Ed Kashi: Using the Language of Photography as a Tool to Communicate

Whether documenting a personal experience or a political travesty, the digital age is providing photographers with the tools and ability to tell stories with greater authorship and control. Ed Kashi, photojournalist, filmmaker and educator, shares his insights into the world of visual storytelling in a week-long workshop at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, August 11-15. Visual Storytelling & Documentary Photography Projects focuses on how to create a personal documentary project and get it seen. The ultimate goal of the class is to learn how to find a subject that speaks to a personal passion, document it in a compelling and unique visual style, and disseminate the work effectively to change people’s minds and help write history. As an active, working photojournalist, Kashi uses his own work to help guide his instructional pattern and style. While the workshop attendees will walk away from the class with a better understanding of composition, lighting and narrative storytelling, they can also expect to be inspired. “People come to photography workshops for all different reasons and with a broad range of skills,” said Kashi. “But the common link for students in this particular workshop will be their passion for photography and their desire to learn more.” Kashi often draws upon his current projects as inspiration for the class. As a photographer in advocacy journalism, his work often provides for compelling discussion and reflection. In 2013, he traveled to Nicaragua, where he was commissioned by the La Isla Foundation to document the epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Origin in sugar cane workers. His visual images share the plight of the workers affected by the cruel disease, as well as the families acting as caretakers and those left behind after the disease has taken its final toll. Kashi has also completed projects on the drought in California, the plight of Syrian refugees in Iraq and Jordan, and the looming potential for civil war in Nigeria. www.andersonranch.org