Photography (B0211A310018)

Cíle studia ve studijním programu

The main objectives of the Bachelor's degree in photography are as follows:

• To provide students with a comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge of the development of contemporary photography and visual art
• To provide students with technical and technological skills which may be applied to various photographic genres
• To create a space for the exploration and development of photographic processes and to encourage experimentation and unique authorial approaches
• To create a space where students may present, reflect and defend their work in front of an audience at social and cultural events
• To prepare students to work in the field of photography and visual arts
• To support and develop the student's professional skills
• To prepare students for the CAP and/or for further studies in the field of photography and visual arts

Profil absolventa studijního programu

A graduate of the Bachelor's study programme in Photography is a conceptually oriented author with a solid foundation in contemporary photographic and visual practice. Their professional profile is shaped through long‑term studio‑based development, critical reflection, and the realisation of original artistic and applied projects. The graduate understands photography as a flexible and evolving medium operating across artistic, documentary, applied and interdisciplinary contexts.

The graduate possesses integrated technical and technological literacy in analogue and digital environments and is able to consciously select, combine and adapt photographic, post‑photographic and software‑based tools in relation to a specific concept, context and mode of presentation. Their work is grounded in knowledge of the history and theory of photography and visual culture and is oriented towards current artistic, cultural and technological developments.

Expertise

Graduates of the following degree programme:

• have an understanding of the key concepts, terminology and contexts of photography and related visual practices
• are familiar with photographic processes and production methods in analogue and digital environments, including historically informed and contemporary approaches
• possess integrated technical and technological knowledge relevant to photographic and post‑photographic practice, including digital tools and software‑based workflows
• are able to critically follow and reflect on contemporary developments in visual arts, photography and media culture
• are able to critically reflect on their own work and situate it within the historical, theoretical and contemporary artistic context
• are familiar with professional modes of presentation, documentation and contextualisation of photographic and visual work

Professional skills

Graduates of the study programme:

• are able to develop and realise photographic and visual projects from initial concept through production to final presentation, including post‑production and archiving
• apply photographic and post‑photographic methods in relation to the conceptual, contextual and material requirements of a project, rather than as isolated genre‑based exercisescreate original authorial projects that may incorporate new technologies, software tools and cross‑media approaches, including new media
• demonstrate an informed and purposeful use of historically grounded and contemporary photographic processes within their practicehave experience with the graphic use of photography, documentation, pre‑press preparation and editing
• effectively use current digital applications and software‑based workflows to support the development and presentation of their work
• have experience in the planning, realisation and presentation of joint or solo exhibitions and public outputs
• are able to prepare artist’s books, catalogues and a professional portfolio appropriate to different presentation contexts
• are able to work independently or collaboratively on artistic and applied photographic assignments, participate in interdisciplinary teams and prepare professional photographic and digital presentations

General competencies

Graduates of the study programme:

• are prepared for professional artistic and applied practice in photography and related visual fields, in accordance with their individual focus and profile
• are able to continuously develop their knowledge and skills in the field of visual culture and photographic practice
• are able to work independently and collaboratively, including within media and interdisciplinary teams, and to participate in the documentation and completion of photographic and visual publications
• actively participate in contemporary cultural and artistic contexts
• are capable of presenting and communicating their artistic intentions across a range of professional and public platforms
• are prepared for further study in photography, visual arts or related disciplines
• are able to engage in broader thematic and interdisciplinary projects within their area of interest

Pravidla a podmínky pro tvorbu studijních plánů

The basic framework for the conception of curricula at AMU is created, firstly, by the AMU Internal Evaluation Rules, specifying the basic principles of the accreditation process; the current practice is further formally anchored by the AMU Accreditation Regulations; it defines the parameters common to all study programmes taught at AMU and at the same time delegates part of the responsibility for subject specifications (theatre, music, dance, film/television) to the faculties.

The curriculum is created in accordance with the AMU Study and Examination Regulations, which, based on the specifics of higher artistic education, defines the main compulsory subject within the typology of subjects: it is a key artistic (or talent) subject of a profiling basis, for which the assessment is always carried out on a commission basis and which does not allow for re-attestation. An important role in the assessment system is played in many disciplines by the so-called 'cloistered examination', i.e. the presentation of an artistic output before a committee: the principle is a comprehensive assessment of the student's knowledge and skills acquired in several sub-subjects and applied in a collectively produced work (e.g. in theatre disciplines). Another specificity of the curricula is the flexibility allowed in the distribution of credits (60 ECTS per academic year) between the winter and summer semesters, based in some disciplines on the more significant study and creative load associated with the completion of artistic outputs in the summer semester.

The theoretical and historical basis of the field is a compulsory part of all study programmes, in the case of academic programmes in the form of compulsory subjects of a profiling basis co-determining the profile of the graduate and forming part of the state final examination.

Each study plan also includes the compulsory completion of discipline-specific English language instruction, with a minimum of 6 ECTS per study cycle.

Classification is awarded according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), which was introduced under the Bologna Agreements of 1999 with the aim of unifying and integrating the higher education system in the European Union.

Courses completed by examination are graded on an A-E scale (F = fail), other courses are graded pass/fail; a combination of both certifications is not possible.

The standard length of a lesson is 45 minutes. The basic organizational forms of instruction are lecture, seminar, exercise, and workshop; the last three forms of instruction include, to varying degrees, the creation of artistic outputs. Teaching takes place either on a weekly basis or in the form of intensive blocks or workshops.

The curriculum automatically assumes prerequisites in the form of sequences of courses, indicated by an ascending number after the course title. This type of prerequisite is not specifically mentioned in Annex BIII for individual courses. If a course has a non-sequential prerequisite, it is explicitly listed in Appendix BIII for the course. In the same sense, we do not list prerequisites; these are determined by the mandatory inclusion of the course in a particular year and semester along with other courses. The curriculum does not make use of equivalencies.

The study plan consists of compulsory courses, compulsory elective courses, and elective courses. The key courses are studios.

The study plan of the Bachelor’s programme in Photography is designed according to a studio‑centred and project‑oriented model of education. The key profiling components of the curriculum are studio subjects, within which students develop their authorial work through long‑term assignments, individual consultations and collective critiques.

Professional and theoretical courses are structured as integrated foundations that support studio practice and are interconnected across individual semesters. The curriculum emphasises the relationship between concept, medium and form of presentation, including documentation, exhibition practice and the use of digital tools and software‑based workflows.

The organisation and allocation of credits reflect the varying study and creative workload during the academic year, particularly in relation to the realisation and public presentation of artistic and project‑based outputs.

In all semesters, students complete one of the parallel studios (classical photography, imaginative photography, documentary strategies, new aesthetics, or intermedia), and they may change studios each semester. Studio work is followed every semester by final commission. Students also attend guest lectures throughout all semesters of their studies. In addition:

The first year includes instruction in the basics of photography, the history and theory of photography, art history, optics, as well as introduction to Czech language, culture and society. The second year focuses primarily on contemporary photography and art, basic software skills, studio photography, and portfolio preparation. The third year, in addition to 3D graphics instruction, concentrates on the creation of the final graduation project and the written bachelor’s thesis.

Next to these required courses, students have to complete required elective courses (typically 1 per semester) organised by the department, focusing on specific artistic and technical skills and approaches (e.g., photobook, videoessay, screen printing, landscape photography, theatre photography…).

Elective courses are typically completed at other departments of FAMU and AMU and through ad hoc modules.

Brief characteristics of individual studios (BA)

• The Studio of Classical Photography focuses on developing a reflective understanding of photographic processes and methodologies, with an emphasis on analogue photography and its historical and non‑standard practices. Students are encouraged to work with material processes as a basis for experimentation and for the development of their own authorial approaches, rather than as an end in itself.
• The Studio of Documentary Strategies addresses photography as a tool for investigating and reflecting on contemporary social, cultural and political realities. The studio explores a wide range of documentary strategies and approaches, emphasising critical thinking, ethical awareness and the articulation of personal perspectives on current issues.
• The Studio of Imaginative Photography concentrates on the exploration of photographic form and narration, combining studio and outdoor work with experimental approaches. An important part of the studio’s programme is the development of cohesive projects and attention to modes of presentation and visual storytelling, including work with photographic series and publications.
• The Intermedia Studio explores photography and the technical image in relation to other visual art media. The studio focuses on interdisciplinary approaches, working across and between media, and examining the shifting role of photography within contemporary artistic practice.
• The Studio of New Aesthetics focuses on emerging tendencies, themes and phenomena in contemporary photography and new media. The studio examines new modes of representation, interpretation and authorial strategies, encouraging students to critically engage with current aesthetic, technological and cultural developments.

Each studio develops its own programme, creating a space for individual and collective work, reflection and consultation. Studio activities typically include joint and individual critiques, invited guests, visits to exhibitions and institutions, and participation in projects, exhibitions and public presentations.

The requirements for semester projects correspond to the student’s level of study. After the end of each semester, students may change studios based on the development of their work and after consultation with studio leaders.

The overall structure of the study programme approximately follows this model:

30 % professional and technical foundations

40 % development of original work in studios and workshops

30 % courses in the history and theory of visual art

Obecné informace o přijímacím řízení

The admission procedure consists of two rounds.

For the first round, applicants submit a portfolio and their talent aptitude is assessed without the presence of applicants on a two-level basic (pass/fail). The second round consists of

1. conceptual assignment,
2. photographic assignment,
3. interview with the admission committee.

The talent aptitude, creative ambitions, motivation and suitability for bachelor’s-level study are assessed by evaluating 1), 2) and 3) with points; applicants who pass a minimum overall threshold will be recommend to the Dean of FAMU for acceptance into the programme.

Návaznost na další typy studijních programů

Graduates of the Bachelor's programme in photography have the necessary prerequisites to apply for admission to the follow-up study programme in photography or to other fields of photography and visual arts (VŠUP, AVU, etc.).

Součásti státní závěrečné zkoušky a jejich obsah

The qualification work consists of two parts:

1. Graduate exhibition or artistic performance
2. Written thesis

State final examination

1. Graduation Performance (linked to the courses: Studios KF 1-6, Bachelor Project 1-2, Photo Basics 1-2, Software Basics 1-2, Portfolio, Final Commission (klauzura) 1-6).
2. Defense of the written bachelor's thesis (related to the courses: Bachelor Thesis 1-2, History and Theory of Photography 1-2, Contemporary Photography and Art 1-2)
3. Examination in theory, history and techniques of photography (linked to the courses Photo Basics 1-2, History and Theory of Photography 1-2, Contemporary Photography and Art 1-2).

In the examination, one question/ topic is drawn. The student has 30 minutes for independent preparation, during which he/she prepares a coherent presentation in the form of a ten-minute lecture on the drawn topic. Follow-up questions from the committee are taken after the presentation. The presentation does not have to exhaust the topic systematically; students should present their approach to the topic and combine technical and historiographical data with theoretical opinion. It is advisable to select a few specific examples (techniques, artists, theorists, works, texts…) on which students will convincingly demonstrate their attitude and understanding of the problem. The topics are:

1. Architectural (exterior and interior) photography
2. Landscape and environmental photography
3. Documentary, reportage and investigative photography
4. Portrait and group photography
5. Still life and product photography
6. Scientific photography and visualization
7. Amateur photography and social media
8. Historical and alternative photographic techniques
9. Post-photographic techniques and new media
10. Media of photography dissemination and sharing

Další studijní povinnosti

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Charakteristika odborné praxe

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Předpokládaná uplatnitelnost absolventů (typické pracovní pozice)

Thanks to the systematic care and attention given to a student’s talent, the graduate is an artistic personality or professional with a solid educational foundation and the skills necessary for further creative growth. The graduate is ready to work as a freelance photographer, freelancer, documentary photographer, photographer in a film crew, product photographer, online and/pr print media photo editor, or in publishing houses. They are able to lead photography courses or educational workshops. They are also ready to continue their studies in photography and visual arts.