Magnum Street Photography Workshop x Jonas Bendiksen

Photo above: © Jonas Bendiksen / Magnum Photos

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience, Bendiksen guides participants through the core elements of visual storytelling — from photographing in the field to making thoughtful decisions around editing, sequencing, and narrative structure. The workshop explores how curiosity and a questioning mindset can shape both your creative process and your final body of work.

“In my experience, what everyone struggles with is the ideas. Figuring out what you are actually interested in — that’s what everyone struggles with. Me too.”
— Jonas Bendiksen

What the workshop includes

Throughout the week, participants work with clear intention, developing a personal project while exploring meaning, approach, and sequencing. The workshop is suited for photographers who want to deepen their practice, whether you’re early in your journey or working professionally.

- Mentorship by Magnum photographer Jonas Bendiksen
Gain insight and personalized guidance from an internationally acclaimed photographer, supporting you in refining and strengthening your work.

- Defining your photographic voice
Explore approaches to articulating your unique perspective and developing a personal, authentic visual language.

- Introduction to editing and sequencing
Learn essential tools for selecting, organizing, and presenting images to create a cohesive and impactful narrative.

- Group portfolio reviews
Receive diverse perspectives, learn from fellow participants, and become part of a dedicated photographic community.

- Individual portfolio reviews
Take part in one-to-one sessions with Jonas Bendiksen, receiving focused feedback on strengths, areas for growth, and next steps in your photographic development.

“Jonas has an incredible ability to push you in a kind way, while clearly showing what you can achieve if you truly commit.”
— Participant, previous online workshop

Schedule

Day 1: Monday

Focus: Getting to know each other and setting the direction for the week

Morning: Lecture by Jonas Bendiksen.
Afternoon: Participants present their background, project ideas, and goals.
Late afternoon: Shooting time, individually or in small groups.

Day 2–4: Tuesday to Thursday

Focus: Developing personal photographic narratives

Morning: Group reviews and discussions around process, storytelling, and perspective.
Afternoon: Shooting time and continued work on individual projects.

Day 5: Friday

Focus: Editing and shaping the final body of work

All day: Final image selection and sequencing
Lunch together with the group.

About Jonas Bendiksen

Jonas Bendiksen’s sharply evocative images explore themes of community, faith, and technology. Born in Norway in 1977, he began his career at the age of 19 as an intern at Magnum’s London office before leaving for Russia to pursue his own work as a photojournalist. Throughout the several years he spent there, Bendiksen photographed stories from the fringes of the former USSR, a project that was published as the book Satellites (2006). Following this, he experimented with 360-degree photography in his book and 16-projector installation The Places We Live (2008), about daily life in four urban slums.

In 2017, he published The Last Testament, which told the story of seven men who all claimed to be the biblical Messiah returned to earth. The Book of Veles from 2021 probed the vulnerabilities of our perceptions and became hotly debated after Bendiksen revealed that what had appeared to be a classical piece of photojournalism was in large part synthetic computer-generated renderings.

His editorial clients include magazines such as National Geographic, Stern, Time, Newsweek, the Sunday Times Magazine and the Guardian Weekend. On the commercial side, he has done projects for HSBC, Canon, FUJI, BCG, Red Bull, and Land Rover. Bendiksen became a nominee of Magnum Photos in 2004 and a full member in 2008. He lives with his wife and children outside Oslo, Norway.