Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism
About the Program
Upcoming Info Sessions & Deadlines
Find all upcoming Info Sessions by visiting ICP's Events page.
The deadline to apply for the 2023 Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism One-Year Certificate program is March 15. Financial aid is available for qualified candidates.
General Information
The 2022-2023 Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism Program focuses specifically on the investigative skills and technical knowledge necessary for students to advance in the complex and constantly changing world of visual storytelling. ICP’s long-standing commitment to documentary practice ensures that this program engages faculty who are some of the foremost practitioners in the field today. Visiting photographers discuss best practices, methodologies, and innovative media, as well as political, ethical, and social concerns.
The student-centered curriculum emphasizes class discussions and critiques in a supportive learning atmosphere. Participants explore the history of visual journalism; develop new and challenging technical skills in still photography, multimedia, and video; learn strategies for publication; and create long-term documentary projects that examine the human experience.
The Curriculum
Fall
Required Classes
Core Documentary Seminar
Short Stories On Assignment
History of Visual Storytelling
Digital Seminar
Five-, Ten-, and Fifteen-Week Electives
A Study in Strobes
Lighting with Flash
Writing for the Photojournalist
*Black-and-White Darkroom
Image and Ideas
Principles of Color for the Photojournalist
Images and Ideas
Ruminations on Community
Old Media, New Media: Archives and the Documentarian
The Loom: Weaving Media
Portrayal
Ruminations on Community
Intro To Modern Documentary Video
Weekend Workshops
Learning Multimedia
Art of the Interview
Environmental Portraiture on the Street
What is a Story
Large-Format On the Street
Shooting Close: Seeing and Finding Meaning in the Immediate
Long-Term Project Development
DIY Film Scanning
January Workshops
Electives
Human Rights
Trauma Informed Practice
Necessary Fictions
Imagination, Improvisation, and Personal Process
Spring
Required Classes
Core Documentary Seminar
Digital Seminar
Short Stories On Assignment
Inside Editing
Five-, Ten-, and Fifteen-Week Electives
Digital Storytelling
Documentary Videography
Black-and-White Darkroom
Visual Writing
Study in Strobes
Finding Light and Shadow
Portrayal
Editorial Concepts
Digital Storytelling
Documentary Videography
Black-and-White Darkroom
Visual Writing
Editorial Concepts
Light and Shadow
Finding Light for Portraiture
Going Deeper
Weekend Workshops
Documenting Vulnerable Communities: Exploring Ethics and Partnerships
Photographing the Invisible
How to Survive as a Photojournalist
Cross-Media Storytelling
Book Making 2.0
The Documentary Project
Photographing Human Rights in the Everyday
The Working as a Photographer
Visual Journalism Today and Tomorrow
The Editors Perspective
Where the Thread Leads
OYC End-of-Year Exhibition
Portfolio Review Day
*These courses are offered exclusively to students enrolled in ICP’s on-site One-Year Certificate Programs.
Alumni Work
