Momenta Workshops documentary travel photography workshops, nonprofit photojournalism workshops & multimedia workshops
A Momenta Mentoring 3-month Cohort
Welcom to the Get Funded mentoring cohort in collaboration with Wildfire Media, a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
Consider this a masterclass level program focused on getting you set up with the tools to create consistent, lucrative funding as fast as possible.
If you have struggled with creating a strategic plan for your creative project, finding the right donors, or hunting down the right funding, this is the perfect 3-month program for you. Together, we will help you create an incredible project proposal with a multi-year, sustainable funding model.
And, for eligible and interested applicants, we help you pitch your project for a Fiscal Sponsorship with Wildfire Media. With a sponsorship, you can start grant writing as a nonprofit organization without all the paperwork and hassle of setting up one yourself.
3 Monthly Sprints = 1 Incredible Masterclass
With the Get Funded Mentoring cohort, you sign on for three individual monthly “sprints”. We rotate between personal and team meetings to ensure your funding process moves forward quickly. Our extensive research into other programs found 6-12 month mentorship courses can create project fatigue, missed deadlines, or worse, stalled progress. Our model gets you working right away towards your funding goals while keeping you and your cohort motivated and inspired.
Small Group + Individual Strategy Sessions
We brought together two of the most successful elements of our in-person programs: one-on-one coaching sessions and small group community building. Every week, the cohort will rotate between group meetings and private working sessions with your Get Funded faculty to achieve your weekly, monthly, and project goals. Group happy hours and Basecamp chats allow camaraderie and sharing of information with ease.
Human Interactions = Faster Growth
Our programs are highly specialized for your project goals. We didn’t just record a few videos and throw a couple of worksheets at you and hope for the best. This curriculum has been specifically crafted to be a personalized approach to your funding needs. We help you hone in your goals, strategically plan for desired outcomes, and get direct feedback from trained professionals to help you achieve results fast.
Incredible Faculty
Our vetted faculty hail from philanthropic and fundraising organizations, as well as top media organizations. During our group meetings, we will provide insight on what entices funders, tips for award-winning proposals, and how to find the best fit for your project’s funding. The presentations and guided Q&A are intended to fine-tune your skills and concentrate your fundraising efforts for optimal success.
Click on the document below to view the Get Funded course curriculum. If you still have questions, you can always contact our office for a copy of the PDF document. When you register for the program, you will also receive this document automatically along with the first Sprint’s Pre-Work Tip Sheets.
Location: Online
Dates: Feb 8 – May 7, 2021
Group Meetings: Wednesdays 5-7 pm Pacific / 7-9 Eastern
Limited Availability: 8 spaces maximum per cohort
Cost: $1000 per month if you sign up for one sprint at a time or $2700 if you register for all three sprints at once
[The next Get Funded Cohort begins March 2021]
Get Funded Weekly Topics. The weekly meetings will include the following topics for your personalized proposal building exercises and strategic planning.
SPRINT ONE:
SPRINT TWO:
SPRINT THREE:
And, yes, you will have homework but we promise to make it as enjoyable as possible! Your weekly goals will be assessed with your mentor team and aimed at building a strategic fundraising plan for your specific project.
co•hort: /˚kõ-hört/ noun. 1. An educational cohort is a group of students with similar experiences and concerns who work through a curriculum together to achieve the same academic goal together. In an cohort, there is an expectation of richness to the learning process due to the multiple perspectives offered by the individuals.
Projects succeed with a great team.
Going at a project on your own is difficult to say the least. Likewise, trying to produce, revise, and pitch that project without support can be frustrating and isolating. Creative projects thrive when surrounded by a group of like-minded individuals to bolster and enhance your vision. You won’t just have one mentor with our Mentorship program; you’ll have a community with whom you can engage, brainstorm, and solicit for feedback in a structured and supportive environment.
Accountability is easier with a coach.
When you listen to successful entrepreneurs, politicians, and athletes, they usually say they couldn’t have achieved their goals without a great team. Olympians rely on coaches. Politicians rely on advisors. CEOs rely on great directors. Creatives need that too but rarely seek long term advisors out during critical planning stages. Our program is aimed at stopping the cycle of solo project development and finding you a professional coach to lean on and learn from as you stride towards your objectives.
Strategic planning is a game changer.
It’s easy to get lost in the day to day and let projects lag for years. One day, you may open your news browser and see someone else had a similar idea but they “got it to market” before you. Our mentorship program wants nothing more than to see you hone your vision, plan for success, and achieve your goals. We strive to do this quickly, efficiently, and affordably.
You can do this and we know we can help. Join a team and let’s start planning for success!
If you would like to discuss this program more, reach out to our team via email or at our office line, US+1-202-688-1448 . We are happy to help find the perfect program for you.
Momenta’s COO Jamie Rose will be your Mentor guiding you through this course.
Jamie is a 20 year veteran of working with nonprofits joined throughout the course and she will be joined by additional faculty throughout the program to support your project and fundraising needs.
Her passion for working with nonprofits led her to documentary coverage of humanitarian and health crisis in Africa, North and South America, and the Middle East. Her clients included organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, The Calvert Foundation, The Global Fund, and Physicians for Human Rights among others.
Don’t just take our word for it. Hear directly from people who have completed a Mentoring program with us.
Julia Rendleman, Documentary Photojournalist.
I wanted to learn about the world of funding and grants outside of the “photo world.” Fundraising under a fiscal sponsorship was a process I had no idea about. I didn’t even know where the door was, let alone how to open it. I didn’t know how to search for funding.
Jamie was detail-oriented, experienced, business-driven. My expectations were met: I understand what philanthropic organizations and foundations are looking for and the importance of a time-saving LOI. If you are curious about widely expanding your pool of potential revenue and grant funding, do it!
Dr. Catherine Carter, Nonprofit Multimedia Creator.
Absolutely don’t hesitate for a moment! A Momenta Mentorship will change your practice and your outlook and force you to go into areas that you never, ever considered. It has given me an insight that I could not have gotten any other way. I learned much in every area of the project. First, I learned how to motivate myself to keep going and a long-term project is actually long! Second, I learned the importance of consistency. Third, I gained experience in conducting a good interview.
In addition to these, I did see a change in the purpose of my project as it progressed. Jamie’s graciousness and ability to tell me what needed to change without actually coming out and saying it was terrible was superb. She helped me to see how the project could be stronger and more interesting. Her comments invariably sparked ideas that I could run with. My project achieved its intended goals and I credit that to the guidance of Jamie Rose.
Click Through the Tabs Below to Learn More!
This cohort was designed for people who are ready to learn, are flexible, and have a general idea for a project for which they’d like to raise money.
Yes, this program is going to be hard work but we promise it will be manageable and motivating. It will take personal commitment and dedication from you but we know it will be worth it in the end. But, if you’re committed to your goals, we stand at the ready to support you and your project’s growth.
You can always reach out to us via phone or email to ask questions about this program or see if your project is the right fit for this cohort. We want this to be the year your project succeeds beyond your expectations and we value your trust in us to help you get there.
We can do this together and we hope you will have fun along the way!
Do I need to fill out an application?
You do not need to apply to join this cohort but you do need a project in mind or in-progress that you will use to fundraise. If you are not ready to start a project and want to develop one with a mentor, we suggest joining the Portfolio Mentoring cohort.
Can I join if my project doesn’t have anything to do with photography?
Yes, absolutely. This is a cohort aimed at creating a strategic fundraising campaign. It doesn’t have to be focused on an art project or a photo story. It could be anything!
Will I be able to use this cohort to apply for a 501c3 fiscal sponsorships with Wildfire Media?
Yes indeed! You have the option to present your application to Wildfire for fiscal sponsorship or any other nonprofit at the end of the cohort. If this is part of your strategic plan for your project, we have lectures specifically directed to this type of funding partnership.
What if I have a project in mind but I haven’t made any content yet?
That’s totally okay! We are building a strategic plan for fundraising and can discuss project development during your personal editing sessions.
I already started the project and found some funding. Can I still join?
Yes, absolutely. We will build off your work to date and then help you grow your plan for the project within our private mentoring meetings.
Cool! Can we do photo/web/video editing during this too?
Yes and no. This is not an editing cohort specifically. We will discuss your content during our private meetings but we aren’t focused specifically on editing content on this program. We suggest you sign up for the Portfolio Mentoring cohort instead.
When are the sessions scheduled?
Team meetings will happen on Wednesday evenings but individual sessions will be scheduled with each person directly. The curriculum lists the weekly and 1-on-1 meetings schedule.
What if I need to miss a group session?
We will record the group zoom meetings so you can catch up on what you missed. These recordings will not be public and will not be viewable after the cohort has ended.
What if I need to miss a 1-on-1 session?
If you cancel within 7 days of your meeting time, we can reschedule a date during that week. If you cancel your meeting with less than 3 days, you will have to skip your private session that week.
Is full payment due immediately?
Yes, you can pay month to month. Or, if you choose the option to register for all 3 sprints immediately, you will get a 10% ($300) discount.
What if I need to leave the program early and can’t finish the 12 weeks?
These cohorts will have limited places available and we can’t swap someone in when you leave or they will be behind the group. Therefore, we can’t offer refunds after the program has begun. We recommend you join a cohort when you’re ready to fully commit to the program and it’s a good fit for your schedule.
What software or gear do I need to join?
You need a reliable computer with a video camera for meetings. We will provide the software and/or secure temporary access to any specific programs you will need for this program such as our project management tool, Basecamp.
Fees Include: weekly meetings (either group/team meeting or individual one-on-one sessions) with a mentor and/or guest presenters ranging from 1-3 hours; a personal Basecamp project for your mentorship goals and communication; handouts + workbooks.
Location:
Online/Virtual
Upcoming Date(s):
Oct. 9 (9-4 Pacific/12-7 Eastern) – REGISTER HERE
Cost:
$100 general tuition
$ 50 student tuition
Note: 10% of the proceeds of this workshop will be donated to the Wildfire Media fund for victims of the 2020 Oregon wildfires.
a Momenta #PhotoBizSkills program
Have you been struggling to get grants? Have you stopped looking because it just seemed too hard or overwhelming? Then this is the right class for you. We won’t soft pedal it: this day is an intense, full throttle workshop with lots of information. However, you will walk away with a clear idea on what type of funding is out there and how to create a fundraising plan for your next dream project.
Our business skills curriculum is one of the cornerstones of the Momenta Workshops model and we know this workshop will help you get focused to achieve your goals.
This seminar will be held online in a private classroom. We will have 3 scheduled breaks for 30 minutes each. Handouts and login information will be mailed 24 hours prior to the seminar. Due to the current economic climate facing freelancers and businesses, we have cut the pricing of our 1-day seminars in half for 2020 and are offering students an additional 50% off with the code: Student.
You will enjoy a full day of lectures, guest speakers, strategic planning worksheets, and guided question-and-answer sessions. Likewise, you will be able to share this virtual workshop with a group of like-minded photographers who are passionate about documentary and artistic projects. Explore how to successfully finance a personal project and meet your goals with us.
Your 1-Day Financing Bootcamp At a Glance:
• A full day of presentations, guest speakers, and captivating discussions
• Lectures on understanding private, public, and personal funding models
• Budgeting, marketing, grant writing, fundraising and much more will be covered
• Lively Q&A session on relevant topics for working photographers to grow their dream projects into reality
This workshop covers real world concepts to help you create a path to successful fundraising. During this in-depth seminar, you will learn the ins-and-outs for funding your dream project.
Our company co-founder and COO Jamie Rose will explain the 3 types of funding (Public, Private, Personal) you can use to fund your next photo or multimedia project. This full-day seminar will help you decide which projects are worthy of doing a fundraising campaign and the approaches needed to go after each type of funding.
From writing a grant or sponsorship proposal to writing thank you notes when you’re done, this day should set you on the path to funding success.
If you have a personal project in mind but need an extra boost of financing, this is the workshop for you. Laptops or paper for note taking are highly recommended. Every level of photographer will be able to grow and expand their knowledge on personal projects funding and success models.
We offer worksheets to help you gain better experience in pitching your project, finding the right sources of funding, mapping a project plan for success, and much more.
Join us for this perfect mixture of strategy, art, and business!
Click through the tabs below to read all the bios.
Our co-Founder and COO Jamie Rose will be leading this workshop and she knows firsthand how to concept, execute, and successfully complete a personal project using public, private and personal funds. Her energy and enthusiasm for helping photographers will boost your creative batteries and help motivate you into the next stage of your project fund raising.
Jamie Rose is the COO of Momenta Group. Her early career was spent in the halls of power as a Press Corps photojournalist covering Capitol Hill and the White House, primarily as a contractor for The New York Times. Her passion for working with nonprofits lead her documentary coverage of humanitarian and health crisis in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Her clients included organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, The Calvert Foundation, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria, & Tuberculosis, and Physicians for Human Rights among others.
In 2011, Jamie was awarded the United Nations’ Photographers Leadership Award. Her long term photo projects have won acclaim from the Alexia Foundation and The White House News Photographers’ Association Project Grant for her portfolio of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) health care workers in wartime Uganda.
Jamie is considered an expert in nonprofit communications and has been interviewed about the importance of storytelling in nonprofit communications by The Candid Frame, Photo District News (PDN), Creative Marketing & Business Podcast, and News Photographer Magazine among others. She has been an invited lecturer on communications for nonprofits at The Foundation Center, Columbia University, Georgetown University, University of Oregon, the Northern Short Course, as well as her alma maters.
Jamie holds degrees in Communications from American University and the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. She also runs the popular blog, Jamie’s List, which promotes jobs and opportunities for creatives.
Dr. Henry L Berman leads Exponent Philanthropy using his wealth of experience managing people, projects, and budgets in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He was instrumental in helping the Association of Small Foundations (ASF) evolve into Exponent Philanthropy.
In his formal philanthropic career, Henry has served as a foundation president and co-trustee, gaining significant experience working closely with grantees and evaluating funded programs. In his continuing role as a foundation trustee, Henry has been a dues-paying member of Exponent Philanthropy since 2003. He served on the Exponent Philanthropy (then, ASF) board from 2008–2010 and was appointed CEO in 2011. Through his experience as a member and a leader within the organization, he brings to the CEO role a firsthand understanding of the needs of philanthropists with few or no staff.
Before joining the staff at Exponent Philanthropy, Henry had a long career in educational media and technology. He also served as a board member, volunteer, fundraiser, and/or marketer for several organizations including the American Society for Training and Development, the American Occupational Health Association, and the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation. He is a founding board member of the Museum of Broadcast Technology and also currently serves on the board of the National Council of Nonprofits.
Henry earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Ithaca College, a master’s and doctorate in education from Boston University, and a certificate in business and management from the Harvard University Extension School.
Originally from Massachusetts, Henry now lives in Washington, DC. When not here, you might find him, still camera to his eye, exploring back roads and wilderness trails.
Location:
Online/Virtual
Upcoming Date(s):
More dates will be announced soon.
Cost:
$100 general tuition
$ 50 student tuition
a Momenta #PhotoBizSkills Series program
We’re not going to lie: our one day seminars are an intense day of learning! This day will be full of presentations, guest speakers, and strategy sessions designed to help you create a clear plan to grow your business, market your skills to nonprofits, and hone in your brand messaging. When you sign up for a Momenta 1-day seminar, you will join a group of like-minded photographers to explore how to be more competitive and creative with your outreach.
Our business skills curriculum is one of the cornerstones of the Momenta Workshops model. We know you will walk away with a creative energy boost, new ideas for outreach, and tools to help you take the next steps to grow your client base.
This seminar will be held online in a private classroom. We will have 3 scheduled breaks for 30 minutes each. Handouts and login information will be mailed 24 hours prior to the seminar. Due to the current economic climate facing freelancers and businesses, we have cut the pricing of these seminars in half for 2020 and are offering students an additional 50% off with the code: Student.
A special note about this seminar: 10% of the profits of this workshop will be donated to Ripple Effect, a 501(c)3 dedicated to storytelling of under-reported challenges and solutions that impact women and children in seven key areas. Learn more about the organization below.
Your #PhotoBizSkills Bootcamp At a Glance:
This workshop covers an in-depth approach to putting your best foot forward and attract new nonprofit and humanitarian clients. During this full day seminar, you will learn the ins-and-outs of how to:
Finding new clients, creating effective marketing campaigns, negotiating contracts…. These are just some of the necessary skills photographers need to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace. During this full day seminar, COO Jamie Rose and guests will present our highly popular and newly expanded #PhotoBizSkills presentations specifically focused on marketing your skills to nonprofit organizations.
The seminar topics include: establishing your marketplace, social media strategies, website development, branding design, effective networking, presenting your work in person, interviewing, follow up, and much more.
With plenty of audience participation and Q&A opportunities, Jamie and our guest speaker will offer ways each attendee can make the most of your limited free time to prepare for post-pandemic focused strategies, find new, better paying nonprofit clients, and increase your annual revenue.
Every level of photographer should be able to grow and expand their knowledge on how to creatively market their business to nonprofit clients. Join us for this perfect mixture of inspiration, information, and business practices!
Click through the tabs below to read all the bios.
Our co-Founder and COO Jamie Rose will be leading this workshop and she knows firsthand how to concept, execute, and successfully complete a marketing campaign aimed directly at nonprofit clients. She did this successfully for 10 years as an independent photographer and today with Momenta Group. Her energy and enthusiasm for helping photographers will boost your creative batteries and help motivate you into the next stage of your marketing initiatives.
Jamie Rose spent her early career was spent in the halls of power as a Press Corps photojournalist covering Capitol Hill and the White House, primarily as a contractor for The New York Times. Her passion for working with nonprofits lead her documentary coverage of humanitarian and health crisis in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Her clients included organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, The Calvert Foundation, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria, & Tuberculosis, and Physicians for Human Rights among others.
In 2011, Jamie was awarded the United Nations’ Photographers Leadership Award. Her long term photo projects have won acclaim from the Alexia Foundation and The White House News Photographers’ Association Project Grant for her portfolio of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) health care workers in wartime Uganda.
Jamie is considered an expert in nonprofit communications and has been interviewed about the importance of storytelling in nonprofit communications by The Candid Frame, Photo District News (PDN), Creative Marketing & Business Podcast, and News Photographer Magazine among others. She has been an invited lecturer on communications for nonprofits at The Foundation Center, Columbia University, Georgetown University, University of Oregon, the Northern Short Course, as well as her alma maters.
Jamie holds degrees in Communications from American University and the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. She also runs the popular blog, Jamie’s List, which promotes jobs and opportunities for creatives.
Thomas Patterson is an incredible photographer, photo editor, and content consultant based in Portland, Oregon. Tom has been a story coach on our popular Project Portland workshop for the past four years. His professional work specializes in multimedia projects for editorial, corporate and nonprofit clients around the world; and in helping visual storytellers work together better with the businesses that hire them.
He serves on Blue Earth Alliance‘s advisory board, where the nonprofit partners with photographers building long-term environmental and social projects worldwide. He consults with individual photo editing and consulting clients around the world. Additionally, he was a regular contributor to Photo District News (pdn), the photography industry’s trade magazine. Closer to home, he founded and runs OregonFocus.org, an online hub for the state’s photo community, and is a member of the Portland Art Museum’s Photography Council.
After more than a decade on the photo staff of the Statesman Journal newspaper, he left to pursue a master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism and completing a Graduate Teaching Fellowship at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. He wrote a regular column on photo editing for NGO Storytelling, worked for two years as the photo editor and content specialist at the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps and as a creative producer/director for Blue Chalk Media.
His photography, writing and video work have received national and regional awards from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, Gannett Company, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. The USA TODAY project “Ghost Factories: Poison in the Ground,” to which I contributed photography and video, received the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for Investigative Multimedia, the Digital Storytelling and Reporting Award from the Associated Press Media Editors, the Gerald Loeb Award for Online Journalism, the National Press Club Online Journalism Award and the Barlett & Steele Award for Investigative Journalism.
Clients and partner organizations who have used Tom’s work include:
Ripple Effect Images is a nonprofit collective of world-class storytellers. Its work supports aid groups that empower women and children. The team of National Geographic storytellers have created 50 films, 45 thousand images and supported 32 Aid Organizations while helping to raise more than 10 MILLION dollars for women and children around the world.
Their team includes the incomparable Annie Griffiths, Ami Vitale, Carol Guzy, Melanie Buford, and many other incredible storytellers, nonprofit experts, and advisors such as author Barbara Kingslover.
To learn more about their work and their amazing team, please visit their website and consider supporting them with a private donation. Or better yet, hire them to create your next storytelling campaign!
Location:
Online/Virtual
Dates:
November dates coming soon.
Cost:
$100 general tuition
$ 50 student tuition
Note: A percentage of the proceeds of this workshop will be donated to a nonprofit dedicated to supporting photographers.
a Momenta #PhotoBizSkill Series program
Update: This seminar will be held online from 9 am-4 pm PST with 3 half hour breaks. Due to the current economic climate facing freelancers and businesses, we have cut the pricing of this seminar in half for 2020 and are offering students half price tuition.
We’re not going to lie: this is an intense workshop! It’s full day of lectures, working groups, guest speakers, and strategy sessions designed to help you create a clear plan to grow your business, find new clients, and hone in your brand messaging. You will join a group of like-minded photographers to explore how to be more competitive and creative with your outreach.
Our business skills curriculum is one of the cornerstones of the Momenta Workshops model and we know you will walk away with a creative energy boost, new ideas for outreach, and tools to help you take the next step to grow.
Your #PhotoBizSkills Bootcamp At a Glance:
This workshop covers an in-depth approach to putting your best foot forward and attract new clients. During this full day seminar, you will learn the ins-and-outs of how to:
Finding new clients, creating effective marketing campaigns, negotiating contracts…. These are just some of the necessary skills photographers need to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace. During this full day seminar, COO Jamie Rose and guests will present our highly popular and newly expanded #PhotoBizSkills presentations specifically focused on marketing.
The seminar topics include: social media strategies, website development, branding design, effective networking, presenting your work in person, interviewing, budgeting, follow up, and much more.
With plenty of audience participation and Q&A opportunities, Jamie and guest speakers will offer ways each attendee can make the most of their limited free time to find new and better paying clients, increase revenue, and meet your goals.
Every level of photographer should be able to grow and expand their knowledge on how to creatively market their business with this workshop. Join us for this perfect mixture of inspiration, information, and business practices!
Click through the tabs below to read all the bios.
Our co-Founder and COO Jamie Rose will be leading this workshop and she knows firsthand how to concept, execute, and successfully complete a marketing campaign aimed directly at nonprofit clients. She did this successfully for 10 years as an independent photographer and today with Momenta Group. Her energy and enthusiasm for helping photographers will boost your creative batteries and help motivate you into the next stage of your marketing initiatives.
Jamie Rose spent her early career was spent in the halls of power as a Press Corps photojournalist covering Capitol Hill and the White House, primarily as a contractor for The New York Times. Her passion for working with nonprofits lead her documentary coverage of humanitarian and health crisis in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Her clients included organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, The Calvert Foundation, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria, & Tuberculosis, and Physicians for Human Rights among others.
In 2011, Jamie was awarded the United Nations’ Photographers Leadership Award. Her long term photo projects have won acclaim from the Alexia Foundation and The White House News Photographers’ Association Project Grant for her portfolio of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) health care workers in wartime Uganda.
Jamie is considered an expert in nonprofit communications and has been interviewed about the importance of storytelling in nonprofit communications by The Candid Frame, Photo District News (PDN), Creative Marketing & Business Podcast, and News Photographer Magazine among others. She has been an invited lecturer on communications for nonprofits at The Foundation Center, Columbia University, Georgetown University, University of Oregon, the Northern Short Course, as well as her alma maters.
Jamie holds degrees in Communications from American University and the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. She also runs the popular blog, Jamie’s List, which promotes jobs and opportunities for creatives.
Dotan Saguy was born in a small kibbutz five miles south of Israel’s Lebanese border. Dotan grew-up in a diverse working class Parisian suburb, lived in Lower Manhattan during 9/11 and moved to Los Angeles in 2003.
In 2015, he decided to focus on his lifelong passion for photography after a successful career as a high-tech entrepreneur. Since then, Dotan attended the Eddie Adams Workshop, Missouri Photo Workshop and studied photojournalism at Santa Monica College.
Dotan’s award winning photographs have been published by National Geographic, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times and many others. Dotan teaches street photography and documentary workshops for Momenta Workshops, including the ever popular Project Los Angeles.
In 2018 Dotan’s first monograph about the endangered culture of Venice Beach, CA was published by famed German publisher Kehrer Verlag and was awarded Bronze by the prestigious Deutscher Fotobuchpreis 2018-19.
Dotan’s second book was released by Kehrer Verlag in the spring of 2020. This new body of work, Nowhere to Go…, documents the everyday life of a family of vehicle dwellers with their three young children on the streets of Los Angeles.
Dotan lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
For more than two decades, John Harrington, photographer and best selling author, has traveled the world creating visual stories of every day lives and history-making events through his camera. His work has appeared in Life, Time, Newsweek, and Rolling Stone. His images from the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001 are a part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Images from his work as a part of the team documenting the historic inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009 are also a part of that same Smithsonian collection.
John is a San Francisco Bay area native and came to Washington, DC in the mid 1980s as a student at Catholic University of America. He graduate in 1990 with a political science degree , then hired for on as a with The World & I, where he routinely covered the White House, Congress, and the Pentagon. Soon after, he was signed under contract by the Black Star picture agency exclusively licensing his stock images and to fulfill assignments in Washington, DC.
In addition to location assignments, John has taken his editorial magazine eye and applied it to corporate clients including Coca-Cola, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Lockheed Martin, and the National Geographic Society, to name just a few.
John has a true love for his art and takes time to satisfy his artistic whims. His original images have been purchased as art on both coasts. One particularly striking image has been printed as an inspirational poster by the Smithsonian Institution’s Air and Space Museum. Harrington is also a Native-American and has put his skills to use for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
John has lectured across the United States for the North American Nature Photographers Association, American Society of Media Photographers, American Photographic Artists, Momenta Workshops, Professional Photographers of America, and the National Press Photographers Association.
He is an ex-officio President Emeritus of the White House News Photographers Association and is actively involved in his profession as advisor, board member, and consultant to American Society of Media Photographers, National Press Photographers Association, and the International League of Conservation Photographers to name a few.
Harrington has produced three commissioned books for the Smithsonian and the fourth edition of his book Best Business Practices for Photographers, remains a bestseller. Harrington lives in Washington, DC with his three daughters – the most amazing subjects he has ever captured.
You can see his work at John Harrington Photography and @johnhharrington on Instagram.
Location:
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Dates:
May 16-21, 2021
Cost:
Tuition: $3900
A deposit of $1000 is due upon registration.
Limited Enrollment:
15 available spaces
After our company co-founder returned from teaching this workshop in 2018, Jamie was quoted as saying, “This was one of the most profoundly moving workshop experiences we have had in ten years of Momenta.” The nonprofit staff and Momenta photographers worked side-by-side to illustrate the dedication and passion of the people of Puerto Rico for the past two years and this coming workshop is sure to produce equally powerful work.
Momenta stands with its fellow citizens. As the people of the island continue on their path to recovery from the hurricane, the devastating earthquakes of 2019-2020, and COVID-19, Momenta will be there to document the island’s resilience and take part in the recovery. The nonprofits benefit from your brilliant photos by using them to tell their story to the world and you will learn real-world skills to documenting humanitarian issues.
You can be a force of change in Puerto Rico. On this inspirational workshop, you will be matched with a local nonprofit to create a powerful photo essay about their staff and all their efforts to fulfill their mission. We will have lectures, hands-on instruction, as well as daily one-on-one editing sessions. We will end our week together with a celebratory slideshow of the amazing nonprofits from your projects for the public!
Scroll down this page to learn about your instructors, the FAQs, and trip details.
Please note: In 2019, this workshop was one of our most popular workshop programs. Please place a deposit for your attendance as soon as possible to avoid the wait list.
This workshop will inspire, challenge, and motivate you like no other.
San Juan is one of the oldest European settlements in the Americas and the capital city of Puerto Rico, an island oft-overlooked but amazingly welcoming for tropical visitors. While Puerto Rico is still recovering from the devastating impacts of 2017’s Hurricane Maria, the earthquakes of 2019, and the coronavirus in 2020, officials and experts agree tourism remains vital to support the local economy. Even after all the island has endured, San Juan’s harbor, beaches, and neighborhoods are bursting with color, lush with vegetation, and brimming with welcoming residents.
At Momenta, we believe in the power of photography as a force of change, and the residents of Puerto Rico need that supportive change right now. More than a million residents of the island remain without access to constant electricity, while other services and infrastructure remain in need. Even still, the people and nonprofits on the island work tirelessly to rebuild their homes in the face of adversity and neglect.
Join Momenta on this unique workshop to participate in the reconstruction efforts and show your support in their time of need. Volunteer your time and skills to document the tremendous hard work and resilience of Puerto Ricans on their long path to recovery. You will be a part of the effort to help our citizens overcome these challenges and move to a successful future. You, in turn, will walk away with a successful photo package to use in your portfolio to market yourself to other nonprofits clients and collaborators.
We will focus our work with local NGOs and nonprofits of varying specialization and scale. From health organizations to community outreach and rebuilding efforts, workshop attendees will be given the task of creating compelling visual or multimedia narrative packages in collaboration with their assigned nonprofit.
In 2021, our workshops will have increased health, PPE, and safety protocols so you can feel fully comfortable during our small group interactions. As the world begins to reopen, economies like Puerto Rico need our support and Momenta remains committed to supporting you as you support the nonprofits on the island.
Keep checking back as more faculty and guest speakers are added.
Her passion for working with nonprofits led her to documentary coverage of humanitarian and health crisis in Africa, North and South America, and the Middle East…
Learn More about Jamie Rose
…Her clients included organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, The Calvert Foundation, The Global Fund, and Physicians for Human Rights among others.
Documentary photographer Gabi Pérez-Silver was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She lived on the island until she was accepted intoSyracuse University’s prestigious College of Visual and Performing Arts to study photography.
During her first experience living through four seasons, she was inspired her to focus her career on adapting and adjusting to new environments…
Learn More about Gabi Pérez-Silver
…Her first major documentary project on mental illness inspired acclaimed photographer Annie Flanagan, also a Momenta instructor, to become her mentor and editor. Her long term documentary project on her father’s battle with mental illness, entitled Our Mind; A Weapon, was published in Burn Magazine and by Vice Media. Her work impressed David Allen Harvey so much he invited her to New York City where she joined projects with him and other Magnum Photos photographers on their editorial, production, and photographic support teams. Gabi returned to Puerto Rico after the hurricane, committed to documenting her home and its powerful stories. She works in the film industry as a freelance photographer and is currently pursuing a new documentary project on mental health. You can see her work at http://gbiprz.com and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/
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Workshop Fees Include: daily one-on-one private editing sessions with our instructors and personalized portfolio reviews, workshop learning materials, slideshows and lectures, an opening night dinner, and final night celebration party.
Workshop Fees Do Not Include: international airfare, hotels (available for an additional fee), early arrival or late departure accommodations, visa fees (if applicable), medivac insurance (required), medical or vaccination costs, meals, items such as personal excursions, alcohol, phone calls, laundry, alcoholic beverages, etc.
Each workshop requires a minimum deposit to reserve your place in the workshop. To register and hold your place on the workshop, you must put down a $1000 deposit. After you have registered for a workshop, final payments will be due within 120 days of the start of the workshop. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email from us via our secure registration company, RegOnline.com.
As we near the start of the workshop, you will receive informational documents from our staff including a reading and research list, your final workshop itinerary, and travel guides. We work very hard to insure you are prepared in every way for this learning adventure. Our staff stands ready to answer any of your questions and to help facilitate the smoothest travel experience possible. Please reach out to us with any questions via our Contact page.
We require all attending photographers to bring their own cameras, laptop and support gear like external hard drives. Our staff and instructors can offer gear recommendations and help you understand the nuances of your equipment. You will also be able check out a loaner camera and lenses during the workshop thanks to our official camera sponsor!
We ask all photographers bring at least a digital SLR or rangefinder camera with 1-2 lenses. We encourage you to bring a lightweight tripod. Should you choose to participate in a multimedia project, you must come with a working knowledge of the required software programs and your equipment.
Please see our Resources tab at the top of the website for our gear and traveling tips suggestions.
This course is designed for people who are good natured, flexible, have a working knowledge of photography and are interested in a unique documentary photography workshop experience. We will work with each photographer to improve their photography on any level, and we will find the right theme for your vision. We will provide support every step of the way, but you need to have a positive attitude and work well with a group!
This experience is more of a photo practicum than it is a tourism trip. The educational journey will be amazing and eye opening but it is not easy. You will work long hours. Your instructors will give you daily challenges and push you to new heights with your photography. We will encourage you to stretch and think creatively.
You may encounter people or organizations that are challenging to photograph. You may have to photograph in dark rooms or outside at high noon. You may have stressful days of difficult logistics. While we will be there to help you, support you and give you insight on the best way to handle the situation as a professional, you will need to take as much responsibility for your progress as we do.
1. I’m worried about the COVID-19 coronavirus. Should I wait to register? What if I don’t feel comfortable traveling by then?
We totally understand! The safety of our students and staff on the ground is paramount to us and we take it very seriously. With the situation on the ground changing so quickly, we want to ensure, when we all gather in person to support the nonprofits who desperately need us, it is the best environment for learning and creativity as well as safety.
As we prepare for all our workshops in 2021, we will continue to follow city, state, and federal guidelines for safety protocols and working with our advisors to ensure every precaution possible is made. In addition the usual safety preparations and PPE we use on our programs, we will also be implementing stringent personal and group hygiene protocols during all 2021 workshops.
Since our programs are limited to small groups and are first come-first serve, we recommend putting your deposit in for the workshop program to hold your place. If you decide you’d like to transfer to another workshop in the future, we are waiving all transfer fees through January 2022 to allow for you to feel most comfortable with your decision to travel with us.
2. When should I arrive/depart? What’s the general schedule?
The workshop begins at 12 pm EST on Sunday and concludes at 9 p.m. on Friday night after the final slideshow party. Check out for those staying at the hotel during the workshop and booking with us is 11 am on Saturday, the day following the workshop. A number of attendees choose to arrive a day or more early to get their bearings and possibly try to meet with their nonprofits to begin photographing before the workshop. But it’s entirely up to you.
3. How do you pick a nonprofit for me? What if I want a very specific nonprofit?
Each attendee fills out a questionnaire to help our staff learn their interests, experience, and goals. The questionnaire is a very important part of our process at Momenta. Your answers will allow us to get to know you and your goals as well as help find the good match with a nonprofit to help you build your skills.
If you want to find your own nonprofit:
We applaud any photographer who wants to try this process out on their own! We love when photographers choose this option because it helps you find the perfect NPO for you. Plus, you learn even more about working with nonprofits as a client when you are able to research and work with them on being your workshop assignment. We still ask you to fill out the questionnaire anyway and indicate this choice on your form.
If you want to search for your own nonprofit, we are happy to work with you to help you find a nonprofit that suits your goals. This is the best way to ensure you are 100% satisfied with your nonprofit assignment for the week and get a little extra learning out of the process.
We have a template email we give you to send to the nonprofits you are interested in joining for the workshop and we also do a phone meeting to help you get started.
If you want Momenta to assign you to a nonprofit:
That’s cool too! We are totally willing to do this for you. You start by filling out the questionnaire we send you approximately 45 days prior to the workshop.
Once we get all the forms in from the attendees and the nonprofits, we will make the assignments and introductions approximately 1-2 weeks prior to the workshop.
4. Who keeps the copyright to the images?
You do. You made them = you own the copyright. A Photo Release Agreement is sent to all parties to sign via DocuSign confirming you are the copyright holder of the images, you give Momenta and the nonprofit permission to use your images for outreach or educational purposes, etc. More details will come on the pre-workshop emails about this process.
5. Do I need a car?
We do recommend having a car if you feel comfortable driving but it is not required. If you won’t be driving yourself, we ask you to let us know on the questionnaire because we need to take that into consideration when we do the nonprofit assignments.
6. Do you recommend hotels or have a group rate somewhere?
We offer a special pricing at our hotel, the Courtyard Marriott in Miramar, and you can pay for your reservation with your final workshop payment when we get closer to the workshop. You can pay for your room directly online and use discounts or points if you wish. Or we can do all the reservations for you. If you don’t want to stay there and choose to go to another local hotel or Airbnb, that’s fine too. We allow each person to find their own accommodations based on their budget. We send registered attendees all this information in the pre-workshop mailings to help you plan according to your price range and accommodation needs.
Email our staff and we will get back to you within 48 hours or less.
You can also give us a call at 202-688-1448.
Our offices are open M-F from 9-5 Pacific Time.