NORTHERN LIGHTS MasterClass

A one year master class for professional photojournalists and documentary photographers – powered by Noorderlicht

The next step in your photographic career

After a successful start in 2010, curator Marc Prüst and Lars Boering (Lux Photo Gallery) are continuing their cooperation with Noorderlicht festival with a unique one year master class for professional photojournalists and social documentary photographers. It aims at developing their skills as photographers and as marketers of their own work.

Selected photographers will get together at the gallery space of Noorderlicht in Groningen, the Netherlands. Under the direct guidance of Boering and Prüst, they will work on a themed project, for one year, in three sessions of four days each. Each meeting will be attended by at least two professionals from the photography business to instruct the photographers on photographic skills, but also on issues like marketing the work and finding a gallery. Top names from the industry will be working together with talented photographers to help them advance in their career.

The first session (starting 15 September until 18 September 2011) aims at getting to the heart of what it is all about: the image. The participants will also get to know each other’s work and reflect on it. Main points during this session are composition, structure of a photographic image, and how to read a photograph. Curator of the Dutch museum de Kunsthal (Rotterdam) Charlotte van Lingen and Financial Times photography critic Francis Hodgson will guide the students during this first gathering.

The second session (26 to 29 January 2012) turns to the contents of the story: journalistic elements like story telling, ethics, research, and setting up a long-term project. During this session, Adriaan Monshouwer, who was the secretary for the World Press Photo jury for 12 years, will give his vision on visual storytelling. Magdalena Herrera, director of photography of GEO France magazine will go further into the practical runnings of today’s market.

The third and final session (from 24 to 27 May 2012) focuses on getting the story out there: preparing for publication or exhibition, introducing the work to the right people. DMB Media founder David Birkitt will join the group during this session to explain the workings of the marketplace.

Each meeting will be organized around group discussions and individual meetings aimed at developing the assigned project. For each session two guest lecturers are invited to work with the group. The last two names will be announced shortly. In between the sessions Prüst and Boering will be available to answer questions, to direct participants to the right people in the business and to assist participants in the creation of their projects.

This master class sets itself apart from most classes because of its long term setup. Not just a weekend, but a year long intensive assistance to become even better at what photographers should do: making the right image for the right story.

Costs for participating in this unique project are 1850 euro ex VAT. We can also organize stay for you in Groningen, for 90 euro per night.

If you want to know more: contact Marc Prust marc@marcprust.com or Lars Boering at boering@luxphotogallery.com

Marc Prüst is active as photography consultant and curator. In that capacity he edits books, creates exhibitions, teaches, lectures, and advises photographers on how to develop their work and how to market it. Marc works in close cooperation with photographers, with the goal of telling the photographer’s story, to recreate through the images the things the photographer wants to say. By getting to know the person behind the camera, the aim is to create the story and the presentation fitting to the work. He is one of three curators for the FotoGrafia festival in Rome for the period 2010 – 2012, and is creative director of the only photo festival in Nigeria, LagosPhoto. Prüst also teaches Visual Identity classes at Spéos Photographic Institute in Paris.

Lars Boering has been actively involved with photography for several years. He is an advisor to several (young) photographers and has (co)produced exhibitions with photographers, museums and art foundations. In 2008 he started Lux Photo Gallery in Amsterdam and as of 2010 he is also Director of the Dutch Photographers association in The Netherlands.

Noorderlicht – Distinctive, high quality and engaged
Noorderlicht is a multifaceted and international podium for documentary photography. It is a place for photographers who explore their world and in their work picture its big events and everyday occurrences, and everything in between. There is scope for all genres of photography in the program, with documentary photography as the basis.

With a keen eye for developments, but averse to trends and hype, we give attention to photography of the world and the world of photography. We do this by organizing an annual photo festival, by programming exhibitions in our photogallery, by issuing specific photography commissions and by sponsoring activities to broaden understanding, skills and appreciation of photography, such as discussions, lectures and master classes. Noorderlicht supports an educational program, and in addition publishes high quality photo books and catalogues. Our exhibitions travel around the world and have been on show in galleries and museums, festivals in Europe and in, for instance, the United States, Syria, Australia and Indonesia.

Through its distinctive and responsive programming and publication of exceptional photography books Noorderlicht has built up an international reputation as an institution that is able to team socially engaged content with visual beauty.

All names of guest lecturers are provisional
The course will go through only when a minimum number of paying participants is confirmed.

Download the registration form for the 2011-2012 session here: registrationformnorthernlights-20112012