Humanities and Social Sciences

Bachelor of Visual Arts

Photojournalism Elective

These units can be studied online - More information

Artist: Marius Vervick

A good photojournalistic image is striking enough to make the reader want to find out more by reading the text surrounding it, whether it is a caption or an article. Often they stand on their own as a cultural icon of a particular event, triggering our memories of it. Since most journalism involves stories about people, much of photojournalism includes portraits, usually using the background of the image to tell us more about the subject.

Photojournalists most often work in conjunction with a writer, correspondent or journalist who provides the written material, though some freelancers produce both text and images. The racks of magazines in a newsagent will give an indication of the huge variety and demand for photojournalistic images, whether they be commissioned by publications or the Public Relations industry.

Photojournalism is a major 3-year subject offered at La Trobe University Bendigo campus, in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science. It is offered to students from any Degree course outside Visual Arts and Design, attracting many from Nature Tourism, Social Science, Education and Arts courses.

The syllabus covers the aesthetic, technical, theoretical, ethical and historical aspects of the medium. Students learn on rigorous assignments and are given the scope to pursue their own interests in folio work and picture essays. They get real world experience through work placement with professional photojournalists, with industry, by staging exhibitions, or on major research projects. These include "Small Towns, Big Picture" and “The Water project”, documenting the challenges facing rural regional communities.

Our current students and graduates readily find employment or freelance commissions in the industry in the region and beyond. There is no pre-requisite for the subject (though entry into other Degrees through which Photojournalism is accessed have their own requirements). Visual Arts students can incorporate a study in Photojournalism through the Comparative Studies in Visual Media unit. Photojournalism is only available at the Bendigo campus.

During the first year of the Photojournalism Course we begin from scratch, - ie, this is a camera, this is a developing tank, enlarger etc etc. The study of photography is not a prerequisite for this course.

The technical and the conceptual aspects are given equal priority, and the broad based first year course covers subjects such as street photography, lighting, landscape, ethics, narrative, environmental portraits, the photo essay & constructed imagery.

After-hours and week-end access to the darkrooms is available.

In second and third year the students work increasingly with the outside community enabling them to have a folio which includes published work, and work directed at obtaining employment, by the time of their graduation.

In all years, students are required to complete 2 assignments and produce a folio of work each semester. The lectures reflect the topic of the current assignment.

This is an exciting, challenging and rewarding course.

For further information contact:

Julie Millowick
Telephone : 03 5444 7353
Facsimile: 03 5444 7953
j.millowick@latrobe.edu.au