Discovering the Next Generation of Photojournalists at World Press Photo’s Masterclass
Discovering the Next Generation of Photojournalists at World Press Photo’s Masterclass
5 minute read
2013: Ali Ali"I am really excited to participate in the Joop Swart Masterclass this year. It has made me more confident in myself and in the world of photography. I was nominated for the Masterclass three times but this is the first year I was selected. I believe in its great impact on photojournalism.
The theme for this year’s Masterclass is “Hope,” and when I finished working on the assignment, I felt like I gained new experience from this challenge. I am very confident that the Masterclass will help me benefit from the expertise of the instructors, to improve my photography and editing, my story construction and my overall vision of things. Most of all it is to meet and spend time with the many talented people from so many lands."
Palestinian refugee girl Nour Soboh, 4, plays beside her horse in her family home in Bait Lahiya, North Gaza Strip.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Hope, 2013)Ali Ali—EPA
Founded in 1955, World Press Photo is best known for its annual contest that, for more than half a century, has consistently set the bar for excellence in photojournalism and documentary photography. The announcement of the contest winners each April and the subsequent worldwide traveling exhibition highlight both new and established photographers for an international audience of millions.
But the annual contest, while the most prominent of World Press Photo’s initiatives, is only one aspect of the organization’s commitment to the support and appreciation of visual journalism.
The Joop Swart Masterclass — established in 1994 and named for a World Press Photo board member and passionate supporter of young photographers — holds a unique place within the educational programs run by the World Press Photo Academy.
To mark the 20th edition of the Masterclass, taking place this week, LightBox asked a representative photographer from each year of the program to contribute two images — one from their masterclass project and another from their wider body of work — along with a few words on what the masterclass meant to their life and career.
The full list of 260 participant photographers from the past two decades is a veritable Who’s Who of contemporary documentary photography. It also reflects World Press Photo’s global reach and its unwavering commitment to supporting non-Western photographers.
For the annual Masterclass, a committee of international experts nominates an initial list of 150 to 200 promising photographers. A panel of five industry professionals then narrows the submissions to the final selection of 12 participants for that year’s class.
The managing director of World Press Photo, Michiel Munneke says, “Quality, of course, is the most important criterion, but geographical diversity is also at the front of the judges’ minds. We believe that it enriches discussions and perspectives if you have people of different cultural backgrounds, as well as different professional backgrounds, [working] together.”
The selected participants are asked to prepare a photo essay over the following six months on a theme that is both specific, and universal.
However, Munneke points out, “there are no restrictions attached, no definitions given. The annual theme — for example ‘Faith’ in 2002, ‘Trust’ in 2012, ‘Hope’ in 2013 — is interpreted and executed differently by each photographer. We want to challenge the photographer to come up with a story that is compelling and convincing.”
The project also challenges photographers to find their own voice and take a different approach to their own work. “If you are a spot-news photographer,” Munneke says, “this is an opportunity to be more reflective and come up with something personal, to work in a different way.”
The photographers work independently until November, when they bring their projects to Amsterdam. There they attend an intensive 6-day workshop where they are mentored by six leading industry professional “Masters.”
Munneke says that the Masterclass originated “as a response to repeated requests from the photo community to bring together experienced photojournalists with young, promising individuals, to help the younger photographers progress in both theory and practice. That goal remains the same today, while the amount of individual attention given to each participant makes it a unique experience.”
For virtually everyone who participates, the class is more than career-changing; it’s life-changing.
“The masters feel they learn as much from the participants [as the participants do from them],” Munneke says. “These veterans get fresh ideas and are inspired by these young photographers.”
For instance, Stephen Mayes, the Executive Director of the Tim Hetherington Trust notes that “maybe the most surprising aspect of Tim’s participation in 2002 ‘Faith’ Masterclass was that he was present as a student, not as a master. He was already an assured image-maker then, with deep knowledge of multimedia and the wider applications for photography. It’s entirely characteristic of Tim that he would use any opportunity to meet people and learn from them, whether teachers or students.”
Many of the alumni subsequently become masters themselves and have their work recognized by World Press Photo awards — including Jodi Bieber, Erik Refner and Tim Hetherington each winning the prestigious World Press Photo of the Year.
In many ways, World Press Photo’s instrumental role in the evolution of photojournalism and documentary photography is most evident in its Masterclass: a nurturing environment that provides young and regional photographers with the time and the means to gain confidence and find their true voice.
Tragically, two Masterclass alumni, Tim Hetherington and Anton Hammerl, were killed covering the 2011 civil war in Libya. But their photographs — along with those of 258 fellow Masterclass participants — continue to provide an enduring and powerful legacy.
While this year’s Masterclass selection committee recognized, in the work of the nominees, signs of the ongoing shifts in photographic storytelling and aesthetics, it also acknowledged the continuing practice of more traditional photojournalism. Ultimately, in making its selections, the panel was most interested in “freshness and in finding photographers who will move into new ground through the Masterclass.”
To mark the 20th edition of the Joop Swart Masterclass, taking place this week, LightBox asked a representative photographer from each year of the program to contribute two images — one from their masterclass project and another from their wider body of work — along with a few words on what the masterclass meant to their life and career.1994: Stephen Dupont
"My selection in the first Joop Swart Masterclass came with excitement and total pride in having been honored with a place in such a renowned international workshop. I remember it being one of my first big breaks ever as a photographer. The inspiration and knowledge gained from both masters and students was unrivaled. It's still a highlight in my life and I have great memories of the experience. Some of the students and masters of that class have become close friends as well. Very special indeed!"
A scene from Everliegh Street in Sydney's southern suburb of Redfern. Redfern is a suburb rich in Aboriginal urban culture where many lived then and still do today. This scene however no longer exists as the street's houses have all been demolished and Everliegh Street looks completely different. 1994.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Generation X, 1994)Stephen DupontMassoud and friends near Faizabad, Badahkshan Province and the moment is captured following a an early evening prayer session in a fruit orchard. November 1998. Stephen Dupont1995: Joao Silva"Patriotism was the chosen topic for the 1995 Joop Swart Masterclass in which I was a student. At the time, South Africa was celebrating the demise of apartheid the year before, while coming to terms with the complexities of a newborn democracy which had been birthed at a great cost. The 1995 Rugby World Cup tournament became a welcome distraction from the reality of South Africa’s complex social and political landscape and spontaneously the whole country united around this sporting event. The South African rugby team, inspired by a supportive nation and championed by President Nelson Mandela, emerged victorious and for many South Africans who had yet to discover a post-apartheid sense of patriotism, that rugby victory seemingly filled that void. My Masterclass project explored the phenomenon of rugby, a predominantly white sport, which was briefly a unifying factor evident from grassroots levels where barefooted kids played in dusty fields to the newly crowned World Champions who paraded through the streets of Johannesburg as South Africans of all shades celebrated together a fleeting moment of delusional Patriotism.
When I was selected for the Masterclass, I was freelancing for the Associated Press and somewhat fatigued from having covered conflict for six years, not only in South Africa, but several other countries including Afghanistan. I used the Masterclass as an opportunity for me to explore patriotism outside of the war arena, which is where a topic such as this would naturally have taken me. During this magical experience I learned much about photojournalism beyond war photography and I was privileged to be taught by a great group of masters which included the remarkable Donna Ferrato."
South Africans in Johannesburg celebrate their national rugby team becoming the 1995 Rugby World Cup champions. 1995.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Patriotism, 1995)Joao SilvaSgt Jesse E. Leach drags Lance CPL Juan Valdez of the for 4th mobile assault platoon Weapons company 2nd battalion 8th Marines to safety moments after he was shot by a sniper during a joined patrol with the Iraqi Army in Karmah, Anbar Province, Iraq. Valdez was shot through the arm and the right side but survuved. Oct. 31, 2006.
(WPP Honorable mention, Spot News Stories, 2006)Joao Silva1996: Jodi Bieber"The Joop Swart Masterclass was a turning point for me in my career and life. Being isolated in South Africa (no internet in those days), gave me understanding of and access into the international world of photography. The Masterclass opened doors for me and I found myself working all over the world for leading magazines and NGOs at the time. It also gave me the recognition that I could work side by side with my international photographic friends.
Stick em up...
"There is not a kid of around six who can't tell you about a gun. My kid is five, I take my gun home, remove the mag and give it to him to play with. He must get use to it. He is the only other man in the house, he will be the next breadwinner. It is not to say that I want to make him a gangster, but he must be gun wise because guns can be dangerous, even in your house." —Fast Gun Member, 1996.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Neighbours,1996)Jodi BieberAisha’s father murdered two men in rural Afghanistan. In return, for his punishment he gave away his two daughters for marriage. Aisha was abused by her husband and in-laws so she ran away to the neighbor. The neighbors called the police and the police arrested Aisha. She went to Kandahar prison . She was pardoned and her father then returned her to her husband. The Taliban village jury then decided as punishment to cut off Ashia's ears and nose. She was left to bleed to death. Aisha is now in the U.S. to undergo reconstructive surgery on her nose and ears at the Grossman Burns Foundation. 2010.
(WPP 1st prize, Photo of the Year, 2011)Jodi Bieber—INSTITUTE for TIME1997: Stefano de Luigi"The 1997 Masterclass took place in a hotel in Rotterdam situated on the departure terminal of immigrant ships that once headed towards early 20th c. America. The hotel itself looked like a ship; it was called New York Hotel. Everything was great; people from organization were very kind and precise. I remember striking lectures by Stanley Greene and the Magnum director at the time, Francois Hebel, also, Michelle McNally and Tom Stoddart. It was a unique experience. I was feeling at the center of the photographic universe together with people coming from all over the world that would shortly become recognized as important witnesses of contemporary photography. These were powerful views like those of Andrew Testa, Stephen Gill, Katarina Bosse and most of all, Michael Ackerman.
A group of scouts during a promenade in the village, Montefiascone, Italy. July 1997.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Friendship,1997)Stefano de Luigi—VIIA giraffe lies dead, killed by drought in Wajir, North Eastern province, Kenya. Oct. 9, 2009.Stefano de Luigi—VII1998: Alessandra Sanguinetti"What can I say, it was so long ago. I was young — a different person. It was my first contact with the photojournalism world and a privileged learning experience. I was so very lucky to have the great Yto Barrada in my group and the wonderful Robert Pledge as a master."
Ostrich eggs found hunting, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 1997.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Food, 1998)Alessandra Sanguinetti—MagnumThe Real Thing. 2007.Alessandra Sanguinetti— Magnum1999: Joachim Ladefoged"For me it was a life changer and a really great experience, maybe not so much from learning about photography and how to make a story and shoot pictures, but more about life itself as person and a photographer by talking to the masters and getting access to their life experiences. It made me think about my own life and what I wanted in the future. I decided to have children!"
A young Kosovar Albanian boy jumps into the artificial lake outside the city of Gnijljane. June 25, 1999.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Power, 1999)Joachim Ladefoged—VIIA wounded rebel is brought into the hospital in Vlora, Albania. He was hit in a short exchange of gunfire between government forces and rebels near the bridge between Vier and Vlora.
(WPP 1st prize, People in the News stories, 1997)Joachim Ladefoged—VII2000: Balazs Gardi"The Joop Swart Masterclass was an eye opening experience for me even before it started. As a news, photographer I was always told what to photograph and while I struggled to come up with a subject for the Masterclass project, it suddenly became clear that I needed a drastic change in my approach to photography. Instead of waiting for editorial work to dictate my next story, I turned to working almost exclusively on my own personal projects, immersing myself for years into subjects I was curious about."
Boxer Istvan ‘Ko-Ko’ Kovacs of Hungary trains in preparation for a professional boxing world championship title match in Zinnowitz, Germany. 2000.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Work, 2000)Balazs GardiU.S. Army Specialist Sterling Jones collapses in exhaustion during Operation Rock Avalanche in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. 2007.
(WPP 1st prize, General News Stories, 2007)Balazs Gardi2001: Jonas Bendiksen"Above all, the biggest inspiration of the week was to immerse myself in the visions of very talented peers, forcing me to look at my own work from the outside."
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists at NordicFest, a yearly get-together for racists in Kentucky. The "Family Festival" includes three days of camping, drinking, racist speeches, cross burnings, and white Supremacy rock bands. NordicFest is organized by the IKA (Imperial Klans of America), an offshoot of the more well known KKK. 2001.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, ID/Identity, 2001)Jonas Bendiksen—Magnum The population of Transdniester is mainly ethnic Russians and the main religion is Russian Orthodox Christianity. Here, a priest gives his blessings before a christening in the icy waters of January. Transdniester, Maldova. 2004.
(WPP 2nd prize, Daily Life stories, 2004)Jonas Bendiksen—Magnum 2002: Tim Hetherington"Maybe the most surprising aspect of Tim’s participation in the “Faith” Masterclass, was that he was present as a student, and not as a master. Already by 2002, he was an assured image-maker with deep knowledge of multimedia and the wider applications for photography. It’s entirely characteristic of Tim that he would use any opportunity to meet people and learn from them, whether teachers or students. His Masterclass project on a Tae Kwon Do program for Kenyan street kids was part of a larger project, "Healing Sports," that characteristically looked beyond the sporting activity to explore the motivations of the participants. It's vintage Tim."
—Stephen Mayes, Executive Director, Tim Hetherington Trust
At the Kenyan National Taekwondo headquaters in central Nairobi, where coach George Mureu runs a taekwondo team comprised of ex-street kids who have learnt the discipline of the sport through the tutorage of Mureu. February, 2002.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Faith, 2002)Tim Hetherington—Magnum A soldier from 2nd platoon rests at the end of a day of heavy fighting at the 'Restrepo' outpost. The position was named after the medic Juan Restrepo from 2nd Platoon who was killed by insurgents in July 2007. Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. 2007.
(WPP 1st prize, Photo of the Year, 2007)Tim Hetherington—Magnum 2003: Lynsey Addario"The masterclass was the first time early in my career that I had the unique opportunity to sit with respected professionals — from editors to photographers to my peers in photojournalism — and simply learn, listen, and see what my peers were doing. It was incredibly enlightening at a time when I really needed mentors and professional feedback, and time to contemplate how I wanted to move forward in my career."
An Iraqi woman walks through a plume of smoke rising from a massive fire at a liquid gas factory as she searches for her husband in the vicinity of the fire in Basra, Iraq. May 26, 2003.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Enough, 2003)Lynsey Addario—VIINoor Nisa, 20, pregnant, and her mother, Nazer Begam, 40, who live in Weha village, a four hour drive by car to the clinic in Faizabad, wait along the side of the road to be transported to the hospital, after their car broke down, in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan. Nov. 14, 2009. Nisa's water had just broken. Her husband, Shir Mohammad, who had lost two wives and whose first wife had died during childbirth, was determined to get Nisa to the hospital but his borrowed car broke down, so he went to find another vehicle. Nisa, her mother and her husband were eventually taken by the photographer and her interpreter, who happened to be driving by, to the hospital where Nisa delivered a baby girl.Lynsey Addario—VII 2004: Moises Saman"Being nominated to the 2004 Masterclass came as a complete surprise. Michele McNally at the New York Times nominated me even though we had not met, and regardless of the fact that at the time I was working for Newsday, another New York newspaper. I remember it was a crazy week with little sleep and a lot of emotions. The meaning of my time in Amsterdam came in retrospect, once I had some time to reflect. For me it was a humbling experience at the right time in my career, a much needed influx of honest critique and motivation that was extremely helpful in my search for a personal voice as a photographer. But the best part was being able to share my own insecurities and frustrations with the rest of the group. It was reassuring to know that I was not alone, and that every single one of us were in the same boat."
An Iraqi man walks by the scene of an attack on US Army Humvee's that caused several American casualties in the Al-Waziriyah neighborhood of Baghdad. April 26, 2004.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Pride, 2004)Moises Saman—Magnum A protestor covers his head with a plastic bag as a makeshift gas mask during clashes near Tahrir Square in Cairo. January 28, 2013.Moises Saman—Magnum 2005: Oded Balilty"When I was chosen to be part of the 12 participants in the Masterclass, I was mostly covering news events or short stories for the Associated Press. When I arrived to Amsterdam and saw the photographers and the masters face to face, most of the time we discussed photo essays, features and long-term projects — something that was kind of new to me but has opened my eyes to another way of telling stories from the point of view of the photographer, editor and even a gallery curator. Today I shoot mostly features for AP and take the advice I learned there anywhere I go."
Israelis take an elevator in a business building in Tel Aviv. 2005.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Ordinary, 2005)Oded BaliltyAn Israeli army video explains how to use a gas mask at an army gas mask distribution center in Tel Aviv, Israel. May 26, 2010.Oded Balilty—AP2006: Stephanie Sinclair"The World Press Masterclass ranks among my fondest memories of the formative years of my career. As attendees, we each had come to that turning point in our professional lives where the long-term vision for our work would send us in one direction or another. Today, to see that many of these photographers have gone on to realize the goals and dreams they developed there is a wonderful thing. I am grateful to have been selected to participate in the program."
Families from the border towns in Lebanon flee through the very dangerous coastal road between Tyre and Sidon, Lebanon. July 27, 2006.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Risk, 2006)Stephanie Sinclair—VIIFaiz, 40, and Ghulam, 11, sit in their home prior to their wedding in rural Afghanistan. Sept. 11, 2005.
(WPP 1st prize, contemporary issues/ stories , 2012)Stephanie Sinclair—VII2007: Cédric Gerbehaye"In 2007, for the Joop Swart Masterclass I wanted to show the fragility and weakness of the peace process in Eastern DRC. It was my first reportage in Sub Saharan Africa and the beginning of my works Congo in Limbo and Land of Cush."
Dissident general Laurent Nkunda, leader of the CNDP, poses at his headquarters in the middle of the hills of Masisi, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. 2007.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Fragile, 2007)Cédric Gerbehaye—Agence VUFabrice Melidona, 51, a hydraulics specialist worker at Arcelor Mittal's Coke Works, is refreshing himself before going home. Because of an announced closure, he will soon be unemployed. Ougrée-Seraing, Belgium. 2012.Cédric Gerbehaye—Agence VU2008: Peter van Agtmael"The Joop Swart Masterclass was a critical moment for me for several reasons. When I was accepted, it was an incredibly validating feeling at a moment of intense self-doubt. While in retrospect, the essay I made for the Masterclass is deeply flawed, it was my first stab at diverging from more straightforward photojournalism into a less concrete, more nuanced and weaving look at the experiences I was having. The Masterclass itself forced me to consider, define and defend what I was doing. The act of making pictures is largely instinctual, but that instinct is altered and refined by contemplation."
Fahima, the wife of Dost Khairy Mohammed, poses for pictures with her nephews before her wedding. Mazar-E-Sharif, Afghanistan. 2008.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Balance, 2008)Peter van Agtmael—Magnum The Iowa GOP Ronald Reagan dinner headlined by Sarah Palin in Des Moines, Iowa. 2010.Peter van Agtmael—Magnum 2009: Matt EichWhen I recall the four years I spent studying photojournalism at Ohio University, I think of it as an incubation period where I developed my voice and vision. The one week I spent at the Joop Swart Masterclass was my birth — it exposed me to an array of visual languages and began to hint at the possibilities contained within photography."
Hannnah Eich, 19, shotguns smoke to her sister Sarah, 17, in Norfolk, Virginia. 2009.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Touch, 2009)Matt EichA young man lit only by the dim glow of street lights stands on the corner of Young and Pelican late at night in the Baptist Town neighborhood of Greenwood, Mississippi. Nov. 4, 2010.Matt Eich2010: Adam Ferguson"There were moments during the Joop Swart Masterclass when the dialogue between the fellow participants and mentors became so overwhelming that I wanted to pack up my work and leave. Although they were closely followed by moments when I wanted to dive so deep into that dialogue that I hit the bottom of it. Overall it was an incredibly challenging environment of self-reflection and analysis culminating in a distillation of photographic conviction. It has been one of the most inspiring and valuable weeks of my career. As a young photographer, being selected validated my journey and meant joining a long and illustrious alumni of photographers who have gone on to produce remarkable and important work. It's a torch of responsibility that I am very proud to bear."
U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion 6th Marines, use a flare to signal a landing position to a medevac helicopter, near Patrol Base Beatley, in Marja District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. April 20, 2010.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Persistence, 2010)Adam FergusonAn Iraqi girl sits inside a spaceship ride at an amusement park in Baghdad, Iraq. March 23, 2013.Adam Ferguson2011: Sebastian Liste"The Joop Swart Masterclass experience has been one of the most rewarding I've had during my training as a photographer. There you learn to open up to the opinions of others about your work, to accept criticism and compliments, to edit in a group, putting all your skills together to create a unique project, listening and applying the generous advice of your peers and masters. The experience you live there is so intense that the relationships you make there remain lifelong."
Benya and his dog Pistacho in front of his home in Abdet, a small village in the Alicante mountains in Spain. 2011.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Respect, 2011)Sebastian Liste—Reportage by Getty ImagesA boy jumping from a building of an abandoned chocolate factory, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. March 20, 2011.Sebastian Liste—Reportage by Getty Images2012: Muhammed Muheisen“A precious experience — feel lucky to be part of it. Attending the Masterclass shaped the path of my photography.”
“I was in a market when I heard a sound that hit my back, it was so loud, I lost conscious, I woke up in a hospital without my right leg. I touched my body to make sure I didn't loose any other parts. I took a deep breath and I said, Alhamdulillah and I started crying." —Kawthar Javaid, 42, married with three daughters, injured in 2005 by a remote control bomb in Faisalabad, Pakistan. 2012.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Trust, 2012)Muhammed Muheisen—APPakistani women grieve over the coffins of their relatives, who were killed in a suicide attack on a church, in Peshawar, Pakistan. Sept. 22, 2013.Muhammed Muheisen—APA Palestinian man reacts to the death of his relative, one of two Palestinian militants killed in an Israeli air strike in Kamal Edwan hospital morgue in Jabaliya Refugee Camp in northern Gaza Strip. Oct. 24, 2012.Ali Ali—EPA2013: Ali Ali"I am really excited to participate in the Joop Swart Masterclass this year. It has made me more confident in myself and in the world of photography. I was nominated for the Masterclass three times but this is the first year I was selected. I believe in its great impact on photojournalism.
The theme for this year’s Masterclass is “Hope,” and when I finished working on the assignment, I felt like I gained new experience from this challenge. I am very confident that the Masterclass will help me benefit from the expertise of the instructors, to improve my photography and editing, my story construction and my overall vision of things. Most of all it is to meet and spend time with the many talented people from so many lands."
Palestinian refugee girl Nour Soboh, 4, plays beside her horse in her family home in Bait Lahiya, North Gaza Strip.
(WPP Joop Swart Masterclass, Hope, 2013)Ali Ali—EPA
