way someone thinks, and give people other ideas about the subject you’re shooting?” When you come up with an answer to that, vague or clear, then you’d have all the excuse to entering their private lives. Otherwise, gaining access for the sake of gaining access is, as David Hurn says, “exploitation, not exploration.” Someone’s private life is not a gold mine. Joshua Irwandi <www.joshuairwandi.com>

how are you sensitive to sharing those private moments in a public space?

Courtesy of Douglas Gautraud, © Sarah Isaacs (Vitale), © Alexander Papakonstadinou (Pandya), © Damon Winter (Renneisen), Tanja Rohweder (Simon)

THE BEST WAY TO GAIN TRUST WITH YOUR SUBJECTS is to strive for a truly empathetic attitude toward them. Once they feel as if you understand them they will begin to take a posture of comfort with you. The best way to be sensitive in what you share about your subject is to just ask yourself, “If I were them, would I want this information to be public?” and learn. Douglas Gautraud <www.douglasgautraud.com>

YOU NEED TO HAVE GENUINE EMPATHY AND RESPECT—YOU CAN’T FAKE IT. And as for what you share, I am always transparent and first ask permission. It is important that [your subjects] understand where these photos could end up. These days, I try to bring a model release. This is not just to protect myself, but rather for the people I am photographing to understand that these images could end up online and in public spaces. ami vitale <www.amivitale.com>

TAKE YOUR TIME. MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE. EARN THEIR RESPECT. I try and spend a lot of time with people (especially without having my equipment around) before I photograph them. I eat with them, help them with their daily chores, sleep in their houses, etc. They need to realize that you aren’t there just for that one picture. Once this realization happens, they are very keen to return the favor, to understand how an outsider perceives them and their emotions. I always try to do a follow-up tour where I carry prints of my pictures from the first leg and distribute them to the people I shot with. I returned from my Ethiopia follow-up tour recently

after distributing my prints from my 2014 trip there. The locals will witness your sincerity toward your craft, which in turn increases their trust, strengthens your bond and gets you the all-important “all-access backstage pass” that every travel photographer covets. Trupal Pandya <www.trupalpandya.com>

I JUST TRY TO BE MYSELF WHEN I APPROACH PEOPLE I WANT TO PHOTOGRAPH. I think if you try to do anything else, people can sense that and get wary. Be a human being first, and put yourself in the shoes of the people you are photographing. I always try to be honest, respectful and grateful to the people who let me into their private lives, and most of the time that builds a level of trust. Trust is key in any relationship, and is extremely important between photographer and subject. Andrew Renneisen <www.andrewrenneisen.com>

IT’S A BIT HARD TO GENERALIZE BECAUSE EVERY STORY IS UNIQUE, but in my experience, it takes time to earn trust. With long-term projects, investing time in establishing a relationship has been my best way to get authentic, storytelling moments. Often the work gets better as the relationship evolves and the subject knows you better, has seen some of the work and understands the end goal. But for many stories there just isn’t enough time, so it helps greatly to be vetted and introduced by a trusted person in a subject’s life. The subject is the vulnerable one in this relationship, so I try to put myself in their position and be comfortable with the images I make. I do what I have to do to get the strongest work; I owe it to my subject. Steve Simon <www.stevesimonphoto.com> PDNEDU.COM FALL 2015 71

OUT OF THE PAST

[ 1940–2015 ]

MARY ELLEN MARK THE DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHER LEAVES A LASTING LEGACY WITH HER PASSING

The first time that Mary Ellen Mark wandered the streets of downtown Philadelphia with a camera, she didn’t see anything extraordinary. It was autumn of 1963, Mark was a student at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and she had just discovered photography. The people on the street that fall day were mundane—mothers and children, dogs, residents of a middleclass neighborhood. But the walk changed Mark’s life forever. “I think it was the connection with people that astounded me,” Mark wrote in the introduction to Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment (reviewed in “Media Reports” on page 17). “I saw that my camera gave me a connection with others that I never had before. It allowed me to enter lives, satisfying a curiosity that was always there, but was never explored before. On that day, I realized the world was open to me … I realized there was no turning back. I was meant to be a photographer.” Over the next five decades, Mark would go on to become one of the world’s most prized humanist documentary photographers. During her career, she published 18 collections of her work, joined Magnum as one of its first female members in 1977 and founded a studio in 1981. The documentary photographer entered the lives of society’s most visible— celebrities, artists, and directors, including Marlon Brando, Jeff Bridges, Federico Fellini and Nicole Kidman—and those on the fringes: in Mark’s words, the “people who are outside the borders of society.” While working mostly in black and white (and always in film), Mark is well known for her color photographs of the prostitutes of Falkland Road in Bombay (now Mumbai), photographed for GEO magazine from 1978-79. She hoped that by portraying specific marginalized groups she could touch on something universal: “They weren’t just photographs of prostitutes in India. There are prostitutes all over the world. I try to show their way of life, and that shows India.” In 1983, Mark met Tiny, a 13-year-old prostitute in Seattle. Tiny was part of a community of homeless kids living on the streets of what had recently been dubbed “America’s Most Livable City.” Mark photographed the group for a LIFE magazine article, and later returned with her husband, filmmaker Martin Bell, to produce the 1984 documentary Streetwise; a photo book of the same name was published in 1988. Mark continued to 72

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photograph Tiny for 30 years, documenting her adulthood as a mother of ten children. This fall, Aperture Foundation will publish Tiny: Streetwise Revisited, a book that expands the 1988 monograph to include photos from Mark’s 30-year project. The news of Mark’s death on May 25, 2015, brought an outpouring of grief and kind reminiscences from friends, students and collaborators. She was remembered as fierce and funny, and as a loyal friend and dedicated teacher whose influence as a humanist documentary photographer will endure. As Melissa Harris, the editor in chief of Aperture Foundation and a dear friend of Mark’s, wrote, “Mary Ellen had such presence. She and her images influenced and are loved, respected and admired by so many. The world feels lesser without her.” EDU BELOW: A portrait of 13-year-old Tiny in Seattle, 1983. An upcoming book from Aperture, Tiny: Streetwise Revisited, will be published this fall, and a traveling exhibition will debut at the Norton Museum of Art in Florida on December 10, 2015.

[ By Hilary Reid ]

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