Why study Photography?

The course is designed to encourage creativity, imagination and independence based on personal experience, taught skills and critical understanding, transferable to other areas.

To study as a subject that may be either a positive contrast or complement to your other chosen subjects – Fine Art, Contemporary Fine Art, Film Studies, Media Studies, The Social Sciences, Music, Performing Arts, Dance.

What does the course involve?

This is a broad course of study.

• The study of traditional photographic techniques including, researching light exposure, film speed, aperture variation, focus.
• Dark Room techniques.
• Photograms,
• Cyanatypes,
• Photo-montage.
• Moving image/time based Photography.
• Digital Photography including image manipulation, through various software packages including Photoshop.
• Drawing to develop ideas and outcomes, 
• Use of a range of techniques to combine traditional photography, digital photography, drawings and collage/montage to realise outcomes.

A wide range of photographers, artists, film makers and art movements will be studied, including Contemporary works.

There are trips out to relevant galleries and exhibitions in London throughout the course, such as The Photographers Gallery, The Courthauld Institute, The Tate Modern.

There is a foreign trip in May of Year 12 and residential UK trip at the beginning of Year 13.

University and Degree Show trips are also organised; including to our partner The University of Creative Arts. Lectures by department staff and guest visitors are organised throughout the course, and portfolio sessions and workshops are run in Year 13.

Creative work experience placements are facilitated.

How will I be assessed?

Component 1 Personal Investigation (60% of the final grade):

• a portfolio of practical work in response to a brief or stimulus, devised and provided by the centre

• a related study: an extended response of between 1000 and 3000 words.

Component 2 Externally Set Task (40% of the final grade) 12 week prep period and 15 hour exam

Leading to a career/further courses in?

Photography – Commercial, Fashion, Documentary, Advertising, TV work, Reporting, Film Studies, Media Studies, Digital Art, Communication, Photography Historian, Annimation, Museum and Curating work.