laif foundation for independent photojournalism

Impressions from the workshops

Young people primarily use image-based media (Insta, TikTok, YouTube). Artificial intelligence makes creating images easier, but also more challenging. Our workshops guide young people through this development. They increase media literacy, visual analysis and critical thinking skills (e.g. when it comes to fake news and deepfakes), as well as an understanding of photography, photojournalism and artificial intelligence. Important skills for the participants’ everyday lives and therefore for society and democracy.

Workshop contents

Our aim is to sensitize young people to the importance of photojournalism and at the same time strengthen their media skills. Recognizing deepfakes and understanding the concept of truth are key topics that we address in order to help young people deal critically with visual content.

The four-hour workshops include topics such as image composition, perspectivity and subjectivity of images as well as an introduction to legal frameworks, visual storytelling and AI-generated images. Practical exercises, discussion rounds and work on your own projects are of course also included.

If you are a teacher, trainer or youth work specialist, our workshops also offer an interesting opportunity for further training in the field of visual literacy. Teachers can use the teaching and information materials we provide to prepare for and follow up on the workshops (one lesson each). In line with our train-the-trainer concept, you can use this to provide further media education impetus in your work in the future.

Our workshops are often requested by schools. However, they are also ideal for companies that train or develop employees or for organizations in vocational and youth education. The length and content of the workshops can be flexibly adapted.

We look forward to visiting your school or institution! Let’s dive into the world of photojournalism together and develop the visual skills of young people.

If you are interested, please send us an e-mail at info@laif-foundation.org

Impressions from the workshops

as part of the “Jugend Fotografiert Deutschland” photo competition in Hamburg in November 2024.

laif foundation Jugend-Workshops

laif foundation fotofestival - Workshops

laif foundation Jugend-Workshops

@ Valentina Crosato

laif foundation Jugend-Workshops

@ Valentina Crosato

laif foundation Jugend-Workshops

Teachers and students

We've been together as a class for six months now. And I was looking for something where I had the feeling that the students already brought a lot to the table, i.e. skills in photography. I have the feeling that they can already do a lot. And at the same time, I think a competition like this is a totally motivating framework. Because there's something to win. There is a deadline. There are guidelines. There are other schools and students who take part. And that's why I found it really good as an introduction to a new learning group. And a great topic too. Somehow very low-threshold, very easy for us to grasp.

My group and I chose the topic of procrastination... a very personal topic for all of us... I thought it was also exciting to share individual things that I've never seen in a wider context in reporting or in the media or anywhere in general and that are really represented.

We took part because we are in the art section and our teacher suggested it. And it seemed like a really cool idea and initiative to show a bit of what we can do. And we were really pleased that we made it in.

FCK Fake News

As an inspiration for ideas that can be developed from our workshops, you can see a media education project by our photographer André Lützen above. A project that was realized in 2023 together with the cultural education department of the Deichtorhallen Hamburg and six Hamburg students on the topic of fake news.

More information on the "Fake News" project

The internet is considered the most democratic medium of all. Anyone can post, comment and share on an equal footing. And young people in particular use social media to get information, but they also run the risk of falling for false reports, as news is often embellished and manipulated. They often lack the criteria to differentiate between reputable and dubious sources and to assess the credibility of news. On the one hand, this relates to political fake news (false news), which can lead to a loss of diversity of information if disseminated uncritically and can be a threat to democracy, but on the other hand it also relates to very “personal” fake news such as self-promotion on media such as Instagram and TikTok. Users are constantly presented with the image of the perfect person and an exciting life, whether through image editing or cropping out the surroundings.

The students’ work on the topic of fake news can be seen on the website specially designed for the project.
(https://www.klubderkuenste.com/home/)

Participating schools: Charlotte-Paulsen-Gymnasium, Gymnasium Buckhorn, Emilie-Wüstenfeld-Gymnasium, Reformschule Winterhude, Gymnasium Allee, ReBBZ Billstedt (Regionales-Bildungs- und Beratungszentrum)

Coordination of the project: Birgit Hübner, Head of Cultural Education at the Deichtorhallen Hamburg

Project idea and artistic direction: André Lützen

Photographs: André Lützen

Artistic collaboration and realization: Nora Luttmer and Ruth Marie Kröger