Up To Speed Journalism

Up To Speed Photojournalist Rosalind Butt

If you have a passion for photography and a desire to tell compelling stories using words and images, then the photojournalism course at Up To Speed is for you.

The syllabus you will take is built around NCTJ qualifications and is being constantly refined in consultation with leading news photographers to ensure it prepares you for today’s working environment.

Your Tutor

Your photography tutor will be Neil Turner, Vice-Chairman of the British Press Photographers’ Association. Neil has worked as a press photographer since the mid 1980s, including 14 years as a staff photographer for The Times Supplements.

You can see a selection of Neil’s work below.

Your Career

Photojournalism isn’t 9-5; it’s not even Monday to Friday. What it does offer is a unique mix of unpredictability and adrenaline. It challenges you to think creatively and to use your initiative and people skills to achieve results.  You will acquire a thorough understanding of the technical aspects of the craft, but also develop an imaginative eye and an appreciation of the many ways of telling those stories.

Term One

An intensive 12-week term at our training centre in the Daily Echo, Bournemouth.

You will learn how to take effective digital still photographs and how to shoot and edit video as well as how to write stories and picture captions. You will also learn in detail about how the law affects you as a photojournalist.

At the end of this term you will take the following NCTJ exams:

Photographic Knowledge

News and Caption Writing

Essential Law For Photographers

Photographic Practice

Classroom time: Tuesday to Friday 10-6pm

Term Two

In the second 12-week term you will put the lessons you have learned into practice.

The emphasis will be on practical press photography and photojournalism. With our help you will find work placements and assignments in photography, video journalism and photojournalism. Once a week you will meet our tutor at Up To Speed to discuss the pictures you are taking for the photographer’s portfolio.

At the end of the term  your Portfolio will be assessed. You can see more details on all these units by following the side-bar menu above.

Successful students will be awarded the NCTJ Certificate.

Why don’t you take a few seconds to picture yourself working as a photojournalist when you qualify?