VISUAL THINKING COLLECTIVE

We are a community of creative independent women committed to visual storytelling. Work with us.

Event: Women's Leadership Forum 
Location: Online
Date: May 18, 2022
Time: 7am EDT
Speakers: Sarah Leen and Smita Sharma

Sarah Leen will lead a conversation with photojournalist Smita Sharma about her longterm work on sex and domestic trafficking of young girls in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Smita, who worked partially on this project while pregnant with her first child, will talk about how to balance motherhood, covering trauma and her life as a photographer. Her work has been published in the National Geographic magazine, included in a Ted Talk and will be the subject of an upcoming book, We Cry in Silence, publishing this fall by FotoEvidence.

https://www.wildleadershipforum.org/program

Event: Northern Short Course
Location: Online
Dates: March 30-April 2, 2022
Organizer: Lauren Steel 

There is still time to attend the Northern Short Course and enjoy three days of networking, education, inspiration, workshops and lectures. the speakers and faculty include, David Guttenfelder, Kiana Hayeri, Melissa Groo, Natalia Jimenez, Marcus Yam and many more. Join On March 30 for kickoff to the 2022 NSC, for the NSC Contest Awards and NPPA National Awards ceremony. Portfolio Reviews are on March 31 and April 2. Register Now!!

https://www.northernshortcourse.org/registration

Panel Speaker: Elizabeth Krist
Leica is pleased to announce the third annual Leica Women Summit. This tuition-free gathering brings together a community of trailblazing visionaries whose dedication to the art and business of photography is shaping the industry today. Focused on unlocking new opportunities for others, the Summit is an opportunity to learn from industry leaders in a series of public lectures, discussions, and conversations to help you prioritize and monetize your passion. 

LWFP Summit

Deadlines: January 27-February 27, 2022
Location: Online
Event: me&EVE Grant
Juror: Sarah Leen 

2022 Call for Entries Now Open CENTER is pleased to offer the me&EVE Grant and provide financial support to a female-identified, non-binary, transgender, or gender non-conforming photographer, 40 years of age and over in its fourth year. This grant is made possible by Review Santa Fe alumna, Dorie Hagler, whose project me&EVE amplifies the voices of women. Initiated in 2016 on International Women’s Day, this project was inspired after seeing the transformative effects of witnessing women share their stories.

Grant Package:
// $1,000 grant
// Mentorship
// Professional Development Workshop Admission
// Review Santa Fe Admission and Project Presentation
// Group Exhibition of Award & Grant Winners at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
// Featured Project Publication with Lenscratch
// Permanent Online Exhibition with CENTER

View on visitcenter.org ↗

Date: January 24 - February 4, 2022
Location: Online
Event: Santa Fe Workshops, Editing the Visual Story
Instructors: Sarah Leen 

Most photographers find it challenging to edit their own work. This two-week workshop, with six group sessions, is for photographers working on projects who would like to become better editors of their own work. If you need help clarifying your ideas, selecting your best images, and sequencing them into a compelling and impactful body of work please join us!! The class in collaborative and inspirational as we learn from one another and participate in each other's successes. Individual sessions will be held in the afternoons or days between classes.  Please follow the link for more information and to register.



SFW Online — Editing the Visual Story workshop
Solidify the skills that transform a random collection of images into a compelling and dynamic visual narrative with two masters of the craft.
Santafeworkshops.com

Date: August 23-27, 2021
Location: Rockport, Maine
Event: Maine Media Workshops: Editing the Visual Story
Instructors: Sarah Leen and Bill Marr

Editing the Visual Narrative will be back in person at Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine this August!  This workshop is for the photographer with a completed or on-going visual project who wishes to take their work from a collection of images to a complete and compelling visual narrative. In this workshop we will examine the elements of storytelling to offer you a clear, step-by-step approach to refining your storytelling skills, organizing your images, and editing and sequencing your photographs for an exhibit, a book, or a publishable story. Please follow the link for more information. Join us. 

Editing the Visual Narrative - Maine Media Workshops + College

Panel Moderator: Sarah Leen

Please join me as I lead an online conversation for the Focus on the Story Festival about women photographers and conservation photography. If you are interested in nature photography and would like to learn how to become a conservation storyteller this will be a lively and informative discussion. The field of conservation photography has been primarily populated by male photographers but women are quickly becoming the new rising stars. Our panel will include photographers Jen Guyton, Morgan "Mo" Heim, Lauren Owns Lambert, Gabby Salazar and Katie Schuler. This is a free event.  Please register below.The International League of Conservation Photographers : Women in Conservation Photography
Women in Conservation Photography on Creating Powerful Storytelling Wednesday, June 23 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET Live on Zoom Cost: Free 

Judge: Lauren Steel

The World.Report Award / Documenting Humanity aims at a new form of social commitment through photography. The award is open to both professional and amateur photographers from all over the world. The Festival of Ethical Photography was born in 2010 in Lodi, Italy with the intention of focusing on ethical content of great relevance, bringing the general public closer to social issues.
The award will give attention to works focusing on people and their social or cultural stories; public or private, minor or crucial, major human tragedies or smaller daily life stories, changes and immutability. There are cash prizes, exhibits and gear for the winners. Winners will be announced August 30, 2021. Festical takes place in October. Deadline for entries is May 28, 2021


World Report Award Introduction 2021-EN - Festival of Ethical Photography

Speaker: Sarah Leen 


Please follow the link and use the drop down menu to register. Also consider some of the other three amazing speakers and topics!! The WSP website is Italian only but the lectures for this series will all be presented in English. Fee is 40 Euros or  $49.00 US.

About Photoeditor: ciclo di 4 seminari con alcuni photoeditor internazionali
Da Magdalena Herrera a Sarah Leen, da Christian Gogolin ad Andreas Trampe, 4 incontri per conoscere il dietro le quinte del mestiere del photoeditor.

Date: April 23, 2021, 12PM EDT
Location: Online
Event: FotoEvidence Focus on Books
Moderator: Sarah Leen
 
Please join Antonio Faccilongo, Ramon Pez Pez and FotoEvidence publisher Svetlana Bachevanova and myself for a stimulating conversation about the 2020 World Press Photo Book Award winner and 2021 Story of the Year HABIBI this Friday April 23 at 12pm EDT. "How I Photographed Love in a War Torn  Country" is the story of a personal journey on how love can survive in the most challenging of situations. Please use this link to register. Free to all.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdu-hqjguHd0Ahu-wlbVb5rgtRVUI9dDy?fbclid=IwAR0S8tiAky5s6M5A7sViyoINXcONB0LQ-rWW29bOQdgzouT5e-OlTE3ZxaI
FotoEvidence | Documenting Social Injustice

Date: April 22-24, 2021
Location: Online
Event: Northern Short Course
Organizer: Lauren Steel

The 39½ annual Northern Short Course will be held virtually this year on the device of your choice from April 22-24. The NSC will offer three days of networking, education and inspiration with amazing Lectures and Workshops. Also please join us on April 21, 2021 for the kickoff to the 2021 Northern Short Course, for the NSC Contest Awards and NPPA National Awards ceremony. Please follow the link below to register.

Some of the wonderful faculty members who will be presenting this year are: Victor Blue, Alysia Burton Steele, Victoria Will, Salwan Georges, Matt Pearl, Kyndell Harkness, Erin Schaff, Julio Cortez and Haruka Sakaguchi. We'll be announcing more faculty in the coming days. 
 Northern Short Course

Date: January 24 - February 4, 2022
Location: Online
Event: Santa Fe Workshops, Editing the Visual Story
Instructors: Sarah Leen and Bill Marr

This two-week workshop with six group sessions is made for photographers working on long-term projects who would like to become better editors of their own work. Most photographers find it challenging to edit their own work. If you need help clarifying your ideas, selecting your best images, and sequencing them into a compelling and impactful body of work please join us!! The class in collaborative and inspirational as we learn from one another and participate in each other's successes. Individual sessions will be held in the afternoons or days between classes.  Please follow the link for more information and to register.

SFW Online — Editing the Visual Story workshop
Solidify the skills that transform a random collection of images into a compelling and dynamic visual narrative with two masters of the craft.

Date: January 27, 2021
Time: 6:30- 9:30 PM EST
Location: Online
Event: FotoFest: Preparing for the Online Portfolio Review
Panelists: Sarah Leen with Mary Virginia Swanson, Douglas Marshal and Lisa Volpe

With so many of us meeting and sharing work online this seminar will discuss how to prepare yourself and your work to insure your review is a success. Please join Sarah Leen, Mary Virginia Swanson, (Advisor, M.V. Swanson & Associates), Douglas Marshall (Owner and Director, Marshall Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA), and Lisa Volpe (Associate Curator, Photography, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX) for an in-depth discussion that will offer tips on best practices for online reviews and how to take advantage of their private nature that has advantages to reviews conducted in person. Please follow the link to register. 

Deadline: January 10, 2021
Location: Siena, Italy
Event: Siena International Photo Awards
Juror: Elizabeth Krist


Siena International Photo Awards is a photographic contest open to professional and non-professional photographers from all around the world. SIPA is one of the photo contests with the highest international participation. The 2019 edition received nearly 48.000 images from amateur and professional photographers from 156 countries worldwide.
The winners will receive the Pangea Prize Crystal statuette during the Awards Ceremony which will be held in Siena in October as well as other cash and gear prizes. The winning images will be showcased in Siena at the "Imagine all the People Sharing all the World" exhibition in the fall of 2021.

Please follow the link to enter:
https://sipacontest.com/rules

Date: January 4, 2021 10AM EST
Location: Online
Event: VII Interactive Book Club
Speakers: Sarah Leen and Donna Ferrato

Please join Donna Ferrato and myself for a conversation about Donna's new book HOLY. Donna is fearless, a warrior for women and all the being female represents. Holy is both fierce and tender, personal and universal. Please join us for what I know will be an interesting discussion. Free to all!

VII Interactive. Book Club: "Holy" by Donna Ferrato - VII Agency
Join Donna Ferrato in conversation with Sarah Leen and Ziyah Gafic on January 4 at 10 AM ET for a discussion of her book "Holy."

Date: December 17, 2020 10AM EST
Location: Online
Event: VII Interactive Book Club-A Conversation
Speakers: Sarah Leen and Maggie Steber

Please join Maggie Steber and myself for a conversation on VII Interactive Thursday, December 17, 10AM EST about the photographer/photo editor relationship and how it can contribute to the success of long term projects and storytelling. Free to all!
VII Interactive. Sarah Leen In Conversation with Maggie Steber - VII Agency
Please join Maggie Steber and Sarah Leen for a conversation about the relationship between the photographer and the photo editor on December 17, 2020 at 10AM EDT. 

Dates: Postponed to late October
Location: Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, CA
Time: All Day
Event: CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit
Workshop and Portfolio Reviews: Elizabeth Cheng Krist 

Conversations, portfolio reviews, and workshops at the 2020 CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit: In Context, featuring a keynote by John Moore

2020 CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit: In Context — CatchLight
SAVE THE DATE: 2020 CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit: In Context | MAY 17-18, 2020

Dates: October 18-24, 2020
Location:  NYC
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Event: Workshop and Editing
Editing: Elizabeth Cheng Krist

In this workshop, participants will gain insights from a diverse range of industry experts on advancing their project towards targeted presentation. This includes researching your topic and finding its audience, working to edit a project to its strengths and present it to potential venues, publishers, and other constituencies.
 
Author, educator, and mentor Mary Virginia Swanson will be the lead faculty member, presenting a series of illustrated lectures that will broaden your industry awareness on a range of key issues. Topics discussed include the evolving editorial market, the challenges to the traditional gallery market, identifying new buyers for fine prints and licensing rights, understanding exhibition venues to maximize opportunities, and the role publications can play in promoting your work. Additionally, she will meet with each participant to help identify appropriate audiences for their work and discuss how to effectively market to them.

At the start of the workshop, Swanson will be joined by award-winning photo editor Elizabeth Krist for a 2-day editing session of students’ work. Through classroom talks and interactive demonstrations, you will learn the nuances of editing your photographs. Krist will work with each participant to edit images brought to the workshop, helping you to reveal the heart of your project.

Mary Virginia Swanson's photography workshop “Your Work and Its Audience: Making the Match, NYC 2020 — La Luz Workshops

Date: October 9-11, 2020
Location: Online
Event: Eddie Adams Workshop
Team Leader: Sarah Leen    
Reviewers: Lauren Steel, Elizabeth Krist

The Eddie Adams Workshop is a tuition-free photojournalism seminar for photographers at the start of their career, who submit portfolios for consideration. One hundred participants selected solely on the merit of their pictures team up with top professional photographers and editors for a gathering that includes assignments, portfolio reviews, and presentations. The Workshop began in 1988 with the goal to redress the exclusivity of professional opportunities by accepting students based on their demonstrated skills, and not on their ability to pay tuition. The all-volunteer faculty and staff, many of whom are alumni, are passionate about the mission and donate their time and expertise. The Workshop, with chief support from Nikon, has an unparalleled history of nurturing talent, exchanging ideas, and building relationships.  


The Eddie Adams WorkshopThe Eddie Adams Workshop The Eddie Adams Workshop

Date: October 1, 2020
Event: The Story Behind the Image
Moderator: Elizabeth Krist

The Lucie Foundation, in partnership with Canon, proudly presents The Story Behind the Image, the first in a series of panel discussions profiling the work of photojournalists who shed light on the plight of people around the world.

Up-and-coming documentary photographer Natalie Keyssar, Lucie Humanitarian Award-winning photographer and Canon Explorer of Light, Stephanie Sinclair, and World Press Photograph of the Year winner and 2018 Lucie Impact Award winner John Moore will be on the panel.

This discussion will be moderated by Elizabeth Krist, former Senior Photo Editor, National Geographic   It will take place at 7:30 pm at SVA (The School of Visual Arts), 333 W 23rd St, New York, NY and will last approximately an hour and a half. It is free of charge to attend.

Lucie Foundation
Honoring, Discovering, Cultivating And Promoting photography worldwide.

Date: October 1-4, 2020
Event: Photographing with Intention: A Weekend Masterclass
Instructors: Lynn Johnson and Elizabeth Krist

This workshop provides the rare opportunity for a small group of students to come together with award-winning National Geographic contributing photographer Lynn Johnson and editor Elizabeth Krist to explore the creative process of photography.

Emphasis will be placed on the concept of “working with intention,” with a focus on critical skills of photographic image making, sensitivity to light, design of the frame, and the power of the emotional moment. Most importantly, we will discuss how to get “unstuck” creatively so you can advance your personal style and build visually driven projects.

Leica is offering one person a scholarship for the workshop, as well as student and military discounts. 
Photographing with Intention: Lynn Johnson & Elizabeth Krist – Online – October 1st -4th, 2020 - Leica Akademie USA

Dates: September 27, 2020
Location:  Online
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Event: Photoville Project Reviews
Editing: Lauren Steel, Sarah Leen, Shannon Simon, Elizabeth Krist

Visual Thinking Collective members Sarah Leen, Shannon Simon, Lauren Steel, and Elizabeth Krist will critique submitted visual projects in smaller breakout groups for Photoville. Twenty-four photographers will be divided into random groups and will have an opportunity to discuss their project with one of the editors. Others in each group will have the opportunity to listen in.

Applications will be reviewed and accepted by the Photoville team.

To register click on the link below: 

Project Reviews with the Visual Thinking Collective
No Description. #Workshop

Dates: September 27, 2020
Location:  Online
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Event: Photoville Workshop
Editing: Shannon Simon, Lauren Steel, Sarah Leen, Elizabeth Krist

The Visual Thinking Collective will present a free online workshop for Photoville, geared toward the mid-career photographer. Presentations by Shannon, Lauren, Sarah, and Elizabeth will focus on building editorial skills and will consider an array of issues, including the elements of the visual narrative, researching and pitching story ideas, exploring your photographic identity, sustaining and editing long-term projects, marketing your abilities, and working with clients.

Visual Narrative and Your Story
Members of the Visual Thinking Collective will present a workshop geared toward the mid-career photographer. Presentations will focus on building editorial skills and will consider an array of issues, including the elements of the visual...

Lauren Steel, Sarah Leen, Shannon Simon, and Elizabeth Krist of the Visual Thinking Collective will present a workshop this Sunday for mid-career photographers as part of Photoville's free online programming. Presentations will focus on editorial skills such as building the elements of a visual narrative, researching and pitching story ideas, exploring your photographic identity, sustaining and editing long-term projects, marketing your abilities, and working with clients. September 27, 10 am - 12:30 pm

register: here

Date: September 17, 2020
Event: The Seed of an Idea  
Speakers: Lynn Johnson with Elizabeth Krist
 
National Geographic contributing photographer Lynn Johnson and photo editor Elizabeth Krist sit down to talk about their many collaborations, as well as an upcoming project. Discover the stories behind the images and gain insights into the crucial relationship of photographer and photo editor in visual storytelling.

#LeicaConversations #PhotovilleFestival

https://photoville.nyc/online/seed-idea-lynn-johnson-elizabeth-krist/

Date: July 20-24, 2020
Location: CUNY
Event: Workshop Talk
Guest Speaker: Elizabeth Krist

Many people can take decent photographs. Few photographers understand how to edit, sequence, and present their work. These skills, taught by pioneering photo editor James Estrin of The New York Times, will enable you to be better visual storytellers and help you distinguish yourself from other photographers. Joining Estrin will be Brent Lewis, Business Photo Editor of The New York Times, and Elizabeth Krist, former Senior Photo Editor at National Geographic.

Photo Editing Week with James Estrin of The New York Times - Newmark J-School
Learn how to select, sequence, and promote visual stories with the renowned New York Times staff photographer and co-founder of its Lens blog.

Dates: August 17, 19, 24, 26, 28, 2020
Location: Online
Time: Selected hours each day
Event: Editing the Visual Narrative
Instructors: Sarah Leen & Bill Marr

During five days over a two week period,  Sarah Leen, award-winning Founder / Editor of The Visual Thinking Collective and former Director of Photography for National Geographic magazine, and Bill Marr, former creative director at National Geographic and former director of photography at The Nature Conservancy, will work with you and your photographic projects to introduce you to a set of skills essential for every photographer: the art of visual storytelling and photo editing.

This class is for the photographer with an ongoing, or completed, visual project who wishes to move their work from a random collection of images to a compelling and dynamic visual narrative. In this workshop we will examine the elements of storytelling to offer you a clear, step-by-step approach to refining your storytelling skills, organizing your images, and editing your photographs into an exhibit, book, or publishable story.

In a fun, collaborative and inspirational environment you will see presentations by the instructors, do editing exercises and concentrate on organizing and editing your own projects learning from each other’s solutions and successes. This week is not about creating new images but about taking your storytelling projects to the next level.  

To apply: https://www.mainemedia.edu/workshops/item/editing-the-visual-narrative/

Dates: June 13-14, 2020
Location: International Center of Photography, NYC
Time: All Day
Event: Workshop
Instructors: Elizabeth Cheng Krist and Alice Gabriner

Workshop for students in the Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism program at ICP
International Center of Photography
The International Center of Photography is the world’s leading institution dedicated to the practice and understanding of photography and the reproduced image in all its forms.

Photo editors on how to pitch
FRIDAY, JUNE 12 4:30 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. (ET)
Cost: Free
Register here


Successful freelancers not only make great images, they also know how to research and pitch their ideas. Please join us for an informative panel discussion about best practices for crafting the “perfect pitch,” finding the right audience for your ideas and avoiding common mistakes. Sarah Leen, founder of the Visual Thinking Collective and former director of photography at National Geographic, will lead the discussion with an amazing group of visual professional including Danese Kenon, Philadelphia Inquirer director of photography; Olivier Laurent, Washington Post international photo editor; Kathy Moran, National Geographic deputy director of photography; Quentin Nardi, Smithsonian magazine chief photo editor; and Marisa Schwartz Taylor, Washington Bureau photo editor of the New York Times.

Make Your Pitch Perfect
Photo editors on how to pitch to them Friday, June 12 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. (ET) Register

Date: June 6, 2020 at noon EST
Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512986450?pwd=a3grQUF4LzJJR0kyb0liU2lpY2o2dz09
Event: Interview with Ernesto Bazan for Photoworks, regarding his latest book on Cuba, 25 de Noviembre
Interviewer: Elizabeth Krist

Glen Echo Photoworks
Join us Saturday, June 6, when Elizabeth Krist will interview ERNESTO BAZAN as part of the Photoworks free online lecture series “Conversations on Photography.” Ernesto Bazan was born in Palermo,..

Deadline: April 21, 2020
Location:  New Orleans, LA
Event: Grant Competition sponsored by the New Orleans Photo Alliance
Juror: Sarah Leen 

• Open for Submissions now until April 21, 2020
• Emerging and established photographers residing in the Gulf Coast states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are eligible to apply for the MPS Fund’s annual grants. The subject matter for the proposed project is not limited to the Gulf Coast geographic region but the photographers main residence must be within these 5 states.
• 
  
• Award includes: $3,000 grant | Featured exhibition during PhotoNOLA 2020 | online exhibition permanently archived on the NOPA website

2020 Michael P. Smith Fund For Documentary Photography Grant Guidelines - New Orleans Photo Alliance
The Michael P. Smith Fund for Documentary Photography (2020) Funeral of Emile Victor Clay, image by Michael P. Smith, 1996 © The Historic New Orleans Collection ELIGIBILITY Emerging and established photographers … Continue reading 2020 Michael...

Dates: Mar 5 - 7, 2020
Location: Fairfax, VA
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Portfolio Reviews: Lauren Steel


The 39th Annual Northern Short Course (NSC) will be held March 5-7, 2020, at the Hyatt Regency Fairfax in Fairfax, VA.

This three-day event is packed with more than two dozen workshops on a variety of topics relevant to professionals and students in the field of visual journalism.

Learn from and network with industry leaders, as they share their work and discuss what makes them successful.  Choose from a variety of workshops and lectures on topics such as business practices, multimedia, lighting, virtual reality, video storytelling and more.

Sign up for one-on-one portfolio reviews from top photo editors and photographers. Meet manufacturers and suppliers of photographic equipment, presenting the latest technology available.  You won’t find a more diverse conference – there’s something for everyone!

Save the date for the NSC Contest Awards and NPPA Annual Awards reception, Saturday, March 7, 2020, at the Hyatt Regency Fairfax following the conclusion of the 2020 Northern Short Course.


 Northern Short Course

Dates: Feb 7 - 9, 2020
Location: New York, New York
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Judge: Taylor Le

The SPD recognizes and promotes the best in editorial design, photography and illustration in print and digital mediums. They welcome entries from a diverse range of consumer print publications, independent magazines, custom-published magazines, trade, and educational magazines; as well as their mobile and web platforms.

Judges award Gold Awards for Excellence, the Silver Awards for Distinctive Achievement, and the finalists for Magazine of the Year and Brand of the Year.

https://www.spd.org/spd-55

Dates: January 15-16, 2020
Location: Washington DC
Time: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Attending: Elizabeth Cheng Krist, Sarah Leen, Shannon Simon, Lauren Steel

The National Geographic Storytellers Summit and Photography Seminar brings together inspirational and influential photographers, writers, filmmakers, illustrators and journalists to celebrate the art of storytelling and its ability to connect us and inspire change.