CRITICAE 2025/26
Online Masterclass On Documentary Photography
Led by
Elisa
Medde
and
Laura
El-Tantawy
- Where Online
- When October 2025 to May 2026
- Language English
- Seats 19 seats +1 scholarship
- Dedication 60+ Hours
- Fee Early Bird €1,850 – Regular €2,200
Overview
Activate Your Practice
Photography is a powerful medium for disseminating stories and ideas, and providing a space for urgent reflection on the world and a means for self-examination. Yet how can we define a shared sense of realism in a hyper-individual and confusing era of post-truth and fake news, in which there is no longer a consensus about what is real, half-truth, fiction, or entertainment? How do we narrate stories that are "ours" to tell and how do we define our relationship with the medium in an era where everyone is empowered to tell their own story with a camera?
The masterclass joins the experience of the past years into a unique program that explores the relationship between personal and critical methods. Led by international renown professionals Laura El-Tantawy, documentary photographer, and Elisa Medde, editor and curator, participants will delve into different modes of storytelling, questioning the documentary aspect of photography and its various media.
The program will be conducted online over the course of 8 months. Its goal is to lead you to complete a personal project and acquire valuable skills. The course departs from the documentary’s inherent ‘twofoldness’ while will let you explore the collaborative and idiosyncratic, philosophical and intuitive, emotional and analytical. Alternating collective and individual meetings, you will define your relationship with the medium and develop critical documentary strategies.
At the end of the masterclass, a selection of participants will have their work featured in PhMuseum’s new annual printed publication. Plus, one or more participants will be selected for an exhibition at PhMuseum Lab in Bologna, Italy.
To participate, click the Apply Now button and present your candidature for free. If your candidacy is successful, we will guide you to enroll in the program. To be considered for the fully funded scholarship, please apply before 8 May 2025.
Head professors
Elisa Medde
Elisa Medde is a photography editor, curator and writer. She has a background in Art History, Iconology and Photographic Studies, and currently serves as a lecturer for the Photography MA at ECAL, Lausanne, Switzerland. Medde has nominated for prizes and chaired juries, including the Luma Rencontres Dummy Book Award, Prix Elysée and MAST Photography Grant on Industry and Work, and her writing has appeared in FlashArt, PhotoEye, Time Magazine, Foam Magazine, Something We Africans Got, Vogue Italia / L'Uomo Vogue, YET Magazine, the Aperture PhotoBook Review, the British Journal of Photography and artists’ books. Between 2012–23, she served as Editor-in-Chief of Foam Magazine, twice the recipient of a Lucie Award for Best Photography Magazine. She is the recipient of the Royal Photographic Society Award for Photography Publishing 2023.
Laura El-Tantawy
Laura El-Tantawy is an award winning British/Egyptian documentary photographer, artful book maker, mentor, and Canon Ambassador. Born in Ronskwood in Worcestershire, UK, El-Tantawy studied in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the US and UK. Living between East and West for much of her life inspires her work, which contemplates notions of home and belonging through exploring social and environmental issues pertinent to her background.
El-Tantawy started her career as a newspaper photographer in the United States and she is the first Egyptian and Arab to be awarded the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund award. In 2016, she was among the four artists nominated for the prestigious Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, Afar, Le Monde, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, Time, New York Times, Huck and Foam. Her goal as an artist is to produce socially engaged, unique, and thought-provoking work. She often collaborates with like-minded individuals, institutions, and organisations driven to inform responsibly, contribute positive change to the world, and encourage stimulating thought and creativity.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Group Sessions
In a collective and collaborative environment, the 5 Group Sessions will allow you to present the current status of your work, collect feedback from both the head professor and the class, and move forward.
Seminars
Across 4 seminars, Laura El-Tantawy and Elisa Medde will share their experience and working methods related to contemporary photography, guiding you in developing your project and introducing you to the theoretical frameworks for both critical and personal documentary strategies.
One-On-One Mentoring
You will have a total of 4 online 30-min individual sessions: 2 with Laura El-Tantawy and 2 with Elisa Medde. In these private meetings, you will have time to engage in specific discussions aimed at working on your assignment ideas and improving your methods. Sessions are tailor-made according to your specific needs and that of your practice.
Studio Visits
To grant you industry insight and offer complementary information, we have invited expert practitioners to host 10 interactive Studio Visits. They will disclose the methodologies behind their work and offer you a better understanding of their role in the industry. Scroll down to discover who they are. These sessions will also be joined by CURAE, IDEA, FOLIO and MEDIAE Masterclasses participants.
Final Presentation and Publication
At the end of the program, you are invited to present your project live on PhMuseum's YouTube channel. Plus, a selection of participants will have their work featured in PhMuseum’s new annual printed publication.
Studio visits
Alumni
“Visual storytelling requires a very strong agency and awareness, both during production and dissemination. Documentary practices have expanded in broad and rich directions, and it is very important to be able to master these in a conscious way - so to make sure that intent coincides with output, and be able to build a solid body of work that has meaning. We will have the chance to explore together all stages and challenges of the practice, from the concept idea to its materialization, balancing out theoretical thinking with practical restitutions, always thinking about spectatorship as an integral part of the conversation.”
Why Apply
Acquire practical skills
Get first-hand experience with international practitioners like Laura El-Tantawy and Elisa Medde, enhancing your theoretical and practical approach to both critical documentary photography and personal narratives.
Flexibility
Enroll from anywhere in the world, taking the opportunity to engage in a program you can attend while working or traveling. All the Group Sessions and Studio Visits are recorded so you can follow them if you missed them.
Expand your network
Engage with a selected group of peers and professionals from around the world, who can become a resource also for your future. All participants will further benefit from dissemination opportunities through PhMuseum’s channels and connections.
Inclusivity
Enjoy a high-end program at our launching price, one of the most competitive on the market. If you don’t have the resources, you can also apply for 1 fully-funded scholarship.
Exhibit your project
At the end of the masterclass, one or more participants will be selected for an exhibition at PhMuseum Lab in Bologna, Italy. Plus, a selection of works will be published in PhMuseum’s new annual printed publication.
Other courses you might be interested in
Past Editions
FAQ
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Can I apply for more programs?
OpenYes, you are welcome to apply for multiple programs.
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Can I use the same project in more applications?
OpenYes, you can use the same project for multiple program applications. Just tailor each application to highlight how the specific Masterclass would benefit your project and explain your interest in its focus. For example, specify why you need to create a photobook dummy or incorporate diverse media into your research.
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Are the Masterclasses fully online, including Studio Visits?
OpenEvery Masterclass session happens online. This comprise Studio Visits with invited artists, curators, graphic designers, who are invited to share their practice and insights in a collective video meeting.
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Is possible to join some of the Studio Visits offline?
OpenEach Masterclass session is conducted online, including Studio Visits with invited artists, curators, graphic designers, and other professionals. In-person attendance for Studio Visits is not possible. Participants and guests are located in various countries and continents, and the fully online program allows everyone to attend each session regardless of their location.
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Can the online portfolio be just the personal website or does it need to be a regular portfolio of my work?
OpenPlease provide both an online portfolio link and your Instagram account in the application, if possible. You can further use a private link from Google Drive or Dropbox. Please avoid temporary WeTransfer links, and remember that we do not accept email applications.
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What are the times and days the classes would take place?
OpenYou generally have between 3 and 5 meetings per month. Classes happen on weekdays. Group sessions and seminars generally last 3 to 4 hours. Individual mentoring is 30 minutes per person. Studio visits last 1.5 hours. Most meetings start around 3pm and end before 7pm CET, to allow students attending globally (Americas, Europe and Africa, Asia and Oceania). There is more flexibility for what concerns the individual tutoring.
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Are the masterclasses more of a beginner or advanced course?
OpenWhile a professional level of expertise isn't strictly required, you should have a foundational understanding of photography and a sincere passion for developing their work. We generally filter applications to create heterogeneous and motivated groups of talented participants.
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In past editions, did participants have the opportunity to meet each other?
OpenWe encourage all masterclasses participants to join us in Bologna for PhMuseum Days, our biennial international photography festival, and Photobook Mania, a biennial gathering dedicated to visual publishing. While attending it is not mandatory, it can be a worthwhile investment of time and money to develop your network and strengthen the bond you will develop online through the program. Over the years, we have also met at other events such as Les Rencontres d'Arles, Fotografia Europea, Paris Photo, and Lodz Fotofestiwal.
Contact us
Reach out at edu@phmuseum.com