These images were taken on the Momenta Project New Orleans 2017: Working with Nonprofits workshop in Portland, Oregon. Photo © Alexandra Sanchez/Momenta Workshops 2017.

In 2018, Momenta celebrates 10 Years of documentary photography workshops. During this decade, we have successfully completed 50 training workshops across 4 continents and 9 countries, helping photographers connect with important stories around the globe, changing the way nonprofits think about photography, and happily supporting the creation of new careers for our students.

In addition, we have done 4 private multimedia training seminars and 3 very successful private business bootcamp programs for individuals. After completing our bootcamp programs, one alumni is an official photographer for the Texas House of Representatives, one has gone on to be an Emmy Award-winning video journalist, and the other started the acclaimed Palo Alto Photography Forum. 

These images were taken on the Momenta Bali 2014 workshop on the island of Bali in Indonesia. Photo © Jessica Koscielniak/Momenta Workshops 2014.

Along the way, we have built exciting alliances that have helped us strengthen our programs. We have successfully partnered with Leica Camera as a sponsor on our Project Series AND we were selected as the exclusive producers of the Leica Akademie North America’s Destinations workshops. In addition, we have been selected as the recipient of 3 scholarship programs: the Alexia Foundation student awards winners, The West Award sponsored by philanthropist Patrick West, and the Lori Minden Tancer Award sponsored by author Bill Tancer in honor of his late wife.

Of course, this is all thanks to the more than 700 photographers (self-described as the #MomentaFamily) who have completed our training programs. Their passion, enthusiasm, and commitment to documentary storytelling lie at the very heart of our programs. Together, we have been a force for change for more than 100 nonprofits around the globe.

Since our first workshop, Momenta’s student and instructor work has been featured in national publications, our alumni have created entirely new career paths in humanitarian photography, and 3 (!) stories from our workshops have been nominated for Pulitzer Prizes!

Momenta Workshop’s “Burma 2009” photographic workshop in various cities in the state often called Myanmar. © Sharon Phillips/Momenta Workshops 2009

You can celebrate with us during our two Anniversary trips this year. 

In June, our two founders, Jamie Rose and John Anderson, will travel to the Island of the Gods for our Momenta Select: Bali workshop. We have very few spaces remaining for this exceptional adventure to one of the most beautiful and photographic locations in the world. 

Likewise, this October, we launch our newest Project Series workshop, Project Puerto Rico: Working with Nonprofits. As our founder Jamie Rose said, “For our 10 Year Anniversary, this workshop could not speak more perfectly to the heart of Momenta’s mission.” 

We invite you to be our guest on these or any of our workshops this year. From all the staff, faculty, and founders of Momenta, thank you for being a part of this very special journey.