Creative Documentary Program by Magnum Photos & Spéos

Campus: Paris
Next session: dates to be announced

Important information – Fall 2026
The September 2026 session will not take place. The program is currently under review in order to consider new formats for the future.
For the past decade, the prestigious Magnum Photos agency and Spéos photography school have combined their expertise to offer an intensive and exclusive program in documentary photography. Taught in English and based in Paris, this program provides an immersion within Magnum Photos, giving students the unique opportunity to regularly engage with Magnum photographers and experience an unparalleled learning environment.

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Objectives and pre-requisites

Objectives

The Creative Documentary program is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in documentary photography, in the Magnum Photos tradition of visual storytelling. It is intended for students who have the maturity and skills to work on long-term thematic projects. Assignments include event photojournalism, short photo essays and a long-term in-depth personal project.

The course equips students with the historical and contextual framework required to develop and engage in critical thinking about documentary photography, as well as providing technical guidance and tutorial support to develop students’ individual documentary practice.

The formal program is delivered by Spéos and its appointed teachers and supplemented by Magnum photographers and staff. One day a week, the course is delivered at the Magnum Photos office in Paris, where students can also have access to Magnum’s extensive library of photobooks.

Video of the Magnum x Spéos exhibition 2025

Structure and Course description of the Creative Documentary Program

Structure of the Creative Documentary Program

The first semester comprises the core courses, which cover all aspects of professional photojournalism and creative documentary. Top-level professionals hold the courses and monitor the students’ individual acquisition of skills.
The first semester with Magnum Photos will focus on demystifying the business of the industry, establishing a professional network of industry contacts, understanding the requirements of the market and identifying realistic routes into photographic employment. Outside of class, students independently organize their shooting sessions and post-production, under the continual guidance of their supervisors and Magnum Photos.

During the second semester of the program, the students improve their practical skills and broaden their range of knowledge. The Spéos course proper will be complemented by the Magnum Photos component, which will focus on mentoring the students in the development of their personal projects by the Magnum photographers, organising meetings with a curator to prepare the students for their end of the year graduate show and jury.

End-of-the-year exhibition at Spéos
The last week of the second semester is dedicated to the setting up of a themed exhibition – an important event visited by established photographers, photo agencies and the press. The students also have the possibility to exhibit their work online in the web galleries of Spéos website.

End of year exhibition at the Magnum gallery in Paris
Under the guidance of a professional curator, a collective exhibition is organised at the renown Magnum gallery.
This event, of central importance, will be visited by established photographers, photo agencies and the press. The students also have the possibility to show their work in the web galleries of Spéos website and on the Magnum website.

The Expert modules aim at deepening the students’ previous knowledge and skills in those areas that are most demanded by the professional market. Each module takes place over several weeks, in June and July.

Courses and conferences are taught by experienced and recognized professionals who share their experience and know-how from their respective fields of expertise. These speakers emphasize the practical ownership of these skills and offer students valuable experience gain for their own personal projects.
> See the list of lecturers year by year

In July, the students participate in the design and creation of a magazine featuring their own photographic work to promote their achievements. This magazine is entirely designed by and for the students, with an editorial written by one or several of them.

The last step is the Professional Project, during which students reflect on their position at the beginning of their career and write their business plan. This stage runs in parallel with the Expert Modules.

Course description of the Creative Documentary Program

Essentials of Photography
Semester I: 1h30/week
This course is dedicated to the acquisition of techniques essential to the practice of professional photography. Combining theory and practical exercises, it allows students:
– to learn and practice the Stop-System, the global learning method of light control in photography, a method developed by Spéos,
– to understand and know how to define its settings when taking pictures,
– to understand the techniques inherent in shooting and to anticipate post-production,
– to understand the operation of different types of cameras, including the large-format camera.
The elements covered will allow students to make relevant technical choices according to the desired result. Whatever the situation, in studio or on location, indoors or outdoors, this course will enable them to deal with the possible constraints encountered when taking pictures.

Documentary and Photojournalism
Semester I: 6 hours/week
This course aims at giving students a comprehensive training in photojournalism. It seeks to cover a broad horizon of topics that will allow the participants to consider a professional career by responding to work assignments, as well as developing topics with a more personal point of view.
The course structure is based on two important themes:
– The photographer as a witness (of an event: news photography; of their time: documentary photography),
– and the construction of a photographic project as a story composed by images.
The course will develop numerous topics, such as portraiture, street photography, the use of flashes, long-term projects. It will always revolve around the following notions: the photographer as a witness of an event, of their time, of the things that do or do not change, and how to tell a story in pictures.

Lighting for Photo Reportage
Semester I: 3 hours every other week
This course is designed to help students acquire complex lighting techniques – control of natural or artificial light in outdoor situations, both with natural/ambient and artificial light.
This course includes a studio supplement to allow photoreporters to respond to various professional lighting situations: portraits in situ, still life on site, corporate, documentary photo, etc. Students will be introduced to use of compact flashes, diffusion filters and reflectors.

Mentoring Magnum Photos
Semester I: 1 day per week at the Magnum Photos Agency
The programme will be divided between practical assignments led by Magnum photographers, and informal meetings with industry professionals with a focus on NGOs and professionals working in fund-raising and the cultural sector. Magnum staff will also share insights on how they work with photographers and present the various departments within Magnum such as commercial & editorial, cultural and gallery.
During the first semester, students will:
– discover and understand the daily activities of a professional photo agency in general and Magnum Photos in particular,
– learn how to approach editors and commissioning editors,
– work on short assignments designed to teach them the skills of being a professional photographer.
Key concepts:
– Workshops with Magnum photographers
– How to research and develop photographic stories
– The current market: editorial, commercial, print sales, and non-profit.

Computer Imaging
Semester I: 1h30/week
This course aims to:
– understand what the main parameters and formats of digital images are,
– discover the Photoshop application and design a layout using this software,
– learn how to manage a stream of digital images and retouch photos using Lightroom software.

Image Management and Publication
Semester I: 3 hours/week
This course helps photographers to manage their image stock with guidance on how to caption a picture, to assign the right key-words, to fill in the IPTC data. All of these are essential for any photographer to locate their pictures and to have them published.

Printing Techniques
Semester I: 1h30/week
The course covers printing techniques with the programs Photoshop and Lightroom on Fuji Frontier or Durst Lambda printers as well as large-format ink-jet printers. Color management principles will be studied within the graphic chain of a typical digital lab (screen, printer, viewing booth). Students will gain the necessary knowledge to obtain high quality prints, true to their digital shots, whether by themselves or through a professional lab.

Meet the Profession
Semester I: 2 hours/week
The purpose of these meetings is to present a variety of professional careers within the photography industry, aiming at broadening the students horizons with regard to future career plans. Speakers include:
– former students of the school who present their activity,
– professionals in fields related to photography,
– representatives of major brands of photographic equipment, demonstrating new materials and presenting trends in the evolution of the profession.
These meetings bring together students from all programs and are held in English.

Documentary and Photojournalism
Semester II: 3 hours/week
Continuation of semester I towards a more advanced level.

Mentoring Magnum Photos
Semester II: 1 day per week at the Magnum Photos Agency
Developing a personal project under the guidance of Magnum photographers: from research to completion.

Storytelling
Semester II: 3 hours/week
This course is an introduction to writing techniques and photo editing. It is given by a journalist / editor, helping students to edit their photo stories and back-up their reportages with a well-structured narrative.
Key concepts:
– Understand the different steps of a photo reportage from the idea of a topic to the final publication in a magazine.
– Learn how to tell a story with images: they show, inform or provide evidence.
– Write a synopsis or narrative to accompany the photo story.

Computer Imaging
Semester II: 1h30/week
Continuation of semester I towards a more advanced level.

Image Management and Publication
Semester II: 3 hours/week
In the second part of the program, the course covers the following topics:
– add value to a photo stock with a good knowledge of captioning and keyword management,
– find sources of information for photographers,
– know the photo market,
– develop an Internet strategy: create a website using a CMS (Content Management System), SEO (Search Engine Optimization), know how to use blogs and social networks for photographers.

Printing Techniques
Semester II: 1h30/week
Continuation of semester I towards a more advanced level.

Video for Photographers: the Essentials
Semester II: 3 hours/week
This course aims to:
– provide students with the basics of audiovisual production in the field of promotional or experimental short films,
– teach them how to enhance their photographic work with the animated image,
– train them in software specific to this type of creation.
The exercises will focus on diverse topics so that students can experience their own approach to video making, regardless of the shooting mode used: documentary film, fiction film, family and animated film, experimental film, advertising and institutional.

Expert Modules: June – July

The Expert Modules take place in June and July. They last for 9 weeks and are designed to strengthen students’ professional skills in business and marketing. They are structured as follows:

Photography Business Module (5 weeks): management, business development, promoting and showcasing a photographic work; business plan development; professional simulation around a brand.
Specialization Module (3 weeks):
Advanced Studio for students specializing in studio photography,
Advanced Photo Reportage for those specializing in documentary photography.
Business Plan and Final Jury (last week).

In parallel to these modules, two workshops are offered:
– magazine design workshop,
– introductory workshop on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Expert Module – The Photography Business
Duration: 5 weeks

These 5 weeks are dedicated to acquiring key skills through lectures and practical workshops covering the following topics:

Legal framework: understanding image rights, intellectual property, and the basics of contracts.
Financial management: learning how to create a budget, invoice services, anticipate cash flow needs, and set rates.
Marketing and communication: structuring one’s communication, personal branding, launching a business, acquiring first clients, and creating a powerful message.
Business plan: building a business plan closely linked to one’s portfolio and target market to develop a consistent and actionable business strategy.

One week is dedicated to a professional simulation around a brand (workshop): students respond to a real brief under the supervision of a branding expert. They must propose a concept that is both aesthetically and commercially viable, in a competitive team-based environment.

Expert Modules – Specialization Areas
Duration: 3 weeks

These 3 weeks focus on the specialization area chosen by the student during their studies: advanced studio for those specializing in studio photography, advanced photo reportage for students specializing in documentary photography and photojournalism.

Three-hour sessions are organized where students interact with professionals in the field. Various guest speakers share their experiences, explain their working methods, communicate best practices, and give practical advice.

They present the professional landscape the students will enter, the key contacts they will encounter, and the organization of the relevant market. They also detail the expectations of the various industry players, their relationships with photographers, their selection criteria, and what may lead them to favor one profile over another. Professional behavior and common mistakes to avoid are also covered.

Each session ends with a critical portfolio review, providing valuable feedback from various experts.

These sessions are led by industry professionals and image experts, including:

Studio: photographer’s agents, art directors and creative directors in advertising or communication agencies, brand managers, producers, art buyers, stylists, magazine editors, studio managers.
Photo Reportage: photo editors, chief editors, festival directors, agents, iconographers, photojournalists of various specialties (including a workshop with a Magnum Photos photographer), magazine editors, photo agencies, photo editors.

Development of an Individual Professional Project

In parallel with the Expert Modules, students work on their own professional project, which they plan to launch after completing their studies at Spéos. Through regular discussions with the teaching team and guest speakers, who help them reflect on their positioning at the start of their careers, students progress through the strategic, marketing, technical, and financial phases, culminating in the development of a business launch plan.

The final week is dedicated to individual work to complete the business plan, which will be presented to a professional jury at the end of July.

Workshop – SLIDE Magazine Design

In late June–early July, students participate in the design of the school’s internal magazine: SLIDE. This magazine is created by and for the students, under the direction of Azadeh Zoraghi, editor-in-chief of Narcisse magazine, and with the technical assistance of a graphic designer. Students are introduced to editorial magazine production through layout design and editorial line development.

They discover how images gain meaning through layout, while respecting the style and sensibility of each contributor. Through this image curation, the diverse universes and personal visions of each photographer are showcased: fashion, photo reportage, visual arts, and advertising.

Workshop – Introduction to Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

This workshop explores current uses of generative AI in artistic creation, with technical, ethical, and legal contexts. The goal is to provide a foundation for integrating these tools into an artistic and commercial practice:

Learn to use MidJourney and Discord to generate innovative images.
Design detailed prompts and apply different visual styles.
Create cohesive image series that blend photography, art, and technology.

Pedagogical approach

Teaching method

The teaching method is essentially centred on practice in real-life conditions, which is an essential element of the training.
The courses take place in small groups for a personalised and monitored approach, allowing the students to develop their style and personal approach (excellent student/teacher ratio).

The school has developed its own pedagogical method: the Stop-System, a global learning method for controlling light in photography.

The official program is delivered by Spéos and its teachers and completed by Magnum photographers and the agency’s team. Part of the courses are taught in the Magnum agency, located in the heart of Paris. This gives the students a privileged contact with Magnum photographers and their experienced team.

Outside the classroom, students organize their own shoots, either in the studio or on location.

Teaching resources

Spéos offers its students spacious facilities with top-of-the-range photographic equipment available outside of class hours.

The school has numerous spacious studios, all very well equipped: Phase One backpack cameras, Foba column stands, the best brands of flash, projectors, lights and a large choice of accessories to style each shot. The school’s computer rooms are equipped with Apple computers, Eizo calibrated displays and the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.

Students also have the opportunity to borrow photographic equipment on a daily basis: the school lends a number of flash kits, sound kits, video kits and telephoto lenses for working on location, including evenings and weekends.

Participants to this program are given free access to Magnum’s online courses.
Magnum Learn currently offer classes with, among others, Alec Soth, Matt Black, Gregory Halpern, Bieke Depoorter, Jonas Bendiksen and one on Street Photography, each of these modules representing over 5 hours of online learning. Those video on-demand programs encourage learning through immersive film experience. Magnum photographers give their personal advice through in-depth interviews, on-location shoots and off-line workbooks with expanded interviews.

Depending on their schedule, some of the photographers featured in the videos will also be invited to Paris to meet with the students during the course.

Assessment methods

Continuous assessment.
Practical work situations.
Tests at the beginning and end of the semester, to assess students’ acquisition of knowledge.
Half-yearly examinations in the form of graded exercises.
Completion of a professional portfolio and end-of-year exhibition.
Examination by 2 separate juries.
Creation of a business plan.

Students’ testimonials and works

Discover the students’ testimonials

Alice: « It was a wonderful year »

See the students’ works

Read the article presenting the work of the Class of 2025 on the Magnum Photos website.
The web galleries present a selection of works that students have made during their time at Spéos.

FAQ

This program is intended for candidates wishing to develop a documentary or reportage practice with strong narrative and editorial depth. Artistic maturity, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to engage in long-term work are essential criteria.

The program is conducted in English, the working language of Magnum Photos’ international contributors. A strong level of English is required in order to:

follow courses and lectures,
interact with Magnum mentors,
present and defend projects,
operate in an international professional context.

The program is built around several complementary components:

theoretical and technical instruction at Spéos,
mentorship by photographers who are members of Magnum Photos,
intensive field practice,
progressive development of a personal documentary project,
editorial support through to project completion.

This structure combines an academic framework with individualized pedagogical follow-up.

The program aims for a comprehensive approach to documentary photography, including:

advanced shooting techniques in real-life conditions,
visual storytelling and long-form series development,
editorial writing and image sequencing,
ethical reflection and responsibility of the documentary photographer,
understanding distribution channels (press, publishing, exhibitions).

Students learn to produce work that is personal, coherent, and professional.

Yes. The development of a personal documentary project is the core of the program.
Students are supported at every stage:

subject definition,
research and preparation,
field production,
editing, sequencing, and writing,
finalization and professional presentation.

The objective is to enable the emergence of a fully realized, potentially publishable project.

The program prepares students for careers in:

documentary photography,
international reportage,
press and publishing,
NGOs and cultural institutions,
author-driven projects (books, exhibitions, residencies).

It also provides a solid foundation for developing an independent career and long-term personal projects.

Work produced during the program is designed for professional visibility:

portfolio presentation during the school’s annual exhibition,
annual exhibition of program students at the Magnum Gallery.

Students are supported in reflecting on formats and dissemination channels best suited to their projects.

Students have access to Spéos’ professional facilities, including:

large studios equipped with high-end professional gear,
workspaces and post-production facilities (computer rooms with calibrated monitors).

However, owning personal photographic equipment is recommended in order to work autonomously, especially on personal projects.

This program stands out through:

an exclusive partnership with Magnum Photos, a global reference in documentary photography,
instruction and mentorship by Magnum photographers,
individualized support for long-term projects,
a strongly editorial and international approach.

It is intended for photographers who wish to go beyond technical training to develop a strong personal documentary vision aligned with the highest standards of documentary.

Video of the Magnum x Spéos exhibition 2024

Video of the Magnum x Spéos exhibition 2023

Video of the Magnum x Spéos exhibition 2022

Practical information

Creative Documentary Program by Magnum Photos & Spéos

Next session: September 2026 – July 2027
Language of instruction: English
Tuition:
– France, European Union nationals: €30,950
– International students: €30,950
Training schedule: 4 to 5 days per week, depending on timetables.