Photography

12

What students will learn

How it builds on learning

Sept - Feb

The first term of Year 12 are spent gaining skills within 4 areas of course Assessment Objectives. Each are worth 25% of final mark:

AO1 Contextual understanding

AO2 Creative making

AO3 Reflective recording

AO4 Personal Presentation

Students will gain skills and understanding of the 4 assessment objectives through a series of workshop tasks.

The workshop tasks will cover the following themes and practical processes:

·      DSLR techniques

·         Composition

·         Exposure triangle

·         Shutter speed

·         Depth of field

·         Lighting

·         Portraits

·         Street photography

·    Identity mini project and exam

·         Artist research

·         Idea development for 3 portraits (Studio, Location and Home).

·         Refine and develop techniques

·         Edit 3 final images during the exam (5 hours).

·    Editing

·         Photoshop advanced

·         Manual editing techniques

·    Written and presentation

·         File management and RAW

·         Presenting and annotating your work

·         Idea development

·         Genres and styles (Commercial, Creative, Candid and Classic)

·         Contextual analysis

·      Studio

·         Posing

·         Lighting

·         Mini studio

·         Idea Development

·    Analog

·         SLR camera techniques

·         Creative techniques

·         Gelli plate printing

Trips including Cambridge and London for street photography and visiting current exhibitions.

The workshop tasks will be contextualised with study and analysis of relevant examples of photography in class and through independent research. Contextual understanding will be further expanded through exhibition trips to both Cambridge and London.

During December and the start of January, students will reflect on themes and processes covered to then produce a mini-project which culminates in a sustained focus, 5-hour exam in mid- January. This project and exam will give students a taste of ownership in creative decision making and an opportunity to revisit and expand upon processes they enjoy.

Feb - July

Students will split time between further workshops and beginning their ‘Personal Investigations’.

Personal Investigation projects will constitute 60% of students’ final grade and will run from this point through to January of year 13.

Students will be supported by teachers in deciding a focus for personal investigations. They will also be supported in the setting of a related title question / title that will be the starting point for a 2000+ word piece of extended writing.

Workshops will cover skills and understanding in:

-          Darkroom techniques (SLR Analog photography)

-          Photoshop continued

-          Graphics and photography

-          Idea development

-          Contextual analysis

-          Reflection and in depth recording of ideas (annotation).

Students will reflect on experiences, themes and processes explored in the first part of the course. Teachers will guide students through this, offering thorough feedback and guidance.

Students will select and continue their personal investigation focusing on either commercial, candid, classic or creative photography.

Students will be supported in completing a proposal for their personal investigation. A structure for learning will be provided to make sure the project is broken down into key, manageable steps.

Students will have access to marked exemplars from both exam board and across the school’s trust to further help their planning.

Workshops will provide opportunities to develop ideas in relation to personal investigations as well as expose students to new skills.

13

What students will learn

How it builds on learning

Sept - Jan

Students will continue developing skills, knowledge and understanding through continuing and completing their personal investigation projects and extended writing essays.

They will be encouraged to consider and respond deeply to how photography both shapes and responds to individual, community and society.

Students will work through defined steps to complete their personal investigations, giving focus to development of ideas, embracing experimentation and realising their ideas on coherent outcomes.

Students will use the research and knowledge in contextual understanding to deepen reflections on their own creative making.

Feb - May

Students will further test their skills and knowledge through an externally set exam project. This project will be worth 40% of their final mark and culminate in a 15-hour exam, spread across 3 school days. The exam time will be spent editing and presenting their final outcome(s).

From the start of February, they will commence and complete preparatory studies in response to a choice of themes / titles set by the exam board.

Students will use skills and experience gained during their personal investigations to make astute creative decisions needed for this concise project.