Photography with Foundation Year

We'll help you develop core academic skills such as using electronic resources, planning and note-taking, communication skills related to essay and report writing and delivering presentations.

You'll learn to manage your time, prioritise tasks and manage stress, and become more confident in engaging with collaborative learning, debates, discussions and critical reflection.

Study areas of interest related to your chosen future academic specialisation in this highly personalised module.

You'll have 12 hours of workshop tuition to explore how you will be assessed and the form your project could take, which could be a written report, a presentation, a film or a series of blog posts.

You'll also explore topics your project could focus on, and get peer assessment of your ideas.

In the first semester, you'll get support through personal tutoring and learning hub liaison.

You'll also explore careers and employability pathways in the arts with the Graduate Recruitment Team and the School of Computing and Creative Industries.

We'll look at the theory and practice of film, television, journalism, radio and the web through lectures, workshops and practical exercises.

We'll give you practical guidance on how to find the 'hook' and grab an audience's attention.

You'll develop an understanding of narrative structure, character development and how to generate ideas.

Explore historical approaches towards images and the social power they embody.

From religious icons to celebrity glamour and fine art to selfies, you will develop an understanding of what humans do with images to shape attitudes and beliefs.

As well as seminars, short lectures and workshops, you'll undertake an individual or group project to produce work that reflects the culture of 'image'.

You'll develop teamworking skills through creative challenges, taught sessions, profiling and self-understanding.

You'll work on team presentation and develop a professional persona through attitude, commitment and effective communication.

In the second semester, you'll look at enterprise and sector analysis.

You'll develop your solo presentation and pitching skills.

We'll cover the creativity and skills needed to start, maintain and grow your production streams as independent creators.

We'll help you develop the skills valued by the creative industries to help you become a professional with an industry-relevant work ethic.

You'll learn a range of photographic practices and develop an understanding of the process of photographic production. 

Study photographic making techniques including studio lighting and equipment and produce final outcomes through print and online processes.

Explore how ideas are realised through a process of research, experimentation and development of works. A key factor will be the progression of ideas and production of works beyond initial outcomes through time management, communication and critical reflection skills.

You will analyse and interpret photographs through the study of photographers' works, photography books, and related literature. You will explore key concepts such as genres, the representation of reality, visual culture, and social and political contexts, with your insights informing your practice.

Examine the role of the photographic image in a contemporary information 
society and your position as a practitioner. 

You'll be introduced to a range of contemporary photographic processes and practice where you'll work across a digital, analogue and hybrid photographic media, equipment and outputs.

By integrating your research with your photographic practice, you'll develop a wide range of competencies and production skills whilst refining your expressive abilities.

Work with industry standard software and a wide range of professional photographic equipment. You'll be encouraged to demonstrate and evidence your developing understanding of contemporary photographic practice through integrated practice, analysis and reflection. 

Develop a broad awareness of the practical, conceptual and contextual nature of a wide range of photographic contexts.

Develop your professional skills to help with your CV, interviews, networking, self-marketing, and industry-specific employability skills.

You'll have talks from external speakers and industry contacts as well as internal expertise, preparing you for your first external placement.

Develop your skills in creative problem-solving, idea generation, project management and enterprise through creative productions.

This will also develop freelancing skills and equip you to be flexible and professional in the creative industry, whether self-employed or as an employee or employer.

You'll be familiarised with the visual research approaches in photography to help you develop as an independent and original critical thinker.

Learn how to identify suitable topics for your research led practice project and to place them in the context of existing fields of knowledge and practice in order to frame pertinent research questions.

You'll engage with ethical issues in research and learn how to choose the most appropriate visual methods.

You'll be introduced to a wider range of contemporary photographic practice, with the addition of a historical context and research framework.

Advance your skills and knowledge of a broad range of photographic practices, terminology, methodologies and techniques.

You'll work across digital, analogue and hybrid photographic processes and outputs. The final outputs will be portfolio.

Explore the multiple ways photography and photographic history interrelate and interact. You'll learn by engaging directly with significant photographers, and with an investigative approach you'll link these to the impact of cultural influences, industry developments, art movements, technological advances and innovation.

Work with a range of photographic equipment and be encouraged to select and combine any of these creative industry focused genres: photojournalism, landscape, photo-essay, still life, fine art and portraiture

Get an understanding of the power balance between the photographer and their subject.

You'll study the historical and ethical contexts of the role of photography and community and learn about the socially engaged photographic movement and its practitioners.

You'll produce a project meaningful to audiences and participants, embedded within a critically engaged and ethical framework.

This'll help you understand the importance of collaboration, communication and planning.

Learn what it takes to curate a photography exhibition.

Utilising your previous work, you'll create an exhibition as part of a group show and you'll do so through exploration of artist exhibitions both past and present by experimenting with materials and working within a set space.

Learn how to release an exhibition, fundraise and organise the opening evening of the exhibition via communicating with the relevant parties including printers, framers and venues.

Market and promote the show preview within the University, local community and online as well as host and document the successful event.

You'll take on a work-based project or intervention, or an alternative professional development project.

You'll negotiate a project with your employer or placement provider that meets their needs as well as the university.

You'll have a series of seminars to outline the challenge, followed by tutorial support to chart progress and help you towards your assessment.

As a negotiated, self-managed module, you'll receive initial support to establish the learning outcomes and appropriate assessment methods.

You'll engage in online support and arrange tutorials with your academic supervisor.

You'll produce a piece of critical writing or media artefact, taking the form of a dissertation, research by practice or creative project.

You'll conduct detailed research with appropriate levels of supervision.

The topic will reflect your interests, enabling you to explore an aspect of study in more depth and build on your studies across the levels.

You'll work on the final stages of your research portfolio projects

In the first semester you will create a professional online portfolio showcasing your photographic practice. This will support your development of your online presence for the exhibition promotion, but moreover create a professional calling card for your journey beyond university.  

You will work towards the curation and installation of a final exhibition of your portfolio. To do this you will work in teams and organise the various elements required to curate, install and promote an exhibition of degree standard, with support from tutors and technicians.

This will require planning and collaborating with others and will draw on your communication and curation skills from previous modules. In order to curate and organise this group exhibition of your work, you will be required to research through primary visits to galleries, contacting professionals such as artists, and participate in peer group discussions and tutorials.

This module will require ongoing documenting of the research and planning being done in order to deliver the final exhibition.

Photography is currently one of the most democratic and versatile mediums of communication and this module will discuss the key debates and practices of Contemporary Photography through lectures, discussions and workshops by looking at artists, materials, themes and interdisciplinary ideas.

By looking at contemporary practices such as photobook making and AI photography you'll also be introduced to new ways of thinking about the medium as well as examining what the future of photography could look like.

Create a portfolio of images that question and determine how you can situate your own practice in the contemporary field.

You'll contextualise your practice and create a body of work that is aligned to your interests and to your progression aims. With this in mind you are expected to create a brief and action plan and, from this research, develop a body of creative work that shows who you are as a photographic practitioner.