LaSwap Art and Design: Digital Photography William Ellis School Highgate Road LONDON NW5 1RN

Subject teachers: Sophie Pearce and Michael Gunter Email: pearce@williamellis.camden.sch.uk http://williamellisart.weebly.com/ http://williamellisart.weebly.com/digital-photography.html

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A2 Unit Coursework Part 1: QUESTIONING Visual Investigations

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How can you show a trace of an event, a change in the landscape, shadows without the object, time passing, distortion, social conventions, create intrigue?

STARTER TASKS REPRESENTING WORDS

These starter tasks will form the first stages of your coursework unit (after your Inside, Outside In Between Year 12 Transition work and your Summer Assignment). They are designed to help you experiment and discover many of the creative possibilities within this theme. Using the suggested starting points take shots to represent each of the following words: Mundane; finding a sense of beauty in the everyday. Take a series of photographs (approx. 30) that suggest and represent the mundane in your chosen theme (whether it be Surrealism, street art, architecture and so on). Light will be key to successful photographs. Plan your series in detail before you shoot to ensure exciting and dynamic, beautiful and wellcomposed photography. Rinko Kawauchi is drawn to the way that light illuminates objects that usually get ignored. William Eggleston made simple scenes striking by using unnatural and quirky viewpoints. Also look at Richard Wentworth, William Eckersley or Marysa Dowling. Distortion; experiment with different shaped glasses/filters/objects/cones/viewfinders and reflections when photographing a series of objects related to your theme. Look at artists such as Steven Pippen and Andre Kertesz for inspiration, as well as http://heartsofsand.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/original-through-looking-glass.html, Paul Chan and Blurreal. Wrapped; wrap up a series of objects that relate to your theme. Consider what would be appropriate and exciting wrapping materials cling film, silver foil, material, string, sellotape, pins, thread. Wrap up your objects carefully with thought, considering the contours of the object. Consider also the act of wrapping and unwrapping objects to reveal and conceal. Look at artists such as Christo and Jean-Claude, Gordon Matta-Clark (unwrapping buildings by cutting through walls and doors), William Hundley (photographs his friends jumping hidden in fabric), Maurizio Anzari (stitching photographs). Narrative; set a scene, suggest a story. Create a series of photographs related to your chosen theme that suggest a narrative, moving from one sentence/chapter to the next. Think of your narrative as a visual story. Consider how your audience will read the story. Ensure that one photograph links and connects in the correct sequence to the next. Anni Leppala created imaginary stories using intriguing reflections and unusual cropping. Astrid Kruse Jensen created Construction of Memories by shooting in low light on long shutter speeds, linking together with glimpses of red.

Your lessons will take the following sequence this term: MONDAYS: INTRODUCTION TO WORD CATALYST PHOTO SHOOT UPLOAD PHOTO SHOOT & PRINT MOST SUCCESSFUL (photo shoot must be completed by Wednesdays lesson) EXPERIMENTATION WITH PHOTOGRAPHS PHYSICAL/DIGITAL MANIPULATION ARTIST RESEARCH DOUBLE PAGE THAT RELATES TO PHOTO SHOOT SKETCHBOOK WORK

WEDNESDAYS:

FRIDAYS:

Ensure your sketchbook is up to date as you go along. There is a quick turn around of processes.

INTO YOUR SKETCHBOOK

Select, print and present your most successful shots from each task. Explore different print sizes and papers. Consider carefully the composition of your double pages. Write near each shot: your intentions, how you took it, in what ways it could be improved, the photographic techniques/skills employed. Include and link to your shots work by other photographers. Link by ideas or techniques. Double page artist study needed per word catalyst/photo shoot. Digital or/and physical manipulation needed per word catalyst/photo shoot. Choose up to 6 images per series to manipulate. Take screen grabs of Photoshop processes/digital processes to show your method or/and discuss in detail your technical processes Photoshop/other. Use technical language. Research and analysis of photographers/exhibitions directly linked to your individual theme. Independent work developing on from class work linked closely to your theme (with artist study link).

HOW YOU ARE MARKED

AO1 Record observations, experiences, ideas, information and insights in visual and other forms, appropriate to your intentions. Take a broad range of photographs, make sketches and write notes as you start to investigate the theme. AO2 Analyse and evaluate critically sources such as images, objects, artefacts and texts, showing understanding of purposes, meanings and contexts. Critically review photographs, written works, artwork and/or film by yourself and others. Try to link these together through ideas or techniques. AO3 Develop ideas through sustained investigations and exploration, selecting and using materials, processes and resources, identifying and interpreting relationships and analysing methods and outcomes. Select your successful ideas and techniques then develop them on further, explaining as you go. AO4 Present a personal, coherent and informed response, realising intentions and articulating and exploring connections with the work of others. Create one or several final works that grow from your ideas and techniques throughout the unit. This could be a series of photographs, a photomontage, an installation, a book or even a film.

SUGGESTED AREAS FOR RESEARCH

www.npg.org.uk http://arts.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/photography www.tate.org.uk www.magnumphotos.com www.photonet.org.uk www.williamhundley.com www.astridkrusejensen.com http://www.in-public.com http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk

Interim assessment deadline: WEDNESDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2013 GROUP CRITIQUE

You will be assessed on your sketchbook work and the completion of ALL tasks to date (including Summer Assignment and Inside, Outside, In Between sketchbook work). You will be required to present your best photographs from MUNDANE, DISTORTION, WRAPPED, NARRATIVE in the form of a final outcome. Consider the presentation of this final piece framed, mounted, projected, installation piece etc.

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A2 Unit Coursework and Personal Study Part 2: DEVELOPING Visual Investigations

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A. YOUR PERSONAL STUDY

This is an in-depth critical study containing written and visual research, presented in the form of a Blurb book or separate sketchbook, as well as a computer printed version. Your personal study MUST be in the same area of study as your practical project (E.G. Street Art, Surrealism, Architecture, People, Advertising, Formalism, Documentary ). The written part should be about 3000 words in the final version. Recommended reading: The Photograph by Graham Clarke, Oxford University Press. Graham Clarke illuminates the photograph's historical development. Through the ideas, techniques and research in your practical work identify an aspect of photographic practice that intrigues you. Having a question as the title is the most important starting point. WHAT do you want to investigate? HOW will you investigate it? Research into 10 photographers linked to your theme/essay question. Find photographs from each of the photographers that relate to your essay question. Document and analyse the photographs. Link and compare them with other photographers. Choose 2 or 3 photographers from the 10 that you with to study in depth. Go to at least 2 exhibitions related to your theme (it can be Art/Photography exhibition). Make rough sketches and take notes directly in the gallery. Illustrate your recording with gallery leaflets and postcards. Include any reviews of the exhibitions that you may find in newspapers/Time Out/online/Metro/magazines/newspapers/websites. Then write reviews on your favourite exhibitions. Develop your findings and critically analyse the work. Develop an argument what are you trying to say? What is the photographer trying to communicate in their work? How? How does this link with other photographers/artists? You should be illustrating your creative journey and discovery in a formal essay. You should use images to illustrate the work you are discussing in your essay. You need to write a bibliography of books/exhibition/website record.

Here is a plan that you can follow for your essay structure: Introduction: 350 words What is this essay going to be about? Why are you interested in answering this question? Why are you interested in this subject matter? What are you hoping to find out/learn more about? What sort of work are you hoping to make as part of your coursework project? Are there any particular ideas, themes, processes, techniques you are interested in exploring? What artists work are you going to be exploring in your ess ay? What interests you about these artists? How do they link to your ideas/work? Contextual Research: 600 + at least 3 images to support What is your theme about? Can you quote a definition? Use a dictionary to clarify the meaning of your chosen word/theme. Who is involved in this area? Are there any particular people/artists involved? What have they been quoted saying on this topic? How does it relate to our environment/ engagement with the world?

What connections can be made with other areas e.g. architecture, politics, countries, our surroundings? Who does it relate to and how? What impact does it have on you/others? Is it something we experience? How?

Related Artist 1: 350 words + at least 3 images of their work Who is this artist? Where are they from? What sort of work do they make? What materials do they use? What scale do they work to? How is their work exhibited? Have they exhibited? What do you like about their work? How does it relate to your own work? Include pictures of your response work and discuss. Critical analysis of one piece of their work: 250 words Ensure you have a picture of this piece of work included in the essay and then write an in depth piece of writing about it. Critical analysis is about what you think. Use the critical analysis sheet to help you. Related Artist 2: 600 words total + at least 3 images of their work Same as artist 1 including critical analysis. Comparison and Conclusion: 350 words How have the artists you have looked at explored your subject matter similarly and differently? Discuss and compare and contrast their different approaches. Give your opinions. It could be they use similar/different materials, explore similar ideas, use similar techniques/processes etc. Think about their work interlinks and how it can also be about the same topic, yet look at it from different angles. Evaluative Comment: 350 words What have you learnt from writing this essay? Are you better informed about your subject matter? Do you feel you have answered the question you set out to? How is this research and your understanding of the topic going to help you with your practical work? What ideas do you have for the development of your work? How have these ideas been supported by your research?