In the fall of 2026, the United States will enter a pivotal midterm election season. Questions surrounding democracy, power, identity, labor, migration, climate change, and public life continue to shape our everyday lives. Corporate media consolidation, misinformation, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence are transforming how information is produced, distributed, and understood. In this environment, using photography as an act of bearing witness seems more vital than ever.

Photographs can create records, amplify overlooked voices, challenge dominant narratives, and help communities better understand themselves. The ability to observe events as they unfold and communicate those experiences to others remains a critical skill. This course examines where photojournalism and documentary practice overlap, where they diverge, and how both respond to the political, cultural, and social realities of contemporary life.

Over ten weeks, students will identify a subject, investigate it in depth, and develop a body of work through ongoing feedback and critique. Alongside photographic approaches, the course addresses the logistics, safety, and ethics of working in the field, as well as traditional and experimental methods for distributing work. Students are introduced to historical and contemporary photographers while developing their own visual voice through sustained inquiry, critical thinking, and engagement with the world around them.