Masterclass

photography course

Photography – like the use of all other means of expression – is not about inventing, but discovering. Photography is the possibility of shouting, liberation, not an attempt to prove one’s own originality. It’s a way of life.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Download Masterclas program

Goals and Course Program

The course is led by two photographers with a rich individual portfolio and extensive teaching experience (Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, Warsaw School of Photography, AMA Film Academy in Krakow, Nikon Academy, Open Photography Studio of the Krakow University of Technology, author’s portrait workshops, street photography, six editions of Masterclass). Our graduates succeed in photography contests, gain admission to prestigious institutions such as the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava, and Willem de Koonig Academy in Rotterdam.

The Masterclass is designed for individuals with at least basic technical skills and experience in photography who are currently in the process of finding their own style and exploring various photographic themes. It is also suitable for advanced photographers who want to focus on implementing a specific project under our guidance and with the support of a group. Our principle is not to format participants according to our aesthetic preferences but to follow their individualities, indicating the diverse paths of contemporary photography.

During the course, sessions will be tailored to the individual needs of participants. In addition to prepared lectures and practical exercises, we will react in real-time to emerging issues during work. We will create a close-knit group that will share experiences, support each other in project work, provide feedback, motivate for development, and encourage breaking away from established patterns. Together, we will go through the entire process of creating a photographic cycle: from concept through execution to presentation.

Throughout the course, we will explore questions such as:

What interests me the most in photography?
What do I want to express in my photos, and how can I consciously use visual language for this purpose?
What are my strengths and weaknesses as a photographer?
How to find and define an individual style?
How to execute a photographic project?
How to choose and combine photos to create a coherent series?
How to present it (exhibition, projection, portfolio, publication)?

You will learn:

Working on a long-term project
Working with models
Developing a concept
Different ways of building narration
Editing photographic material
Methods of presenting and promoting a photographic project

The program includes:

Review of participants’ previous works
Lectures and presentations of various photographic projects
Individual work on assigned topics
Collaborative work on selected technical or substantive issues from different fields of photography that will emerge during the project realization
Completing homework assignments designed to broaden participants’ skill sets, pushing them beyond their comfort zone and encouraging exploration of new paths
Post-production work
Group discussions, reviewing each stage of participants’ project realization
Individual consultations
Working on a personal portfolio
Organization and arrangement of an exhibition of works created during the course

First Meeting Program:

Review of participants’ works, analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. Discussion to define the scope of individual searches and provide inspiration.
Lectures and presentations on the interpretation of photographic images, themes, and styles in photography (an overview from the history of photography to the present day).
Practical work: executing a photo session in subgroups outdoors or indoors on an assigned topic.
Determining an individual idea and topic for one’s project.

Dates and Location:

Workshops take place once a month on Sundays from October to June.Participation registration implies a commitment to attend the entire program and pay the full course fee. Location: Anita and Andrzej’s studio in the Budostal 8 building at ul. Przewóz 34 in Krakow. We will provide a detailed map by email. We reserve the right to cancel the course if there are insufficient registrations, and the deposit will be refunded.

Price and Participation Conditions:

The course has been popular for years, with the number of applications usually exceeding the available spots. Therefore, please send us a submission containing 5 to 10 of your best photos in jpg format (it doesn’t have to be a project; we will work on that during the course). One photo should not exceed 500 kB, and the total size of attachments should not exceed 5MB.

Please send submissions with attachments to both email addresses simultaneously (anita.andrzejewska1@gmail.com, pilichowskiragno@gmail.com). We will inform selected participants by email, and the final reservation of a spot in the course will be confirmed after the participant’s deposit payment.

The course fee is PLN 4,500 (can be paid in installments). A deposit of PLN 1,000, payable by September 4, 2023, by selected participants, is a necessary condition for accepting the application. The remaining PLN 3,500 can be paid in installments of PLN 500, payable before each subsequent session.

If you feel that this course is for you, don’t hesitate to decide and send your submission as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing your work!

What the Price Includes:

Academic support (lectures, practical exercises, homework assignments) from both instructors. Sessions take place in our studio in Krakow, but if necessary, online participation is possible for theoretical parts and consultations.
Individual consultations with the instructors between sessions.
Use of the studio and professional photographic equipment during sessions and individually for project purposes, by prior arrangement.
Costs of hiring models for sessions during classes.
Organization and arrangement of an exhibition in one of Krakow’s galleries (without production costs).
Preparation of portfolios for each participant (without production costs).
Drinks and snacks during sessions.

Course Reviews: The first edition of the Masterclass took place at the turn of 2018/19. There have been six editions so far, all concluding with an exhibition of participants’ projects at the Pauza Gallery.

Here are a few voices and photos from previous editions:

All editions have brought immense satisfaction to us, the instructors. We observed participants spreading their wings, evolving their works, and adopting creative postures. Between meetings, we prepared a program tailored precisely to expand participants’ skills and awareness. The groups incredibly supported each other, sharing enthusiasm, experience, and energy. As a result, a wide variety of thematically and stylistically diverse photographic cycles emerged, from street photography to studio creative photography and conceptual projects, in various digital and analog techniques.

“It’s hard to write about workshops with Anita and Andrzej without falling into clichés. Especially if you’ve participated in so many forms of meetings, from two-day courses to multi-day outdoor sessions and an 8-month Masterclass. What can I say? It was a time dedicated to photography at the highest level. They are wonderful teachers with a vast amount of knowledge, tips, and inspiration. Maybe I should mention that they opened the doors for me to a prestigious university in Opava. To put it simply – I’m delighted, thank you for everything, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone who wants to develop in photography!”

“The Masterclass program certainly affirmed my photographic choices, deepened my awareness, and provided me with a lot of knowledge, both in the history of photography and purely artistic matters. Thanks to it, I made the decision to pursue an idea that had been on my mind for some time. During these eight months, loose threads, notes, and sketches of frames crystallized into a solid, very personal project. At every stage, I could count on support, hints, and a fair assessment of my progress. It is essential that Anita and Andrzej do not impose their vision but strive to guide and advise to maintain a coherent message and sincerity in expression. The highlight is, of course, the exhibition of works and the incredible atmosphere that accompanies this event.”

“Dear all, I wanted to officially thank you here on our small group for the last six months of a photographic adventure. You are all superb, and each of you is wonderful and inspiring. Anita Andrzejewska and Andrzej Pilichowski Ragno, you deserve the biggest thanks for patience, openness, motivating us, but also opening new paths.”