REPORTAGE: GUATEMALA

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This is ten-day workshop for experienced photographers looking to enhance their skills in the field producing digital media projects, their portfolios and their knowledge of a People and culture that descended from the once great Mayan civilization.
COURSE DATES: March 14th through the 24th, 2008
ENROLLMENT: up to 15
LEVEL: Second year students, workshop students, or upon portfolio review

ASSIGNMENT:
Reportage: Guatemala is a 10-day intensive workshop for emerging Visual-journalists who want to create a visual media project much like the type of foreign assignment they would receive from an agency or editor. This workshop is designed to allow the student to experience a documentary assignment in the field with expert instruction from working photojournalists. Students will have the opportunity to generate their own photo-stories, exploring whatever aspects of Guatemalan culture they find most interesting. In addition to giving students the possibility to create a body of work for final portfolio, Reportage: Guatemala will also be an immersion into the culture of various native people. Students are responsible for researching relevant story ideas and making necessary contacts prior to leaving. Assistance will be provided to help with this process and local organization contacts have already been established. This workshop is designed to teach real-world process such as how to find stories, gain access, etc. There will be nightly critiques of the days work, on-line critiques for those not in the immediate area through Digital Railroad or other online sites, and extraneous field trips providing hands-on training and guidance. The nightly critiques are designed to provide students the opportunity to get feedback on their stories and discuss other personal discoveries. Part of the emphasis of the workshop is to find the social relevance and pertinent issues associated with each choice of story. The idea is to get this work published and choosing the right subject matter is the very first step. A final exhibition of the work will be presented at NESoP during Term 3 and students may wish to use this for their final presentation in Photojournalism.



BASE CAMP/LA OFICINA:
We will make our main base in La Antigua. Accommodations will be made with host families to allow students first-hand access to the local community and a quick immersion into the culture. A meeting room for nightly critiques will be set up and help will be provided to secure transportation, guides/fixers, directions, etc.


STRUCTURE:
A list of NGOs and other contacts and will be provided before leaving in order to get the process started. We only have 10 days, so every minute counts and that is why it is strongly recommended that students do as much logistical analysis prior to departure. Remember the main aim here is to produce a documentary that is worthy of publication. Students will work independently but will have access to daily, professional help with their projects through the nightly and online critiques. Also, faculty will accompany students on shoots to provide expertise and guidance where needed or solicited. This is a unique opportunity to intimately study a culture and its people so don't waste a minute of your time there.

INSTRUCTORS:
Glen Cooper is the PJ Instructor at NESoP. He has over 10 years experience working as a photojournalist. Currently he is the Chief Visual Journalist at BostonNOW and before that he was the photo editor at Boston Metro for 5 years. Visual media projects include Cuba, Iceland, The Azores, The Acadian Trail in Nova Scotia, The Bosnian War and a picture story on Craniosynostosis.

William B. Plowman is an international journalist who is part of the World Picture News agency(WpN). Bill has covered conflict in Central Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Haiti, North Africa and focuses on issues of humanitarian, political and social import.

Michael Hintlian is a documentary photographer with several books. He is currently the Documentary instructor at NESoP.

Nathan Fried-Lipski is the current TA for the PJ program and works with Boston Metro, Boston Magazine and the Boston Globe. He is a 2007 graduate of NESoP and a 2007 Guatemala trip participant where he documented the erosion of the Garifuna (black Guatemalans) culture.

Chris Gagne is a current TA for the PJ program and works as a photographer's assistant for a number of Boston based photographers, including John Huet, and White Packert Photography. His 2007 trip to Guatemala involved documenting destitute children and his recent work includes a documentary project on the Southern California wildfires. Chris is a 2007 graduate of the NESoP PJ program.



TUITION:
$1,150 covers tuition (non-student tuition is $2,500), accommodations, nightly critiques, special guided help, support and assistance finding story ideas and gaining access to in-country guides/fixers. AIRFARE NOT INCLUDED (but usually runs between $400-$800). It is the responsibility of each student to acquire the necessary paperwork (i.e. passports, visas, etc.).

EQUIPMENT:
This is a real-world project designed to show the student visual-journalist how to produce a digital media documentary in the field. Bring a digital SLR camera and all pertaining equipment. Bring your laptop with necessary software. A more extensive list will be provided to all participants upon sign-up.

VISAS:
United States citizens must hold a passport that is valid for the period of intended stay. No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.



HEALTH:
The most common health risks associated with travel to Guatemala are malaria (prevalent in the low-lying areas outside Guatemala City), dengue fever, rabies, typhoid, Hepatitis A and cholera. Dysentery and other diarrhoeal diseases are common. All such illnesses are preventible with proper medication and vaccinations.

WARNING:
We do not support any participating photographer willfully entering a dangerous situation or area. Every safeguard will be taken to ensure the safety of all participants however; we recommend that each student purchase equipment insurance prior to departure. NPPA has a link to the Hays Company.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Participants must be experienced photographers, capable of working alone in the field, comfortable with their gear and willing to interact with people of different cultures. This is not a workshop for someone who wants to learn to be a photographer. Participants should be experienced travelers who can cope with problems and situations that WILL CERTAINLY arise in a Third World culture.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
In order to be accepted into the workshop you must go through a portfolio review and an interview, answering questions such as why you want to go, what is the story you will be working on, etc.. Interviews will take place the week of February 5, 2007.

photos from top to bottom by: Nathan Fried-Lipski, Louisa Moratti, map graphic © Lonely Planet Images, Louisa Moratti, and Chris DeNogales.