Why is it easier to talk about somebody else’s photographs than about your own? As photographers, what happens if we look to writing and poetry as a source of inspiration and to help us find new ways to speak about our work? Being able to talk about your own work and creative practice is important if you want to apply for competitions, portfolio reviews, exhibitions or scholarships —  or just want to make your website presentation more professional. Through weekly writing and photography assignments, you’ll develop new approaches to talking about your work and also create a new body of photographs.

Presentations on diverse contemporary artists (including photographers, poets, and novelists like Teju Cole, Colson Whitehead, An Rong Xu, and Sandra Cisneros) will sharpen your visual literary skills. Students will end the class with a collection of short texts about their personal practice, including an artist statement and bio, that serve as the inspiration and basis for a series of accompanying photographs.