CREATE MEANINGFUL PHOTOGRAPHS GUIDED BY INTENT & PERSONAL VISION
The MasterCOURSE will teach you how to truly see and use photography as a creative tool for meaningful personal expression, revealing not only how the world looks to you but, more importantly, how it feels to you.
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned photographer, sooner or later, you may feel that your photography has plateaued, and that you are taking the same old pictures in different places. If this sounds familiar, chances are there might be something missing in your images: a clear intent and a strong personal vision.
There is only so much you can learn through isolated workshops, individual books, and online material found on the internet. For the serious photographer who truly wants to make a quantitative leap in their photography, the options have been limited. For this reason, we created the MasterCOURSE “Photography with Intent”: the first coherent, structured, and comprehensive online program for expressive photographers.
The MasterCOURSE is the cornerstone of the Essential Seeing Photography School. It is a flexible and structured distance learning program that will cover in-depth all the steps of the photographic process, helping you create meaningful photographs, guided by intent, from the original message to the final print.
The MasterCOURSE will not only significantly improve your theoretical, practical, and critical skills in expressive photography, but it will also provide you with a holistic view of all the different steps involved. Indeed, light, visual design, composition, post-processing, printing, and presentation are not independent steps but extensions of each other. By becoming one of the MasterCOURSE students, you are enrolling in a structured, coherent, and comprehensive learning program. The unique value of the MasterCOURSE resides not only in the quality of the various modules it consists of but also in the way they are linked together.
The MasterCOURSE is not simply a course based on theory and practical examples. It is truly a learning program with a tried and tested original method to unlock your expressive and creative potential, based on a series of connected Practical Assignments that will guide you throughout the program. These Practical Assignments, linked to each of the different modules of the program, are thoroughly explained through examples and case studies, and will help you activate a mental switch that will forever change your personal approach to photography.
The MasterCOURSE represents the culmination of 7 years of work and the materialization of Rafael Rojas’ knowledge and experience as a Master Hasselblad Fine Art Photographer, his academic depth provided by an MA in Photography, and his pedagogical skills as a former post-graduate university lecturer. This learning program also draws on his hundreds of hours of experience teaching personal photography through workshops, photo-immersion trips, and lectures all over the world.
The MasterCOURSE is, indeed, Rafael Rojas’ biggest contribution to the community of fellow photographers and the pinnacle of his teaching career.
“I am utterly convinced the MasterCOURSE will provoke a turning point in the way you approach your own photography.”
EFFECTIVE LEARNING
Reach the next level and improve your theoretical, practical and critical skills
1’000 PAGES OF ILLUSTRATED CONTENT
30 HOURS OF AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIAL
MANY CASE STUDIES & EXAMPLES
The MasterCOURSE, featuring nearly 1,000 pages and 30 hours of video content, is well-structured into various modules, chapters, and sub-chapters. This organization allows you to progress through the material easily and quickly at your own pace. It provides not only a wealth of theoretical knowledge but also emphasizes practical applications, including hundreds of illustrations, schemes, diagrams, practical scenarios, and commented case studies. While the MasterCOURSE offers a substantial amount of material, the entire program is designed to ensure that the learning process is both enjoyable and rewarding. You will be guided gently, ensuring you never feel overwhelmed.
We rely on tried and tested methods to deliver effective learning, combining theory, practice & reflection. For this reason, every written module includes a series of challenging exercises designed to provide practical, hands on experience of some of the key learning points in each module.
PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS (PA) - AN INNOVATIVE LEARNING METHOD
HOLISTIC STEP-BY-STEP PRACTICAL METHOD
13 HOURS OF VIDEO GUIDING EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR ASSIGNMENTS
One of the cornerstones of the MasterCOURSE, and one of the aspects that makes this program unique, is the Practical Assignments (PAs).
The Practical Assignments are structured exercises designed for you to apply what you have learned incrementally and logically.
Each Practical Assignment is not an isolated exercise but continues from where you left off in the previous one and builds upon it, addressing the entire photographic process from message to print in a sequential manner. Thus, all Practical Assignments together form a single, holistic practical learning method.
The main objective of these Practical Assignments is to guide you and help train your mind to develop the habit of analyzing and thinking in terms of message, reason, intent, mood, and communication channels. Initially, this training must occur in a conscious mode, which is why our Practical Assignments include charts and documents that you can fill in directly to analyze your images more rationally. As you complete these exercises, the process will become more intuitive. Sooner than you might expect, everything you have learned will seamlessly and naturally integrate into your photographic process, informing your practice in the background, almost on autopilot as you work.
These Practical Assignments will help you transform your mindset and approach to the photographic process. In other words, they will trigger a change that many photographers never experience, or accelerate what might otherwise take many years of practice.
In order to gain inspiration and a clearer understanding of what is expected in this Practical Assignment, you will be able to watch a Video Guiding Example for each Practical Assignment, where Rafael Rojas demonstrates the exercise using 10 of his own images. Additionally, you will be able to download the duly “solved” Practical Assignment documents, completed for each of those 10 images by Rafael Rojas himself.
If you need help preparing your Practical Assignments, you can schedule a personal 1-to-1 online session with your tutor (separate fees apply).
CREATIVE EXPRESSION, DECRYPTED
Learn how to use photography as a tool of personal and creative expression, guided by intent
COMPREHENSIVE & STRUCTURED PROGRAM
Learn in one or two years what takes most people more than a decade to master
PERSONALIZED MENTORSHIP
You will not learn alone. Truly a mentoring program!
The MasterCOURSE is not just another online course where you purchase material and are left alone. It is truly a mentoring program, offering personalized guidance, feedback, and support.
At the beginning of the course, you will have a One-to-One meeting with your tutor, through which you will get to know your tutor, and establish with him a conversation about your photography.
The goal of this One-to-One meeting will be to review a submitted portfolio of your own images, analyse your photography in terms of personal vision and expressive character and identify a group of images that you will analyse and study, from message to print, throughout the different Practical Assignments of the MasterCOURSE.
To ensure the process is clear and self-explanatory, Rafael Rojas has completed every single Practical Assignment himself, using 10 of his own images. For each Practical Assignment, he has prepared a demonstration video where the solution is thoroughly analyzed, accompanied by the Practical Assignment documents, fully completed and explained for each image by Rafael himself.
Since the MasterCOURSE is a mentoring program, you will never be alone. If you ever need assistance with your Practical Assignments or have questions about any of the program modules, you can book and schedule as many one-on-one online sessions with your tutor as you like (in packs of 5 hours), directly from the Student Area. To make the MasterCOURSE affordable for as many photographers as possible, we have decided to offer the flexibility of purchasing additional one-on-one consulting time with your tutor only when needed, rather than including it by default. This approach has allowed us to significantly reduce the program's final price, ensuring you pay only for what you need, and if you need it, nothing more.
FLEXIBLE & AT YOUR OWN PACE
The MasterCOURSE is a flexible learning program that you can follow at your own pace. There are no fixed dates to finish each module and you can adjust your progression to your agenda.
For someone studying spare-time , this course might take around 1 year to be completed. This can be done by allotting a few hours every week, enjoying the process without it becoming a burden. You can also finish the Master COURSE in six months if you make it your main priority! It is all up to you. What is important is that this MasterCOURSE has been designed not only to help you become a much better photographer but also to let you fully enjoy the learning process and learn at your own pace, with all flexibility.
Once you enroll in our MasterCOURSE, you will have 2 full years of access to the MasterCOURSE content area. Because the MasterCOURSE has been designed to be covered in one year for most people, you have plenty of time to fully go through the course and the Practical Assignments, even at the slowest pace, without having to stress. Bear in mind that from day one you will be able to download all the PDFs, so that means you will, in any case, keep all that material with you when the twenty-four months expire. In order to keep the videos up-to-date and limit the hassle of downloading heavy files, videos can be viewed in streaming.
Modules of the MasterCOURSE “Photography with Intent”
1. EXPRESSIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
Video of 55 minutes
Streaming
2. THE PHOTOGRAPHIC MESSAGE
PDF of 150 pages
Direct download
3. THE PHOTOGRAPHIC MESSAGE
Video of 50 minutes
Streaming
4. NATURAL LIGHT WITH INTENT
PDF of 250 pages
Direct download
7. COMPOSITION WITH INTENT
2 hours 15 minutes of Videos
Streaming
10. PRINTING WITH INTENT
PDF of 120 pages
Direct download
13. BLACK & WHITE WITH INTENT
2 hours 15 minutes of Videos
Streaming
16. FROM MESSAGE TO PRINT III
5 hours of Videos
Streaming
5. LEARNING TO SEE, VISUAL DESIGN
PDF of 35 pages
Direct download
8. POSTPROCESSING WITH INTENT
PDF of 120 pages
Direct download
11. PRINTING WITH INTENT VIDEOS
2 hours 12 minutes of Videos
Streaming
14. FROM MESSAGE TO PRINT I
5 hours of Videos
Streaming
17. MasterPROJECT
Eligibility for the MasterPROJECT
6. COMPOSITION WITH INTENT
PDF of 210 pages
Direct download
9. POSTPROCESSING WITH INTENT
4 hours 38 minutes of Videos
Streaming
12. BLACK & WHITE WITH INTENT
PDF of 90 pages
Direct download
15. FROM MESSAGE TO PRINT II
5 hours of Videos
Streaming
18. 1-to-1 CONSULTATION
One-to-One consultation with Rafael Rojas
Optional service (to be paid separately)
ENROLL NOW IN THE MASTERCOURSE
“PHOTOGRAPHY WITH INTENT”
Learn in a year what takes most people more than a decade,
for less than the cost of a weekend workshop in the field
1’790.- CHF (Swiss Francs)
MasterCOURSE FAQ
Have you got questions?
We have answers!
MEET YOUR MENTOR
Rafael Rojas (Master Hasselblad 2014, MA Photography, ARPS), is a Swiss and Spanish full-time artist photographer, lecturer, author, and creativity mentor.
He has been involved in teaching most of his life, first helping out young students, then teaching undergrads, and later as a university lecturer.
Nowadays, his teaching activities focus on helping photographers see the world with different eyes and use photography as a tool of personal and creative expression.
After seven years of work, the MasterCOURSE “Photography with Intent” has become the apex of his teaching career and his utmost contribution to the Community of Photographers.
“I want to help you create images that express the unique way you see, feel and understand the world around you. ”
LEARN FROM AN EXPERT
Rafael’s students can expect to find in the MasterCOURSE “Photography with Intent” the teachings of an expert, backed by:
Solid photographic expertise, with more than 30 international awards, including the prestigious Master Hasselblad award in 2014.
Recognised professional activity, as an internationally published and exhibited photographic artist.
Strong pedagogical background, based on many years of experience as a Post-Graduate University lecturer.
Extensive teaching experience, with more than 15 years of experience organising workshops all over the world.
Deep academic background, provided by a MA in Photography by Falmouth University, UK (Distinction).
Extensive writing experience, as a regular columnist and contributor to several international photographic magazines.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE MASTERCOURSE?
Contact us here below and we will send you further information about the MasterCOURSE, including a detailed syllabus of the whole course
YOU ARE ABOUT TO BECOME A BETTER PHOTOGRAPHER!
