THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Centre for Open Learning : Creative Arts

Undergraduate Course: Introduction to Digital Photography (LLLA07131)

Course Outline
SchoolCentre for Open Learning CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis course will introduce you to the creative controls of working with a digital camera, exploring a range of creative photography project and computer-based work.
Course description Academic Description: This course will introduce you to the creative controls of working with a digital camera. The course will include both a range of creative, photography and computer-based projects, using Photoshop to digitally enhance, adjust and process images. Students will also be introduced to the elements of developing a photographic visual language and how concepts, ideas, and mood, can be communicated through photography.

Outline of Content: The course teaching is typically delivered over weekly class sessions of around 3 hours each and totaling 30 hours. Alternatively, the course can be delivered more intensely or as a block if required.

Over the class sessions the course will cover:
Introduction to Camera Handling and Creative Manual Controls.
Assignment 1: Photographic Seeing and Abstract Photography
Introduction to Digital Darkroom with Bridge and Photoshop Downloading and working with images, Further Camera Handling
Working with Bridge and Photoshop, Organising & Editing
Image Adjustments and Adjustment Layers in Photoshop
Assignment 2: Still Life Photography
Digital Darkroom: digital tools and retouching techniques
Assignment 3: Portraits and Photographing People
Night Photography Urban Landscape photography session
Digital Darkroom work with Photoshop
Assignment 4: Landscape and Urban Landscape
Introduction to developing a personal photography project
Working with a visual journal for photography
Photography Project work: editing, sequencing in Adobe Bridge / Making digital contact sheets and work-prints.
Colour, Tone and Contrast Adjustments, Selective adjustments
Preparing images for digital output
Introduction to Mounting and Presentation for Photography
Informal Critique and Group discussion of student work


The Learning Experience: The teaching will be based and delivered in specialist art and design studios or workshops and will typically include a range of practical exercises, introductions to techniques, processes and concepts, and set projects which lead to more focused and personal exploration. Over the course, student progress will be monitored and supported by the tutor. Teaching will include practical demonstrations, one to one tuition, group discussions and critiques.

For work required to be undertaken after the class hours are complete, the course tutor will set students a 'directed study plan' which can be undertaken without the need for specialist workshops or access to models.

Directed study will include research into a range of suggested artists and their associated movements to engender a contextual awareness. Students are expected to demonstrate how their research has informed their work through annotated sketchbooks, a visual digital journal and practical outcomes.

The Directed Study Plan will include preparing evidence of research and practical work to form an appropriate presentation for assessment.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  12
Course Start Lifelong Learning - Session 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 30, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 68 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Formative Assessment: A formative assessment session will occur in week 6 or 7 of the taught element of the course. Each student will undertake a 5 minute verbally presentation with their practical work in progress to other members of the class group followed by a 5 minute group critique supported by the course tutor. Each student will also electronically submit their work in progress digital journal to the course tutor.

Indicative and supportive feedback will be summarised in written form on the digital journal which will give an indication of what areas requires to be address in order to meet the published learning outcomes. This will comprise of short written summary of action points.

Summative Assessment: Two weeks after the end of the class teaching, this course will be assessed by the submission of:

A digital journal documenting a summary of the learning journey as evidenced in the portfolio (20 hours)
This will include a summary of idea development, media exploration, contextual research, critical reflection and outcomes through notes, annotation, illustration and photography.

A portfolio of visual art/design works (80 hours)
This will include a selection of resolved design works, sketchbook works, preparatory studies, visual research and evidence of a contextual awareness.

The Digital Journal and Portfolio must be presented in a clear and professional manner appropriate to the discipline. The submission should include work undertaken within the class as well as directed and independent study out with the class.

The combined Digital Journal and Portfolio submission will be assessed against the three learning outcomes for this course. These are equally weighted (33.3% each) and each will be given a percentage grade. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 30% in each learning outcome and an overall combined mark of 40% minimum.
Feedback Formative Assessments: This will comprise of short written summary of action points of areas requiring addressing to meet the learning outcomes, but no indicative grades will be given.

Summative Assessments: On completion the assessment ¿ each student will receive a % mark for each learning outcome along with written feedback putting in context the % mark and outlines areas for development.
No Exam Information
Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  12
Course Start Lifelong Learning - Session 3
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 30, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 68 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Formative Assessment: A formative assessment session will occur in week 6 or 7 of the taught element of the course. Each student will undertake a 5 minute verbally presentation with their practical work in progress to other members of the class group followed by a 5 minute group critique supported by the course tutor. Each student will also electronically submit their work in progress digital journal to the course tutor.

Indicative and supportive feedback will be summarised in written form on the digital journal which will give an indication of what areas requires to be address in order to meet the published learning outcomes. This will comprise of short written summary of action points.

Summative Assessment: Two weeks after the end of the class teaching, this course will be assessed by the submission of:

A digital journal documenting a summary of the learning journey as evidenced in the portfolio (20 hours)
This will include a summary of idea development, media exploration, contextual research, critical reflection and outcomes through notes, annotation, illustration and photography.

A portfolio of visual art/design works (80 hours)
This will include a selection of resolved design works, sketchbook works, preparatory studies, visual research and evidence of a contextual awareness.

The Digital Journal and Portfolio must be presented in a clear and professional manner appropriate to the discipline. The submission should include work undertaken within the class as well as directed and independent study out with the class.

The combined Digital Journal and Portfolio submission will be assessed against the three learning outcomes for this course. These are equally weighted (33.3% each) and each will be given a percentage grade. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 30% in each learning outcome and an overall combined mark of 40% minimum.
Feedback Formative Assessments: This will comprise of short written summary of action points of areas requiring addressing to meet the learning outcomes, but no indicative grades will be given.

Summative Assessments: On completion the assessment ¿ each student will receive a % mark for each learning outcome along with written feedback putting in context the % mark and outlines areas for development.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Research, context and ideas (33.3%): Demonstrate an enquiring approach to exploring a range of photographic vocabularies as a means to communicate creative ideas for a theme or subject, supported by contextual research and references.
  2. Practice, skills and techniques (33.3%): Show an enquiring approach to using a range of manual and automated digital camera controls, together with using digital imaging software as a digital darkroom to develop a personal body of work.
  3. Selection, presentation and reflection (33.3%): Evidence an appropriate judgement to document, select, edit, print and present a coherent digitally-based photography project.
Reading List
ALEXIS-CASSEL, A. and Schneider, N., 1996. Photography After Photography: Memory and Representation in the Digital Ages. USA: DAP distributed Arts.
BUCHER, C., 2011. Black and White Digital Photography: Photoworkshop, USA: John Wiley.
LIPKIN, J., 2005. Photography Re-born: Image Making in the Digital Era. New York: Harry N. Abrams.
SHORE, S., 2010. Nature of Photographs: a Primer. New York: Phaidon Press.
WELLS, L., 2004. Photography: A Critical Introduction. New York: Routledge.
WOLF, S. and Henry Art Gallery, 2010. The Digital Eye: Photographic Art in the Electronic Age. New York: Prestel.


Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills In addition to the course fee, students are expected to provide the following list of indicate tools, materials and equipment: (Estimated cost: £100 - £300 depending on usage)
Digital Camera with memory card
(Entry level Digital SLR, Digital Hybrid ¿Bridge¿ camera, or Digital Compact Camera, all suitable)
Keywordsdigital,photography,photoshop,editing,creative,controls
Contacts
Course organiserMr Oliver Reed
Tel:
Email: Oliver.Reed@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Benjamin Mcnab
Tel: (0131 6)51 4832
Email: Benjamin.Mcnab@ed.ac.uk
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