Photography Research and Study Opportunities

Thousands of study and academic opportunities in Photography are available internationally. Conferences and summer schools in Photography are organized regularly in the best academic centers of the world. The majority of universities and many foundations also offer BA, MA, and Ph.D. programs in Photography as wells as postdoctoral research grants, awards, and fellowships. Below you will find the updated list of international opportunities available in Photography.

Photography Awards, Contests, and Competitions

Photography Scholarships

Photography Fellowships

Photography Conferences

Photography relevant accounts on Twitter

Nearly 8-10 years ago, all the people were printing their photographs to save their memories. Currently, a few prefer printed photos over digital alternatives, or they print only the essential shots. 

We were printing our photographs in KODAKs, which stands for Eastman Kodak's name, whose film "Kodachrome" gave the start for color photos in the 1930s. Before that, despite all the efforts to bring colors to photos, most of them were monochromatic. After that, Photography developed into a phenomenon that is accessible for everyone, as modern technologies allowed people to take high-quality pictures via phones and professionally edit them within minutes. 

However, Photography is above everyday pictures we take via our phones. It is a particular discipline, which has a specific curriculum to prepare professionals of the field. 

Photography Studies

Photography is the art of creating long-lasting visual objects by the manipulation of light and structures. It is one of the spheres that seem to require inborn talent and not something a person can learn from external sources. That's partially true, but only partially. The natural sense of aesthetics and beauty is usually something that comes from within. Two same people might pass near the same scene in the street, and while one can shot a perfect cadre of it, another person can pass through. 

However, specific tools and approaches to Photography can help people take good shots. Teaching how to deal with the main factors influencing the photographs, such as light, background shadows, etc., can help the students take good-quality pictures. 

Photography major students have the theoretical first year of studies, while after that, they take up a large portion of practical experiences. In the first year of undergraduate studies, students learn about Photography’s fundamental technologies, theories, and tools. Usually, photograph students understand the key factors influencing Photography, such as light, space, composition, colors, technique, and context. 

For the following years of the study and the graduate level studies, students start preparing their portfolios, exhibitions, presentations on topics given by professors or suggested by themselves. The graduation requirements for the photography students are different from the other academic programs, as they are evaluated by the creative idea and a technique of implementing that idea, which is generally very subjective. 

To become a great photographer, students learn to play with the main components of the photographs.

  • Line: In Photography, the line is both visible and invisible area that connects different objects. It's essential to work with lines carefully so that picture seems complete and intentional for the viewers.
  • Shape: Shape can be added to photographs by choosing the actual objects with specific shapes or creating the artificial profiles using silhouette photography. Shapes awake certain emotions about the picture and attract attention. 
  • Form: Form can be described as shape + 1 layer. It's a three-dimensional representation of photograph objects which create a realistic feeling. 
  • Texture: Carefully chosen textures can awaken the tactile feeling for the viewers and drive much attention. The texture is formed by adding elements to the object's surfaces. 
  • Pattern: Patterns are repetitive elements. Depending on what you shoot, natural patterns like the lines on the animals' bodies or the same style on the architectural projects might be realistic. 
  • Colour: Colors have specific associations both as a result of natural phenomena and famous brandings we are accustomed to seeing. Colors create the mood, atmosphere, and emotions for any picture. 
  • Space: Space is the area that viewers can observe before, after, and near the main photograph objects. Well-chosen backgrounds and elements of the photo are created to give a comfortable feeling of the space. 

Research Photography

Have you ever gone to a photo exhibition related to painful topics in society? 

Photographs organize exhibitions to arise topics like domestic violence, child abortion, wars, social injustice, and other issues that worry people. Photographs catch and fix the moments, which speak louder than words. Therefore, Photography is often used and is an important research tool. 

There are Research Photography courses, where students learn how to connect the life elements in pictures and add meanings to them. They also learn how to create photographs that can be used as sources of data to learn about and analyze certain phenomena in life. 

Research areas of Photography

The common topics scholars dig deep in Photography include:

  • Photojournalism
  • Photography Origin and History
  • Photography Ethics
  • The evolution of Photography
  • Photography and Global Politics
  • The effect of Photography on Global effects

The most important direction in Photography which is also primarily discussed recently is digital Photography and the impact of the technological advancements in the art of Photography. So any topic related to this subject also widely rotates across academic communities and can become a good choice for a dissertation. 

Photography is an art that carries ideas, experiences, and emotions from generation to generation. That's one of the spheres of life which appreciates the aesthetics in life. Currently, as the world is digitizing with intensive speeds, Photography also became an important element for personal and business branding. It's also a phenomenon people can't survive without in their everyday life. So, there is plenty of demand for people who have an in-depth understanding of Photography. We hope this section of ARMACAD will help you become one of such experienced professionals in the field.