Specialist presenters and trainers will offer a range of core (essential) and optional (elective) topics through workshops, seminars, lectures, presentations and practicals.

The type of student envisaged for this course is someone who has successfully completed (with recommendation) a Market Photo Workshop Intermediate Course; or an equivalent level of course (and achievement) from another institution; and who can demonstrate the necessary skills and knowledge in a portfolio presentation. All applications will be assessed by a panel to ensure that students are ready for the challenges and depth of the course.

At this level the emphasis is on self-directed learning (with assistance from mentors), and students should be able to already identify and define their own areas of specialisation. They should have the ability to critically reflect on their strengths and weaknesses and be able to articulate their needs in this regard.

The general aims of the course are to equip students to:
• Apply formal and technical skills appropriate to conceptual and creative intentions
• Develop a critically-informed approach to photography practice in different contexts
• Develop and deepen personal photographic vision
• Work with relative independence to plan and implement a personal photographic project

Core subjects and general outcomes of the course
The five main subjects in the Advanced Course are:
• Visual Literacy
• Practical/Technical
• Entrepreneurship
• Professional Practice
• Editing

These subjects are taught through essential (core) and elective topics, and students will be required to show competence in all five subjects.

Visual Literacy is crucial for an understanding of representation and visual culture; it empowers students to critically interpret (and challenge) visual representations of issues, people and objects in social, cultural and political contexts.

Advanced Practical/Technical skills and knowledge will enable students to realise their conceptual vision, and also reinforce and extend professional expertise.

Entrepreneurship and Professional Practice are vital in the realisation of a successful career, whether as a freelancer or as an in-house photographer. These subjects will help students with business, project management and financial skills, and other aspects of working as a professional photographer.

Careful, critical editing when compiling a body of work is vital to the success of an overall project. Therefore fostering ability and insight in reviewing and editing images is an important core feature of the Advanced Course.

Overview of the course calendar and curriculum
The first Advanced Course starts on 20 August 2008 and formally ends on 13 March 2009 (with an optional additional fourth term). There are 25 weeks of teaching in this course, as follows: Term 1 (eight weeks); Term 2 (eight weeks); Term 3 (nine weeks); and an optional fourth term of eleven weeks for completing the body of work and thesis. See the table below for more information about the structure and basic timetable for AC 08-01.

Each student will be required to nominate a mentor to work with for the whole course, and students will also be expected to spend time working in internships. Community and/or development project work is another required component of the Advanced Course. Although the core subjects will run throughout the course, the elective offerings will vary in structure and duration, depending on the trainers and mentors who are involved.

Learning content and possible electives
The curriculum content will be realised through different modes and methods of teaching conducted over varying contact periods and through a variety of projects. Students on this course will be trained in lectures, presentations, workshops, seminars, fieldtrips, project work, mentorships, internships and through developing a personal body of work (or bodies of work). Elective topics will change from course to course, for example:
• Digital work stations
• Lighting for different situations and locations
• Histories of photography
• Light and shadow
• Fashion photography
• Medium and large format photography
• Documentary photography
• Picturing stories and thinking visually
• The fiction of non-fiction

Registration information, fees and bursaries
To apply, prospective students must be at an advanced technical and practical level of photographic ability, and be able to demonstrate that ability. The prospective student will be required to submit:
• A portfolio of 12-20 original photographs
• An artist's statement
• A CV and resume
• A motivation for wanting to study this course.
All applications will be considered by a panel.

The emphasis is on independent learning (with support from mentors and trainers), and students should already be able to articulate and define their own area/s of interest and expertise.
The course fee is R7000 and we encourage students to apply for bursaries and awards to assist them with fees and other study costs. The Market Photo Workshop grants bursaries at the start of the course, as well as additional incentive awards during the course. Bursaries and awards are granted on the basis of financial need, work progress and course participation.

A non-refundable application fee of R500 is payable when applying. Please make sure that you include the following in your application:
• Completed student information form
• Completed student application form
• Completed bursary form (if applying for a bursary)
• A portfolio of 12-20 original photographs (preferably presented on CD, or alternatively prints no bigger than A4 size)
• A full CV and brief resume
• A one-page motivation of why you want to do this course and what your area of interest is
• A short written motivation for a mentor with whom you would like to work
• A deposit slip for R500 (showing that R500 has been deposited into the Market Photo Workshop bank account). Account details: Nedbank (Fordsburg branch), Branch code: 195 305,
Account number 1953 243 460 (Cheque account)

Venue

Date: 20 August 2008 to 13 March 2009
Location: Market Photo Workshop, Johannesburg
More info: Market Photo Workshop
2 President Street (Entrance Bus Factory)
Newtown, Johannesburg
PO BOX 8656 Johannesburg 2000
South Africa

Contact: Babalwa Mtanga
Company name: Market Photo Workshop
Telephone number: +27 11 834 1444
Email address babalwam@marketphotoworkshop.co.za