3rd edition of the Master of Arts in Photography
The Master of Arts in Photography at LABA Valencia is an advanced programme that combines technique, art direction and visual narrative, with a particular focus on fashion and editorial photography. It is a space to experiment, research and build a distinctive voice within the international creative industry.
You will work alongside internationally renowned photographers, art directors and curators, and develop professional projects in collaboration with leading trend publications such as Schön! Magazine. You will receive masterclasses from photography agencies and most prominent photographers. You will gain first-hand knowledge of the latest trends in fashion, culture, documentary photography and contemporary art.
Classes are small, with highly personalised attention from the teaching staff, and with 80% of students coming from abroad, allowing you to build your future work teams and contacts from day one.
The programme is aimed at photographers and creatives who want to make the professional leap into fashion, editorial and art direction. It provides you with the tools to work and compete at an international level.
Postgraduate Diploma validated by Coventry University (United Kingdom).
2026 EDITION
October 2026
100% face-to-face
Monday to Wednesday afternoons
Teaching language: English & Spanish
180 UK credits
Enrolment: 12,900 €
￭ Mobility scholarships of up to €1000
￭ Flexible payment options
Free legal advice for visa applications after enrolment
REQUEST INFORMATION
PROGRAMME
1st term
From October to December, we will begin by developing the foundations of our practice and photographic production. Guided by Ismael Chappaz, Director of the contemporary art gallery HOUSE OF CHAPPAZ, together with fashion and editorial photographer Jordi Terry, we will address the challenges and techniques of editorial publishing. We will also explore, with the photographer and director Luis Castro, key milestones in the history of fashion and editorial practice. With Álvaro Peñalta and Nacho Ramón, founders and Creative Directors of Súper Fuerte studio, we will experiment with new techniques and trends in art direction, approaching all phases of a photographic production.
Photographic Situations
This module aims to develop a deep understanding of the audiences for fashion and editorial photography. Key historical moments in which fashion photography and editorial publishing converged — marking significant shifts in social movements — will be examined. Through this research and its corresponding theoretical analysis, students will develop and test their own editorial models, seeking to connect their work with appropriate and specific readerships.
Collaborative Community Project
Students will work on a brief in relation to a community, around and alongside which they will develop their photographic proposal. The module will also enable them to understand and engage with the various elements involved in an editorial project.
Objects, Spaces and Boundaries
New trends in art direction. Exploration of the intersections between photography, the object, and the new boundaries currently associated with art direction, combining fashion, art, and technology in visually compelling narratives
Photo by Jordi Terry
Photo by Vincent Urbani
2nd term
From January to March, guided by photographer Pablo Casino, we will explore a collaborative project with a social focus, examining social and cultural identities. At the same time, together with photographer Vincent Urbani, we will begin planning our Final Master’s Project, outlining its practice, research framework and structure. In parallel, with researcher Matilde Igual, we will delve into research methods that will support the development of our Master’s Thesis (TFM).
Final Major Project: Research & Planning
To develop the theoretical, methodological and experimental corpus for the final project. The aim of this module is for students to produce a body of research-informed work related to their own creative project, demonstrating critical awareness of current developments and trends within their field of practice. This work will form the foundation of the student’s final project. Through this process, they will cultivate specialised skills and a commitment to their practice that both reveal and nurture their emerging professional identity.
Collaborative Social Challenge Project
To explore the boundaries of personal, social and cultural identity through photography. This module aims to develop students’ collaborative working skills. Students will produce an interdisciplinary response to a given brief by addressing and engaging with a documentary challenge. Working collaboratively, they will take on opportunities to direct, manage and contribute to the delivery of a professional approach to problem analysis, evaluation and the development of strategies for a creative solution.
Research Methods
The aim of this module is to teach students a corpus of research methods. It provides the theoretical, conceptual and practical tools required to undertake a research project. Students are introduced to the professional and ethical dimensions underpinning their practice and are supported in developing critical reflection within their specialism. In this way, the module prepares students to complete their Master’s Thesis (TFM) by fostering effective collaboration and strengthening their identity as researchers and professionals.
3er term
From April to June, with the fashion and editorial photographer Jordi Terry, together with the renowned New York–based stylist Odile Iturraspe, and under the supervision of Cristina Casanova, director of the master’s programme, students will undertake a professional photographic production in response to the brief presented and reviewed by Raoul Keil, Founder and Director of Schön! Magazine, one of the most renowned publications in contemporary fashion and photography. Over the course of a term in which students must cover all aspects of an editorial fashion photography production, finally Raoul Keil will select one of the strongest projects for publication in the magazine, based on the coherence, development and quality of the proposal, as well as the interests and vision of the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief.
With Vincent Urbani, students will define their positioning as photographers within the many fields and trends of photography, reflecting on how their perspective can contribute to a broader understanding of the world through the development of their professional and artistic portfolio. Each student will complete the Final Major Project (Master’s Thesis). Students will manage a self-directed project of their choice and will benefit from a high degree of autonomy.
Collaborative Enterprise Project
Under the supervision of the teaching team, students will develop a complete production in response to a brief set by one of the most important publications in contemporary fashion. They will acquire the knowledge and practical skills required to deliver a professional magazine commission. Raoul Keil, Director of Schön! Magazine, will define the editorial criteria and select the most outstanding projects for publication in Schön! Magazine.
Photography and Publics
The aim of this module is to reflect upon and define a personal position within the many areas and contexts of editorial fashion photography, analysing how it has been disseminated across portraiture, film, reportage and music. The module explores the various ways in which photography contributes to and is shaped by its contexts, questioning how it operates in different roles depending on its purpose and how it contributes to our understanding of the world. Throughout the module, students will further develop their own artistic and professional portfolio.
Final Major Project: Production & Sharing
In this module, students will complete their independent research project, informed by the broader contexts of their discipline and developed to a standard appropriate for Master’s level study. Students will manage a self-initiated project of their choice, exercising a high degree of autonomy. The project will be carried out with the support of several tutors, including Vincent Urbani and Blanca Sanfélix, founder of the photography publishing house TAPAS DURAS, together with masterclasses delivered throughout the year by visiting experts, ranging from directors of prestigious photographic agencies to highly established photographers.
The editorial project by Iryna Golubeva @irynamartin__, Simoné Esterhuizen @simoneesterhuizen_ and Kelsie Joos @kelsiejoos.media was selected by Raoul Keil as the winning project of the master’s programme to be published in @schonmagazine, the global magazine covering fashion, culture and trends, based in Berlin.
“One of the great opportunities offered by the master’s programme is the chance to be published in Schön! Magazine. We presented our project to its editor, Raoul Keil, and prepared the photographic production with professional models and a professional team, including New York-based stylist and lecturer Odile Iturraspe. Everything was organised by LABA VALENCIA. You truly feel as though you are working on a real professional project — it is an incredible experience. Our group was ultimately selected as the winner and our work has been published in Schön! Magazine. We are absolutely delighted.”
Iryna Golubeva
graduate of the Master of Arts in Photography, 2nd edition
© Súper Fuerte (Álvaro Peñalta y Nacho Ramón)
FACULTY
Cristina Casanova
Director of the Master’s programme.
Director of LABA Valencia. Responsible for academic programmes and strategy, design and communication, and exhibitions.
Photographer, digital and sound artist, theatre director, and creator of creative online tools for the cultural and educational fields. My artistic practice has been exhibited internationally in cities including Barcelona, Madrid, London, Paris, Lisbon, Beijing, Chicago, Sydney, and Mexico City, among others. I have composed soundtracks for experimental films such as Throw Your Watch into the Water (Variations of an Intuitive Filmography by José Val del Omar) and eGolem, directed by Eugeni Bonet, and have released eight music CDs focused on experimentation.
BA (Hons) in Fine Arts – Photography, Film and Video – University of Barcelona (1987). European Master’s Degree in Media Studies and Master’s Degree in Art and New Technologies, Pompeu Fabra University (1995–97). Postgraduate Diploma in Multimedia-Oriented Programming, Pompeu Fabra University (2002).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinacasanovaseuma/
Vincent Urbani
Vincent Urbani teaches and coordinates the BA (HONS) degree in Photography and Video at LABA Valencia. Fashion and advertising photographer and video maker specialized in portraits and editorial productions, his photographs have appeared in numerous international publications such as Vogue Italia, The New York Magazine, Interview Germany, Schön! UK, Neo2, Blau Art Magazine, A Part Magazine Paris and DXI Magazine. Vincent Urbani has worked on advertising campaigns for international brands such as Dolce e Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Levi’s, Crocs, Nespresso, Olay, Flos, Wella and Lladró.
Ismael Chappaz
Design Lecturer at LABA Valencia. Founder and Director of the contemporary art gallery House of Chappaz, which evolved from his former design studio/gallery Espai Tactel, founded in 2011.
House of Chappaz is recognised as one of the ten leading emerging galleries in Spain, with a strong presence at international contemporary art fairs. Its artists — including photographers such as Natacha Lesueur and Christto & Andrew — exhibit at major national and international institutions, and their work is acquired by prominent foundations and museums.
Jordi Terry
Jordi Terry i Peñalver is a renowned fashion and beauty photographer based between Valencia, Madrid and Paris. He is recognised for his editorials in international titles such as L’Officiel, Vogue and Numéro, as well as for creating campaigns for brands including Dior and Pull&Bear.
He also works as Head of Content for various brands, leading creative development, as well as the planning and execution of campaigns and their subsequent communication across social media and digital platforms. He is the founder of Merceditas Studio (Valencia), a photography studio and creative space specialising in fashion, which includes a bridal division and a representation agency, extending its scope across multiple areas of photography and visual content.
Odile Iturraspe
Odile Iturraspe is renowned internationally for her work as a fashion stylist and consultant. Her approach is strikingly modern, rooted in Dance, Arts and observation; creating a distinct effect across editorial stories, fashion shows, advertising campaigns, e-commerce, catalogues and personal styling. She has worked with such prominent publications as 10, Harper’s, Vogue, Elle, Esquires, L’Officiel. Odile works with brands on developing and producing innovative creative assets to deliver their content and brand strategy as Bruno Magli, Levi’s, Reebok, Zara, Melissa Shoes, among others. Odile is currently based in New York and works worldwide.
Luis Castro
Photographer and director, Luis Castro has built his career in the fashion, advertising and music video industries. His editorial work has appeared in numerous international publications including GQ, Man About Town, Vogue Spain, Metal, Cap 74204, Lemile, Schön! and Herdes, among others. As a director, his work has been selected for numerous international festivals and has been recognised at the CLIO Awards, Promax BDA, Sarajevo Fashion Film Festival, Los Angeles Fashion Festival, La Jolla Global Music Awards and Seattle International Fashion Film Festival. He has worked on advertising campaigns and advertorials for brands such as Coca-Cola, AMC, Moschino, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Mondelez, among others.
Alvaro Peñalta / Natxo Ramón
Creative-art directors of the Súper Fuerte studio. Their client portfolio includes renowned brands such as Netflix, Universal, the Spanish Government’s Ministry of Equality, Ajuntament de València and Visa. They are passionate about developing personal projects with an artistic approach to editorial-style photography, which have been featured on Behance and other specialist media such as Wetransfer, Adobe Create, Domestika, Yorokobu, Fubiz, Neo2, Vein, Metal Magazine and Kaltblut.
Pablo Casino
Pablo Casino holds a degree in Art History from the University of Valencia (2007) and studied Photography at the Escola d’Art i Superior de Disseny (EASD). In 2011, he published his first photobook, Voramar, through Doctornopo.
In 2012, he moved to Brussels, where he began training in book and paper design at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuels La Cambre. During this period, he produced several self-published works, and in 2013 Voramar was included in the exhibition Libros que son fotos, fotos que son libros at the Museo Reina Sofía.
In 2014, together with Ricardo Cases, he initiated CASA, a pedagogical project uniquely developed within the photographer’s own home.
In 2016, he founded Novedades Casino in Valencia, a space dedicated to promoting local image-making in all its forms. That same year, he published Barespagnol, which was awarded Best Self-Published Book at PHotoEspaña in 2017 and featured in the CCCB exhibition Fenómeno Fotolibro. Also in 2017, he launched the participatory photography project Vosté Dirà, focusing on the different neighbourhoods of the city of Valencia.
Blanca Sanfélix
Designer and photographer. She studied Fine Arts at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and at the Akademia Sztuk Pięknych w Warszawie in Warsaw. After completing a Master’s degree in Graphic Design and Communication, she worked in several design studios in Valencia. She has published numerous photography books.
She is the founder and director, together with Ana R. Leiva and Laura Donate, of the Valencia-based publishing house Tapas Duras, through which she cultivates a passion for the printed format — particularly the book — while recognising the value of other media. By combining design and photography, they aim to create a platform both for their own publications and for external projects connected to these two fields.
“Tapas Duras is an attitude. We believe it is essential to exhibit and publish projects whose ideas enrich the editorial landscape. We see ourselves at a moment in time that calls for inspiration, critical reflection, and a wide range of alternative approaches.”
Photo by Cristina Casanova
Collaborators:
Publishers, agencies, showrooms of international fashion brands
Schön! Magazine
Schön! Magazine is one of the most prestigious fashion and trend magazines, based in London and reflecting the global scale of the most cutting-edge creative community since 2009. It showcases the top celebrities, high fashion, art and culture that make our world so extraordinary, both in glossy print and on a transmedia digital platform. Schön! Magazine has collaborated with internationally renowned photographers and designers including Martin Parr, Lorenzo Meloni, Pablo Tosco, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Myke Towers and Reina Nishimura. It has a daily reach of 1.4 million people and more than 750,000 unique monthly online visitors.
Vía comunicación
Via Comunicacion is a full-service public relations and communication agency, located in Madrid and operating national and international wide. We represent international fashion brands offering new, effective and strategic ideas in order to establish them into the Spanish market and medias. Our team is made up of creative, energetic, dedicated and communication professionals with a great experience in the fashion industry.
https://www.viacomunicacion.com/
https://www.instagram.com/viacomunicacion/
EBRA showroom
PR & Communication | Showroom | Influencers Marketing | Events & Production
Threading ideas, spinning projects, combining brand and talent
https://www.instagram.com/ebraestudio
Lecua Showroom
Showroom y comunicación de moda Madrid, Fashion showroom and press Madrid.
LECUÁ is a clothing and accessories showroom located in the heart of Madrid. The brands we showcase are carefully selected to create a beautifully curated assortment that emphasizes each designer’s point of difference. Our showroom enjoys a steady partnership with the best retailers around the globe who come to us for a sense of discovery, elevated level of service, incredible curation, and the taste level of LECUÁ.
https://www.lecuapress.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lecua_press
FABRA comunicación
We are here to help fashion and lifestyle brands (with which we share DNA) to appear in the media, grow, prosper and help expand their business. We are also committed to public relations in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle sectors as an essential tool that, with little investment, helps achieve impactful results for the companies we work with.
https://fabracomunicacion.com/
https://www.instagram.com/fabracomunicacion
Pelonio
Pelonio is an integrated creative communications agency. We put our brands in places where no one has seen them before. We believe in unknown talent. We connect the unexpected. What matters most to us is about to happen. Pelonio integrates in its services PR media and digital, consulting, creativity and production in addition to its fashion division that offers a showroom service.
https://www.instagram.com/pelonio/
Georgiela Estudio
Fundada en Barcelona en 2019, GEORGIELA STUDIO crea diseños femeninos, artesanales y atemporales para la mujer moderna, todos fabricados en España. Bajo la Dirección Creativa de Georgina Jose, la marca reimagina los arquetipos tradicionales de la moda a través de una estética reciclada, siluetas oversize y un enfoque en la inclusión y el empoderamiento. Desde su lanzamiento, Georgiela ha ganado una gran visibilidad en la Mercedes Benz Fashion Week de Madrid, cosechando el reconocimiento de celebrities como Lady Gaga, Nathy Peluso y Bad Gyal, y está presente actualmente en distribuidores de todo el mundo y en su propia tienda online.
https://georgielastudio.com/
https://www.instagram.com/georgielastudio
