Photojournalism Workshop

Mozambican photographers look on as I do a critique during a workshop last week (I'm the big beast, second right, with the white shirt). I gave a two-day photojournalism workshop for Mozambican photographers for the United States embassy here. I know some of our group does teaching, but it had been a while since I'd done anything like this. I forgot what a great exercise it is in holding a mirror up to yourself for self-evaluation. It also made me go back and think about a lot that I hadn't really dealt too much with for a while such as the elements of page-design. My second day was partially dedicated to ethics (of which I am a stickler) and we had a good discussion. I'd compare the experience to going to the gym after being on the couch for a few months.

It also made me reflect on our course is helping me; also, how Paul has said that he benefits from working with his students–us. I wanted to mention this because early on several folks her suggested that I give classes. That push had some impact because next on my agenda is to put together a general photography class. Before I went to The New York Times, I was being courted by several newspapers and the A.P. One director of photographer, Nancy Andrews, at the Detroit Free-Press had been talking to me for a while. Nancy's fantastic and someone that I admire as both a photographer and editor (she was a top national photographer at the Washington Post in its hey day before moving to editing).

One thing that Nancy made a point to press into my head early in my editing career was that editing made her a better photographer and that if she went back to shooting that she had no doubt that she'd be much better. I always remember that and think she was right. It certainly changed me, but I wonder is the same true for teaching? I imagine it is.