I have decided to offer a special small group workshop in Haiti focused on photographing the aftermath of the earthquake. Subjects covered will be working in disaster zones and other difficult and dangerous situations, survival and logistics in difficult environments, photograph people, working with NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) and aid organizations, editing and digital darkroom technique, and marketing to make your stories available for the world to see.
In addition to working together as a small group, each student will receive one full day of one-on-one training in the field. This will allow each student to have their personal needs met and get one-on-one instruction in addition to that of the group activities.
This workshop is open to a maximum of four students. Cost is $4,000 USD for seven days and students will be required to pay their own expenses. This will be a difficult workshop both physically and mentally, and students should be prepared for minimal comforts. Students will sleep in their own tents and should bring their own supplies such as food and water purification (you will receive detailed instructions on what to bring in advance of the workshop). The workshop will either begin on March 8th, March 15th or March 22nd, depending on the preferences of the group. Workshop tuition must be paid by March 1st.
This will be a unique experience to not only train in the field but also help keep up awareness of a very important issue that will soon fade from the news, while the needs of the Haitians will continue.
For more information please fill out a workshop application found at the bottom of the page of zoriah.com/workshops and e-mail the address found on that page. Please note that this workshop is intended for advanced students and those already on a career path. Age limits and other restrictions apply. Students will be required to fill out release waivers, medical waivers and provide their own medical and evacuation insurance. More details will be provided to students upon receiving their applications including detailed packing lists, etc.
For information on other photojournalism workshops and one-on-one training in the field in other parts of the world, please visit www.zoriah.com/workshops for more information.
50-percent of the money raised from this workshop will go to my friends at Hospice Saint Joseph, which was completely destroyed in the quake. They were my friends and support before the quake and after, and I look forward to helping them. They are currently providing medical care for those affected by the earthquake and staging a small camp on their property.
Nothing like the internet to bring out the children with behavior problems. David, your parents should be ashamed of you.
Posted by: Nic`` | February 04, 2010 at 06:54
What is wrong with some of these commenters.. this is looking more like youtube-comments, than anything else.
Posted by: Fredrik | February 04, 2010 at 07:47
I think your work is amazing and would be attending this if I could.
I'll pass a link to this on to some friends.
Posted by: Tristan | February 04, 2010 at 09:32
You have no regard for humans. You were the one who showed dead U.S. Marines in Iraq. Why don't you get a life and let the real photojournalists document Haiti.
Posted by: Nick | February 04, 2010 at 09:52
I think you are a model human Zoriah, a one of a kind. Nobody else puts themselves in the face of the truth like you do. You are the only TRUE photojournalist the world has. Thank you for risking your identity for the sake of truth, change, and graciousness. You are a the BEST there is. All these negative comments above, and I'm sure below after mine, come from ignorant uneducated people. Keep following your heart, it will always bring you joy. Your heart is the only voice you need to be listening to.
Posted by: Betheny | February 04, 2010 at 16:20
I think this is a great opportunity to learn photojournalism with real hard events. As photographers, we have the gift of capturing moments and documenting them to the world. Without photographers, the world wouldn't know what is really going on. I myself have been wanting to go to Haiti to photograph what is going, to witness the horror through my camera.
Posted by: Daniel Kudish | February 04, 2010 at 17:14
wow, I can't believe the things people are saying. First of all, unless you know someones motives you can't judge. If the motives are to truly help the people (even if it wasn't thought through very deeply) then what's wrong with it. second of all, There is not one photojournalist I know who hasn't been accused of exploiting tragedy at one point in their career or another. all that being said I don't think it's a great idea to bring a bunch of people who dont know what they are doing into a situation where they should be extremely sensitive.
Posted by: matt | February 04, 2010 at 17:35
This is great (not). Obviously what the Haitians need now are more pictures of suffering and disaster - that will get them back on their feet in no time!
If you can afford to fly there, you can afford to help. A lot.
Posted by: pjf | February 04, 2010 at 18:25
It's nice to see your friend "Betheny" chime in that: "You are the only TRUE photojournalist the world has." That's a pretty ballsy statement.
Let me ask, what kind of photojournalist asks for donations to "support independent photojournalism". My educated guess, with more than 25 years of published experience, is that perhaps your work is mediocre, at best. In the old days, photojournalists earned their keep by producing quality, story-telling work that magazines and news outlets ASSIGNED them to shoot, and not on spec.
You come across as a glory hound and a narcissist. I had never heard of you until a colleague emailed me this link. Someone of your limited experience and name recognition should learn to humble up and let your pictures do the talking.
You have a lot of passion and I do wish you luck.
Posted by: Kevin C. | February 07, 2010 at 00:50
You should be ashamed of yourself for hosting a workshop at a nation in dire need right now.
If you were a truly wanted to help, you would donate 100% of your profits to help out the people of Haiti.
Posted by: Nick | February 07, 2010 at 01:47
You should've been capitalizing on disaster photography from earlier on in the millennium. Imagine how much money you could've raked in if you did a workshop inside ground zero of WTC... Then Katrina... Sheesh, my head is spinning with all the disasters you missed out on! Hell, why doesn't anyone else do it? Oh right.. because they have COMPASSION over arrogance.
Posted by: miklos | February 07, 2010 at 04:03
Thank you, for showing us how low a person can go.
You are a sad predator.
You are the ultimate glory hound. Shame on you and all those like you.
Haiti and Iraq are NOT tourist zones for the morale bankrupt like you.
I do not live in blog land, like so many these days. So this is first time I ever wrote to something like this.
Been a magazine photojournalist for 20+ years, covered numerous conflicts, never heard of you or seen your work before. Nothing exceptional or memorable. Everyone has the right to try to be a photojournalist. But pretending to be real one and sell workshops etc for the uneducated general public is ethically bankrupt.
To make sure I was not too busy making images and doing real stories, and had missed something important or someone ... asked a few editors I work for and fellow professional photographers and none have ever heard of you.
Now that we have we are DISGUSTED.
There is nothing brave about being a self serving ego manic.
The story is not about you. The story is about the people. Show respect.
Truth is not something, you even have a clue about.
Not something you sell. Doubt any or us real journalists commenting on your farce, will make a dent.
To each there own, you have the right to do whatever.
Please go back to your country club life, ours is a serious job.
Have to go wash my hands, I feel dirty, just being on your blog.
Posted by: Smith | February 07, 2010 at 17:46
Photomercenary.
Posted by: Scott | February 08, 2010 at 04:57
Ridiculous. Unprofessional. Unethical.
Posted by: ab | February 08, 2010 at 05:00
You are a parasitical opportunist--plain and simple, and a disgrace to the profession.
Posted by: JM | February 08, 2010 at 07:42
From under which rock, exactly, did you crawl, Mr. Zoriah -- and how can we send you back there?
Posted by: D. Ross Cameron | February 08, 2010 at 08:47
Zoriah I think you are AWESOME with a capital 'F'. I mean, the fact that you would take time out of your busy day covering catastrophe to show people around and help them learn how to take pictures of people's suffering is just wonderful. You are truly an inspiration.
--Your Mom
Posted by: Your Mom | February 08, 2010 at 16:13
The next time I read in the paper or see on T.V. that a "journalist" (and in your case, I use the term VERY LIGHTLY) has been either taken hostage or--better yet--killed while covering a hot spot or disaster zone, I'm hoping to see/hear your name and see your self-righteous smug-ass mug shot.
Posted by: EB | February 08, 2010 at 17:14
Wow, all these haters are giving me indigestion. On the other hand, when I first read Zoriah's workshop invitation in earthquake-ravaged Haiti,I was also perturbed by it.
I think Zoriah would do better to just realize his enthusiasm and passion may have gotten the better of his sense of propriety and judgement on this one.
Posted by: Luke Thomas | February 08, 2010 at 21:33
Fiendish idea. No class, no care, no consideration.
Posted by: Adam P | February 09, 2010 at 00:59
You have the chutzpah to call yourself a "photojournalist?" What's even more despicable is the way you try to rationalize your blatantly crass, opportunistic and exploitative actions. Maybe some stars-in-their-eyes rookie shooters might think "Zoriah's way" is the way to go, but they'd have multitudes to learn. The profession and the word definitely doesn't need more Zoriahs. Man--now I think I need to go take another shower after visiting your site.
Posted by: Joe | February 09, 2010 at 05:50
There is no doubt in my mind what so ever that Profit lance will show you how to make money online, but there are many obstacles your going to face in order to do it or to get to where I am at. What I mean is, there's allot of information, tools and resources in this course that your going to have to get familiarized with before you can become successful. Yes you will earn money but to make a living out of it your going to really need to understand how everything works.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Posted by: somaie | February 09, 2010 at 05:55
You're a tool man.
Posted by: jb | February 10, 2010 at 06:07
If people can afford their own airfare, buy a tent, supplies and pay you 4k, then they should take ALL that money and DONATE it directly to helping Haitians not padding your dirty pockets. Your workshop has a very strong "ick" factor written all over it. Shame on you.
Posted by: Robin | February 10, 2010 at 16:42
There is nothing about this plan that is useful, ethical, moral, or even contains common sense. This is totally based in greed, selfishness and serves no one but those with the sickest intent. Shame on you man, to call yourself a human being, let alone a photographer.
You will put yourself and others at dangerous risk and open yourself up to an awesome buffet of litigation for injuries and even death you may bring to your simple-minded participants.
Patrick Murphy-Racey
Knoxville Tennessee
10 Haiti Mission trips since 2004
Posted by: patrick murphy-racey | February 10, 2010 at 19:30
Oh good lord,
Now we have a missionary chiming in, yea 10 mission trips and what the fuck have you accomplished in those 10 trips. Absolutely nothing, aside from harvesting souls for the lord. Yea thats what the Haitian people need, more fucking rhetoric, that puts food in their bellies and roofs over their heads.
I love how a bunch of white, middle class, over zealous morons think they know what is and isn't exploiting the people of Haiti, if you ask the Haitian people I think they would point to missionaries as those who exploit the most. Not only in Haiti, but in every developing country where missionaries go to harvest souls for the lord. you come in, and forcibly impress you belief system and ideals on people who want nothing more than to eat and provide good lives for their families.
Missionaries are the people who should bear the brunt of this criticism. You do no people any good, you consistently divide the nations you visit, and leave in your wake a trail of destruction and turmoil.
Posted by: James Rhodes | February 10, 2010 at 22:28
I've recently returned from 3 weeks in Haiti, for British Newspapers.
Victims of disasters like this need to handled with compassion and dignity.
They don't need a group of photographers looking for 'photo ops' for the hell of it.
Sure I got paid to go there, but after 15 years in the industry I believe I can show the respect and dignity to these victims.
Not sure a workshop of photographers would do the same.
The challenge in news photography is not producing great images from tragic disasters, but producing great images from mundane events...Thats the real challenge.
Nick Stern
Posted by: Nick Stern | February 13, 2010 at 05:33
haha these commenters are INSANE! BONKERS! Holier than thou much? Sour grapes much?
Posted by: merkley??? | June 07, 2010 at 06:22
I really sorry about all the people who lost someone in this horrible incident, I don't wanna think about the pain of lost anyone in something like this, besides I can't take pictures after a situation like that.
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