French photographer of Czech origin Martin Becka visited the Department of Photography and guided a workshop focused on photography techniques of the past from 13 to 21 April 2023. Students gained insights and skills involved in the process known as Callotype and Albumen Paper. The workshop was held at ÚVS Beroun in cooperation with FAMU’s Studio of Classic Photography.   

Martin Becka was born in Brno in 1956, and has lived and worked in France since 1968. He started his career as a photo reporter in 1981 and worked as a freelance photographer for French periodicals until 1999. Along the way, he took interest in the history of photography and explored pre-industrial photography processes. His photography series focus on the urban space, landscape, and human traces and influence. Martin Becka asks how we organise the present time and what our hopes for the future are. He purports to share a deeper understanding of and thoughts on the meaning and beauty of what we build and the space we live in. In his photographic work, he uses techniques that date back to the era when photography was invented. Since 1995, his photographs have been regularly shown in both individual and group exhibitions in France and elsewhere on the international art scene.