Project New Orleans 2011 with Chris Usher
New Orleans, Louisiana
Level Three / Weekend: Working with Nonprofits
Dates: April 6th-10th, 2011
Cost: $1379 (pre-registration is available)
Please contact our office for itinerary and travel information.
- The workshop kicks off with a group dinner at a local photographer hangout
- Momenta works with each student to develop a narrative project around the theme of hope & recovery
- Student can choose to work with a nonprofit through Momenta's network or research their own
- Lectures on Photo Mechanic and photo asset archiving will be featured
- Personal portfolio reviews with Chris Usher and Momenta staff
- Regular slideshows and group critiques each day
- Daily mentoring and story development editing with staff
- Multimedia instruction and practice is highly encouraged
- Lectures include: narrative storytelling, elements of photography, multimedia integration and history of documentary photography
- Final slideshow and party hosted by Momenta for nonprofits, students, general public and members of the photographic community
- Traditional New Orleans Sunday brunch ends the workshop!
As New Orleans seeks to recover from the painful memories of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Coast oil spill, Momenta Workshops is once again teaming up with local nonprofits and community organizations dedicated to rebuilding the Big Easy back to its former glory. Momenta Workshops staff and photojournalist Chris Usher will travel back to this vibrant city to work with our attending photographers to help in that process by documenting the efforts of the city's residents and many volunteers as they continue to rebuild.
Momenta Workshops staff and instructors with work with each student to find a photo story that is close to their personal vision and embodies the theme of hope and recovery. Momenta will offer to connect photographers with nonprofit organizations we have worked with in the past. However, each photographer is encouraged to find their own photo story or charity of their choice, under the guidance of our team of instructors.
In a city alive with positive energy and change, we chose the theme of "hope and recovery" for this workshop. While many of the homes have now been rebuilt and life for many residents has returned to normal, the city and the community are still effected emotionally and structurally. We consider each nonprofit working in New Orleans a valuable addition to the city's continual growth, which is why we go back every year to keep giving back in an effort to help New Orleans thrive. This is not a Katrina workshop per say (correct spelling: per se) but a New Orleans workshop dedicated to helping this great city get back on its feet and show them we still care.
As a participant in this workshop, you will learn how to work with a nonprofit or work on a photo story about a particular issue that affects nonprofit development. We will be working on the ground with organizations ranging from animal rights, children's empowerment, community development, environmental issues and home rebuilding. You are tasked to build a story in just a few days that will help a community to grow and learn about themselves. While this seems daunting in just five days, it is always amazing how many beautiful images are produced at this workshop.
Students are encouraged to record audio for presentations. Multimedia instruction will be available for interested attendees. On the final night of the workshop, Momenta will host a slide show presentation for all the organizations who participated in the workshop as well as local residents and the workshop attendees.
Our NGO / nonprofit Project workshops allow for freedom in scheduling based on the photographer's and nonprofit's vision. Upon arrival in the city, each student will meet with the instructors on a one-on-one basis to discuss their photography, talk about their photo stories with their assigned nonprofit and develop a strategy based on the student's goals for their personal vision. We want this workshop to be tailored to each student on a personal level so that you leave with the best experience possible and the strongest portfolio of work.
The workshop fees include: one-on-one access to instructors on a daily basis, personal portfolio reviews, all handouts and workshop materials, daily slideshows and lectures, software and equipment training, an opening night dinner, the slideshow party and Sunday brunch provided by Momenta. Students are free to arrange their own transportation and hotel accommodations to fit within their budget. For those who are interested, Momenta and our travel agent can help with any travel arrangements. Please contact our staff for a trip itinerary and travel arrangement questions.
About your Instructors
From Pennsylvania Avenue to Bourbon Street, Chris Usher and Jamie Rose have worked together photographing politicians in our Nation's Capital for nearly a decade. They met on assignment years ago covering the President and have been colleagues ever since. Chris and Jamie have taught this workshop three times now and are so elated to continue this great workshop series in 2011.
For the last six years, Chris Usher has been dedicated to the continuing coverage of the human diaspora created by Hurricane Katrina. Chris' work was initially featured in TIME magazine and later published into a book, One of Us. When not covering the White House and Congress, he works and visits in his "second home" of New Orleans as much as possible.
Jamie Rose is our Director of Workshops and has been a documentarian for the last decade. She covered the effects of Hurricane Katrina for nonprofit organizations, which lead her to create a workshop in New Orleans to give back to all the providers working so hard to help in the recover and rebuilding of this amazingly vibrant city.
Learn more about your instructors by visiting Our Instructors page.
For More Information
Please email our offices for an itinerary and information about this workshop at info@momentaworkshops.com. You may also reach Director of Workshops Jamie Rose between the hours of 9:30 a.m - 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday at 202.203.8758. We look forward to working with you on this very exciting workshop!