Photography (B0211A310018)

Programme objectives

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

Profile of a programme graduate

A program graduate will have a thorough understanding of all aspects of the photographic process in both analog and digital form. Their knowledge and practical skills are rooted in a deep understanding of the history of photography and the visual arts, while also appreciating the contemporary developments in theoretical, technical and practical terms. They will have developed their talent through the creation of original projects which they may present at contemporary cultural events.

Expertise

Graduates of the following degree programme:

• have a deep understanding of the definitions, terms, and specifics of the various disciplines and genres of photography
• are familiar with and have practical experience in the fields of technical photography and historical techniques and processes
• have a strong foundation in photographic optics, photographic chemistry, and digital processing and post-production
• can recognize contemporary trends in visual arts and media culture
• are able to reflect critically and theoretically on their own work, which they can place in the context of art history and the contemporary art scene
• are familiar with the basic platforms of presentation

Professional skills

Graduates of the study programme:

• may confidently navigate the photographic process from beginning to end; from selecting the appropriate technique and creating the desired atmosphere to post-production and successful archiving
• learn the principles of the various photographic genres (technical photography, product photography, working with a model in the studio, interior, studio and exterior lighting, architectural and landscape photography)
• create original projects using new technologies and extend the use of photography to new media
• display a practical know-how of historical and specific photographic techniques and processes in their work
• have experience with the graphic use of photography, pre-press preparation and editing
• leverage their work through the use of current digital applications
• have experience in the operation, creation and preparation of joint or solo exhibitions
• can prepare product catalogues, artist’s books and a professional portfolio
• are able to realize comprehensive photographic commissions, work in media teams, participate in pre-press and press preparation, and create digital photographic presentations

General competencies

Graduates of the study programme:

• are fully qualified to work as a professional photographer in all areas of contemporary photography
• are constantly developing their knowledge and skills in the field of visual culture
• are able to work in a team, in the media, and in the documentation and completion of photographic publications
• actively participate in contemporary cultural events
• may present their artistic intentions on a wide range of platforms
• may further their studies in the field of visual arts
• may engage in broader thematic projects in their area of interest

Rules and requirements for creating study plans

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. In the 1st winter semester, students enter the approved specialized studios (Studio of Imaginative Photography, Studio of Documentary Strategies, Studio of Classical Photography, Studio of New Aesthetics, and Intermedia Studio), where their development is complemented by specialized modules. They also study courses in photographic techniques, studio photography, and gain knowledge in optics and the chemical foundations of photography. In the area of theory, they take the course History and Theory of Photography 1, in which they are introduced to the historical and theoretical contexts of photography and other technical images, learn to work with scholarly literature, and formulate their ideas in written form. In the 1st winter semester, students are also guided in the preparation of explications for their cloistered examination works. In the summer semester, they remain in the studio to which they were admitted, or, depending on capacity and agreement, they may choose another studio that better suits their focus and artistic development. In the studio, they realize exhibition projects accompanied by explications in the prescribed scope and continue their education in the areas of photographic techniques, chemistry, and optics. In the 1st summer semester, students’ theoretical training continues especially through the course History and Theory of Photography 2.

In the second year, students continue to work in one of the five specialized studios and take genre courses (documentary photography, architectural photography, landscape photography, studio photography). Documentary photography in its basic scope includes specializations in the documentation of artwork and documentary photography within AMU (theatre and film). There is also instruction in graphic work in the area of technical imaging as well as custom work in graphic design. In the area of theory, students take Contemporary Photography and Art 1 and 2 (ZS and LS), which builds on History and Theory of Photography 1 and 2.

In the third year, students again visit specialized studios of their own choice, where they especially prepare for the realization of their graduation projects. In the area of theory, the focus is placed on guiding the students to successfully write their bachelor's thesis. In addition to the faculty Methodology Seminar for Bachelors, the department provides students with training in writing professional texts and the actual bachelor's thesis in the Bachelor's Thesis Seminar 1 (3ZS) and 2 (3LS).

Teaching also focuses on the areas of new media, multimedia and graphics. In the ZS the student can do an internship at a foreign school within the ERASMUS programme.

In addition to compulsory courses, the department offers students a wide range of compulsory elective courses in the form of specialized workshops (Historical Photographic Techniques, Drawing, Jan Měřička's Screen Printing Workshop, etc.). Presentation skills are developed in additional subjects and the newly introduced Portfolio course. Students also attend compulsory elective courses managed by the faculty. As part of the elective courses, the department prepares a series of specialised modules for students, led both by the department's internal teachers and external personalities from the artistic environment or the wider cultural or research context.

Thematically, each year includes courses in the fundamentals of optics, chemistry, graphic design and new media, and courses in the history and theory of photography and the visual arts. Four elective workshops are offered each year with contemporary artists or focusing on special techniques or contemporary phenomena.

Brief characteristics of individual studios

• The Studio of Classical Photography focuses on fostering a thorough knowledge of the methodology and procedures of all photographic techniques and processes. Instruction is most especially provided in the area of analogue photography’s historical and non-standard techniques, which students may use to further develop their own work through experimental and innovative ways of application.
• The Studio of Documentary Photography covers a broad spectrum of documentary techniques in which they seek new ways of capturing and reflecting on current issues.
• The Studio of Imaginative Photography focuses on the use and exploration of forms of photography, combining studio and outdoor work with experimental approaches and new ways of presentation. An important part of the studio's programme is an emphasis on the development of photographic publications.
• The Intermedia Studio explores the boundaries of photography and the technical image, incorporates overlap into the curriculum with other visual art media, and focuses on working in the space between already defined media.
• The Studio of New Aesthetics deals with the mapping of the formulation of new trends and phenomena in photography and new media with an overlap to new ways of interpretation, representation and authorial strategies.

Each studio develops an individual program within its schedule, which consists of creating a space for its own work, reflection, joint and individual consultations and an accompanying program (inviting guests, visiting exhibitions and institutions, participating in projects, exhibitions and self-presentations).

The requirements for the final term papers take into account the student's level of study and the student may change studios after the end of the semester if he/she wishes.

The overall structure of the studio varies by year, but roughly maintains the basic model:

• 30% - professional courses
• 40% - development of original work in studios and workshops
• 30% - courses in the history and theory of visual art

General information about admission process

The purpose of the admission procedure is to test the applicant's ability to further develop his/her talents, theoretical knowledge and professional skills. A candidate applies for admission to the Bachelor's programme by submitting an application form with the compulsory theses.

The admission procedure consists of two-rounds. In the first round, the committee will assess the homework submitted without the presence of the applicant. The second round consists of the following parts: an interview to test the individual’s knowledge of art history and theory and a general cultural overview; a conceptual assignment on a given topic; an explication of the homework; and an interview during which the applicant explains his or her motivation and vision for their studies.

The admissions committee assesses the applicant's talent and knowledge requirements for study by means of a score with a minimum threshold. The Admissions Committee will propose applicants who have met this threshold to the Dean of FAMU for admission to study.

The results of the second round will be evaluated by a committee of at least five KF teachers. The main evaluation criteria are demonstrated talent, an overview of the history and contemporary art and photography, the overall cultural and historical context of the visual arts, an innovative approach in solving the assigned tasks, and the ability to explicate one's own artistic intentions.

Applicability to other types of academic programmes

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.).

Parts of the state final examination and their contents

The qualification work consists of two parts:

1. Graduate exhibition or artistic performance
2. Written thesis (linked to the subjects Seminar Bachelor Thesis 1 and 2)

State final examination

1. Graduate Art Performance Defense (linked to the courses: Studios of the Department of Photography: the Studio of Classic Photography, the Studio of Documentary Photography, the Studio of New Aesthetics, the Studio of Imaginative Photography, the Studio of Intermedia, as well as to the subjects: Form and Content of the Artwork 1-2, Photography of Architecture 1-2, Documentary Photography 1-2, Studio Photography 1-2, Graphic Design and Photography 1-4, New Media and Multimedia 1, New Media and 3D Graphics 2, Digital Image Processing 1-2, Preparation for the Artistic Part of the State Exam, Introduction to Contemporary Graphic Design, Exhibition Project 1-5, Photography Techniques 1-3, Optical Basics of Photography 1-2, Final Commission (klauzura) 1-5, Final Commission before the State Exam).
2. Defense of the written bachelor's thesis (related to the courses: Bachelor Thesis Seminar 1-2)
3. Examination in Photography Techniques (linked to the courses Photography Techniques 1-3, Basic Photo Chemistry 1-2, Optical Basics of Photography 1-2, Digital Image Processing 1-2, Workshop of uncommon photographic techniques, History and Theory of Photography 1-2, Contemporary Photography and Art 1-2).
4. Theoretical Examination in History and Theory of Photography (linked to the courses History and Theory of Photography 1 and 2, Contemporary Photography and Art 1 and 2, Guest Lectures 1 to 6) - the course of the examination, topics, questions and literature are published on the department website. https://photography.famu.cz/en/final-state-examination-theory-history-and-technique-photography

One question/topic is drawn in the state undergraduate examination. 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. Supplementary questions by the committee will take place after the lecture. The lecture 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.

Thematic headings

• Architectural photography - exterior
• Architectural Photography - Interior
• Landscape photography
• Documentary and reportage photography
• Studio portrait photography and self-portraiture
• Studio photography of objects and still life
• Portrait or group photography outside the studio
• Historical techniques, their technology and relevance to contemporary photography
• Advertising and fashion photography in conjunction with graphics

Other academic duties

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Characterisation of professional practice

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Anticipated job placement for graduates (typical employment)

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.