Photojournalism - Frequently Asked Questions



What are the requirements for this course?

Students of Photojournalism must be at least sixteen years of age and have graduated from Prizewinning Photography at least 3 months before taking this course. The following photographic equipment and personal gear is also required:

  • Digital SLR camera
  • Wide-angle lens (at least 24mm)
  • Telephoto zoom lens (within the 70mm to 300mm range)
  • Personal laptop computer (see requirements below)
  • Hope in the Dark by Jeremy Cowart and Jena Lee
  • Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom™
  • SanDisk® ImageMate card reader

Why can't I take Prizewinning Photography and Photojournalism together?

IPS courses are very intense, typically condensing a semester of college level material into a single week. While this keeps room and board costs low, it doesn't allow for a lot of time for new concepts to become second nature—that takes practice. After several months of working new ideas into your practical shooting technique you'll be much better prepared for our advanced level courses.

What if I don't have Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom™?

You know you're going to want it! Students who don't have a copy (and have not already run the demo on their laptop) will be provided with a 30-day demo at the course.

What are the requirements for a Macintosh computer?

  • OS 10.4 or later
  • G4 or later processor
  • 512MB RAM (1GB+ recommended!)
  • 10GB+ free hard disk space (external hard drive recommended)

What are the requirements for a Windows computer?

  • Windows 2000, XP, or Vista
  • PIII 1GHz or better
  • 512MB RAM (1GB+ recommended!)
  • 10GB+ free hard disk space (external hard drive recommended)

How much does this course cost?

  • Tuition: $549 ($525 if deposit received by March 1, 2008)
  • Books: $15
  • Housing and Meals: TBA ($250 average)

Students are responsible to arrange for their own transportation to and from the course.

Additionally, prior to attending students are required to purchase and work through a study guide on the book, Hope in the Dark by Jeremy Cowart (approx. $15). (Can be purchased from relevantbooks.com)

Who is this course designed for?

This course is designed to teach students the basics of on-location, documentary photojournalism and to skillfully shape the emotional impact of each image. This aspect of photojournalism is especially recommended for anyone interested in issue-driven communication and photography.

This course is intended to give students persuasive techniques for using photography to share their unique worldview with a wider audience. Students can expect to be challenged to identify the key aspects of an event or issue and to construct a series of photos that accurately tell a story. While some time is spent discussing traditional ÒobjectiveÓ photojournalism, much of the course is aimed at a more subjective look at the world around us.

What does this course cover?

Course topics include:

  • Composition for Documentary Photojournalism
  • Capturing Decisive Moments
  • Anatomy of a Photo Essay
  • Editing and Publishing Your Photo Essay
  • Understanding and Creating Emotional Impact
  • Visualizing Conceptual Ideas
  • Effective Digital Workflow
  • Understanding Image Rights

Can I bring a film camera?

No. This course is designed to teach students to compete in the highly competitive world of photojournalism in which the instant pre-view and quick fulfillment of digital imaging is absolutely necessary. Therefore, this class incorporates a complete digital workflow and output.

What about the Big Sandy ATI Conference?

This course will begin with classes at the ALERT Academy in Big Sandy, Texas on Sunday evening (one shuttle will be driving on Sunday afternoon for students flying into Dallas/Fort Worth). On Tuesday students and instructors will start applying lessons learned earlier in the week by alternating between classroom studies and photographing the ATI Conference.

The course will officially end on Friday evening and students will be free to leave with their families if they are attending the ATI conference; otherwise students and instructors will travel back to the Dallas Ministry Center on Saturday morning. (Please book return flights from Dallas, Texas for Saturday late afternoon or evening.)

The course will officially end on Friday evening and students will be free to leave with their families if they are attending the ATI conference, otherwise students and instructors will travel back to the Dallas Ministry Center on Saturday morning. (Please book return flights from Dallas, Texas for Saturday afternoon or evening.)

  • Dates: April 27—May 2, 2008
  • Location: International ALERT Academy, Big Sandy, TX
  • Cost: $549 ($525 if deposit received by March 1, 2008) (tuition)
    $250 (tentative cost for housing and meals)
  • Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced

What about the Sacramento ATI Conference?

Unfortunately, due to the demand for instructors at other classes, we will not be holding a Photojournalism course during the 2008 Sacramento ATI Conference.

My family is attending the ATI Conference. Can I get a discount if I stay with them?

Yes. Students who wish to stay with their family during the ATI conference portion of the course may be eligible for a discount on housing and meals. (E-mail the lead instructor, Will Thornton, at wthornton@ips.iblp.org for details.)