The programme is meant for both self-taught photographers and recent graduates from academic programmes, who wish to pursue an extended personal project and take their practice to the next level. The Masterclass is the next step in a serious career in photography, offering the participants regular mentoring, networking and international exposure opportunities and a support structure for developing a conceptually strong body of work.
The ISSP International Masterclass is organised by ISSP, a non-commercial education and networking platform for emerging photographers. It builds on our experience running the International Summer School of Photography in Latvia since 2006. The sessions in Kuldīga are supported by Kuldīga district municipality; the session in Sicily is organised in partnership with Minimum.
Two cycles of the programme have been completed so far: 2015/2016 (with Aaron Schuman and Yuri Kozyrev & Andrei Polikanov) and 2016/2017 (with Simon Norfolk and Phil Toledano) - see Alumni & works for the resulting work.
For Masterclass' events and exhibitions, photo and video documentation of the sessions, as well as the updates on the participants' works, please ISSP Facebook page.
During the year-long Masterclass programme, 24 selected photographers (12 in each class) develop their artistic and documentary projects using the guidance of their tutors and support of the international group of peers. The participants physically meet 3 times, in two intensive workshop sessions in Kuldīga (Latvia) and a mid-term review in Sicily. These are combined with regular online feedback sessions with the tutors in between. At the second and the last sessions, invited industry experts - photography editors, critics and curators, offer in-depth comments on the created work. The masterclass is completed by a demo exhibition of resulting works.
PROGRAMME FOR MASTERCLASS 2018/2019:SESSION 1: INTRODUCTORY PLANNING WORKSHOP
6 days: 11-17 March 2018 in Kuldīga, Latvia
During the introductory session, the focus is on developing the concept and figuring out the best way to approach your chosen subject, as well as developing your skills and knowledge through lectures and discussions with your tutor and the group. You will receive feedback on your portfolio and crucial input on your initial project idea. The workshop will include some practical exercises in groups, serving to build up your creative and editing skills, as well as artist talks by the mentors and portfolio presentations of all the participants.
4 days: 3 - 7 October 2018 in Sicily
During the mid-term session participants will present their progress, receive feedback and critique, and discuss the next steps in developing your projects towards the best possible outcome. An external expert will join in to give independent feedback on the work in progress. The session is organised in cooperation with our partners MINIMUM studio in Palermo.
7 days: 9 - 16 March 2019 in Kuldīga, Latvia
The final session is focused on shaping the final form of your work - whether it's a photographic series, a book or multimedia. We will also focus on how to get your work out there, and we'll be joined by several invited industry experts - editors, curators, critics - offering individual feedback and consultations on your projects and ways of promoting them. The week will be completed with a public showcase - a trial exhibition of the produced work.
Leading industry professionals are invited to take part in the second and third sessions to provide individual feedback to the participants:
2016/2017: Emma Bowkett - Director of Photography, FT Weekend Magazine, Lars Willumeit - curator, writer and educator, Teun van der Heijden - photobook designer and editor, Salvatore Vitale - photographer, lecturer, Chief Editor, YET Magazine
2015/2016: Ann-Christin Bertrand - Curator, C/O Berlin, Simon Bainbridge - Editorial director, British Journal of Photography, Brad Feuerhelm - Director and managing editor, American Suburb X
The participants are expected to have experience in pursuing extended photographic projects, as well as to have done some research and formulated their interests and preliminary ideas on the project prior to the Masterclass. Importantly, they should be prepared to work independently, experiment, play, challenge themselves, and have an adventure!
Event informations
The applications for the Masterclass 2018/2019 with Peter Bialobrzeski and Clare Strand & Gordon MacDonald are open until 10 January 2018.
The ISSP International Masterclass is a year-long international mentorship and networking programme for emerging photographers. The programme is practice-based and runs in two thematic classes led by experienced photography tutors - the best of the best of our 12-year long ISSP experience. During the year, 24 selected photographers (12 in each class) develop their artistic and documentary projects under the guidance of the tutors, through physical workshop sessions in Latvia and in Sicily and online feedback.
To apply, submit an electronic APPLICATION FORM by 10 January 2018, including an initial idea of the project you would like to implement together with a selection of up to 15 images. 24 participants will be selected in cooperation with the tutors