Event Details
When:
-
Location:
WWU Communications Facility
Room 115
Price:
Includes lunch, light snacks/beverages
$35 General
$10 WWU & Non-WWU Students
Brought to you by:
Department of Journalism, WWU Alumni Association
Conference Schedule
9:00 to 9:45 a.m.
Check-in
10:00 a.m.
Welcome and ceremonial opening of the conference
10:30 a.m.
Children of the Setting Sun
Storytelling for Change
Children of the Setting Sun is a local Indigenous-led non-profit organization that focuses on amplifying Indigenous stories from Coast Salish peoples. During their presentation, folks from Children of the Setting Sun will share a short documentary film and present their newest initiative set to launch later in October.
11:30 a.m.
Ramon Dompor
The Visual Reporting Process
12:30 p.m.
Lunch, provided
1:45 p.m.
Breakout Session 1
Mark Malijan
Shaping Light: Maximizing Impact with Minimal Gear
1:45 p.m.
Breakout Session 2
Hailey Hoffman
Making Community Connections through Visual Journalism
3:00 p.m.
Jovelle Tamayo
Navigating the Intersection of AI and Visual Journalism
4:00 p.m.
Robert Galbraith
In Search of America
5:00 p.m.
Optional Activity
Portfolio reviews
6:00 p.m.
Conference adjourns
Description
Are you a visual storyteller or a student hoping to become one? Would you like to connect with colleagues and professionals to expand your network and discuss current trends in the profession?
Bellingham Visual is a one-day conference targeted toward students, professionals and enthusiasts who practice and embrace the process of visual storytelling. This year’s lineup includes photojournalists and documentary filmmakers from around the region who will share their insights while also educating and inspiring the conference’s attendees.
In addition to the presentations, visual journalists and students will have the opportunity to meet media professionals and show their work during a portfolio review.
This year’s conference is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 in the Communications Facility on the south end of Western Washington University’s campus. Cost for entry is $35, and $10 for students. Registration includes lunch, light snacks and beverages.
Sponsor a Student
Whether you can attend the event or not, we invite you to sponsor a student by donating $10 to help offset the costs of the conference.
Featuring:
Children of the Setting Sun
Children of the Setting Sun is a local Indigenous-led non-profit organization that focuses on amplifying Indigenous stories from Coast Salish peoples. During their presentation, folks from Children of the Setting Sun will share a short documentary film and present their newest initiative set to launch later in October.
Ramon Dompor
Ramon Dompor is a video journalist at The Seattle Times, where he documents current social issues around the Pacific Northwest through character-driven storytelling. He’s covered stories about the Southern Resident Killer Whales, activism in Seattle, the resiliency of queer youth, and the connection that the Yurok and Karuk people share with the Klamath River.
His work has been recognized by the Northwest Regional Emmy Awards, National Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the National Press Photographers Association. Ramon was NPPA's Multimedia Journalist of the Year in 2021. Previously, he worked as a youth filmmaking educator, freelance photographer, and served as the Seattle Chapter President of the Asian American Journalists Association.
Mark Malijan ('09)
Mark Malijan graduated from Western Washington University’s Visual Journalism program in 2009. He began his career as a photojournalist, working for local outlets like The Bellingham Herald and Skagit Valley Herald, while also freelancing for various national publications.
After relocating to Seattle, Malijan shifted his focus to commercial photography, collaborating with both local brands and Fortune 500 companies. During this period, he honed his expertise in lighting, specializing in lifestyle and product campaigns.
With a career that spans global assignments both in the field and the studio, Malijan’s work is defined by vibrant imagery that captures energy and minimalism. His mastery of light and composition allows him to create striking, dynamic visuals that bring each moment to life.
Hailey Hoffman ('19)
Hailey Hoffman is a visual journalist with the Cascadia Daily News in Bellingham. She graduated from Western Washington University in 2019 with degrees in Spanish and visual journalism. While at Western, she worked on all the campus publications and completed internships with the Skagit Valley Herald and Bellingham, Alive! magazine. After graduating, Hoffman spent two as a visual journalist for the Astorian where she covered community news, including the onset and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic along the Oregon Coast.
Originally from Las Vegas, Hailey has grown to love the mountains and the ocean and spends much of her free time hiking, skiing or chasing sunsets.
Jovelle Tamayo
Jovelle Tamayo (they/she) is a Seattle-based multimedia visuals editor at The Marshall Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering systems of justice in the U.S. As an independent photojournalist, they contribute to variety of publications, including The New York Times, NPR, High Country News, TIME Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and Crosscut. She works on a range of efforts to make the visual journalism industry more equitable as a founding member of the Authority Collective, a co-author of the Photo Bill of Rights, and a program director for AAJA Voices. Jovelle is also a member of Juntos Photo Coop, an adjunct professor of visual journalism at the University of Washington, and a youth media teaching artist.
Robert Galbraith
During his 30 years as a wire service photojournalist Robert Galbraith was always on the move, covering major news and sporting events both domestically and internationally. Although Galbraith officially “retired” from the daily grind, he continues to stay on the move. Drawing inspiration from seminal works by Robert Frank and William Eggleston, Galbraith has been traversing the U.S. nearly nonstop since 2021, documenting the people and places he encounters along the way. Armed with a digital Leica rangefinder, Galbraith takes us on a black and white journey of America through a series of portraits, landscapes and candid moments.
When he’s not traveling in his 2012 Roadtrek 170 Versatile RV, Galbraith returns home to an Airstream trailer in Truth of Consequences, New Mexico. You can follow his work on Instagram.
Questions and Accommodations
- Your point of contact for this event is Joe Gosen: gosenj@wwu.edu.
- Advance notice for disability accommodations and special needs is appreciated. Please mention your needs when registering.
Visitor Parking at WWU on Weekends
- Parking is free on the weekends only in the C lots and 12G by Fairhaven College.
- More parking details for campus visitors are available online.
Parking at WWU on Weekends for Visitors with Disabilities
- Parking is free on the weekends. Use your disability placard to park in any disability or adjacent non-reserved space.
- More parking details for campus visitors with disabilities are available online.
The views expressed by our speakers do not necessarily reflect those of Western Washington University.