FAQ
Sorin Florea
What is the Photography School?
The Photography School is a project run by the Photography Resources Center. At the same time, the full course at the Photography School is one of the most complex photography learning programs currently available in Romania.
What are our values?
We believe in the talent of Romanian photographers and we want to contribute to the internationalization of Romanian photography. At the same time, we aim to build communities of photography enthusiasts and to be a bridge between Romanian photographers and the photography public. In photography, no subject is forbidden. We especially encourage/exhibit bold photographers, willing to explore and break patterns.
Who can participate in the Photography School?
Anyone with a passion for photography, whether or not they have studied photography before, whether or not they have a theoretical/practical basis. The age limit is 16 years (for taking the exam and obtaining the photography specialization certificate, a minimum age of 18 years is required).
Ioana Moldovan
How long does the full course at the Photography School last?
In order for all students to be able to organise their schedule in advance, the programme is set and announced in advance - see more details here. https://www.cdrf.ro/event-details/scoala-de-fotografie
Be aware: we only have twenty available spots and we will not allocate new ones, so that we can work seriously with each student individually. The courses are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in the evenings (theoretical part). The practical part – on weekends. In total there will be 180 hours, 60 theoretical and twice as many practical.
Silviu Gheție
What are the benefits?
The course ends with a collective exhibition, organized by the Photography Resources Center.
Students can register for the graduation exam, and those who manage to pass it will receive a graduation certificate with a photography specialization accredited by the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity, through the Commission for Authorization of Adult Professional Training Providers in the Municipality of Bucharest – the certificate is valid at European level (a minimum of high school education is required to obtain the qualification).
Networking: you join an international network of photographers, and we will ensure exposure/exhibitions for the best students in the future.
You will have access to the Library at the Photography Resources Center, which features numerous useful works for a future professional photographer.
Who are the teachers of the Photography School?
Among the best in Romania, each of them with a formidable CV and a clearly defined area of expertise: Cornel Lazia (Cornel teaches the module in which you learn how to make a portfolio), Ioana Moldovan (Ioana teaches storytelling), Cristina Irian (Cristina teaches the history of photography), Ionuț Staicu (Ionuț teaches the module on deepening photography/using light in photography), PAC (teaches the module on photographic technique), Sorin Florea (Sorin teaches the module in which you learn how to make photography a business & the module on using the concept in photography & part of the module on using light in photography), Adi Bulboacă (the module on how to build a personal style in photography).
Cristian Crisbășan
Can you take just one module of the full course?
The full course is made up of several modules, you can choose to take just one or more modules (and if you take them all within two years, you can take the exam for accreditation).
The modules are:
History of Photography
Photographic Technique
In-depth Photography (module on the use of light in photography)
Personal Style in Photography
Using Concept in Photography (how to define and develop a concept in photography)
Storytelling
Portfolio
Photography as a Business.
Hajdu Tamas
Can you only take specific lessons from a module?
Yes. Modules, in turn, are a sum of courses, specific lessons. If you don't have time to take an entire module, you can only take a few lessons from the module.
For example, in the Basics/History of Photography we learn about: Prehistory of photography, the aristocracy of photography, the democracy of photography, early digital, the main trends and movements in photography in Europe and the USA, types of photographs and their reading/construction, how you can use the history of photography in everyday practice.
You can choose to take just one of these lessons.
In the Photographic Technique module, you can also choose to take just one lesson, which contains 3 hours of theory and 6 hours of practice.
The lessons are about: using the equipment (you need, to begin with, a digital camera with manual control with at least a 50mm or equivalent zoom lens and a laptop with processing software installed), settings, exposure, photographic effects, composition, perspectives, the photographic project and photographic genres, photographic style and post-processing.
In the Photography In-depth module/How we use light in photography, you can choose to take just one lesson (or more, or take the partial course anyway), from those we offer: light propagation, the effect on the subject and modifiers, studio lighting, natural light.
In the Personal Style/Aesthetics module, you can choose to take just one lesson, either about photographic trends from the last fifty years or about contemporary photography. To define a personal style, you need a teacher who can show you some directions you can go in. For us, Adi Bulboacă is that teacher.
In the Concept module (using the concept in photography), you can choose to follow a single lesson from those we propose: discovering personal interests in photography, defining motivation, defining a concept and developing the concept.
In the Storytelling module, you can also choose to follow one or more lessons from those proposed by professor Ioana Moldovan: similarities and differences between photography and the written medium; using narrative values in various photographic genres; how to use time as a participant/actor in the story; introductory notions of documentary photography; stories in images through documentary photography.
In the Portfolio module, you can choose to follow a single lesson/several lessons from those proposed by professor Cornel Lazia: the importance of the portfolio and how to adapt it depending on the context; the portfolio – between print and online social media; preparing a portfolio review; alternative methods of incorporating the portfolio into various promotional formats; designing and building a portfolio (the stages of this process and choosing the format depending on the context, adapting the portfolio according to the content & context of the presentation).
Please note: students will have final portfolio review and mentoring sessions with CDRF teachers/photographers.
Adi Bulboacă
Where is the School of Photography held?
At the Photography Resources Center: in Bucharest, on Popa Tatu Street, number 68.
Cornel Lazia