The Photo Essay: Master Class with Peter Turnley

July 3-July 14
College/Adult and Graduate PNPA 3280 Section A

This two-week Paris-based master class will be lead by Peter Turnley, a pre-eminent photojournalist and author of Parisians, a book of poetic images on contemporary Paris life. Turnley is a contributing editor/photographer for Harper's Magazine, for whom he makes quarterly eight page photo essays. Turnley has covered most of the major world news stories in the past two decades and his work has been on the cover of Newsweek more than 40 times. His Paris work has been inspired by such Paris greats as Robert Doisneau, and Edouard Boubat, both who wrote prefaces to his book, Parisians. More about Turnley can be found at: peterturnley.com

This course is unique because, although it is tailored for students with a serious interest in photography, it is directed at students with a wide range of academic backgrounds and interests including journalism, writing, political science, anthropology, sociology, history, art history, and French language and literature.

Students are exposed to the traditions and masters of humanistic photography, in the manner of the great photography of Paris. Students study the work of a wide range of masters, including Cartier-Bresson, Doisneau, Atget, Kertesz, Brassai, Izzis and Strand and create a photo essay on a theme of their choice. Photography is, at its essence, a medium through which one can offer others a shared response to what one sees and experiences in the world and students will be encouraged to use photography as a study of life. The class will draw on the resources of Paris: the great photographic book library at the Maison European de la Photo, the Foundation Henri Cartier-Bresson, and a range of museums and photographic galleries. Students also will meet established photographers, printers, and photo editors.

Students will shoot digitally. Equipment requirements: Students must bring a 35 mm digital camera and a laptop computer loaded with the software program, Photomechanic, made by Camerabits and can be purchased and downloaded online.

Note: This course is available for graduate credit. Students enrolling at the graduate level should indicate this status on the Registration Form.