MA Freelance Photography
NEW COURSE: Coming in September 2009
Is the MA in Freelance Photography for me?
This MA in Freelance Photography is for you if you are an ambitious photography graduate or a practicing professional photographer and wish to enhance your skills, knowledge and expertise in order to facilitate a career in this field.
What does the MA in Freelance Photography involve?
The MA in Freelance Photography is being developed in collaboration and close contact with industry professionals, and recognises that it is an increasingly diverse and challenging industry.
You will explore and engage with current and emerging technologies, working practices and stylistic approaches. You will seek to acquire technical and aesthetic mastery in photographic production and gain a critical overview of how creative media enterprises operate. You will evaluate business opportunities and facilitate growth through innovation and creativity.
The MA in Freelance Photography is about shaping a unique and creative personal style as a freelance photographer and connecting with specialized market contexts. That means exploring and engaging in practice to deliver images to industry standards and client expectations; it means reflecting on, critiquing and enhancing your photographic vision; and it means exploring and developing your visual and entrepreneurial potential to identify and address some of the central concerns facing freelancers today, such as:
- How to utilise digital technologies most effectively – the workflow from capture to delivery; for marketing and promotion.
- How to select the right client market and stand out in a competitive market sector.
- How UK media law and ethics impact on professional practice.
The emphasis is on technical proficiency, creative visual awareness and innovative enterprise alongside core skills in advanced photographic production. You will have access to appropriate resources and photographic facilities and close contact with tutors and visiting speakers, all of whom are experienced academic and industry professionals.
Much of the content explored will grow out of each student's individual and specific photographic interests. You will investigate key areas of professional photographic practice including:
- Maximizing the potential of the camera.
- Creative lighting strategies.
- The 'Strobist' philosophy.
- Directing a shoot.
- Efficient Creative Workflow techniques.
- Digital retouching.
- Digital asset management.
- Reflecting on practice.
- Creative entrepreneurial skills.
- Branding and Marketing.
- The commissions process.
- Rates and fees.
- Shooting for stock.
- The photographer and the law.
- Photoblogs, social networking and other distribution strategies.
- Professional portfolio development.
Teaching takes place in small groups. There will be a mixture of lectures, workshops, peer presentations and independent study. You will work with other students and engage with professional practitioners, interacting, critiquing, disseminating and marketing your photographic profile through websites, blogs and other social media.
The taught postgraduate phase of the course will comprise modules in enterprise; professional photography skills; and creative freelance strategies. The Masters component entails a substantial piece of independent production and study. You are not required to write a dissertation.
Will I do placements as part of the MA in Freelance Photography?
The MA has a strong thread of individual personal development planning, supporting your studies and enhancing your career ambitions. To this end you will undertake a placement with either professional freelance photographers or work with your own client-base to a publishable outcome.
What will I be able to do when I've finished the MA in Freelance Photography?
Upon successfully completing the MA Freelance Photography, you will have the technical and professional skills to not only work as a freelance photographer, but be able stand out in the marketplace and take the craft of photography forward.
You will have a focussed portfolio of work, and a considered identity as a photographer. You will have a deeper understanding of the practical and theoretical frameworks guiding the setting up, marketing and running of a creative enterprise.
Successful students will be self-motivated independent practitioners who will have advanced photographic and transferable skills in enterprise, research and promotion.
You will have made a number of contacts and joined a number of networks, photographic organisations and professional bodies while on the course and be ready to take your skills into the marketplace. You will be able to further develop a role you already have in the creative industries, or embark on a new career in a related sector.What are the entry requirements?
Applicants should possess a prior degree (or equivalent) at 2:1, or above, in photography or have considerable experience in this field and be able to demonstrate evidence of ability appropriate to the course . Good spoken and written English are vital. IELTS level 6.5 is a minimum. Applicants must have proven experience in photography, an inquiring mind and a self-motivated creative vision.
How do I apply?
For information on applications or to apply now visit the Applications page.
