Photography

STATEMENT OF INTENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography students at Charters School will have gained high levels of creative thinking allied to advanced technical skills, underpinned by research of historical and contemporary contexts and the exploration of photography’s contribution to visual culture.

This means:

• Students will be able to operate a camera with confidence, demonstrating manual control in a range of different photoshoot settings.
• Students will produce a portfolio of work based on a set of negotiated themes that demonstrate analogue and digital proficiency.
• Students will have the opportunity for open debate about work through regular critiques and tutorials to develop a broad visual vocabulary and an appreciation for other people’s ideas and viewpoints.
• Students will develop their understanding of how to work to a brief both as individuals and as part of a team, focusing on the specifics of the creative process across a range of genres from social realism to commercial photography.

SUMMARY OF CURRICULUM

A Level Photography follows the AQA syllabus. It is a two year course with students being introduced to a variety of experiences that explore a range of photographic media, techniques and processes. Students are expected to produce a portfolio of work based on a theme, topic, genre or idea. The student’s portfolio of work must be supported with a research based essay. The course encourages and teaches both digital and analogue methods of capturing imagery and has a dedicated computer suite and darkroom. Students are introduced to a range of photographic genres, from the past and from recent times and are expected to respond to these examples through practical and critical activities that demonstrate their understanding of different styles, genres and traditions. The students present their work as digital portfolios using Adobe InDesign.

Potential genres that students might explore as part of their portfolio include:

• Portraiture
• Landscape photography (working from the urban, rural and/or coastal environment)
• Still life photography (working from objects or from the natural world)
• Documentary photography, photojournalism
• Fashion photography
• Experimental imagery
• Multimedia
• Photographic installation
• Moving image (video, film, animation).
 

COURSE DETAILS

In Component 1, (the coursework worth 60%) students develop work based on an idea, issue, concept or theme leading to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes. Practical work will make connections with some aspect of contemporary or past practice of artist(s), designer(s), photographers or craftspeople and includes written work of no more than 3000 words which supports the practical work.

In Component 2, (the exam worth 40%) students respond to a stimulus, provided by AQA, to produce work which provides evidence of their ability to work independently within specified time constraints, developing a personal and meaningful response which addresses all the assessment objectives and leads to a finished outcome or a series of related finished outcomes. The exam is a practical exam (15 hours long) spread over three days in which the students produce their final portfolio piece.

KEY STAGE 5 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The minimum entry requirements for Charters Sixth Form can be viewed here

EXAM BOARD: AQA

Course title: Art and Design Photography endorsed

Course code: 7206

BE INSPIRED

Take a look around the links below to find our where this exciting subject could lead.