Olivier Laurent

3:01 Editor's Compilation: Photo Editors on Editing Award-winning and expert photo editors MaryAnne Golon (Washington Post), Whitney Johnson (National Geographic), Mike Davis (Syracuse University), and Olivier Laurent (Washington Post) discuss how they fit into the behind-the-scenes photo publication process, describing the work analyzing, selecting, and arranging the images that appear in print out of the hundreds or thousands they see initially. MaryAnne Golon was the Director of Photography at The Washington Post. Before joining The Post in 2012, MaryAnne was the director of photography at Time Magazine and a senior photography editor there for more than 20 years. Before joining The Post in 2012, MaryAnne curated Look 3: The Festival of the Photograph and help guide the 2-year product build of a digital asset management system for a major non-profit organization. Golon was also director of photography at Time magazine where she co-managed the international newsweekly’s photography department for more than 15 years. Golon has received many individual and team picture-editing awards from the POYi (Pictures of the Year International) and NPPA's (National Press Photographer’s Association) Best of Photojournalism competitions. She was awarded Picture of the Editor of the Year from the IFA Lucie Awards in 2013. She was twice selected for American Photo magazine’s list of the 100 most important people in photography. Whitney Johnson was the director of visuals and immersive experiences at National Geographic where she led the visual and immersive staffs, overseeing photography, video, Instagram, and podcast teams. She joined National Geographic in 2015 as the magazine’s deputy director of photography. From 2007 to 2015, Johnson was on the staff of The New Yorker, first as a picture editor and later as the Director of Photography. Prior to joining the magazine, Johnson worked at the Open Society Foundations, where she was a founding member of the Documentary Photography Project and managed an international grant competition and exhibition for documentary photographers. In 2011, Johnson — together with The New Yorker staff photographer Platon and Human Rights Watch — received a Peabody. In 2018, Pictures of the Year International honored the National Geographic photo staff with the Angus McDougall Overall Excellence in Editing Award and recognized Johnson with an Award of Excellence in the Magazine Visual Editor of the Year category. In 2019, National Geographic was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography. Mike Davis was the endowed Alexia Tsairis Chair for Documentary Photography and a Professor of Practice of Visual Communications in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Davis taught visual storytelling classes and ran the Alexia Grant competitions at the school. The Alexia is one of the world’s premiere grants that support humanistic, socially significant visual projects for professionals and students. In addition to teaching and the Alexia, Davis now works as an independent photography editor, working with visual storytellers around the world to elevate their way of seeing and editing their projects for books, gallery exhibitions, portfolios and contest and grant submissions. He has worked on more than 500 such projects, which in turn inform and elevate his teaching and the Alexia. He also continues to consult with a range of organizations, publications and competitions internationally. For 30 years before arriving at Newhouse, Davis held visual leadership positions at National Geographic, the White House and several of America’s leading newspapers, as well as running his own consulting business. He was twice named Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year and has edited the work of several photographers who went on to win Photographer of the Year titles and others whose work was widely recognized at the top tiers of the profession. Olivier Laurent is a foreign photo editor at The Washington Post, working with the organization's network of 27 reporters based in 19 foreign locations to offer a comprehensive international report, with a special focus on Africa, Asia and the Middle-East. He also partners with the Post's social team on photo-driven initiatives and contributes to InSight, the Post’s photography section. In 2020, he was part of the climate team that won the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting for the 2ºC: Beyond the Limit series, which "showed with scientific clarity the dire effects of extreme temperatures on the planet." In 2018, he coordinated the newspaper's visual coverage of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, working with Lorenzo Tugnoli, a contract photographer with the Post. The photo essay won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography as well as a World Press Photo. He joined the Post from TIME where he was the Editor of LightBox, the magazine’s photography website. PhotoWings 3:58 Editor's Compilation: Working With Photographers To most audiences, and even some photographers, the work of professional photo editors can be a mysterious component of the photography and publishing industries. In this video, we hear from esteemed photo editors MaryAnne Golon (Washington Post), Whitney Johnson (National Geographic), Kathy Moran (National Geographic), Mike Davis (Syracuse University), and Olivier Laurent (Washington Post). Each gives us fascinating insights into what a photo editor does and how they approach their work, and in particular how editors collaborate with photographers. MaryAnne Golon is the Director of Photography at The Washington Post. Before joining The Post in 2012, MaryAnne was the director of photography at Time Magazine and a senior photography editor there for more than 20 years. Before joining The Post in 2012, MaryAnne curated Look 3: The Festival of the Photograph and help guide the 2-year product build of a digital asset management system for a major non-profit organization. Golon was also director of photography at Time magazine where she co-managed the international newsweekly’s photography department for more than 15 years. Golon has received many individual and team picture-editing awards from the POYi (Pictures of the Year International) and NPPA's (National Press Photographer’s Association) Best of Photojournalism competitions. Whitney Johnson is the director of visuals and immersive experiences at National Geographic. She leads the visual and immersive staffs, overseeing photography, video, Instagram, and podcast teams. She joined National Geographic in 2015 as the magazine’s deputy director of photography. From 2007 to 2015, Johnson was on the staff of The New Yorker, first as a picture editor and later as the director of photography. Prior to joining the magazine, Johnson worked at the Open Society Foundations, where she was a founding member of the Documentary Photography Project and managed an international grant competition and exhibition for documentary photographers. Kathy Moran is National Geographic magazine’s Deputy Director of Photography. As the magazine’s first senior editor for natural history projects, Moran has been producing projects about terrestrial and underwater ecosystems for the magazine since 1990. At last count she has edited over 350 stories for the magazine. Moran has edited several books for the Society. She was named “Picture Editor of the Year” for her winning portfolios in the 2017 and 2006 POYi competition and the 2011 Best of Photo competition. She is a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and has served on the Executive Committee. She has edited numerous books for ILCP photographers published with the University of Chicago Press. Mike Davis is the endowed Alexia Tsairis Chair for Documentary Photography and a professor of practice of visual communications in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Davis teaches visual storytelling classes and runs the Alexia Grant competitions at the school. In addition to teaching and the Alexia, Davis continues to work as an independent photography editor, working with visual storytellers around the world to elevate their way of seeing and editing their projects for books, gallery exhibitions, portfolios and contest and grant submissions. He also continues to consult with a range of organizations, publications and competitions internationally. For 30 years before arriving at Newhouse, Davis held visual leadership positions at National Geographic, the White House and several of America’s leading newspapers, as well as running his own consulting business. He was twice named newspaper picture editor of the year and has edited the work of several photographers who went on to win Photographer of the Year titles and others whose work was widely recognized at the top tiers of the profession. Olivier Laurent is a foreign photo editor at The Washington Post, working with the organization's network of 27 reporters based in 19 foreign locations to offer a comprehensive international report, with a special focus on Africa, Asia and the Middle-East. He also partners with the Post's social team on photo-driven initiatives and contributes to InSight, the Post’s photography section. In 2020, he was part of the climate team that won the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting for the 2ºC: Beyond the Limit series, which "showed with scientific clarity the dire effects of extreme temperatures on the planet." In 2018, he coordinated the newspaper's visual coverage of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, working with Lorenzo Tugnoli, a contract photographer with the Post. The photo essay won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography as well as a World Press Photo. He joined the Post from TIME where he was the Editor of LightBox, the magazine’s photography website. PhotoWings 3:23 Editor's Compilation: Photographers Vs. Photo Editors Award-winning photo editors MaryAnne Golon (Washington Post), Kathy Moran (National Geographic), Mike Davis (Syracuse University), and Olivier Laurent (Washington Post) describe how photo editors approach visual storytelling and the nuances of the review process. MaryAnne Golon is the Director of Photography at The Washington Post. Before joining The Post in 2012, MaryAnne was the director of photography at Time Magazine and a senior photography editor there for more than 20 years. Before joining The Post in 2012, MaryAnne curated Look 3: The Festival of the Photograph and help guide the 2-year product build of a digital asset management system for a major non-profit organization. Golon was also director of photography at Time magazine where she co-managed the international newsweekly’s photography department for more than 15 years. Golon has received many individual and team picture-editing awards from the POYi (Pictures of the Year International) and NPPA's (National Press Photographer’s Association) Best of Photojournalism competitions. Kathy Moran is National Geographic magazine’s Deputy Director of Photography. As the magazine’s first senior editor for natural history projects, Moran has been producing projects about terrestrial and underwater ecosystems for the magazine since 1990. At last count she has edited over 350 stories for the magazine. Moran has edited several books for the Society. She was named “Picture Editor of the Year” for her winning portfolios in the 2017 and 2006 POYi competition and the 2011 Best of Photo competition. She is a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and has served on the Executive Committee. She has edited numerous books for ILCP photographers published with the University of Chicago Press. Mike Davis is the endowed Alexia Tsairis Chair for Documentary Photography and a professor of practice of visual communications in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Davis teaches visual storytelling classes and runs the Alexia Grant competitions at the school. In addition to teaching and the Alexia, Davis continues to work as an independent photography editor, working with visual storytellers around the world to elevate their way of seeing and editing their projects for books, gallery exhibitions, portfolios and contest and grant submissions. He also continues to consult with a range of organizations, publications and competitions internationally. For 30 years before arriving at Newhouse, Davis held visual leadership positions at National Geographic, the White House and several of America’s leading newspapers, as well as running his own consulting business. He was twice named newspaper picture editor of the year and has edited the work of several photographers who went on to win Photographer of the Year titles and others whose work was widely recognized at the top tiers of the profession. Olivier Laurent is a foreign photo editor at The Washington Post, working with the organization's network of 27 reporters based in 19 foreign locations to offer a comprehensive international report, with a special focus on Africa, Asia and the Middle-East. He also partners with the Post's social team on photo-driven initiatives and contributes to InSight, the Post’s photography section. In 2020, he was part of the climate team that won the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting for the 2ºC: Beyond the Limit series, which "showed with scientific clarity the dire effects of extreme temperatures on the planet." In 2018, he coordinated the newspaper's visual coverage of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, working with Lorenzo Tugnoli, a contract photographer with the Post. The photo essay won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography as well as a World Press Photo. He joined the Post from TIME where he was the Editor of LightBox, the magazine’s photography website. PhotoWings 1:30:37 “So You Got An Assignment – Now What? Working with Photo Editors” with Jehan Jillani and Olivier Laurent When on an assignment, knowing what an editor expects of you can be challenging, especially early on in your career. Photo editors Olivier Laurent (The Washington Post) and Jehan Jillani (The Atlantic) will take a practical approach to explaining the barebones of how to make photojournalism a sustainable career, and will delve into strategies on how to work with photo editors, how to make sure your voice is heard, and how to turn in photos with the proper information. Jehan Jillani is a Visuals Editor at The Atlantic where she commissions photography and illustrations for the publication’s digital features and special projects. She was previously the lead Picture and Visuals editor at the Guardian US. Jehan has also worked as a photo editor at National Geographic and The New Yorker. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Publication Designers and American Photography, and she has spoken about photography at numerous educational institutions. Jehan is a graduate of Smith College and is based in Brooklyn, NY. You can follow her @jehanjillani. Olivier Laurent is a foreign photo editor at The Washington Post, with a specific focus on Africa, Asia and the Middle-East. He also edits the Climate & Environment section, assigning photographers to cover the climate emergency. In 2019, he was part of the climate team that won the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting for a series that "showed with scientific clarity the dire effects of extreme temperatures on the planet." In 2018, he coordinated the newspaper's visual coverage of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, working with Lorenzo Tugnoli, a contract photographer with the Post. The photo essay won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography. You can follow him @olivierclaurent. PhotoWings 1:30:48 “So You Got An Assignment – Now What? Working with Photo Editors” with Jehan Jillani and Olivier Laurent When on an assignment, knowing what an editor expects of you can be challenging, especially early on in your career. Photo editors Olivier Laurent (The Washington Post) and Jehan Jillani (The Atlantic) will take a practical approach to explaining the barebones of how to make photojournalism a sustainable career, and will delve into strategies on how to work with photo editors, how to make sure your voice is heard, and how to turn in photos with the proper information. Jehan Jillani is a Visuals Editor at The Atlantic where she commissions photography and illustrations for the publication’s digital features and special projects. She was previously the lead Picture and Visuals editor at the Guardian US. Jehan has also worked as a photo editor at National Geographic and The New Yorker. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Publication Designers and American Photography, and she has spoken about photography at numerous educational institutions. Jehan is a graduate of Smith College and is based in Brooklyn, NY. You can follow her @jehanjillani. Olivier Laurent is a foreign photo editor at The Washington Post, with a specific focus on Africa, Asia and the Middle-East. He also edits the Climate & Environment section, assigning photographers to cover the climate emergency. In 2019, he was part of the climate team that won the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting for a series that "showed with scientific clarity the dire effects of extreme temperatures on the planet." In 2018, he coordinated the newspaper's visual coverage of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, working with Lorenzo Tugnoli, a contract photographer with the Post. The photo essay won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography. You can follow him @olivierclaurent. PhotoWings 3:46 Family Albums: Why Preserving Photographs Matters Pt. II In this video, photography industry professionals Nancy Borowick, Ed Kashi, Erika Larsen, Olivier Laurent, John White, Michael Williamson, and Chuck Zoeller provide insight into the important ways that family photographs and family albums enrich our lives and contribute to the important work of documenting history. Nancy Borowick is an internationally renowned photographer, author, teacher and speaker, delivering over 50 speaking engagements each year around the world, bringing her personal story to universities, hospitals, oncology units and community groups globally. Nancy is a graduate of the International Center of Photography and has exhibited her work in over 100 cities. Working regularly with the New York Times since 2013, Nancy has told the intimate stories of people and places from every corner of the globe winning her major accolades and awards, such as World Press Photo, Pictures of the Year International and most recently the 2018 Humanitarian Award from the organization Women That Soar for her photography and recent monograph, The Family Imprint. Ed Kashi is an acclaimed photojournalist who uses photography, filmmaking and social media to explore geopolitical and social issues that define our times. He is also a dedicated educator and mentor to photographers around the world and lectures frequently on visual storytelling, human rights and the world of media. A leading voice in the photojournalism world, Kashi frequently lectures on a wide range of topics for arts institutions, universities, schools and professional organizations. His work has been published and exhibited worldwide, receiving numerous awards and honors. Through his editorial assignments and personal projects Kashi has published nine books, including Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta, THREE, and Photojournalisms. Erika Larsen is a photographer and multidisciplinary storyteller known for her essays, which document cultures that maintain close ties with nature. Her work has been included in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, National Geographic Society, Fotografiska Museum and Ajtte Sámi Museum. Larsen is a recipient of several grants and fellowships including a Fulbright Fellowship, New Jersey State Arts Council Fellowship, Women in Photography Individual Project Grant, Lois Roth Endowment and a World Press Award. Her first monograph, Sami-Walking With Reindeer, was released in 2013. Larsen is currently a Fellow and Explorer with National Geographic Society. Olivier C. Laurent is an expert in social media, he partners with the Washington Post social team on photo-driven initiatives and contributes to the InSight blog. Before the Washington Post, Olivier was most recently at TIME, where he was editor of LightBox, the magazine’s former photography website, which provided a window into how great photographs are made and drew attention to groundbreaking work by photography masters and new pioneers. Before TIME, he was the associate editor of the British Journal of Photography starting in 2008, the world’s longest running photography magazine and the editor of FLTR, the first weekly magazine on smartphone photography. John H. White is a renowned American photojournalist. His photography documents everyday lives and political events in American cities, particularly Chicago. He was a staff photographer on the Chicago Sun-Times for 35 years, and won a Pulitzer prize in 1982. Michael Williamson was born in Washington, but grew up in a series of foster homes and orphanages in more than 15 states. It was an experience he says that has led to his interest in documenting the plight of the homeless for the past 18 years. He and a collaborator, writer Dale Maharidge, have produced three books.The first book, "Journey to Nowhere: The Saga of the New Underclass," inspired several songs on Bruce Springsteen's album "The Ghost of Tom Joad." The pair's book "And Their Children After Them" received a Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction in 1990. He shared a second Pulitzer Prize in 2000 with colleagues Carol Guzy and Lucian Perkins for their coverage of Kosovo. A photographer with The Washington Post since 1993, Williamson was named Newspaper Photographer of the Year in the 1995 Pictures of the Year contest and Photographer of the Year in 2000 by the National Press Photographers Association. Chuck Zoeller is director of creative services for The Associated Press. A former photographer, he joined the AP as a photo editor at the news cooperative’s New York headquarters, and later served 14 years as director of the AP Images photo library — one of the world’s largest collections of news photos. He has curated several books and exhibitions of AP photography. A graduate of the University of Rochester, he has served as chair of the Pulitzer Prize jury in photography. Compilation