The Houston Center for Photography is stepping into a new era. HCP is fully into its launch of Certificate Programs, reshaping how photography can be studied, practiced and lived.
The shift began in 2023, when documentary photographer Natan Dvir joined HCP as managing director of education. He was already known for building a highly regarded education program at the International Center of Photography in New York. Dvir brought both his experience and vision to Houston.
Almost immediately, Dvir and HCP executive director Anne Massoni began developing a program to accommodate students’ time constraints and financial challenges. Alongside this, they insisted on creating a top-notch curriculum.
“We wanted to create something contemporary, something that meets people where they are,” Dvir says. “It had to be practical, flexible and inspiring.”
Unlike traditional university programs that can feel rigid and costly, HCP’s Certificate Programs are intentionally adaptable. Classes are scheduled primarily for evenings and weekends. This makes it possible for students to pursue photography while balancing work and family commitments.
Why HCP’s Model Breaks the Mold
This Houston Center For Photography program offers two levels. Photography Foundations gives beginners a strong base and Advanced Photography Practices allows students to develop a cohesive, professional-level project.
Each program requires four to five courses. Students select from more than 100 offerings, with at least 60 available this fall. The total cost is $1,700, but students pay as they go. A $250 deposit is applied to the final class.
The program’s strength lies not only in its structure but also in its faculty. Instructors include arts leaders such as well-known photography gallerist Catherine Couturier, MFAH chief of libraries & archives Jon Evans and MFAH curator of photography Lisa Volpe.
Many instructors are acclaimed photographers themselves. Brussels-based artist Sanne De Wilde teaches here, as does documentary photographer Tom Griggs, who works between Colombia and Mexico. Stephan Hillerbrand, part of the conceptual duo Hillerbrand+Magsamen and professor at the University of Houston, also teaches in the program. Photographer and professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake Daniel Kraus joins them.
Instructors are encouraged to design their courses around their own expertise. They do not need to follow a rigid, traditional curriculum.
Another element that sets the program apart is its personal touch. Consultations and critiques are woven into the experience. Dvir meets with prospective students one-on-one, either virtually or in-person. These sessions give students a chance to discuss their goals, review their work and map out a pathway through the program.
For Dvir, who began photographing at age 30, the program is deeply personal. He understands how intimidating and expensive the traditional path into photography can be. That’s why he designed HCP’s Certificate Programs to be accessible, practical and above all, supportive.
“HCP wants its students to succeed,” Dvir says. “We’re building a holistic program that grows with them and gives them the tools to tell their stories.”
Events give prospective students a taste of HCP’s educational community.
On September 23, In Conversation: Witness, Work, Wonder will feature Raquel Natalicchio, Danielle Villasana and Lexi Parra. These three female documentary photographers, all HCP instructors, will reflect on their own practices and discuss their upcoming courses.
For more information about the Houston Center for Photography’s Certificate Programs, go here.
Editor’s note: Haley Berkman Karren is an art advisor, appraiser, independent curator and writer. She has contributed to the Houston Center for Photography’s Spot Magazine as well as juried an HCP exhibition. She’s the founder and director of Karren Art Advisory, specializing in modern and contemporary art, photography and digital art.