Jérôme Sessini × Photo Reason — Latin American Soul: A Day of the Dead Workshop in Mexico City
November 3–9, 2026 — join Magnum photographer Jérôme Sessini in Mexico City for a seven-day master's workshop set in the season of Mexico's Day of the Dead.
For centuries, Mexico City has drawn and inspired countless artists and creators with its singular character, magical color and deep cultural roots. Building on that irresistible pull, from November 3 to 9, 2026, Photo Reason Academy will host a seven-day Master's Workshop in Mexico City, led by Magnum photographer Jérôme Sessini.
Over seven days, Jérôme Sessini will guide participants through three core modules — personal projects, photographic narrative, and editing & sequencing — for a true feast of photography. Participants will also complete a small photo project together and, at the very end, produce a zine alongside Jérôme Sessini. The workshop takes place during Mexico's important "Day of the Dead" season, but deliberately just after the main parade day, so participants can freely explore the festivities on their own.
Photo Reason Academy destination workshops are only held in cities and regions where the lead mentor has lived for a long time or has extensive creative experience, ensuring genuinely valuable guidance and support for every participant. Jérôme Sessini has long pursued personal projects and assignments in Mexico, where he is deeply respected; his wife is also Mexican.
About Jérôme Sessini
"Sometimes there is art in news and news in art. Conscience, soul, beauty, balance, and loss of balance are all crucial to me."
Born in 1968 in the Vosges region of France, Jérôme Sessini became a full member of Magnum Photos in 2016. He is one of the world's most prolific and respected war and conflict photographers, primarily working in sensitive conflict zones including Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Libya. Beyond his frontline war coverage, his work also addresses controversial social issues such as street conflicts, ethnic tensions, and drug abuse.
Throughout his career, Jérôme Sessini has published several photography books including 'Inner Disorder' and 'The Wrong Side', and has received numerous awards including the World Press Photo Contest (Spot News Stories category / Short Form) and the Pierre & Alexandra Boulat Award. His work has been featured in renowned publications such as The New Yorker, Time, and Stern, and he has held solo exhibitions worldwide, including at the Rencontres d'Arles, Bibliothèque Nationale François-Mitterrand, French Ministry of Culture, International Center of Photography, and the Barbican.
Jérôme Sessini has long pursued personal projects and assignments in Mexico, where he is deeply respected. He is also a Canon Global Ambassador and a mentor for Magnum Photos' Creative Documentary program.
©Jérôme Sessini, Mexico
Assistant & Translator
Photo Reason partner Chaoqun Pan will serve as the workshop's assistant and translator. Having photographed in Mexico City in 2025, he will explore the city alongside participants and support them throughout.
Chaoqun Pan
- Photographer and curator, partner of the photography podcast brand Photo Reason
- Graduate of the Magnum Photos creative documentary and photojournalism program in Paris
- The first photographer signed by ZEISS in China
- Guest lecturer in photographic art and personal projects at the French art schools I'ECV and École EAC
- Photo book "mind the gap" in preparation; represented by The Muisca Gallery in the Marais, Paris
Workshop Structure
For centuries, Mexico City has drawn and inspired countless creators with its singular character, magical color and deep culture. This workshop is led by Jérôme Sessini, who has long worked in the city: over seven days you will delve into Mexico City with him across three modules — personal projects, photographic narrative, and editing & sequencing — develop a clear project thread on a subject of your choice, systematically refine your editing and sequencing skills, and collectively design a zine with the whole group. On "Community / Theme Exploration": led by mentor Jérôme Sessini, assistant Pan and a local fixer, participants go deep into Mexico City's local communities to explore the city, its neighborhoods and its culture; depending on the number of participants, this module may be split into groups.
Pre-departure (Online)
An online pre-departure module (about 2 hours) two weeks before the workshop begins
- Pan shares his experience photographing in Mexico City the previous year.
- A lecture on workflow (based on Lightroom / Capture One) and personal projects, helping everyone prepare before shooting.
Day 1 - 2026.11.03
Arrival, introduction & project kickoff
- 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Workshop introduction & city induction: Jérôme Sessini presents the week's overall schedule, shares Mexico City's background, shooting directions and safety notes, and leads everyone into the city's complex, charged visual context through his Mexico-related work.
- 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Portfolio Review: Jérôme Sessini reviews each participant's past work, helping to clarify their personal visual language, shooting habits and potential directions; participants who arrived early and photographed Day of the Dead activities may also bring related work to the discussion.
- 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Ideas Development Lab: each participant introduces their background, project ideas and goals for the workshop; through mentor and group discussion, everyone clarifies a shootable direction for the week.
- Evening | Personal shooting time: participants begin their first individual exploration and shooting in and around Mexico City.
Please arrange to arrive in Mexico City on your own before November 3, and secure a valid multi-entry visa that meets entry requirements. Please note: November 1 is Mexico's traditional "Day of the Dead" main parade — participants who arrive early can freely explore the city's festivities, street atmosphere and visual scenes, building a first set of images ahead of the workshop.
Day 2 - 2026.11.04
City exploration 01: entering the field
- 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Community / theme exploration 01: led by Jérôme, participants enter Mexico City's streets together around a specific community, neighborhood or theme. This exploration is not just a group shoot but a process of learning how to enter unfamiliar environments, build a way of seeing, and find narrative threads.
- Afternoon | Personal shooting time: based on the morning's observations and discussion, participants continue shooting in and around the city, developing their own project directions.
Day 3 - 2026.11.05
Personal shooting & first group review
- Morning | Personal shooting time: participants continue shooting around their own theme, deepening their observation of people, space, events or the city's atmosphere.
- 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Group Review: each participant presents a selection of photos from the previous and current day, receiving constructive feedback from Jérôme and peers; discussion focuses on ways of seeing, narrative potential, shooting distance, theme progression and next shooting strategies.
Day 4 - 2026.11.06
City exploration 02: deepening the theme
- 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Community / theme exploration 02: participants again enter different sites in Mexico City with Jérôme, further expanding their understanding of the relationships between city, community and people. Compared with the first exploration, this session emphasizes deepening the theme on existing threads and finding more personally expressive image possibilities.
- Afternoon | Personal shooting time: participants continue shooting independently, responding to the previous days' discussion and feedback and gradually refining the visual direction of their projects.
Day 5 - 2026.11.07
Personal shooting & second group review
- Morning | Personal shooting time: participants enter the key stage of the week's shooting, concentrating on filling in the missing frames, emotions, relationships or narrative passages of their projects.
- 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Group Review: each participant again presents a selection of photos; Jérôme helps everyone judge the directions already formed in the work, the parts still needing reinforcement, and the image structure that might hold up in the final edit.
Day 6 - 2026.11.08
Editing, selection & sequencing
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Group Review & Editing Session: a full day reviewing the past week's work, with participants doing photo selection, editing and sequencing exercises under the mentor's guidance — learning how to distill core images from a large body of material, build relationships between photos, and let a shooting project gradually take on a clear narrative and rhythm.
Day 7 - 2026.11.09
Final edit & zine production
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Final editing, sequencing & collective zine design: participants continue editing and sequencing; building on a review of everyone's work from the week, the group collectively selects the best photographs and designs a digital zine featuring the work of all workshop participants.
- 6:00 PM | Closing reception and farewell.
After the workshop, Photo Reason will provide participants with a printed zine and an offline exhibition opportunity, turning a week of shooting, discussion and editing into a complete result that can be viewed, shared and collected.
Registration
- Workshop Fee
¥18,800 per person (early-bird price of ¥16,800 per person for registrations submitted before August 15, 2026)
This fee covers the workshop tuition only and does not include transportation, accommodation, or other personal expenses incurred during the program; see the registration form for details on additional costs. This is not a "tour group" itinerary — all participants must purchase international travel insurance covering the full trip and provide it before the program begins.
- Capacity
- 6–10 participants
- Location
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Visa Requirements
Participants must hold their own valid multi-entry visa allowing visa-free entry to Mexico:
- 1–10 year US visa (most recommended; allows transit through the US)
- 1–5 year Schengen visa (direct flights recommended; no US transit)
- 3–5 year Japan visa (direct flights recommended; no US transit)
A standalone Mexican tourist visa is very difficult to obtain and is strongly not recommended.
How to Register
- 1.Scan the QR code below or click the registration link below to fill out the form.
- 2.Applicants must submit 10–15 past works (single images or series, uploaded within the form), or provide social media accounts.
- 3.Assessment is completed within 3 days (reviewed and selected personally by Jérôme Sessini), with confirmation by email and WeChat.
- 4.Complete payment to finalize registration and await the start of the workshop (first come, first served; closes once full).
Other Information
- Language of Instruction
- English (with Chinese translation)
- Workshop Enquiries
- WeChat: bonbondepan