Catchlight Visual Storytelling Summit

The CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit returns to San Francisco on World Press Freedom day with an annual gathering of leaders in photography and visual media, exploring the power of images to shape memory and history.

This year's summit, emceed by journalist, author, and educator Pendarvis Harshaw, explores how visual storytelling preserves history, challenges misinformation, and safeguards the integrity of our shared narratives.

This year's keynote address will be delivered by the legendary Katgy Ryan who through her 39-year run at the New York Times Magazine as director of photography gave the world some of its most iconic images. While the main-stage presentations feature innovators in visual storytelling, including Harlan Bozeman, photographer and CatchLight 2024 Global Fellow; Ashley Gilbertson, photographer; Elinor Carucci, photographer; Pablo Unzueta, photographer and CatchLight Local Fellow at El Tecolote; Binh Danh, photographer. The summit concludes with the Night of Photojournalism—an immersive experience featuring large-scale visual projections with musical accompaniment, from Gary Jules and DJ Mizu, celebrating the power of photography. Projections will be broadcast throughout the KQED building, with select rooms and areas featuring bars.