Masterclass: Cathal McNaughton

Cathal McNaughton is a Pulitzer prize-winning Irish photographer currently based in Ireland. After winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for his coverage of the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, Cathal relocated backed back to Ireland where he is continuing his work documenting people and places.

This masterclass is a unique workshop combining real world assignments alongside professional instruction in technical and conceptual issues that enable participants to sharpen their critical thinking, research and technical skills. Participants will be given an assignment in the local community which you will research and photograph under a strict deadline. You will be shown how to construct a narrative and illustrate your assignment in a professional, compassionate, ethical and visually effective way. We will be working with local charities who will help us engage with members of the community on sensitive subjects and in turn we will be helping them highlight their cause.

It is an intense workshop that requires professionalism and commitment from all involved, therefore prospective participants must meet the requirements and criteria below. The workshop is strictly limited to six people. Cathal will accompany you at all times to give expert guidance and ensure best practice. The workshop is ideally suited to:

1. Practicing photojournalists and documentary photographers who would like to hone their skills.
2. Individuals with prior learning in photography who wish to advance in the fields of photojournalism and documentary photography.
3. Graduates in photography, multimedia studies or related fields.
4. Advanced amateur photographers with a keen interest in photography.

This masterclass is designed to replicate one of the thousands of assignments Cathal has photographed in his twenty plus years as a photojournalist. Therefore, the workshop will begin at 9am and will finish in the early to late evening.

What you will need

• A digital camera, or film camera, with manual controls.
• Experience, knowledge and technical skills in photography.
• A keen interest in photojournalism and documentary photography.

What you will learn

• Advanced experience, knowledge and confidence in photojournalism and documentary photography.
• Constructive criticism and feedback from a Pulitzer prize-winning photographer.
• Expert experience and guidance from professional photographers.
• Critical thinking, writing and research to develop and inform your project.
• Explore ways to prepare, plan and carry out a photography project.
• Explore ways to curate and present your work to a professional standard.
• Produce a professional standard photography project.
• Develop the ability and experience to pursue a career or education in photography.

For more information contact Conor at [email protected]