This is a workshop where working photographers and editors familiar with large and small market publications share their expertise as lecturers/instructors to a small audience of black and brown student and early career photographers about how to navigate the landscape of newsrooms and pull back the curtain, in general terms with some anecdotal examples, on how to advocate for yourself through the pitch process and beyond. The goal of the workshop is to address the lack of fundamental and practical training that exists in non-white photo communities. While it is admirable that our industry is trying to diversify its newsrooms, the lack of foundational knowledge and mentorship will always pose an existential roadblock for the freelance photographer labor pool. It is our belief that one of the most effective ways to advocate for yourself as a freelance photographer is through the pitch. This workshop will hopefully be an additional tool to demystify the process and empower photographers to create their best work for not only the client but also for themselves.

The workshop will be offered from Thursday (8/4) and Friday (8/5) from  2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Genoa Room.

Host: Chris Lee, Independent Photographer, @theotherchrislee

Day 1
• Session 1: How does the pitch process look like from the photographer’s end?
With Zaydee Sanchez, Independent Photographer, @zaydee.s, and Ryan Christopher Jones, Independent Photographer, @ryanchristopherjones

• Session 2: How does the pitch process look like from the editor’s end?
With Meghan Petersen, Managing Photo Editor at WSJ, formerly International Photo Editor at NYT, @meghan_petersen

Day 2
• Session 1: How to take the skills you learned from journalism and apply that to the commercial space
With Bess Adler, Photojournalist, Reported Media, @bessadler, and Wei Tchou, Writer, Reported Media, @reportedmedia

• Session 2: How to advocate for yourself in a newsroom
With Cara Owsley, Director of Photography, Photojournalist at Enquirer Media, @caraphoto23, and Danese Kenon, Director of Photography and Video for the Philadelphia Inquirer, @danesekenon


RSVP to receive more info as we get closer to the convention.