Folio 2024/25 Online Masterclass On Photobook Making

An unprecedented opportunity

Under the guidance of Lewis Chaplin, co-founder of the multi-award-winning, independent publishing house and design studio Loose Joints, a selected group of photographers will be followed through the advanced phase of their projects with the goal of concluding a body of work and having it ready for publishing.

At the end of the 8-month masterclass, all participants will have developed the skills to present their work to an international audience in the form of a photobook dummy. 

The program will be conducted online, with a final gathering at the PhMuseum Days International Photography Festival (Bologna, Italy) where PhMuseum will curate an exhibition showcasing all the dummies produced. A selection of participants will have their work featured in PhMuseum’s new annual printed publication. 

To participate, simply fill in the form with your personal details, share a link to your portfolio and apply for free. If your application is successful, we will guide you to enroll in the program.

  • When October 2024 to May 2025
  • Where Online
  • Language English
  • Positions 13 seats +1 scholarship
  • Dedication 50+ Hours
  • Contacts If you have any questions you can reach us at edu@phmuseum.com
  • Full fee €2,000
  • Earlybird fee €1,750 Until 23 May 2024
  • Scholarship deadline 23 May 2024

How to enroll

1. Fill in the form with your personal details

Before 20 June 2024

2. Insert a link to your project

We will consider the potential, the strength and the coherence of your portfolio

3. Submit for free and wait for the results

The applications will be reviewed by the PhMuseum Team

Apply now

How it works

  • Group Sessions

    In a collective and collaborative environment, the 4 online 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.

  • One-to-one Mentoring

    The 3 online 30-min individual coaching sessions will give you 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 those of your practice.

  • Seminars

    Across 4 seminars, Lewis Chaplin will give you a general grounding in the contemporary photobook publishing world, focusing on editing strategies and design techniques enabling you to contextualize and fine-tune your dummy.

  • Studio Visits

    To grant you industry insight and offer complementary information, we have invited expert practitioners to host 9 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 Criticae and Mediae Masterclasses participants.

  • Final Presentation and Dummy Exhibition

    At the end of the program, you are invited to present your project live on PhMuseum's Youtube channel. Moreover, all the dummies produced by the participants will be displayed at PhMuseum Days.

Head professor

Lewis Chaplin (Loose Joints)

Loose Joints is a multi-award-winning independent publishing house based between Marseille and London, founded by Sarah Chaplin Espenon and Lewis Chaplin in 2014. Loose Joints collaborates with leading and emerging artists on contemporary approaches to photography in book form. They circulate new visual perspectives through a dedicated list seeking to elevate underrepresented voices in photographic discourse. Their holistic approach to publishing allows them to work in close collaboration with artists from start to finish, with all design, editing and production done in-house. Loose Joints also operates independently as a design studio, working across publishing and the arts. Throughout the years, they have been publishing the works of artists such as Rahim Fortune, Richard Mosse, Michella Bredahl, Mohamed Bourouissa, Robin Graubard, Felipe Romero Beltrán, Nigel Shafran, Oliver Frank Chanarin, Harley Weir and Marton Perlaki among many others.

Loose Joints also runs Ensemble, a bookshop and gallery dedicated to contemporary photography in Marseille, France.

Timeline

  • October 2024

    • Session 1 Loose Joints Introductory Seminar
    • Session 2 Group Presentation #1
    • Session 3 Group Presentation #1
    • Session 4 Studio Visit #1
  • November

    • Session 5 One-to-One Mentoring #1
    • Session 6 Studio Visit #2
  • December

    • Session 7 Design Introductory Seminar
    • Session 8 Collective Tutoring #1
    • Session 9 Collective Tutoring #1
    • Session 10 Studio Visit #3
  • January 2025

    • Session 11 Publishing Practice Seminar
    • Session 12 One-to-One Mentoring #2
    • Session 13 Studio Visit #4
    • Session 14 Studio Visit #5
  • February

    • Session 15 Collective Tutoring #2
    • Session 16 Collective Tutoring #2
    • Session 17 Studio Visit #6
  • March

    • Session 18 Printing Introductory Seminar
    • Session 19 One-to-One Mentoring #3
    • Session 20 Studio Visit #7
    • Session 21 Studio Visit #8
  • April

    • Session 22 Publishing Practice Seminar with Loose Joints
    • Session 23 Studio Visit #9
  • May

    • Session 24 Group Presentation #2 - Live Youtube Final Presentation

Participation fees & deadlines

Scholarship

Before 23 May 2024

If you apply by this date, you are eligible for the full scholarship. Please send a motivational paragraph that addresses why you need it and how you can benefit from attending the program.

Early Bird Fee

Before 23 May 2024

If you apply by this date, you can save €350. All applications submitted for the scholarship will be automatically eligible for the Early Bird Fee of €1650.

Regular Fee

Before 20 June 2024

If you apply by this date, you can join the program by paying the Regular Fee of €2,000. The seats are limited, so we recommend you avoid waiting until the last day.

* If you are offered a place, PhMuseum is happy to write you a supporting letter when you try to secure any external funding opportunities. In previous editions of our masterclasses program, the candidates' fees were covered thanks to the generous contribution of the IWMF Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists, and other programs.

Why participate?

  • Have your work ready for publishing

    This masterclass offers all the class members the concrete and unprecedented opportunity to have ready-to-print dummies. Plus, a selection of participants will be featured in PhMuseum’s new annual printed publication.

  • 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.

  • Learn practical skills

    This program grants you first-hand experience encompassing both a theoretical and practical approach to photography, editing and design with the specific goal of a photobook in mind.

Other courses you might be interested in

  • Criticae 2024/25 Online Masterclass On Documentary Photography

  • Curae 2024/25 Online Masterclass On Curatorial Practice

  • Mediae 2024/25 Online Masterclass On Transmedia Storytelling

  • Get Your Things Together / Curating Workshop with PhMuseum

  • Curae 2023/24 Online Masterclass On Curatorial Practice

Apply now