Czech Republic - Summer

Study Photography in Prague

The course consists of lectures on documentary techniques and aesthetic principles as well as practical work on location. For the more advanced students there may be an opportunity for work as an intern for The Prague Post, an English language weekly newspaper based in Prague. Weekly assignments will be given along with deadlines. Students are expected to provide photographic coverage of stories and to submit their work to the paper in a timely fashion. Images will then be reviewed by the photo editor with the possibility of use in either the print edition of the paper or on the web site.

A number of fieldtrips and gallery shows are part of the program. During the lectures, your photographs will be analyzed and critiques will offer direct feedback on content, storytelling, and creativity. Technical problems will be diagnosed and corrected. Although the images for class will be made digitally, you are welcome to shoot on film as well. You must be able to convert the film to a digital format for the critique sessions. The principal aim of this course is to build your visual storytelling skills and to create a photographic portfolio that shows your own unique view of Prague.

The ancient city of Prague is the Capital of the Czech Republic. This “once again” new nation is one of the most recent members of the European Union. Prague has been a European intellectual capital since the 14th century as well as a major learning center. Here is located one of the first universities in Europe in which international students studied Latin. Prague has been an inspiring and stimulating place to study for more than 600 years. This year should prove to be no exception.

Prague is also lavishly beautiful in its architecture and layout. Often called a living textbook of 1000 years of architecture, it was named as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992. The city’s historic center is unparalleled in Europe. Within the city limits you can experience Romanesque rotundas from 900 A.D., Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance palaces, Baroque churches, and magnificent collections of Cubist and Art Nouveau structures. Thrown in for good measure is the contemporary architecture of American master Frank Geary. Many of these structures are within a stone’s throw of one another. Although the photographs made for this course will not be primarily concerned only with architecture, this superb amalgam of structures will serve as an unique visual anchor to many of the activities you will be photographing during the course of the semester.

Eligibility

Open to undergraduate and graduate students (all majors) of The University of Texas at Austin who are in good academic standing. Students with all levels of photography experience are welcome, from beginners to advanced. There are no course prerequisites.

Courses and Credit

Students enroll in two courses for 6 hours of UT-Austin in-residence credit:

Documentary Photography: A contemporary Lens on the Historical City of Prague (J f370K/ J f395)

Czech Studies: Tumultuous Century, 1880-1980* (CZ f324)

PRIORITY DEADLINE: DECEMBER 1, 2009

FINAL DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15, 2010

Scholarships and Financial Aid Applicable

View the brochure

Please contact the UT Study Abroad Office for the latest information on fees, deadlines, and procedures. The Prague contact person is currently Helena Wilkins helena@austin.utexas.edu.