Photography Programs in Ottawa, Ontario

School Of The Photographic Arts: Ottawa:
The School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa's mission is to furnish the resources, environment, tools and instruction to develop the students' signature style, hone their photographic skills, and cultivate their visual literacy.

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Level 1 : Photographic Foundations:As the entry level to the program, Level 1 is the most structured of the 3 levels of the SPAO portfolio driven program, but is still highly self-directed, and production driven in nature.

The schedule for this level has formal lecture/demonstration time of approximately 14 hours a week. Facilities outside of these hours are open to student access, day and evening, depending on workshop and part-time studies schedules. Students are expected to put in a significant number of self-directed production hours as they work through their modules towards their year-end portfolios and exhibition pieces.

Level 2 : Portfolio Development:As the second level to the program, Level 2 is less structured, and more self-directed than Level 1, and entirely centered on portfolio production from the beginning of the school year. Students successfully completing Level 2 : Portfolio Development are certified graduates of SPAO; Level 3 is an optional invitation-only graduate level.

The schedule for Portfolio Development has formal lecture/demonstration time of approximately 14 hours a week. Facilities outside of these hours are open to student access, day and evening, depending on workshop and part-time studies schedules. Students are required to put in substantial and regular self-directed production hours as they more fully develop their direction and signature styles, flesh out their set of portfolios and create exhibition pieces.

Level 3 : Directed Research and Production:As an optional finishing year, Level 3: Directed Research and Production, allows graduates to further solidify the direction of their photographic practice with full access to SPAO resources and the guidance and nurturing of an advisory relationship with SPAO instructors.

The schedule for this level has formal class and meeting times of approximately 4 hours a week. This is divided between progress meetings and critiques with instructors, and facilitated group discussions, presentations and critiques with Level 3 classmates.

Part Time Studies Certificate:The Part Time Studies Certificate is an opportunity for students to challenge themselves in the self directed style for which SPAO has become known. Students have four years from registration to complete the required courses and workshops for the program in order to receive recognition. There are three sessions a year in the Winter, Summer and Fall. Courses generally run three hours a week on weekdays evenings and workshops are usually two intensive eight hour days on the weekend.