Visual storyteller and photojournalist, Ann Hermes, joins Michael at the 2026 Chico Review to discuss her advocacy for visual storytelling and her photo exploration of the loss of local newsrooms.

<p>Visual storyteller and photojournalist, Ann Hermes, joins Michael Chovan-Dalton from the 2026 Chico Review to discuss her advocacy for visual storytelling and her photographic exploration of the loss of local newsrooms.</p><p><br></p><p>https://www.annhermesphoto.com</p><p>https://www.instagram.com/hermesphoto/</p><p><br></p><p>I am a Brooklyn and Boston-based photojournalist and visual storyteller with a flair for the nostalgic. I create documentary tableaus that explore the roles that often overlooked, and sometimes outdated, institutions and people play in our history, culture and future. </p><p><br></p><p>I’ve worked in a variety of logistically challenging situations on national and international assignments over my 15 years as a staff photographer for The Christian Science Monitor and other national and regional news outlets. This work ranged from breaking visual news coverage of the Arab Spring in Egypt to in-depth stories following Syrian refugees in Eastern Europe. My stories have also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New Republic, and AARP.</p><p><br></p><p>After years of experience in news photography, I am using my documentary expertise to create a visual exploration of the current critical era in journalism and explore the potential harm that the loss of local newsrooms would bring to our democracy. </p><p><br></p><p>My Local Newsrooms project was recently exhibited at Photoville and profiled in Lenscratch. </p><p><br></p><p>I hold an MA in Journalism from the University of Missouri. </p><p><br></p><p>This podcast is sponsored by the Charcoal Book Club - Begin Building your dream photobook library today at:</p><p>https://charcoalbookclub.com</p>