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I started this list of online courses, documentaries, books and talks while studying documentary photography and photojournalism during the UK’s coronavirus lockdown.
Since then, thanks to the contributions of others, it has continued to grow. My interests are documentary photography, photojournalism, and investigative journalism, so this list reflects that; however, many of the organisations offer courses in related areas that may be of interest.
There is a vast range of tutorials on YouTube, CreativeLive, Domestika, Skillshare and Udemy. Some are excellent; many are not. I don’t intend to cover those here; the quality is too inconsistent, and it would be a full-time job. I will list those created by recognised educational organisations, established practitioners or established companies in the field, VII Agency, Magnum, Nikon, etc.
The small print: Please be aware that listing here doesn’t indicate I’ve taken the course, in the vast majority of the cases, I haven’t — or that I recommend it. This is purely a resource that may be useful.
The documentaries are available on a wide range of platforms, from BBC and DVD to Netflix and YouTube. I’m adding streaming links as I come across them.
The sections include:
(updated: 19 April 2025)
Blind Magazine has a number of excellent articles which may be useful.
Field of View: Patrick Witty’s substack. The former photo editor at The New York Times and International Picture Editor at TIME, among other positions, deep-dives into iconic images from history. I guarantee you’ll learn something.
New York photojournalist Michael Brochstein has a range of interesting articles and videos on his site, all aimed at photojournalists. These include Organizing 100,000+ Images Per Year Made Easy (Digital asset management) and Personal Security for Photographers & Their Equipment.
VII Insider Blog has a selection of high-quality articles from the VII Foundation.
The Eddie Adams Workshop (USA). The Eddie Adams Workshop is a merit-based, four-day photojournalism seminar held in upstate New York every Columbus Day weekend. It is tuition-free, and students are chosen based on the merit of their pictures.
Falmouth Flexible from Falmouth University (UK)
Foundry Photo Workshop: (USA, location varies) — Foundry provides opportunities for those from ‘majority world’ nations and aims to be affordable for those students. It produces a quality workshop that offers real-world experience in reportage, honest feedback from respected professionals, and a genuine community at an accessible cost.
The International Center of Photography (USA)- a highly respected institution based in New York City. They offer both full and part-time courses, in-person and online.
The Kalish (USA). Part of the Rochester Institute of Technology, the Kalish Workshop is an inspirational and intense five-day experience led by award-winning faculty and staff members who focus on the editing and decision-making aspects of visual storytelling.”
London College of Communication (UK), part of the University of the Arts London — a highly respected UK university with far too many courses to mention. A few that are particularly relevant:
BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography (LCC)
MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography (online and in-person) from the London College of Communication (LCC)
Documentary Photography Online Short Course (LCC)
Magnum and LCC Intensive Documentary Photography Course (LCC)
The Margate School (UK) offers a one-year post-graduate course titled The Still & Moving Image. “Using experimentation and exploration to develop your practice, this course is supported by both practical and theoretical sessions within the School, the local environment and wider community.”
Missouri Photo Workshop (USA). In its 77th year (2025), this annual weeklong workshop is organised by the Missouri School of Journalism; the faculty comprises photojournalists, photo editors and photographers. I’ve attended the workshop and would recommend it highly.
Mountain Workshops, Kentucky (USA), is an annual five-day workshop organised by Western Kentucky University. It comprises five disciplines—photojournalism, video storytelling, picture editing, digital storytelling, and K-12 educators—for a week-long workshop.
Prism Workshop, Chicago (USA). The Prism Workshop is a non-profit organisation that aims to offer “education, resources, mentoring, funding, professional development and community to visual journalists from traditionally underrepresented communities including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.”
University of Bolton (UK)
University of Gloucestershire (UK)
Photojournalism and Documentary Photography (with Foundation) BA (Hons)
Photojournalism and Documentary Photography BA (Hons)
University of South Wales (UK)
BA (Hons) Documentary Photography, a full-time in-person course, was established by Magnum photographer David Hurn in 1973.
MA Documentary Photography, part-time online course
University of London, Goldsmiths College (UK)
Blind Magazine has a range of video tutorials, including some created by Noor Images. I’d recommend looking at:
The Eddie Adams Workshop (USA). The Eddie Adams Workshop is a merit-based, four-day photojournalism seminar held in upstate New York every Columbus Day weekend. It is tuition-free, and students are chosen based on the merit of their pictures.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offer a number of courses through its Open CourseWare program. “OCW Scholar courses offer all the resources you need to learn independently. The courses are based on materials MIT students use in classrooms and also include special custom-created content.”
Photography Ethics Centre offers two courses:
VII Insider (which is a fantastic free resource) has a three-part public lecture series on Ethical Literacy. Savannah Dodd, founder and director of the Photography Ethics Centre (see above), facilitates the lecture series.
Alberto Diaz — Chevolution (2008). A documentary about the famous portrait by Cuban photographer Alberto Diaz made of Che Guevara, one of the most recognisable snapshots in photography. Watch free on Plex
Alec Soth — Somewhere To Disappear. This isn’t documentary photography as such, but I did find Soth’s approach inspiring. — YouTube
Andrea Bruce — Lessons in the Field. Andrea Bruce shares valuable insights about creating compelling narratives, critical thinking, earning trust, perspective, and the importance of fixers to photojournalists’ work. Vimeo Recommended
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens_._ YouTube
Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film_._ DVD from Amazon US
Bill Cunningham New York_._ Amazon Prime Video UK
Bill Jay — Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay. YouTube
Cindy Sherman — Guest of Cindy Sherman (2008). Cindy Sherman talks about being the master of disguise through her photographic role-playing and delivers an intimate look at her artistic methods. Film website
Danny Wilcox Frazier — Driftless: Photographs From Iowa. Documentary photographer Danny Wilcox Frazier captures life in rural Iowa, the land in which he grew up. Vimeo. Recommended
David Seymour, Gerda Taro, and Robert Capa — The Mexican Suitcase. A 2011 documentary about the over 4000 film negatives created during the Spanish Civil War by David Seymour, Gerda Taro, and Robert Capa. It follows the journey of the photographs from their disappearance at the beginning of World War II to their rediscovery in 2007. Amazon Prime (but not in the UK)
Diane Arbus — Masters of Photography. YouTube
Don McCullin — McCullin. Don speaks candidly about his three-decade career covering wars and humanitarian disasters on virtually every continent and the photographs that often defined historic moments. At some points, it’s far from an easy watch. This is not the film to introduce the kids to photojournalism, but that aside, it’s Recommended. Amazon Prime Video UK | YouTube
Dorothea Lange — An American Odyssey. YouTube
Edward Weston: The Photographer. YouTube
Everybody Street — Highlights the lives and work of New York’s iconic street photographers. YouTube
Frame by Frame: a 2015 documentary that follows four Afghan photojournalists who face struggles as they report during the “photo revolution” that is occurring in the post-Taliban free press. Available to rent on Apple TV.
Francesca Woodman — The Woodmans (2010). Amazon Prime (but not in the UK) — A peek into the life of Francesca Woodman, a young photographer known for her self-portraits and photos of other women.
Garry Winogrand: All Things are Photographable — part of the American Masters series. Free to watch on the Internet Archive.
Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters — website
Harry Gruyaert, Photographer: This is the story of 75-year-old Magnum member Harry Gruyaert, whose life is saved by colour. website
Helmut Newton: Frames from the Edge. Amazon Prime Video UK
Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment. Vimeo
James Balog — Chasing Ice: Environmental photographer James Balog and his Extreme Ice Survey to publicize the effects of climate change. The Film website.
James Nachtwey — War Photographer. Watch free online
Joakim Eskildsen — Nothing Special. Joakim Eskildsen is a Danish documentary photographer praised for his work on the Roma people and poverty in the United States. Joakim tells his own story and that of the people around him. YouTube
Letizia Battaglia — Shooting the Mafia. Kim Longinotto’s 2019 documentary details Letizia Battaglia’s career, documenting the life and crimes of the Mafia in Sicily. Amazon Prime
Nan Goldin — All the Beauty and the Bloodshed — website — Filmmaker Laura Poitras (see Citizenfour) details Nan Goldin’s personal fight to hold the Sackler family accountable for the opioid overdose crisis. Currently showing in the UK on the BBC i-Player. Outside the UK on YouTube/Apple TV etc. Recommended
Nan Goldin — I Remember Your Face (2014) — Documentary filmmaker Sabine Lidl observes photographer Nan Goldin through interactions with the friends who became her subjects.
National Geographic — The Last Roll of Kodachrome — YouTube
National Geographic — The Photographers
National Geographic Search for the Afghan Girl — YouTube
Oscar: Portrait of a Photojournalist — A short film about Guatemalan photojournalist Oscar Gutierrez. — YouTube
Philip Jones Griffiths — The Magnificent One: Philip Jones Griffiths. Legendary anti-war photographer and author of Viet Nam Inc, Philip Jones Griffiths, gives the interview of a lifetime only 48 hours before he died at his home in London on March 19, 2008. Vimeo
Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light — YouTube
Robert Frank — Don’t Blink — Film website
Ron Galella — Smash His Camera. Infamous paparazzi photographer Ron Galella. Apple TV
Saul Leiter — In No Great Hurry: 13 Lessons in Life with Saul Leiter. Film website. Recommended.
Saul Leiter — Masters of Photography. YouTube
Sebastião Salgado (in conversation with) — YouTube
Sebastião Salgado — The Salt of the Earth. Amazon Prime or YouTube Movies
Shooting the Darkness — An RTE documentary about the local photographers in Northern Ireland who covered ‘the troubles’. — BBC iPlayer and RTE.
Simon King — How To Become a Documentary Photographer. A short film featuring British documentary photographer Simon King. YouTube
Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen photographs Byker, a BBC Nationwide interview from 1974 — YouTube
Susan Meiselas, Richard P. Rogers and Alfred Guzzetti — Pictures from a Revolution. Film website
Tales by Light — Netflix series — “Photographers and filmmakers travel the world capturing people, places, creatures and cultures from new, previously unseen angles.”
The History of Photography- BBC series — watch free online — Recommended
Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People. YouTube
Tish Murtha — Tish. A documentary about the working-class British social documentary photographer Tish Murtha, who captured the impact of Thatcherism on the north of England but could not escape the poverty and inequality she exposed. Film website. Recommended
William Eggleston — The Colourful Mr Eggleston. YouTube
William Klein — The Many Lives of William Klein. YouTube — Recommended
Vivian Maier — Finding Vivian Maier — website | Amazon Prime Video UK
Zana Briski — Born Into Brothels. Documentary photographer Zana Briski journeyed into Calcutta’s underworld to photograph the city’s prostitutes. Watch free online
There aren’t many photographers who are so sure of their process and the direction a story should take that they wouldn’t benefit from the objective eye of a colleague. Often, that could be one of your peer groups, but sometimes, the dispassionate view of a more experienced practitioner is needed.
For academic articles, try searching the UAL Research Online (University of the Arts, London) — to narrow things down, select the college as ‘London College of Communication’.
A recommended reading list for the Technique and Theory in Documentary Photography from Blind Magazine.
American Photojournalism: Motivations and Meanings by Claude Cookman.
Another Country: British Documentary Photography Since 1945 by Gerry Badger.
Basics Creative Photography 02: Context and Narrative by Maria Short. The author is a photographer, writer and lecturer in photography at the University of Brighton. This book has been updated since the edition I own. I haven’t had a chance to see the later edition.
The Documentary Impulse by Stuart Franklin is out of print, but used copies are still available online. Franklin explores why we are driven to visually document our experiences and the world around us. He focuses on photography but traces this universal need through art, literature, and science. Recommended by Bojan Fürst.
Documentary Photography Reconsidered: History, Theory and Practice by Michelle Bogre is a very useful textbook in its own right. The book-specific site also has a number of interesting interviews with contemporary Documentary Photographers. Follow the link.
It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario. Very well written; this is a page-turner that made me want to be a combat photographer and, at the same time, wonder why anyone does it.
Pictures on a Page: Photo-journalism, Graphics and Picture Editing by Harold Evans. Legendary journalist, writer and editor (The Sunday Times, The Times) offers a complete analysis of how photographs are taken, selected and edited for newspapers and magazines. Harold Evans wrote a range of books of interest to budding journalists and photojournalists.
The Photo Essay—Photographs by Mary Ellen Mark. Mary Ellen Mark offers an overview of her career and insight into the problems that photojournalists working internationally face. In an in-depth interview, Mark discusses problem-solving in the field and offers some ideas about photographing people in various parts of the world.
Photography: A Critical Introduction by Liz Wells. There are several editions. At the time of writing, the latest is the 6th edition. The publisher says: “ … this seminal textbook examines key debates in photographic theory and places them in their social and political contexts. Written especially for students in further and higher education and for introductory college courses, it provides a coherent introduction to the nature of photographic seeing.
Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach by Kenneth Kobre (seventh edition). Kenneth Kobré heads the photojournalism program at San Francisco State University. The publishers say, “Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach is the definitive book on photojournalism, delivering a blend of insightful interviews with professionals, practical techniques, and high-impact photographs.”
A Photojournalist’s Field Guide: In the trenches with combat photographer Stacy Pearsall. I’ve not read this yet, but it is on order, so I’ll update it once I’ve read it. The publisher says, “In this comprehensive, practical guide, award-winning photojournalist Stacy Pearsall offers the techniques, guidance, and inspiration needed to succeed in the dynamic and exciting field of photojournalism.”
Recorded Reality — Early Documentary Photography by Gail Buckland. Presents documentary photographs taken with calotype and wet plate cameras up to the advent of the dry plate around 1884. It is out of print, but it is widely available online.
Understanding Photojournalism by Jennifer Good and Paul Lowe. Highly Recommended. Both authors are lecturers on the highly respected Photojournalism and Documentary Photography courses at the London College of Communication. Includes annotated guides to further reading.
The Universal Journalist by David Randall with Jemma Crew. “This is the only ‘how to’ book on journalism written by writers and editors who have operated at the top level in national news.”
There are really helpful chapters covering interview techniques, research, using social media and more. Make sure you get the latest, 6th edition.
Visual Sociology by Douglas Harper is expensive, but there is a new edition due to be published in June 2023. Recommended by Bojan Fürst.
Witness in Our Time: Working Lives of Documentary Photographers by Ken Light.
10 FPS, A Photojournalism Podcast For Everyone: Molly Roberts and Joe Giordano interview photojournalists and editors ‘about the craft and profession of photojournalism’.
Daniel Milnor has a YouTube channel where he often talks about long-term documentary projects. A few episodes that may be interesting:
Documentary Photography Reconsidered: History, Theory and Practice by Michelle Bogre includes several interviews with contemporary Documentary Photographers, including Ed Kashi, Daniella Zalcman, and Greg Constantine.
Documentary Photography: Tips by Mads Nissen. Danish World Press Photo winner Mads Nissen talks about his approach to documentary photography.
Eugene Richards: An interview with one of my most significant influences, Eugene Richards, following his presentation of the 2014 Missouri Honor Medal.
Forhanna has a series of 16 webinars created by editor/curator Marc Prüst on Visual Storytelling. Recommended by reader Bojan Fürst.
How to Get Started in Photojournalism. New York photojournalist Michael Brochstein presents this comprehensive beginner’s guide to photojournalism, which includes answers to some of those questions you’ve been too embarrassed to ask.
Leica Akademie offers a range of free and paid talks by established photographers. (change country via the dropdown at the bottom of the page.
Masterclass with Donna Ferrato from Blind Magazine Donna Ferrato discusses the power of documentary photography, her fights for women, personal work, and shows some steps of the making of the publication in her New York studio.
Matt Black: Alexia Foundation Workshop Lecture (2015). Matt talks about his motivation and how life in the Central Valley of California led to his ‘Geography of Poverty’ project.
Photo Ethics on Film: a series of short videos from The Photo Ethics Centre. These videos use clips from TV or film as examples to explain what is and isn’t ethical or legal. The Photo Ethics Centre also offers free and paid courses.
Photo Wings truly is a hidden gem. They have an incredible range of talks and interviews, including those with Alec Soth, Sally Mann, Ed Kashi, and Matt Black. A particular favourite is talks from the Eddie Adams Workshop.
Photowings Lessons in the Field series.
Adriana Zehbrauskas: Adriana takes us with her on an assignment to document baptismal ceremonies at the Basilica de Guadalupe, where we learned how she creates a connection and builds trust with the people she photographs.
Andrea Bruce: Andrea shares valuable insights about creating compelling narratives, critical thinking, earning trust, perspective, and the importance of fixers to the work of photojournalists.
James Whitlow Delano: While on location, James shared some valuable insights: the philosophical and technical approaches he takes to photojournalism and bearing witness.
Maggie Steber: Maggie provides insight into her style of teaching, the ways we can learn to find our own visual voice, and tips for editing and storytelling.
Matt Black: Matt provides insights on his photographic philosophy and how he connects to the people, communities and landscapes he encounters. He shared tips about critical thinking, resilience, and how to tell complex stories using photographs.
VII Insider has a great range of talks and interviews with photographers at the top of their game. You’ll need to register — free of charge — to access the videos.
Associated Press (AP), News Values and Principles: AP, one of the foremost news providers, publishes guidance on values and principles in a range of areas, including the use of photographs, attribution, quotations and privacy. Use this as your guide, and you won’t go too far wrong. Also, see AP captioning guidelines below.
Associated Press (AP), Photo Captioning Guidelines: considered to be one of the international standards in captioning for photojournalists.
Collins Online Dictionary: a free online dictionary in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Chinese and Korean.
Disaster Preparedness Resources — particularly related to covering a hurricane: Photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Kathleen Flynn lists advice and resources that may be useful when covering a hurricane. Also, see Trauma & Journalism Resources below.
How to Build a Photography Project by Gaia Squarci, a photographer and videographer who teaches multimedia at ICP (International Center of Photography) in New York, from Blind Magazine.
How to Edit a Documentary Photo Story by Gaia Squarci, from Blind Magazine.
How Photographers Can Learn to Conduct Interviews by Gaia Squarci, from Blind Magazine.
NPR’s photo caption guidelines: photo captioning guidelines from NPR “an independent news organization committed to informing the public about the world around us”.
NPR Training: articles as diverse as ‘How to make photos and radio at the same time’ to ‘5 techniques to spell any name correctly, every time’.
Style Guides (house manuals for news organisations. You may not agree with everything but they’re a good starting point.)
ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
AP (Associated Press) stylebook is a paid-for service.
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
The Guardian: The Guardian, helpfully, doesn’t restrict access to its style guide behind a paywall. Items not covered by the style guide, refer to Collins Online English Dictionary.
NPR (National Public Radio in the USA.)
Trauma & Journalism Resources: Photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Kathleen Flynn lists resources that may be useful for journalists, photojournalists, or anyone affected by trauma. Also, see Disaster Preparedness Resources above.
Please send any recommendations to bknbiscuit@gmail.com.
