Falling for Balestrand

A narrative travel piece blending oral storytelling techniques with written craft to portray the charm, stillness, and emotional resonance of Balestrand, a village in western Norway. Through local stories, poetic observations, and personal reflection, the article evokes a deep connection to nature, history, and the enduring capacity for wonder.

Writing Through the Lens

Personal and technical reflection on how to approach the photographic coverage of cultural events. Catarina shares her narrative approach through her own methodology based on the composition of scenes in three planes and expresses her desire to document the Carnival of Brazil with a close look at the symbolic, the chaotic, and the human.

Ethical Dilemmas in the Field – A Reflective Travel Chronicle.

An honest and thoughtful chronicle of an encounter with an elderly man in Benissa, Spain, which invites us to question the boundaries between human connection and professional distance in travel journalism. Through an intimate experience, the author explores how trust, ethics and mutual respect can coexist with narrative work, bringing to the fore care for others and the role of the journalist as a sensitive intermediary.

Through the Lens: Thimphu Tshechu

By Sam Rippon I found myself reflecting not just on the mechanics of taking a good photo, but on the intention behind each frame. It’s emphasised that the role of a photographer at a cultural event is not simply to record what’s visible, but to communicate what’s meaningful. With that in mind, I’ve begun imagining … Read more

That old dream of me and you, and an hotel room in Pyongyang

A journalistic essay that analyzes the ethical dilemmas of storytelling and traveling in authoritarian contexts. With historical and current references, the author reflects on how totalitarian regimes manipulate the tourism narrative to whitewash their image, and proposes tools to maintain journalistic rigor without falling into propaganda. A critical, documented, and courageous look at the role of the traveler and the journalist in sensitive territories.

When the Lens Lost: The Dilemma of Media Transforming from a Profession to a MoneyFuelled Hobby

A thoughtful and critical chronicle written from Aleppo, Syria, which confronts the conflict between committed journalism and the viral logic of ‘content creators’. The author recounts a first-hand experience in a craft workshop bombarded by influencers seeking to dramatise the scene, and reflects on the role of the journalist as a witness, not a director. A staunch defence of ethics, respect for narrative timing and professional integrity.

The Smile That Wasn’t Mine to Share

A reflective chronicle of a trip to Varanasi and an experience that confronts the ethical limits of travel journalism. The author recounts the moment when she decides not to take a photograph of a widowed woman, understanding that, although there was a smile, there was no real and conscious consent. A powerful lesson on empathy, representation, and the responsibility of telling other people’s stories.

The Invisible Half: A Chronicle of Cultural Boundaries and Journalistic Integrity

A profound reflection on the ethical dilemmas of travel journalism in cultural contexts with gender restrictions, based on a real experience in Oman. The author recounts how barriers to representing female voices led him to rethink his narrative approach, opting for transparency as a form of integrity. A powerful text on the limits of representation and the need to construct ethical narratives based on an awareness of our own limitations.

Contact

School of Travel Journalism S.L.

CIF: B44734986

BARCELONA, SPAIN

+44 7361587597

hola@schooloftraveljournalism.com

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