Five Visual Journalists who are Changing the Way we Tell Stories

The world thrives on information, with over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data created daily. In the time it will take you to scroll through this blog, there are: 

- 41,666,667 messages on WhatsApp 

- 1,388,889 video or voice calls 

- 404,444 hours of streaming on Netflix 

- 347,222 stories on Instagram 

- 150,000 messages on Facebook 

- 147,000 new photo uploads on Facebook 

The way people consume information is changing from traditional written journalism to visual storytelling. With people’s attention spans at a premium, you need to use innovative techniques to maintain engagement and tell complex stories in an easy-to-understand way. This blog looks at how an MA Visual Journalism and Storytelling course at the University of Bolton helps you gain these techniques and the five visual journalists who are changing the way we tell stories. 

Who are the Five Visual Journalists Changing the Way We Tell Stories? 

Allison McCann 

The London-based visual journalist uses 3D graphics in her work, allowing you to interact with the story and thoroughly explore its different layers. Her most innovative works include the Notre Dame fire, where she uses 3D mapping to help readers visualise the damage and why the building caught fire so easily. Others are Cyclone Idai in Mozambique and Closure of the US Polls in 2013, where she created custom maps to narrate the story. 

Simon Rogers 

Rogers is an award-winning data journalist based in San Francisco. He creates various infographics to encourage readers to visualise and analyse the information. His projects include Electionland, Google Year in Search and Facts Are Scared. Rogers is also the creator of The Guardian’s data blog, an online data resource where you can access interactive GIFs to see events unfold and their impact. 

Laura Morton 

Laura is a San Francisco-based photojournalist specialising in social justice, documenting stories on human trafficking and HIV/AIDS. She is also an accomplished author, contributing to over 40 books, including 20 New York Times bestsellers. Her collaborators include Al Roker, Justin Bieber, and Melissa Etheridge. 

Gary Knight 

Gary is the co-founder of the VII agency, an advocacy group for photojournalism and independent storytelling. He has over 25 years of experience documenting conflict zones in Europe, Africa, South East Asia, and the Middle East. He has contributed to publications like Time Magazine, National Geographic, and The New York Times. His work has earned him several awards, including the 2002 Amnesty International UK Media Award, for his work on war crimes in Kosovo. 

Al Shaw 

Al Shaw is a US-based visual journalist and the producer of the Peabody Award-Winning story Hell and High Water. He specialises in environmental issues, natural disasters and politics, using data and interactive graphics to make his stories. He illustrates how climate change affects local communities by combining mapping tools and engineering simulations. 

Course Highlights 

- We understand journalism requires you to have multiple skills. You will receive training in video, photography, news gathering, writing, and multimedia, techniques that prepare you for visual journalism in contemporary, emerging digital-first, and non-fiction storytelling environments 

- Information is global, which is why your instructors are nationally and internationally published visual practitioners in the journalism, documentary, non-profit and commercial sectors 

- You will explore and experiment with potential new approaches, practices, workflows, platforms, and technologies. The skills and knowledge you will develop ensure you are competitive for the dynamic roles in journalism, media, and other communication sectors 

- You will receive continuous support in developing a portfolio of visual stories across different media formats and platforms to demonstrate your skills to potential employers 

- Our small class sizes ensure you receive quality formative and summative feedback from face-to-face interactions with your course facilitators 

- We invest in your success. Our staff adopts a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery, tutorials, practice-based workshops, and guided independent study, supporting you in developing the skills needed to thrive in this competitive industry. We also keep the curriculum current and relevant through our carefully selected board of industry advisors and visiting lecturers who add diverse perspectives 

Society needs innovative journalists to raise awareness of global issues. If you want to learn how to tell your stories better, check out the MA Visual Journalism and Storytelling course at the University of Bolton. 

You can also contact us at enquiries@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903807 for more information.