Take Momenta Workshops in Myanmar, India, Vietnam, New Orleans, South Africa

Momenta Workshops takes documentary photographers all over the world to teach them how to create powerful visual stories.

"We see photography as a communicator of ideas and emotions across a wide human audience. We seek to promulgate visual journalism and the arts as a mechanism of social change and a profitable venture into the future."

Momenta's upcoming slate of workshops includes trips to Myanmar (Burma), India, New Orleans, Vietnam and South Africa:

MYANMAR 2010: THE ART OF THE PHOTO STORY

This year, we'll be traveling to Myanmar during the period of October 17 - October 30, 2010. This period coincides with two major Buddhist holidays. First it is the close of Buddhist Lent. After three months of reflection and low-movement, the country "wakes-up" and takes on a air of celebration, both local and national. This is immediately followed by the Buddhist Festival of Lights.

This festive period marks a time when everyone celebrates after having restrained themselves for months. It's truly a unique time in which to travel the country and something we've literally been waiting over two years to schedule at this particular time.

Level One / Two
Dates: Oct. 17th - Oct. 30th, 2010
Cost: $4895

# One-on-one narrative instruction by our professionally trained award-winning instructors
# Daily mentoring and story development editing
# Regular slideshows and group critiques
# Portfolio reviews with instructors and Momenta staff
# Lectures on narrative storytelling, elements of photography, and history of documentary photography
# Instruction on Photo Mechanic and photo asset archiving and printing
# Final night slideshow & party hosted by Momenta for attendees

*****
 INDIA 2011: WORKING WITH NONPROFITS

This trip takes us again back to Dehradun to photograph the work of nonprofits in Northern India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the bustling town of Dehradun offers us a unique location to find Tibetan refugee services, medical and health related nonprofits as well as children and women's programs and so much more.

The workshop will begin January 30 in Dehli with our group orientation and celebration dinner and then we will travel by train through the countryside up North to the Dehradun to start photographing. Daily editing and mentoring with instructors while working hand in hand with your nonprofits will combine with a weekend excursions to a resort town on the River Ganges. Students will work on photo stories relating to their nonprofit partner and have the opportunity to work with more than one nonprofit if they choose. The student photo stories are presented during a group slideshow party hosted by Momenta for the nonprofit staff, volunteers, students and the public.

Level Three
Dates: January 30 - February 12, 2011
Cost: $4550

# Momenta provides all the pre-workshop logistics for nonprofit assignments based each student's interest and goals
# Student work benefits nonprofits in their need to publicize and project their activities to new audiences
# Instruction on Photo Mechanic and photo asset archiving
# Hotels, in-country transportation, guides and meals included with tuition
# Personal portfolio reviews with lead instructor and Momenta staff
# Regular slideshows, lectures and group critiques
# Daily mentoring and story development editing
# Voluntary multimedia instruction for interested attendees
# Lectures on narrative storytelling, elements of a photography and history of documentary photography
# Final slideshow and party hosted by Momenta for all students, NGO staff, general public and members of the photographic community

Other 2011 Momenta trips include "Vietnam 2011: Exploring the Travel Essay," "New Orleans 2011: Working with Nonprofits" and "Project South Africa."

Truth With A Camera Workshop in Ecuador

We want to pass along some info from Josh Meltzer, an outstanding photographer and multimedia producer, about his upcoming Truth With A Camera international workshop in Quito, Ecuador, from January 9-17, 2010. I heartily recommend this to anyone interested in learning more about photojournalism from one of the profession's most accomplished teachers. Register now, as these week-long workshops typically fill up fast.

Imagine 6-year-old children, running in and out of traffic in the street, trying to sell gum, wash windshields or juggle oranges to earn some change. These children lack education, suffer from malnutrition and are surrounded by a world of danger and loneliness. Now, imagine that your work can tell the whole world who these children are. Your photographs can breathe life into an existence that few people know.

With a population of 2 million, the capital of Ecuador is one of the most modern cities in the country, although the presence of social inequality and the urban poor remain powerful reminders that thousands of people live below the line of extreme poverty.

Our mission is to educate photojournalists, not only in current technologies, but in understanding cultural differences and similarities and to contribute to truth, ethics, and social justice.

Our goal is to reflect honesty, sensitivity, and intelligence in photojournalism, and to use these as tools to inspire, educate, and promote change in the world around us.

Through the workshops, photojournalists will experience international location coverage and develop an understanding of their social responsibility to provide a voice to all members of society while stressing truth and ethics in an effort to bring about social change.

This will not be a vacation. During this intensive week, you will work with Ecuadorian students from some of the best universities from across the country. At the end of each day, you will edit your images with some of the leaders in the field of documentary photography from the U.S. and Ecuador. Your work will be shared with our partnering NGOs, which gives you the opportunity for your work to stand as a witness and defense of the lives of your subjects. It is an opportunity to strengthen your skills while donating your work to an NGO at the same time.

Josh received a Pictures of the Year International (POYI) documentary award this year, and a NPPA Photojournalist of the Year award in 2006.

(Pictured: A photo by one of the Mexican students in Truth With A Camera's first international workshop in Guadalajara, May 2009.)

LINKS:

* Truth With a Camera Website
* Truth Workshop Blog
* Josh Meltzer's Website

P.S. While with the Roanoke Times, Josh Meltzer provided the video for the award-winning "Age of Uncertainty" series, which tackled issues affecting the rapidly growing elderly population ... and those who will care for them. The ambitious project has been showcased on KobreGuide.com .

Photojournalists: 'Seek Justice' to Win a Canon Kit

Want to win a Canon EOS 5D Mark II Premium Kit?

The Centre for Documentary Practice (CDP) seeks to support an emerging documentary photographer who submits the best-judged folio that aims to Seek Justice. The prize, a Canon EOS 5D Mark II Premium Kit, is designed to contribute to the continuation of, or an extension of, the submitted project synopsis. The CDP Award is free to enter.

The folio may be on any subject but must have the intent to be used to make a positive difference to the subject or the context in which the subject exists.

The award will be judged by two of the keynote speakers from the CDP Online Symposium: Seeking Justice. The winner will be announced December 14, 2009.

You are eligible if you are not represented by a gallery or agency and have not worked (earned a salary or wage) as a photojournalist for more than five years. Only one entry per person is allowed.

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2009

Enter here.

Antarctic Photo Adventure: 'Hell Yeah You Go'

SportsShooter.com features "Hell Yeah You Go," the amazing Antarctic Ocean adventures of marine biologist-turned-photojournalist Adam Lau -- who just happens to be one of our SFSU students.

They say each hour spent in a bouncing boat is equivalent to downing a few beers. After four hours out, sucking down seawater, you're losing coordination. You're drunk.

Salt sprays, you spray back with the shutter. Ice rips open your lips, revealing a sick smile. Somehow you've achieved enlightenment. You realize for the first time - this is what goddamn photojournalists do. You feel like a professional for the first time. You suck Antarctica into your lungs.

You feel alive.

Water cannon hits you like a ton of bricks. Everything goes quiet. Adrenaline clears the mind. The world runs in slo-mo. Body switches to autopilot. Step A) plant the feet; step B) aim; step C) fire.

Read Adam's full account here, and look at his photography on SportsShooter, and on his own Website.