schedule & topic overview

Editorial photography is about exploring and capturing stories and themes. We will start with 4 broad themes and then explore them in as much detail as we can manage.

The themes are:

Faith
Industry
Old and new in a rapidly changing society
Culture and daily life

We are particularly interested in:

Architecture and the intersection of the historical city (mosques, palaces, towers) and modern Istanbul (office towers, museums, theaters).
Traditional industries (farming, rug-making) vs. the new economy (manufacturing, shipbuilding, automotive, banking, construction)
Environmental concerns in a period of rapid growth & generational change
Old and new cultural pursuits (Hookah bars, Turkish baths, Markets, Tea gardens,Traditional theatre and dancers vs. shopping malls, modern nightlife, clubs, and art galleries)
The passing of cultural traditions from elders to the next generations, and differences and similarities in values between the young and old.

Each morning we will all meet together for a a seminar on a specific aspect of editorial photography, and discuss the topics to be covered for the day.

The groups then head out to shoot. There will be 6 groups of 5 people, each one accompanied by one of our Creative Directors as well as one of our Turkish members. Your task is to cover one of our 4 topics each day. You will be encouraged to wander and explore and find different ways to approach the day's themes. Each day there will also be one set location for each theme where the groups will work together in a collaborative fashion, where everyone has more control over the situation and the opportunity to create their own shots.

After the shooting day, we reconvene and look at what we've done. Each attendee brings a maximum of 12 shots from the day for all of us to look at and discuss.

Tentative Schedule

(Exact times and locations to be posted closer to the event)

Wednesday November 4

Registration & Orientation (location TBD)

Welcome to everyone and introductions from the iStockalypse team.
– Introduction of our guest speakers
– A Q&A period

Focus Class
– We are learning a new way of looking. Instead of creating a situation and dictating its terms, we are responding to what is present.

We will do a nightly exercise that works like this.
  – Shoot something from 5 feet
  – use available light
  – manual focus
  – get Aidan Sullivan to explain to you the concept of Hyperfocal and why thousands of incredible photographs have been missed in recent years due to photographers trusting their brand new shiny digital cameras way too much

A night out.

Thursday November 5

Meet at Seminar location.

Basics of Editorial 1: Tom Stoddart 30 mins and Q&A.

Basics of Editorial 2: Aidan Sullivan 30 mins and Q&A.

– Small break –

Basics of Editorial 3: Andreas Gebhard 30 mins and Q&A.

Head out into Istanbul for the day in groups to predetermined locations.

Meet back at Seminar location. Groups gather and review pictures on a laptop in groups. Editors and staff make their way through the room making suggestions and feedback.

A night out.

Friday November 6

Meet at Seminar location.

A Working Photojournalist: Tom Stoddart
45 - 60 mins and Q&A.

A look at Tom's work and the anecdotes that go along with them, covering a notable career over the years. Turning the germ of an idea into a full-blown project, and what makes a good feature story.

Head out into Istanbul for the day in groups to predetermined locations.

Meet back at Seminar location. Groups gather and review pictures on a laptop in groups. Editors and staff make their way through the room making suggestions and feedback.

A night out.

Saturday November 7

Meet at Seminar location.

A commissioning editor's perspective: Aidan Sullivan
45 mins and Q&A.

What are editors looking for in a sotry? Examples of eye-catching features, values, and proposal treatments. How different photographic styles suit different proposals, and how styles and methods of presentation influence editors.

Head out into Istanbul for the day in groups to predetermined locations.

Meet back at Seminar location. Groups gather and review pictures on a laptop in groups. Editors and staff make their way through the room making suggestions and feedback.

A night out.

Sunday November 8

Meet at Seminar location.

Working in the digital media world: Andreas Gebhard
45 mins and Q&A.

What do editors expect from the photographers they commission? Formats, delivery, available technology, standards of photography. Getting the best from a shoot or subject to tell the story.

Head out into Istanbul for the day in groups to predetermined locations.

Meet back at Seminar location. Groups gather and review pictures on a laptop in groups. Editors and staff make their way through the room making suggestions and feedback.

Final Wrap Up party with Presentation.

A big night out.