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[H4] Magnum Chronicles: A Global Portrait of Generation Z

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[H4] Grace/Grazia: Bruce Gilden for Raphael

[H5] Bruce Gilden

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[H4] Here/Elsewhere: Jonas Bendiksen and the Digital Shift

[H5] Jonas Bendiksen

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[H4] The Future of Cuba

[H5] Moises Saman

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[H4] In Dialogue: Magnum Learn Lab’s Tania Bohórquez and Ania Nałęcka-Milach

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[H4] Chernobyl: 40 Years On

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Theory & Practice

[H4] Agony in the Garden

[H5] Lúa Ribeira

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[H4] Remembering Raghu Rai (1942–2026)

[H5] Raghu Rai

Theory & Practice

[H4] Signature Drop #004: Mikhael Subotzky

[H5] Mikhael Subotzky

News

[H4] Beirut, Lebanon: War and Displacement Through Generations

[H5] Myriam Boulos

Arts & Culture

[H4] Marc Riboud in Japan

[H5] Marc Riboud

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[H4] Harry Gruyaert’s New York

[H5] Harry Gruyaert

News

[H4] Stories Behind Revolutions

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Arts & Culture

[H4] Martin Parr: In Plain View at Magnum Gallery

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Theory & Practice

[H4] Mikhael Subotzky: The Art of Reconstruction

[H5] Mikhael Subotzky

Theme | 3 Stories

[H4] Signature Drops

[H5]

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[H1]
Learn with Magnum

Magnum Learn provides opportunities to meet and learn from Magnum photographers worldwide, helping students of all levels to experiment and craft stories.

About

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[H2]
Magnum Learn Lab for Storytellers

Over the past five years, Magnum Photos has expanded its educational initiatives to reach a wider audience, ensuring that each program supports photographers at different stages of their careers. We are now launching Magnum Learn Lab for Storytellers, a ten-month international mentorship program designed to support emerging photographers.

Discover the program

[H1] Workshops

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Yerevan, Armenia
May 17–22, 2026

1 SPOT LEFT – Inside>>Out: Sketch Up Your Photobook

Ania Nałęcka-Milach, Rafal Milach

Lesvos, Greece
June 29–July 3, 2026

Visions of the Aegean: A Photography Retreat

Enri Canaj

Paris, France
July 3–5, 2026

How to be a Working Photographer

Cloé Kerhoas, Emin Özmen

Marseille, France
August 9–28, 2026

Summer Course

Antoine d’Agata, Lúa Ribeira, Peter van Agtmael

Capadoccia, Turkey
October 5–9, 2026

A Documentary Journey in Cappadocia

Cloé Kerhoas, Emin Özmen

Online
November 7–8, 2026

The Language of Pictures

Mark Power, Stuart Smith

Yerevan, Armenia
May 17–22, 2026

JOIN THE WAITING LIST – Inside>>Out: On Portraiture

Olivia Arthur

Yerevan, Armenia / Alaverdi, Armenia
May 17–22, 2026

JOIN THE WAITING LIST – Inside>>Out: Armenian Field Notes

Antoine d’Agata

Paris, France
June 21–24, 2026

JOIN THE WAITING LIST – The Gaze and the Interval

Bieke Depoorter, Cristina de Middel

[H1] Free Programs & Partnerships

Online
January 2025 – December 2028

FUTURES: Learn with Magnum Photos

Yerevan, Armenia
May 17–22, 2026

Public Talks Inside>>Out Yerevan

Ania Nałęcka-Milach, Antoine d’Agata, Olivia Arthur, Rafal Milach

Online
5PM CET, June 16, 2026

Magnum Learn Lab for Storytellers Open Day

Online
30 June 2026

FUTURES x Magnum Artist Spotlight: Sára Kölcsey

Online
22 September 2026

FUTURES x Magnum Artist Spotlight: Visvaldas Morkevicius

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Online
[H2]
Mentorships

Magnum Photos offers mentorships for visual storytellers and artists eager to elevate their projects to the next level.
Join our mentorship program and collaborate with renowned Magnum photographers through dynamic and interactive online sessions.

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On Demand
[H2]
Online Courses

Magnum photographers give you their personal advice through in-depth interviews, on-location shoots and off-line workbooks with expanded interviews.

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[H2]

Magnum Photographers
Magnum photographers and industry figureheads provide their best advice and insight to help you improve your practice.

Exclusive Lessons
Magnum Learn courses are 100% exclusive, offering insider access to some of the world's leading photographers.

Anywhere, Anytime
Our courses are available on-demand so you can learn at your own pace, and access your courses anywhere with an internet connection.

[H3]
Magnum Online Courses

Join over 35,000 photography students who have already taken an on-demand course by Magnum and start developing your practice with detailed lessons, industry advice and exercises.

[H3]

[H3]
Mark Power: Picturing Place

Mark Power’s complex, meticulously crafted images and over 13 published photobooks have earned him a reputation as one of the forerunners of British photography in a career spanning over 40 years. Now, the photographer shares a pragmatic and comprehensive guide to building a sustainable career in photography and shooting projects in both familiar and unfamiliar places with purpose, passion, and perseverance.

GIVE AS A GIFT

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Add to cart -
$99

[H3]
Cristina de Middel: Stranger than Reality

Cristina de Middel opens the doors to her strange photographic universe from her home in Salvador, Brazil. Described as being the course that she wishes she could have followed when younger, De Middel takes you through the past, present, and future of her life as a visual storyteller, sharing a wealth of tips, advice, and exercises along the way.

GIVE AS A GIFT

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$99

[H3]
Gregory Halpern: Documentary Sur/Realism

Featuring a curriculum of 16 lessons, Gregory Halpern unpacks his approach to portraiture, the power of editing and sequencing in building photographic narratives, and shares insights into how his celebrated projects and photobooks – including A, ZZYZX and Omaha Sketchbook – were created.

GIVE AS A GIFT

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$99

[H3]
Matt Black: The Documentary Commitment

Across a curriculum of 21 lessons spanning more than five hours, Black speaks on his pathway into photography, teaches some of his key guiding principles to making meaningful work, often on difficult subjects, and shares insights on how he has developed significant projects focused on themes of geography, inequality, and the environment in his native region of the Central Valley in California, as well as further afield.
GIVE AS A GIFT

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$99

[H3]
Jonas Bendiksen: Curiosity in Practice

Across 18 in-depth lessons, award-winning photographer Jonas Bendiksen imparts the vital lessons learned over a 20+ year career. Delving into a wide range of subjects, Bendiksen explores the inspiration found in a restless attitude to making photographs—as well as the nitty-gritty details of the craft, and shares valuable insights and advice on generating ideas, storytelling techniques, and developing long-term documentary projects.
GIVE AS A GIFT

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$99

[H3]
Bieke Depoorter: Chance Encounters

In our third on-demand course, Depoorter delves into her philosophy on working with people — one that is rooted in the idea of being “a person first, photographer second” — while also exploring the complexities that come with this approach. Through a curriculum of 17 lessons, Depoorter shares how she builds trust with her subjects in a short space of time, allowing her to create intimate portraits of near-strangers. Drawing on her main bodies of work, she explores the benefits and complexities of photographic relationships.
GIVE AS A GIFT

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[H3]
Alec Soth: Photographic Storytelling

Learn from world-renowned photographic artist Alec Soth. Gain unique insights into Soth’s practice and process through over five hours of exclusive video lessons, including in-depth interviews, on-location shoots and off-line workbooks with expanded dialogues, tips and tricks. This course covers Soth’s creative journey, how to build photographic projects, portraiture, developing photobooks from dummy to publication and more.
GIVE AS A GIFT

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$99

[H3]
The Art of Street Photography

This course presents a curriculum of ten engaging video lessons featuring the honest advice and insights from seven world-class Magnum photographers plus industry experts. You will learn the mindset and framework required to become a successful street photographer, and see your tutors in action as they photograph in a variety of locations, from Bruce Gilden on the streets of New York to Martin Parr at a county fair.
GIVE AS A GIFT

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[H3]
Learn with Magnum

Magnum Photos provides photographers at different stages in their careers with truly unique educational and professional development opportunities. Magnum Photos is committed to making quality education accessible and affordable to the next generation of visual storytellers from across the globe.
Check out  our latest workshops, portfolio reviews, seminars and much more.

Learn More

© Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

[H1]

© Sohrab Hura

Two Column Text
Over the past five years, Magnum Photos has expanded its educational initiatives to reach a wider audience, ensuring that each program supports photographers at different stages of their careers. We are now launching Magnum Learn Lab, a ten-month international mentorship program designed to support emerging photographers.
The Lab brings together the most effective elements of our current programs and years of learning initiatives into a cohesive mentorship program for 20 selected participants. Featuring a series of immersive, in-person residencies and offering long-term artistic and professional guidance, it is centered on elevating each participant’s practice with more purpose and direction.
Working closely with Magnum photographers Newsha Tavakolian, Antoine d’Agata and Rafał Milach, alongside artist Tania Bohórquez and designer Ania Nalecka-Milach, participants will discover their mentors’ individual practices and professional experiences to cultivate and embrace their own artistic approach.
Through ongoing dialogue, critical feedback, and personalized guidance, the mentors will support participants in refining their vision and strengthening the conceptual and narrative dimensions of their work.

Each participant will also receive individual online mentoring sessions from a pool of selected Magnum photographers that will run in complement to the in-person program.
Each pillar of the Lab will guide participants from the early stages of research and conceptual development to editing, producing, and presenting their work. Magnum Learn Lab fosters critical conversations, peer dialogue, and sustained engagement in a supportive environment where both the project and photographer evolve and grow.
The first two in-person meetings will be hosted in locations designed to inspire creative thinking, self-reflection and a deep immersion in the critical approaches to photography. Everyone will stay in the same hotel (included in the price), with shared meals and plenty of time for informal discussions.
The final in-person meeting will culminate with the creation of a book dummy, and an opening event taking place during Paris Photo, photography’s most sought-after international event.

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Submit your application

Magnum Learn Lab aspires to:
Support the long-term development of a personal photographic project within a sustained, personalized framework
Encourage critical reflection, experimentation and artistic freedom
Foster dialogue among peers within an international community of photographers
Provide ongoing mentorship and professional insight to support photographers in understanding their position within contemporary photographic and editorial contexts
Accompany photographers through the full arc of a project, from initial research to presenting and publishing their work

The program includes three main pillars:
Immersive in-person workshops (112 hours)
Three intensive five-day workshops with Magnum mentors held throughout the year, focused on artistic research, editing, collective critique, and advancing each participant’s project.
Individual mentorship (8 hours)
Eight individual online mentoring sessions with a Magnum photographer, providing personalized project support throughout the year. The list of photographers available for a mentorship is accessible here.
Expert Days (136 hours)
Five online sessions focused on professional practice with industry experts who will provide insight into securing assignments, getting work published, curating a body of work, and applying for funding or grants.
Previous experts invited on other Magnum Learn workshops: Lidwine Kervella – photo editor at Courrier International; Clara Chalou – artistic director at Circulation(s); Jordan Alves – publisher at Atelier EXB; Sergio Valenzuela Escobedo – curator; Lewis Chaplin – co-founder of Loose Joints; Laurence Cornet – photo editor at Le Monde.

Submit your application here.

Application Process

To apply, participants are required to complete an application form and submit a CV, a motivation letter, and a portfolio. Your portfolio can be a video, photographs or whatever encapsulates your work best. The deadline to apply is September 27, 2026.
Each application will be reviewed by the Magnum Learn team within 48 hours. If an application is successful, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview with the Magnum Learn team.

About the Lab

Magnum Learn Lab is a mentorship-based artistic program. It is not a technical photography course. The program emphasizes artistic research, critical dialogue, and long-term project development rather than technical instruction.

Time Commitment

Participants are expected to fully engage with the program over its ten-month duration. This includes attendance at all in-person workshops, active participation in online sessions, and ongoing independent work on their personal project between sessions.

Practical Requirements

Participants are expected to work independently throughout the program and should have access to their own photographic equipment and digital workflow.
This includes: A digital camera, a laptop, an external hard drive, and photo editing software.

When & Where

The program will begin in January 2027 and conclude in November 2027. The exact dates will be shared with participants closer to the start of the course.
In-person sessions will take place in Italy (January and May) and Paris (November).

Who should apply?

If you have been practicing photography or working as a photographer for several years and are ready to start a personal photographic project or to further develop an existing one with the support of Magnum photographers, we strongly encourage you to apply.
Please note that the program is designed from emerging to mid-career practitioners and does not include instructions about the technical aspects of photography.

Fees & Payment Plans

Fees : $17,450. Upon being accepted on the course, successful participants will be asked to pay a minimum deposit of $3500. Payments plans will be available and discussed with the course Coordinator, based on the month you enroll in the course. Full payment is needed before 30 November 2026.

What does the fee cover?

The fee covers the workshop itself as well as full board for the 2 in-person meetings in Italy. It does not cover travel to the course locations, insurance and accommodation in Paris.

Certificate

Each participant successfully completing the Lab will receive a certificate signed by Magnum Photos and the Mentors.

Contact

If you have any questions about this course, please contact us : education@magnumphotos.com.
You can also ask us to book a Magnum Learn Open Session to discuss your goals and the program.

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Submit your application

The program gave me confidence in the direction of my project and the importance of staying true to my personal vision while also considering how to communicate it clearly to others. I left feeling more connected to a community of photographers and motivated to continue developing my work.

[H2] Course Mentors

Antoine D'Agata

Newsha Tavakolian

Rafał Milach

Tania Bohórquez

Ania Nałęcka-Milach

[H2] Individual Mentorship Mentors

Bieke Depoorter

Zied Ben Romdhane

Matt Black

Moises Saman

Mark Power

Gregory Halpern

Jonas Bendiksen

Myriam Boulos

Sabiha Çimen

Yael Martínez

[H2]
Taking the Plunge From Practicing to Professional Photographer

In the first article of this series, the team discussed the importance of visual literacy in younger generations. Here, they discuss the struggles that they see with the hundreds of workshop participants that they work with each year, many of whom are practicing photographers hoping to go professional. In response to a shifting and oversaturated industry, they have composed a new one-year program, the Magnum Learn Lab for Storytellers that seeks to address these issues and support new voices in the industry in more depth than ever before.

Read the article here

[H2] Partner

Combo is a radical new form of hospitality where accessible shared spaces meet and nurture creative expression and cultural exchange. Combo whose adventure began back in May 2019 in Venice within the former Convento dei Crociferi, is open today in Milan,Turin and Bologna. With a modern architectural approach, Combo aims to redevelop historic buildings in key Italian cities, transforming them into temporary homes for travelers and locals alike. But it’s much more than this. Each Combo hostel unfolds with spaces welcoming not only tourists, but also
music shows, debates and screenings, fostering creative expression and cultural exchange.

Exhibitions

[H1] Martin Parr: In Plain View at Magnum Gallery

For its inaugural exhibition in a new gallery space, Magnum Gallery in Paris honors the pioneering career of Martin Parr and his decades-long relationship with Magnum Photos

London, England. 1997. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

Martin Parr: In Plain View, on display from March 28 to June 6, 2026 at the new Magnum Gallery and Bookshop in Paris, is a tribute to Martin Parr’s exceptional career, his transformative influence on modern photography, and his enduring impact as a member and former president of Magnum Photos.
Parr, who sadly passed away on December 6, 2025, is remembered through a curation of prints and archives that illustrates the depth of his groundbreaking observation of society.

Mayor of Todmorden's inaugural banquet. Todmorden, West Yorkshire. England. 1977. © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

After a VIP launch on March 25, organized in partnership with Veuve Clicquot et Les Niçois, the exhibition opened its doors the public, unveiling dozens of images, archived material and interactive experiences allowing visitors to step inside a Parr photograph. Tracing the evolution of Parr’s work, Martin Parr: In Plain View begins with his early black-and-white photographs from the 1970s; portraits of close-knit communities in northern England and Ireland, rooted in a quiet humanism.
Also showcased are some of his most influential projects in color from the 1990s and early 2000s, such as his saturated, candid take on consumer culture in Common Sense, and a comical, eccentric investigation of English identity in Think of England.

Garden tea party. Chew Stoke, England. 1992. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

The intimate curation reflects on Parr’s distinctive approach to capturing everyday oddities and cultural nuances across his varied subjects, from beaches to fashion, tourism to cups of tea. His attraction to contrasts, irony and idiosyncratic forms of leisure has informed the collective imagination of British life, transforming the mundane into moments of cultural consequence.

Cricket players looking for a cricket ball. Chew Stoke, England. 1992. © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

Martin Parr: In Plain View also presents exclusive images from Parr’s life at Magnum, alongside texts and correspondences throughout his career, illustrating that Parr was not only a leading figure in photography but a beloved, forward-looking member of the Magnum community.
“Martin stretched the definition of documentary inside the agency. By doing so, he opened the door to a new generation of photographers,” says Marine Merindol, Chief Operational Officer at Magnum. “I’m not sure Magnum would be what it is today without him,” she adds

From Common Sense. 1998. Florida, USA. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

Having first joined Magnum as an associate in 1988, the Epsom-born photographer was a full member of the cooperative for over 30 years and had served as the agency’s president from 2013 to 2017. “His humor, his clarity, and his vision shaped many discussions across the agency and within the wider photographic world,” said Magnum co-president, Lorenzo Meloni.

Wells, Somerset. England. 2000. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

“He is known as a photographer, a photographer loved by the public – one hears one say – ‘it’s a Martin Parr.’ No other photographer — certainly not in my lifetime — has ever had that distinction,” said Magnum photographer David Hurn.

Lake Garda, Italy, 1999. © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

Clémence Vichard-Larroque, Senior Gallery Manager, notes that it feels “especially meaningful” to inaugurate the new Paris gallery space with a celebration of Parr’s decades-long career. “This exhibition pays homage to the unique vision of Martin Parr, whose sharp eye for contemporary society and prominent role within Magnum Photos have left an enduring mark on photography. His influence resonates across generations, inspiring other photographers and captivating both amateurs and connoisseurs,” she says.

Galway Races. From "Luxury." Galway, Ireland. 1997. © Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

Not long before his passing, in an interview with Framelines, Parr said, “One of the things I’ve got is this amazing archive of 50 years of me photographing in the UK, so that’s going to be an important part of the legacy […] even when I’m dead. It’ll live on. Pictures live on.”
The exhibition runs from March 28 to June 6, coinciding with the Martin Parr exhibition Global Warning at the Jeu de Paume in Paris. All prints are available to acquire, as well as a selection of photobooks and merchandise.
Martin Parr: In Plain View
Public launch: Saturday, March 28 from 3 pm–5 pm
On view until June 6, 2026.
Hours
Tuesday-Friday: 10 am–7 pm
Saturday: 11 am–7 pm
Location
2 Impasse Delaunay 75011 Paris
Contact
gallery@magnumphotos.com
+33 (0)1 53 42 50 07

Commission a Magnum photographer

Fine Collectors’ Prints

- Written by Stephanie Papa · Mar 29, 2026

Next Story

Arts & Culture

[H4] Gathered Leaves

[H5] Alec Soth

[H3] Explore More

Arts & Culture

[H4] Grace/Grazia: Bruce Gilden for Raphael

[H5] Bruce Gilden

Arts & Culture

[H4] Here/Elsewhere: Jonas Bendiksen and the Digital Shift

[H5] Jonas Bendiksen

Arts & Culture

[H4] Marc Riboud in Japan

[H5] Marc Riboud

Arts & Culture

[H4] Harry Gruyaert’s New York

[H5] Harry Gruyaert

Arts & Culture

[H4] Martin Parr: In Plain View at Magnum Gallery

[H5]

Arts & Culture

[H4] Behind the Image: René Burri in America

[H5] René Burri

Arts & Culture

[H4] Witches & Bitches: Decades of Women’s Defiance Through the Magnum Archive

[H5]

Arts & Culture

[H4] Art and Activism

[H5]

Learn

[H1] Taking the Plunge From Practicing to Professional Photographer

Magnum Learn introduces the Magnum Learn Lab for Storytellers, a year-long course for photographers to refine their storytelling skills, build an international network, and help succeed in a shifting industry

Pobierowo, Poland. September 2008. © Mark Power / Magnum Photos

Magnum Photos began hosting workshops with Magnum photographers in 2010. Designed for aspiring or practicing photographers, the original five-day shooting workshops were a chance for the cooperative’s photographers to share their knowledge, feedback, and best practices with the wider photographic community. 15 years later, Magnum’s educational outreach has evolved, with a dedicated Magnum Learn team hosting a wealth of online and in-person workshops around the world.

In the first article of this series, the team discussed the importance of visual literacy in younger generations. Here, they discuss the struggles that they see with the hundreds of workshop participants that they work with each year, many of whom are practicing photographers hoping to go professional. In response to a shifting and oversaturated industry, they have composed a new one-year program, the Magnum Learn Lab for Storytellers that seeks to address these issues and support new voices in the industry in more depth than ever before.

Theory & Practice

[H4] The Importance of Visual Literacy

[H5]

A boy back tips off wall in a soccer field. Umm Al Arais, Gafsa, Tunisia. 2015. © Zied Ben Romdhane / Magnum Photos

[H3] "The industry can be hard to understand for someone who has just started photography. It lacks transparency on how to publish your work, what is expected from you when submitting funding applications, how to build your network, and so on."

[H5] - Sofia Abechir

What are the most common challenges that practicing photographers, hoping to go professional, encounter today?
Sofia Abechir: The digital landscape has made photography more accessible than ever before. While this has really helped widen the spectrum of voices we see in the industry, it has undeniably led to an oversaturated field. I think there are four key challenges that we have encountered from participants over the years.
Firstly, emerging photographers often need guidance on finding their own voice and understanding where to position their work within the contemporary artistic and editorial context. Then, it’s a question of finding time to work — photographers struggle to find the time and funding necessary to develop an in-depth personal project before they turn professional. Thirdly, the industry can be hard to understand for someone who has just started photography. It lacks transparency on how to publish your work, what is expected from you when submitting funding applications, how to build your network, and so on. These more logistical issues mean that even if you’ve cleared the first two hurdles, you will probably find it overwhelming and difficult to navigate.
And finally, the industry is losing funding. Press and media have seen budget reductions over the years, whether to send a photographer on assignment or to publish a long-term photo series. This reality has a knock-on effect across the whole industry, from cooperatives like Magnum to enthusiastic photographers looking to make a name for themselves.

In Michael's home. Portland, Oregon, USA. © Bieke Depoorter / Magnum Photos

[H3] "Having a great photographic technique is no longer enough for a photographer who wants to become a professional. "

[H5] - Sofia Abechir

If we pick up on this idea of an oversaturated industry, what does this mean concretely for aspiring professional photographers, and what can they do about it?
Sofia Abechir: An oversaturated industry just means that it is extremely difficult to stand out. This isn’t a bad thing, as Mark Power said in a conversation with Rafał Milach recently, it just means that something that used to be considered a profession on the “periphery” has become part of the mainstream. But it has changed things.
Having a great photographic technique is no longer enough for a photographer who wants to become a professional. The industry, and the public, are now looking for critical and cohesive photo stories — stories that are telling you something, stories that mean something. The images need to be strong, yes, but the storytelling needs to be stronger.
On the other hand, there’s more visibility, and many initiatives are much more accessible. Photographers from all around the world can access a variety of calls for applications, funding, festivals, and residencies that they probably would never have heard of otherwise. It also means that we’re noticing a change in the “gatekeepers” of the sector — institutions remain important and still allow photographers to conduct personal work, but we can see that self-publishing, alternative spaces, and independent curators now play a major role.

Street scene. Beirut, Lebanon. April 23, 2022. © Myriam Boulos / Magnum Photos

What kind of key opportunities are out there for photographers today?
Sofia Abechir: For me, there are five key zones of opportunity to look out for when developing a professional practice; long-term series supported by grants, foundations and NGOs; photobook publishing either independently or by publishing houses — this has become central to photography; exhibitions and art fairs of any size; editorial collaborations with magazines and digital platforms; and artistic residencies of institutional partnerships.

[H3] "Being immersed in a group of fellow photographers fosters creativity, dialogue, and deep thinking."

[H5] - Sofia Abechir

What should photographers look for to help support a transition from practicing photographer to professional?
Sofia Abechir: I think the first thing is a solid time commitment to photographic education, whenever possible. For mentors or tutors to understand who you are, your way of living, where you come from, how you make decisions, why you are drawn to a particular subject, what pushes you to photograph. It’s an incredibly important context for any tutor to be able to help you develop your own photographic voice.
I think that it is also important to have places where you can exchange and dialogue with other passionate photographers to allow healthy self-reflection and critical thinking. We have found that workshop participants benefit greatly from the openness of exchange and group feedback that we encourage in our workshops. It’s largely about immersion — being immersed in a group of fellow photographers fosters creativity, dialogue, and deep thinking. Being a photographer can often feel like a lonely or isolating job. So it’s crucial to find groups or initiatives where you can combat that feeling.
Above all, it’s a question of continuity rather than intensity. It can and will take time — months, years, sometimes decades — to develop a project. You need to give yourself space and a good rhythm to take breaks, reflect on the work, and come back to it.
And finally, practicing photographers need transparency around the reality of the industry today.

A boy covers his head with a plastic bag during a rain storm. Jalalabad, Afghanistan. March 30, 2024. © Moises Saman / Magnum Photos

[H3] "Growth happens over time, through sustained engagement."

[H5] - Sofia Abechir

Let’s take a look at the new Magnum Learn initiative: the Magnum Learn Lab for Storytellers. It’s the most ambitious course to date, aimed at practicing photographers who are looking to develop their careers. Where did the idea come from?
Sofia Abechir: Developing a long-form workshop program has always been on our minds. I remember talking about it when I joined the Magnum Learn team back in 2021. Since then, we’ve met with hundreds of new practicing photographers, listening to their thoughts, understanding what they lack to be fully able to step up as professionals. We’ve been adapting our workshop programs to fit these needs, but we felt like something was still missing.
Inès Clavel: There is a strong desire within our team to support emerging photographers by equipping them with the tools they need to navigate the industry. As Sofia said earlier, it’s becoming more and more challenging, and it’s an intimidating environment to step into. Although we already host week-long workshops around developing a professional practice, the long-term, sustained industry guidance is what has been lacking in our programs to date, and this program is specifically designed with that goal in mind. The first edition will take place in 2027, which coincides with Magnum’s 80th anniversary. It felt like the perfect moment to launch a year-long initiative with photographers from across Magnum, and to open up a new form of dialogue with the photographic community.
Sofia Abechir: Exactly. The timing felt right. With the Learn Lab, we are taking all of our learnings on what practicing photographers really need, and are combining them all together. We needed the year-long format to do that, so that we can build up three immersive in-person residencies — including in Italy, hosted by our partners, Combo —  where all participants and mentors will stay and spend time together, with expert-led professional sessions, and ongoing one-on-one mentorships with Magnum photographers. This format acknowledges that growth happens over time, through sustained engagement.

Guatemala City. © Antoine d'Agata / Magnum Photos

Can you shed light on the curriculum and what participating photographers can expect?
Sofia Abechir: We designed the course so that photographers from around the world can join without having to put their whole life on pause. It will also trace an entire arc for each photographer — from an initial idea to a finished book dummy and public presentation at Paris Photo in November 2027.
There are three main pillars:
1- Three immersive in-person residencies focused on research, editing, constructive feedback, and individual projects with our mentors,
2- A total of 136-hours of online sessions throughout the year with industry professionals, covering publishing, assignments, funding, and professional strategy,
3 – Eight one-on-one sessions throughout the year with a Magnum photographer for personalized project guidance.
It’s a hybrid curriculum of online and in-person, with the three in-person residencies punctuating the year. The combination of a long-term format, sustained mentorship, and different approaches really differentiates the Learn Lab from the other workshops that we host.

Portrait of a female journalist in Tehran. Tehran, Iran. 2017. © Newsha Tavakolian / Magnum Photos

[H3] "Photography is both deeply personal and deeply connected. You need time alone to create, but you also need community to grow. "

[H5] - Inès Clavel

What is the balance between individual and group learning? Why is it important to have both?
Inès Clavel: We’ve structured the course in a way that strikes a balance between both individual learning and group sessions, both online and in person. Both, we’ve found, are fundamental to developing a practice. Individual learning gives you the space to focus on your own project, reflect deeply, and move at your own pace. It’s where you develop your voice, test ideas, and get personalized feedback, and that’s essential for building a strong, personal body of work.
Group learning, on the other hand, brings perspective and accountability. Sharing with peers, hearing different approaches, and getting collective feedback helps you see your work through new eyes and pushes you to think out of the box.
Both really matter for us because photography is both deeply personal and deeply connected. You need time alone to create, but you also need community to grow. The balance helps you stay grounded in your vision while staying open to inspiration, constructive feedback, and collaboration.

Who is this course made for? What kind of photographers should apply?
Inès Clavel: The Learn Lab for Storytellers is designed for emerging photographers who already have a foundational understanding of their photographic practice and who are seeking to refine and streamline their creative approach, as well as build their knowledge of the industry with Magnum photographers and industry experts.
You should consider applying if you feel ready to deepen your practice and to take the next step in your career — if you are ready to commit to a significant project and are looking for mentorship and professional guidance. Ideally, this is before or during the phase of seeking broader recognition, publication, or exhibition opportunities, as the online sessions with industry experts will help with this and provide space to ask questions, get feedback, and find direction.

Red Cross volonteers cleaning the beach front from garbage thrown by the sea. Sinan County (sometimes spelled Shinan) is a county in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. The county consists of 1004 (...) islands. The number of islands in this county accounts for 25% of all islands in South Korea. Aphae Island, Shinan County, South Korea. July 1, 2025. © Rafał Milach / Magnum Photos

Who are the mentors for the first edition?
Inès Clavel: This year’s main mentors are Magnum photographers Newsha Tavakolian, Antoine d’Agata, and Rafał Milach, alongside designer Ania Nalecka-Milach and artist/editor Tania Bohórquez Salinas.
Newsha Tavakolian has mentored our last two summer courses. We knew she was the perfect fit for the year-long program. She has a rare ability to truly understand each photographer. She offers deep empathy and knows how to gently, but effectively, push people further. Her approach sometimes includes video, which adds a fresh, dynamic layer to the mentorship. Antoine d’Agata brings his signature intensity and po