> WHY

Usually you show your photos to friends, acquaintances, occasionally to a few galleries or exhibition places and maybe to press outlets, but during this Vis A Vis Workshop it is your fellow students who will be looking at your work with their own cultural differences, together with the guest photographer with his own references and doubtless the influence he will have on your work. Comparison breeds emulation and, since no man is an island, your own vision will be enriched by the experiences of others. Whether inspired by the Master photographer or by your fellow workshop colleagues, you will enhance your skills.

This Vis A Vis Workshop combines two directions in the choice of course:

• the Master photographer's personality (recognized guest photographer)
• the theme.

Since the workshop is divided into three parts, you can easily:

1. take photos and compare your approach with that of a leading recognized figure;
2. have an outside viewpoint on the whole of your work expressed by a professional from the critical and publishing world and the sector of exhibition artistic management;
3. enhance your knowledge of digital imaging and create your own site with the founder and director of a digital training centre.

The aim is to help each participant find his/her particular way of expression with his/her own photography style from the point of view of both form and content.

> WHEN

In July

> HOW

In all, the workshop lasts for 9 days and is divided up into 3 different courses with 3 different facilitators. Each day provides 9 hours of tuition. Each workshop is attended by 9 participants who aim to hone and heighten their vision, whether they work in colour, B&W or digital. Lessons are in English or French, depending on those taking part.

At the end of the workshop, each participant will leave with his/her own website. The course is designed for participants to acquire an immediately operational communication tool.

No in-depth knowledge in either photography or digital applications is required for this workshop. What you will need to bring along, however, is your own curiosity, your thirst for learning, your determination to go forward and, of course, your passion for photography. So that the 3 courses can be enriching and productive, you will need to:

So that the 3 courses can be enriching and productive, you will need to:

• be familiar with the Master photographer's work, read his books, consult his press publications or the website featuring his work so as to have a clear idea of his aesthetic engagement and the way he approaches his work;
• bring along your own photography work (some fifty photos at least). From these images, Nathalie Luyer will be able to provide critical analysis as well as select with you those photos to be included on the site;
• bring your own digital camera so as to take a significant number of photos and look at them together on the first evening, and be able to ask Huy Nguyen all the specific questions for which you don't yet have any answers. Depending on the number of students who have enrolled, a second facilitator, Jean Vasseur (who also teaches at the Color Academy), may be required for creating Internet sites.

Each workshop is limited to 9 participants and so varies from 3 to 9 participants so as to preserve tailored contact and ensure maximum time for everyone spent with facilitator figures.

> Contenu des cours

1.Reporting / Portraiture / Fashion / Fine Arts (5 days)

The Master photographer will look at your work and share his point of view with you. Together, you advance so as to heighten your vision and plant the seeds which will continue to grow after the workshop. The course will therefore enable you to dialogue with leading celebrities from the world of photography, helping you to see just where you are along your development track.

2. Image criticism (1 day + 6 evenings)

Nathalie Luyer confronts each person's approach and vision with that of the other participants, with catalytic cultural differences thrown in, but also against the references of major photographers who have influenced and landmarked photography. The aim is to help you find your own particular way of expression with your own particular photography style, from the point of view of both form and content.

A selection is made from your own photos on Paris and those you have brought along, with a view to creating your own website during the following section. This course will, therefore, enable you to have a critical outside viewpoint on your work which will give you sharper analysis and heightened assessment.

Together we shall analyse the photos which everyone has brought along, so as to give a coherent direction to your work which sometime lacks the "stand-back" that is a springboard to any constructive stage.

Drawing on her 19 years of experience in publishing, exhibition artistic management and teaching image criticism, Nathalie Luyer will select what could go towards making up a press book and the content of your future website. This selection will only be constructive for you if you bring along all your photography work, even in the form of a simple contact print (some fifty photos at least). No need to bring a whole CD-full! If some of your photos are not scanned, this can be done on site. What is important is to understand your approach and point you and your work in the right direction.

An outside viewpoint is often needed for that. This is what you are here for, so, be reassured, Nathalie Luyer is a good listener and will share her professional approach and angle of vision with you.

3. Digital photography (3 days)

Huy Nguyen will help you assimilate the basics of digital imaging so as to enhance the quality of your pictures. Over and beyond fundamental notions, this workshop is based on numerous practical examples which will answer your (often unanswered) questions.

• Basic notions of digital photography
• How digital cameras work
• Processing and preparing images for an Internet site
• Creating your own website with NVU software at the end of the workshop.

After assessment of your photography work during the previous course, this final stage will give you access to:
The principle of constructing a website and choice of different softwares. Site architecture design. Acquiring software skills. Acquisition of images and texts. Site construction. Going online with VISAVISWORSHOP hosting or via the server of your choice.

For this, you must prepare your presentation text and biography before the course. This workshop will enable you create your own Internet website which can go online on the 9th day of the course.

> WHO

Reporting / Portraiture / Fashion / Fine Arts (5 days)

Each facilitator shares his or her technique, aesthetic approach and sensitivity with the students.

Image criticism

Nathalie Luyer, Founder Director of Editions Vis A Vis.
http://www.visavisphoto.com

Numérique

Huy Nguyen, freelance consultant and trainer
http://www.imagexpertise.com
http://www.color-academy.fr

> CONCLUSION

Don't forget that during the 9 days of the workshop, you will have a peerless chance to share your work, your impressions and your questions with two leading figures from the photography world and an imaging professional. Be aware that it is a rare opportunity in other artistic fields such as the cinema, painting or literature to be able to rub shoulders and live with great names over these days.

These 9 days are a concentrate to be "digested" over the following weeks or years. Certain encounters can prove to be a great revelation...