Maritime Photojournalism Course
This course teaches you to document the maritime world with the rigor of photojournalism. You will learn the ethics and planning of coverage at sea, how to master exposure, focus and low light while protecting your equipment from salt and spray, how to work on ships, in ports and during operations without compromising safety, how to edit and caption photo stories and how to manage rights, privacy and archives in a publishable final report.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Maritime Photojournalism Course?
This short course covers photojournalism on ships, in ports and along the coast. You will study the genres of maritime photojournalism, professional ethics and visual truthfulness, personal safety on board and protective equipment, research and planning of coverage, visual narrative at sea, exposure in changing light and reflections, focus tracking during maneuvers and rescues, low-light and night photography on board, protection and field maintenance of equipment, documentary composition, coverage on board and in terminals, documentation of critical operations, nautical tourism, responsible coverage of incidents, photo story construction, picture editing, professional captions, color and black and white, permitted adjustments, copyright and licenses, privacy and consent, archiving and backups, information security and impact indicators.
What sets this course apart: it combines photographic technique with the safety rules and working rhythms of ships and ports; ethics and truthfulness are treated as part of the craft, from what you may adjust to how you caption; it prepares you for demanding conditions such as spray, motion and night work; it covers the legal and archival side that turns pictures into a sustainable professional practice; and it ends with an applied project in which you produce a publishable maritime photo report.
Program highlights
- Ethics and visual truthfulness: limits of intervention, manipulation and editorial transparency.
- Safety on board: critical areas, PPE and coordination with the ship's safety officer.
- Technique at sea: exposure with reflections, action focus, low light and salt protection.
- Coverage of ships, ports, critical operations, nautical tourism and incidents.
- Picture editing, sequencing and professional captions without speculation.
- Applied project: a publishable photo report with rights, consent and archiving in order.
Syllabus of the Maritime Photojournalism Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Foundations of photojournalism in maritime settings, editorial ethics and preparing coverage at sea
- 1.1. Maritime photojournalism: objectives, genres such as news, feature and chronicle and criteria of public relevance for the sector
- 1.2. Professional ethics and visual truthfulness: limits of intervention, manipulation, reconstructions and editorial transparency
- 1.3. Personal and operational safety on board: critical areas, PPE, coordination with the safety officer and ship's rules
- 1.4. Prior research and planning: dossier, sources, access, permits, operating windows and mission checklist
- 1.5. Visual narrative at sea: angle, characters, scenes, tension, context and photographic sequencing
Photographic technique in real conditions: exposure, focus, motion, salt and low light
- 2.1. Exposure control in changing environments: backlight, reflections on water, highlights and practical metering
- 2.2. Focus and action tracking: maneuvers, rescues, port operations and moving subjects
- 2.3. Low-light and night photography on board: noise, stabilization, safe shutter speeds and color management
- 2.4. Protecting equipment in the marine environment: salt, humidity, rain, condensation and field maintenance
- 2.5. Maritime documentary composition: layers, lines, scale, horizon, technical context and operational reading of the scene
Coverage on ships, in ports and during operations: procedures, working rhythms and relations with crew
- 3.1. Coverage on board: hierarchy, timings, internal permissions and working without interfering with operational safety
- 3.2. Photography in ports and terminals: access, credentials, restricted areas, industrial safety and compliance
- 3.3. Documenting critical operations: loading and unloading, towage, pilotage, maintenance and berthing maneuvers
- 3.4. Covering nautical tourism: excursions, cruises, yachts, passenger service and moments of experience
- 3.5. Incidents and emergencies: responsible approach, distances, respect for those affected, coordination with command and recording of evidence
Visual narrative and photojournalistic editing: sequences, captions, context and coherence of the story
- 4.1. Building stories in images: sequence, opening, development, climax, closing and narrative continuity
- 4.2. Journalistic picture editing: news criteria, variety of shots, coherence and removal of redundancy
- 4.3. Professional captions: who, what, where, when and why, technical accuracy and context without speculation
- 4.4. Color and black and white with editorial judgment: narrative intention, consistency and control of color casts
- 4.5. Development and permitted adjustments: levels, contrast, cropping, sharpening and the ethical limits of processing
Rights, licenses, archiving and final project: publishable maritime photojournalism report
- 5.1. Copyright and usage licenses: assignments, exclusivity, territories, terms and contractual protection
- 5.2. Privacy and consent: passengers, crew, private spaces, sensitive data and minors
- 5.3. Management and archiving: naming, 3-2-1 backups, catalog, metadata and long-term preservation
- 5.4. Information security: storage, basic encryption, access control and chain of custody for sensitive material
- 5.5. Impact indicators: reach, retention, qualitative engagement, republication and informative value of the project
Duration and format of the Maritime Photojournalism Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Maritime Photojournalism Course
Career opportunities after the Maritime Photojournalism Course
Questions about the Maritime Photojournalism Course
A DSLR or mirrorless camera is recommended, but the course focuses on technique, judgment and workflow, which you can apply with the equipment you already have.
No. The course is online; it prepares you to plan and carry out coverage on ships and in ports, which you arrange with the relevant operators and authorities.
Module 4 sets out the adjustments accepted in photojournalism, such as levels, contrast, cropping and sharpening, and the ethical limits beyond which an image no longer reflects reality.
The course focuses on ships, ports and the coast. It covers protection of equipment from water and salt, but specialized underwater imaging is not its main subject.
You produce a publishable maritime photo report: research, coverage plan, edited sequence, captions, rights and consent documentation and an archiving plan.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at professional photographers and advanced amateurs, journalists and communicators covering the maritime sector, merchant navy and fishing crew who want to document life on board, and photography and communication students; basic photography skills and familiarity with DSLR or mirrorless cameras and their accessories are recommended, together with an interest in maritime activities or coastal environments.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, a digital camera (ideally DSLR or mirrorless) and photo editing software such as Lightroom, Capture One, darktable or similar.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.