Documentary Photography Workshop


photo access

Father and son Monching and Lexter wears their centurion costumes as they pose for pictures outside their home in a remote area in Quezon province, April 5, 2023. According to the town’s tourism department, the unique garb originated when residents who were unable to purchase conventional centurion armor fashioned their own by embellishing their tunics with homemade feathers crafted from crepe paper, which has become a yearly tradition for penitents in the community.

Join documentary photographer George Calvelo, a 2025 photo access exhibiting artist, for an immersive workshop on visual storytelling through documentary photography. With 12 years of experience in photojournalism, George has captured everything from breaking news and political upheaval to deeply personal long-form documentary projects. His work has been published internationally and exhibited in the Philippines, Japan, and Australia.

This three-session workshop is designed for photographers of all experience levels who want to create meaningful personal projects, refine their vision and learn how to edit and present their work. Ideal for aspiring photojournalists and documentary photographers, this workshop will help you refine your vision, build a compelling body of work, and strengthen your storytelling skills.

Rather than one-off shooting exercises during the sessions, you’ll be given tasks between classes, giving you a full week to reflect, shoot, and refine your work before sharing it for discussion and feedback.

Whether starting fresh or building on an existing project, you’ll gain insight into narrative depth, sequencing, and ethical considerations. With group discussions, hands-on exercises and personalised feedback, George will guide you in crafting compelling stories that go beyond simple documentation.

Documentary Photography runs over three consecutive Saturdays at photo access

Saturday, September 13th 10 am-4 pm

Saturday, September 20th 10 am-4 pm

Saturday, September 27th 10 am-4 pm

photo access

30 Manuka Circle. Griffith ACT 2603

Session 1 – Saturday, September 13th, 10 am to 4 pm at photo access
Foundations & Project Development

AM: Understanding the role of documentary photography and personal storytelling.
PM: Portfolio review and develop your project idea with a clear direction.
Exercise: Write about why your project matters and share inspiring images.

Session 2 – Saturday, September 20th, 10 am to 4 pm at photo access
Project Refinement & Critique

AM: Share early images for group critique and refine your storytelling approach.
PM: Deepen your project with stronger narrative, sequencing, and ethical considerations.
Exercise: Create a five-image story and provide peer feedback.

Session 3 – Saturday, September 27th, 10 am to 4 pm at photo access
Editing, Sequencing & Presentation

AM: Learn to edit and sequence images for compelling visual storytelling.
PM: Present your project and explore different ways to showcase your work.
Exercise: Select your strongest images and refine your project’s core message.

What to bring

  • Your own laptop
  • A set of 10-12 images that represent your body of work, who you are as a photographer, and a short project description for a short portfolio review
  • Your lunch and snacks
  • Drink bottle
  • Your camera and any related equipment (optional as the class focuses more on discussion rather than shooting)

What's provided

  • A notebook and pen for taking notes and recording discoveries
  • If you do not have your own laptop, please reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll arrange one for you
  • Tea and coffee

Tutor

George Calvelo

George Calvelo is a documentary photographer with 12 years of experience in photojournalism. His early work covers a broad range of subjects, including news, natural and man-made disasters, social issues, politics, sports, entertainment, and daily life. His work has been featured in major news outlets and publications across Asia, America, Europe, Australia, and the UAE, among others. In the latter half of his career, George has focused more on producing photo stories and long-form documentary work. His pictures have been exhibited in various countries, including the Philippines, Japan, and most recently Canberra, where he is currently based. He has recently signed with Getty Images Australia as one of their stringers under an independent contract, covering news and feature stories in Canberra and Sydney. His personal work is an attempt to write poetry with his images reflecting on years of unprocessed thoughts, stemming from witnessing systemic disinformation and the simmering societal disorder in his native country. To support his documentary and personal projects, George works multiple jobs as a wedding and lifestyle photographer, and support worker in the Australian Capital Territory.

View artist profile

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