Perspectives

Transmedia Storytelling: How a Story Comes to Life on All Platforms

with Mallory Benedict

Online registration for this program has closed. To check availability, find out about future dates, or if you would like further information, please call 505-983-1400 ext. 111. Also, get the SFW E-Newsletter for updates!

Sign-up for the Newsletter:

Course Description

Never before have we had almost unlimited choices for where and how to consume our stories. Between still photography, video, social media, print publications, digital publications, podcasts, and the metaverse —  photographers and photo editors are being asked to juggle more media and more platforms for their stories.

So how do your stories stand out?

After working at National Geographic for almost a decade, photo editor Mallory Benedict has focused on bringing stories to life on a wide array of National Geographic’s iconic platforms, working to meet its readers where they are and usher in a new generation of fans.

During this four-hour online seminar, Mallory will discuss the making of a picture story from beginning to end, and the many hats a photo editor wears in the process. From conceptualizing and pitching an idea, to ensuring powerful storytelling unique to each platform, she shares her experiences building robust National Geographic stories for magazine readers and Tiktok followers alike.

Next students will be able to become part of the editing process at National Geographic by practicing editing and sequencing a real National Geographic assignment in advance of the seminar. During the live program, Mallory will demonstrate how she would edit and sequence the same images and discuss in detail each step of her process. The opportunity to ask questions and compare student edits is a valuable part of this education process.

Among the biggest challenges for photographers today is getting noticed, figuring out the most appropriate platform for your stories, and developing the skills to become a better editor of your own photographs. Mallory will share strategies that can help with these challenges, and assist with your development as a photographer.

Additional Information

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

Open to anyone interested in this special program.

Policies:

View Withdrawal and Transfer Policies for online programs.

Categories
Documentary, One-of-a-Kind, Storytelling
about
Mallory Benedict

Mallory Benedict is a photo editor for National Geographic Magazine, commissioning original photography across print, digital, and mobile platforms. She uses the past to understand present-day issues in her work, including stories on the legacy of the Suffrage movement and importance of lullabies as a tool for healing around the world. 

In 2021 Mallory was named a finalist for Photo Editor of the Year by NPPA, and her work has been recognized by the American Society of Magazine Editors, Society of Publication Designers, National Press Photographer’s Association, and Pictures of the Year International. She is also the Program’s Manager for Women Photograph — an initiative designed to elevate the work of women and non-binary photographers around the globe. 

Mallory graduated from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism where she studied photojournalism, anthropology, and political science.

Gorman on Gorman: Five Decades

November 17 - 19, 2020

Finding Your Voice

December 15 – 17, 2020

Wild Stories: The Perilous Art of Adventure Writing

December 1 – 4, 2020

Color, Light, and Design

January 4 - 21, 2021

You May Also Like

The Fine Art of Collecting Photographs

with Alice Sachs Zimet

April 15 – May 13, 2025

Pilgrimage: Good Friday in Northern New Mexico

with Gabriela Campos

April 17 – 19, 2025

The Next Step: San Miguel de Allende

with Sam Abell

October 13 – 17, 2025

Streets of Italy: Rome, Florence, and Naples

with Massimo Bassano

April 9 – 17, 2025

Photographing the Urban Landscape

with Jade Doskow

May 13 – June 17, 2025

Creative Collage: Techniques for Visual Storytelling

with Sarah Hadley

April 30 – May 21, 2025

Emotions and the Ephemeral World of Florals

with Leanne Trivett S.

April 1 – 29, 2025

Festival Time in San Miguel de Allende

with Jennifer Spelman

September 25 – 29, 2025

boundaries unknown

with nicholas x bent

May 14 – June 18, 2025

Autumn in Kyoto: Japan’s Most Cultured City

with Eddie Soloway

November 12 – 21, 2025

Sketchbook Practices for Photographers

with Kelly Webeck

March 8 – April 12, 2025

Land as Collaborator: Remixing Digital Prints in the Landscape

with Anna Rotty

April 28 – May 2, 2025

The Travel Portfolio as a Zine

with Jennifer Spelman

June 5 – 23, 2025

Meaningful Travel Photography and Visual Storytelling

with Raul Touzon

July 14 – August 18, 2025
– Summer Season

The Creative Composite

with Julieanne Kost

July 7 – 11, 2025

Identity in Nature: Exploring Environmental Self-Portraiture

with Nicole Cudzilo

September 25 – 28, 2025