Introduction to Photography Project | Topics Covered, Task and Learning Outcomes

Topics covered

Over the next two weeks you will be working on your first project within this module. The project is designed to provide you with an introduction to photography. You will be working off campus. The project will help you to explore, and gain a basic understanding of how to use a digital camera (smartphone cameras included) along with working to a creative brief.

• Photography as a technology/set of technologies.

• Photography as a means of communication.

• Storytelling within single and multiple images.

• How to use a digital camera or smartphone to produce good-quality images.

• Basic skills of understanding and using a digital work flow, to edit (select) your images.

• You will be given a brief to aid you with understanding how to navigate your camera.

• Explore different ways to take photographs while shooting on location.

• The task will encourage you to learn about the camera settings, including how to control aperture, shutter, lighting and composition.

• Informal group feedback sessions will enable you to share your work with your group and to receive feedback from your peers and tutors.

At the end of the project you should:

1. Know about camera settings - ISO, aperture and shutter speed

2. Understand the principles of photographic image production

3. Have confidence in discussing your work and the work of other students during critical reviews

4. Develop an awareness of narrative, truth and storytelling through single and multiple images

5. Develop an awareness of the interaction of text (captions) and images when presenting and interpreting images

Image production

1. Follow the lecture. A ‘preview’ version was uploaded to Blackboard on 16th September. A more detailed introduction will be given live on 22nd September. An overall theme will be set.

2. Think about what the theme may mean, and whether there might be multiple interpretations. Make notes, mind maps, whatever might help illustrate your thought processes and ideas generation.

3. Consider which of these three creative and technical approaches you will take:

1. Time & Motion

2. Perspective & Depth

3. Scale & Abstraction

4. Consider whether your set of images and captions will tell truths or lies

5. Start thinking about how you will approach the series of three photographs (theme, narrative sequence, loop, other)

6. Consider what you can and cannot control with the camera you have – this may help you decide your approach.

7. Experiment with the camera (point of view, perspective, exposure) and lighting. Take lots of photos but work methodically!

8. Think about the framing of your images, consider the close-up, mid-shot or long-shot, while taking your images.

9. Narrow down your choices to a single approach. Image selection and presentation

1. Select three images for presentation.

2. Choose suitable captions

Outcome (what you submit for assessment at the end of the module):

You must document your work from these sessions in your Learning Portfolio on the module on Blackboard. This must be done whether or not you choose to include the final outcomes from this project in your final submission. Your Learning Portfolio posts for this project should include:

1. An explanation of the ideas behind your images (e.g. what were you hoping to achieve?), a brief discussion of how successful you think you were in achieving your desired results, and some notes on how you might develop or improve your work.

2. Contextual research (other photographers / artists / theories) relevant to your approach. See the recommended reading section below for some prompts.

3. If you are able to: technical notes, including lens settings (focal length, aperture), shutter speed, ISO, and any other relevant settings, explaining the reasons behind your choices. More guidance on developing your Learning Portfolio will be available on Blackboard and in the overall Module Handbook.