Description:
Photography has always been more than documentation — it’s been a catalyst for truth, empathy, and transformation. In this online Leica Akademie lecture, Eva Woolridge explores the deep lineage of photographers who used their cameras to illuminate injustice and inspire progress.
From the Civil Rights Movement to today’s global struggles for gender, racial, and queer liberation, this class traces how photography has functioned as a visual strategy for activism and policy influence — and how photographers today can continue that legacy.
Through the work of Ernest Cole, Emmanuel Hahn, Corky Lee, Lee Miller, Donna Ferrato, Zanele Muholi, Adama Delphine Fawundu, and others, students will study how artists have orchestrated their images to expand on their causes and how these methods can inform socially conscious photography today.
This course is designed for photographers who want their work to make a difference in social justice and progressive change — those who see their camera as both an artistic and political tool.
Agenda:
Week 1
- Framing the Lens: Photography’s Role in Historical Change
- Representation and Resistance
Week 2
- Intimacy, Gender, and the Politics of the Personal
- Modern Activism and Visual Legacy
Week 3
- Bridging Past and Present: Applying Activist Techniques Today
- Reflection and Vision
Things you should know:
While all experience levels are welcome to take this workshop, you should have a good understanding of your camera as well as an understanding of basic image editing. All camera brands are welcome. It is not required to use a Leica camera. Attendance is strictly limited, so be sure to sign up at your earliest opportunity.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, students will:
- Understand how photography has historically driven activism and systemic change.
- Analyze the strategies and aesthetics of photographers who advanced social movements.
- Learn how to translate historical lessons into modern visual strategies for community storytelling, social media, and editorial work.
- Reflect on the ethics of representation, authorship, and power in activist photography.
- Identify personal causes or communities they wish to amplify through their lens.
Who Should Attend
This class is ideal for:
- Photographers seeking to connect art with social justice and progressive change
- Students and creatives exploring the historical power of photography in activism
- Those who want to use their camera to document truth, inspire empathy, and spark transformation
Format & Tools
- Online lecture with visual presentation and group discussion
- Optional readings and reflection prompts provided
- Open to all experience levels
One scholarship is available for this program. To apply please send a brief email to Akademie@Leica-camera.com
Include a link to your portfolio, (no more than 20 images) and a brief explanation of who you are and what you hope to gain from the workshop. Deadline to apply: __________
AT-A-GLANCE
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Dates
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