Class Photojournalism

  The photojournalism course aims to develop and stimulate the learning of techniques necessary for creating photojournalistic images. We live in the age of the image. Images connect us to the world and to what changes within it. Nowadays, an image is everything. And everything is an image. Images are losing meaning in the absence of critical and analytical discourse, and/or are manipulated, creating dystopias. We will understand the function of photojournalism/photojournalist and the importance of their news truth, visual and documentary, for journalism, both digital and physical, in these times.   "A photograph is worth more than a thousand lies" Juan Fontcuberta

Not applicable

  Theoretical/Practical Module: The photographic image in its narrative and communicative dimension. Contemporary photojournalism and new paradigms. The social impact of reportage photography. A brief history of photojournalism: from the 19th to the 20th century. The press, photographic agencies, and collectives. Photographic truth. Fiction vs. document. Use of the photographic device according to context. Research methods in reportage photography. Image manipulation. The camera: types, variety, and mechanisms. Light, composition, framing. iPads, iPhones, smartphones. Theoretical/practical exercises.

At the end of each lesson, theoretical or practical, the student will choose, from a series of suggestions presented by the teacher, to take a photograph that will be viewed and discussed in the following class. The suggestions presented by the teacher aim to stimulate creativity in the creation and development of a photographic image. The suggestions include: a book, an exhibition, a film, a renowned photographer, and a piece of music/song. The student will choose from among them the one that, in their opinion, is most inspiring for taking a photograph.

Baeza, P. (2001) Por una función crítica de la fotografia de prensa. Editorial Gustavo Gili, SA Berger, J. (2018) Modos de ver. Dinalivro Freemna, Michael. (1993) Grande Manual da Fotografia. Lisboa: Dinalivro Good, Jennifer e Lowe, Paul. (2017) Understanding Photojournalism. Bloomberg Academic Marien, Mary Warner. (2010) Photography: A Cultural History. Lawrence King Publishing Ltd/world press photo S. Johnson, William, Rice, Mark e Williams, Carla. (2005) A History of Photography. Taschen Rudd, Natalie. (2021) The Self-Portrait. Thames&Hudson