მასტერკლასი
THE LIMITS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ACT
ANTOINE d’AGATA
As part of its 15th anniversary celebrations, Tbilisi Photo Festival and Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum in collaboration with Adjara Group, are honored to host an exclusive workshop led by Magnum photographer Antoine d’Agata.
The workshop is part of the special program conceived to celebrate 15 years of the Tbilisi Photo Festival and 5 years of the Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum.
The five-day intensive workshop will take place in Tbilisi, at Stamba Conference space and the Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum.
The workshop is supported by TBC Wealth Management.
Workshop Concept
The workshop challenges participants to push the boundaries of their photographic practice, confronting their inner obsessions and contradictions, all while developing a distinct personal visual language. Moving beyond pure documentary approaches, participants will create a visual diary or inventory - a body of work that liberates them from the conventions of mainstream commercial documentary photography.
Guided by Antoine d’Agata, participants will critically examine the deeper purpose of their photographic work, questioning the relationship between image-making and their personal experience of the world.
About Antoine d’Agata
Antoine d’Agata was born on November 19, 1961, in Marseille, France. At the age of 17, he interrupted his studies to live in the world of the night. For 12 years, he lived and traveled in some 20 countries. In 1991, while living in New York with no photographic experience, he enrolled at the International Center of Photography, where he studied with Nan Goldin and Larry Clark. In 1993, he moved to France, worked as a bricklayer, and stopped his photographic practice until 1997.
Antoine d’Agata’s work can be read as an exploration of contemporary violence from two distinct perspectives: the violence of the day, or economic and political violence (migration, refugees, poverty and war), and the violence of the night, or violence generated by social groups marginalized by poverty (survival through crime, narcotic addiction, sexual excess). For the past 30 years, Antoine d’Agata has lived and photographed all over the world and has published some 50 works. He has been a full member of the Magnum Photos agency since 2008.
Scholarship for the photographers based in Tbilisi
Tbilisi Photo Festival and Adjara Group are proud to award two selected photographers based in Georgia with scholarships for free participation in the workshop.
Applicants are invited to submit their portfolios for consideration.
Practical Details
-
Workshop Fee: €650
-
Dates: 17 - 21 June, 2025
-
Venue: Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum, Stamba Hotel, D block.
-
Language: English and French
-
Travel, accommodation and meals are the responsibility of the participants. All registered participants will also receive a list of verified nearby hotels to help with accommodation planning.
Workshop Content
-
Study and analysis of participants’ images
-
Daily shooting sessions
-
Development of a personal photographic project
-
Selection and editing of captured material
Methodology
Designed for both beginners and experienced photographers, this workshop is not focused on technical instruction. Instead, it encourages participants to question and strengthen their visual storytelling to develop an authentic and personal photographic language.
Through a combination of daily group and/or individual review sessions, each participant will refine their narrative strategy. The process culminates in one-on-one editing sessions and a final public slideshow presentation.
Required Materials
-
A digital camera, charger, and cables
-
2–3 memory cards
-
A laptop (working digitally is highly recommended for efficient feedback and editing)
-
A Mac-compatible external hard drive or personal computer
-
A selection of 15–30 printed images or a digital portfolio showcasing previous photographic work
-
Basic lighting equipment for optional night shooting
-
Comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for extended outdoor sessions
Evaluation
-
Continuous assessment of individual progress
-
One-on-one end-of-course interview
-
Group reflection session to discuss outcomes and shared experiences
This workshop offers a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in an intensive, reflective, and challenging photographic process - encouraging each participant to redefine their relationship with the image and their ability to narrate the world from an authentic and personal perspective.
Workshop Schedule
DAY 0: Arrival
Participants arrive and settle in.
DAY 1 - June 17
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Workshop introduction
followed by individual participant presentations.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Lunch break
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Portfolio presentation and review
Group dynamic one-on-one portfolio reviews. Each participant defines the theme or story they will pursue during the workshop.
7:15 PM | Welcome reception with wine tasting at Warehouse - one of the capital’s best wine degustation spots located at Stamba hotel. The wine degustation will be offered by Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum.
DAY 2 - June 18
6:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Personal shooting session
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Group work review
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Lunch break
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Work reviews and project development assessment
7:00 PM | All participants are invited to the opening of the exhibition at Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum.
DAY 3 - June 19
6:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Personal shooting session
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Group work review
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Lunch break
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Work reviews and project development assessment
DAY 4 - June 20
6:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Personal shooting session
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Group work reviews and project feedback
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Break
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Individual editing sessions
7:30 PM | Magnum Talks: Public lecture by Antoine d’Agata, followed by a screening and book signing session.
DAY 5 - June 21
6:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Final shooting session
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Final editing and sequencing
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Break
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Final editing & file submission for slideshow
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Public screeningFinal projection open to a wider audience accompanied with a glass of wine.
REGISTRATION
TO REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP, PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION FORM.DOWNLOAD HERE
If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact us at info@tbilisiphotofestival.com
