01
How to structure a long-form project
A long-form project needs a thesis, limits and a schedule. Without structure, the series never ends.
Free digital resource · Documentary Photography
Career guide: Documentary Photography
Turn your local stories into projects with global reach.
Format
Guide + checklist + roadmap
Plan duration
12 months in 4 phases
Price
Free · no sign-up
02
How to pitch it to outlets and festivals
Pitching to outlets and festivals is an editing exercise: 12-20 images, a short text and a clear intention.
03
From series to publication or exhibition
Going from series to publication takes a format step: sequence, pace and a decision about the final medium.
04
Funding documentary projects
Months 1-3: thesis and field plan. Months 4-6: first edit. Months 7-9: submissions. Months 10-12: publication or exhibition.
Diagnosis
What the international market values
Relative weight of each skill in selection processes and in your rate.
Project thesis93/100
Without a thesis, the series never ends
Edit and sequence86/100
12-20 images that hold together
Field consistency72/100
Long-form, a real schedule
Circuit and submissions63/100
Outlets, festivals, publishers
Roadmap
Your 12-month plan, phase by phase
Phase 1 · Months 1-3
25% of the planThesis and field plan
- Audit what you already have and discard 70% of it
- Define the professional profile you're aiming for
- Block out 5 fixed hours a week for your own work
Deliverable: A written diagnosis and work plan
Phase 2 · Months 4-6
50% of the planFirst edit
- Build the centrepiece of your new positioning
- Document your method step by step
- Get feedback from two professionals above your level
Deliverable: One complete, publishable, defensible case
Phase 3 · Months 7-9
75% of the planSubmissions
- Go to market: contacts, processes or proposals
- Prepare a 3-minute presentation of your work
- Track responses and adjust the message every two weeks
Deliverable: Portfolio and pitch validated outside your circle
Phase 4 · Months 10-12
100% of the planPublication or exhibition
- Raise your rate or level of responsibility
- Select projects aligned with your specialism
- Set a professional goal for the next 12 months
Deliverable: A new position or a newly negotiated rate
Progression
Where you start and where you end up
30%TodayYou execute briefs with your own judgement
52%Month 4Your method is visible and repeatable
76%Month 8You compete in international processes
100%Month 12You lead, choose your clients and charge for value
Checklist
Tick off what you have already sorted
Portfolio and evidence
- Three projects told as cases: problem, decision, result
- One piece that demonstrates your judgement, not just your technique
- A measurable or verifiable result in every case
- All material in English, ready for international review
Positioning
- One sentence explaining who you serve and with what judgement
- A professional profile updated with that same sentence
- A 3-minute presentation recorded and reviewed
- Clarity on why Documentary Photography and nothing else
International market
- A list of 20 target studios, brands or teams
- Five real contacts started this month
- A rate or salary band defined per project and per month
- Availability and working hours agreed in writing
Training and next step
- A training gap identified in a single sentence
- A realistic weekly calendar compatible with your job
- An instalment payment plan reviewed
- A profile assessment completed to validate the programme
Actions for this week
- Define the thesis of your documentary project in two sentences.
- Edit down to 15 images that carry the story.
- Prepare a personalised submission to three outlets or festivals.