Magnum Photos Blog

Documentary Photography Workshop with Patrick Zachmann 

June 12, 2012 
by Patrick Zachmann 
"I believe that when one gains professional experience and artistic practice during several years, to pass on a little bit of know-how is a way to allow young photographers to get what one has taken and learnt from others." -Patrick Zachmann.

GOALS
Learn and improve how to build a documentary reportage by covering a story defined with Patrick Zachmann. Refine storytelling and story composition by analyzing real-situation problems, images analysis, editing and captions writing. Learn how to position one’s self in space in order to find the fair distance between the subject and the photographer, suggest a point of view. Patrick Zachmann will dedicate time to analysis of images, content, shape and a lot of importance to editing. Most of all, the workshop with Patrick Zachmann will help you discover your own visual language as well as practical and conceptual know how to confront real situation reportage making.

WORKSHOP PROGRAM
This will be a hands on workshop with shooting sessions, individual assignments, daily group discussion and editing sessions.

You’ll be expected to fully immerse yourself, take risks and push your boundaries in order to move forward into another level in your photography.

Day 1:

Masterclass – Projections
Patrick Zachmann will spend time talking about his own work and the different projects he has worked on. He will share his photographic references with the group and discuss the challenges of being a working photographer.

Portfolios reviews and projects definition
Each participant will receive and in-depth critique of their work which will also be used as a jumping board for workshop assignments. Participants are highly encouraged to come to the workshop with defined ideas on the subject they want to photograph during the workshop. However, a session will be devoted to refining each participant’s story.

Days 2 & 3:

Masterclass – Projections
Each day begins with a masterclass session when Patrick Zachmann focus on one aspect of his work.

Portfolios reviews and projects definition

Shooting sessions
Each participant goes shoot his own project. Help with directions, contacts and translation in Paris will be provided by the workshop team if needed.

Feedback on shooting, improvement suggestions. Through the selection and discussion of the best images of the day, the participants will work towards developing their own photographic style and hopefully, see their overall approach improve.

Day 4:

Final portfolio editing
Each participant will work on a large edit of his images, then they are printed and laid down on a table (10×15 format). The final editing is made during a one-to-one session with Patrick Zachmann, the other participants are encouraged to attend the sessions of the others. Once the final edit is done, the participants may work on the post-process and are then allowed to make A4 and/or A3 prints (2 max.) of their best images. They are then to write a personal statement on the work, which will be send to the evaluation committee member of their choice.

Final projections

Teaching language: English.

Workshop hours: 9h30-18h30.

<a href='http://www.eyesinprogress.com/2450/workshop-zachmann.html' target='_blank'>More Information and application</a>