THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2019/2020

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

Undergraduate Course: Digital Photography Project (LLLA07117)

Course Outline
SchoolCentre for Open Learning CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryTHIS IS A FOR-CREDIT ONLY COURSE OFFERED BY THE CENTRE FOR OPEN LEARNING (COL); ONLY STUDENTS REGISTERED WITH COL SHOULD BE ENROLLED

This course enables students with some basic photography experience to develop their knowledge and skills in digital photography, as well as develop practice-led visual research by working on a more ambitious extended project and a photography logbook.
The course will extend an awareness of digital camera creative controls, digital image enhancements, adjustments and processing for digital photography towards a professional digital photography work flow. Through an individual project and logbook work, students will explore their own personal photographic visual language and how concepts, ideas, and mood, can be communicated through photography.
Students will be encouraged to develop personal themes, subject matter and concepts, together with support in developing and realising a personal project. This could include a short themed photographic series for exhibition, a themed photo-book project or a professional photography portfolio.
Course description Academic Description
This course enables students with some basic digital photography experience to develop their knowledge and skills exploring how concepts, ideas and mood can be communicated through photography. Engaging in a practice-led photographic research project, students will be encouraged to focus upon exploring and developing a personal theme or subject to create a series of photographic works for an exhibition, themed photo-book project or a professional photography portfolio.

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:
- Refresher activities in digital camera handling and photographic creative manual controls.
- Digital darkroom work with Photoshop, personal creative photography project and logbook work.
- Introduction to developing a personal photography project.
- Developing a personal project with tutor support and class discussion.
- Developing a photography project towards a book, exhibition or portfolio outcome.
- Contextual references to Photography Portfolios, Books and Exhibitions.
- Working with a visual journal for photography.
- Personal project photography work, preparing your work for print.
- Fine art and professional digital printing options for photography.
- Preparing and planning outcomes for mounting and presentation.
- Informal Critique and Group discussion of 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, students' 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
Additional Costs 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)

Essentials to bring to first session
- Digital Camera with memory card
(Entry level Digital SLR, Digital Hybrid ¿Bridge¿ camera, or Digital Compact Camera, all suitable)
- USB cable for the camera and/or a card reader for downloading images
- Optional: Digital camera manual - particularly recommended if using a new camera
- Notebook and pen for notes and developing project ideas

One or more of the following for backing up work :
- CDs or DVDs (DVD-R) USB pen drive
- Optional - External or portable drive (compatible with, or formatted for use with Apple Macs and or PCs)

For Photography sessions in class
- Optional, but desirable - a light tripod, or 'gorillapod' type bendy camera support
- Optional - objects chosen by student, or props from store

For printing and mounting work
- 1 -3 sheets of Mounting Card or Mounting Board
Additional prints via the college repro shop or at external printers.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  12
Course Start Lifelong Learning - Session 2
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 (required for all credit courses).
(Occurs in weeks 6 or 7 of the 10 week course)

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
(Occurs at least 2 weeks after the last taught class)

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
(Indicate time spent: 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
(Indicate time spent: 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 2019/20, 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 (required for all credit courses).
(Occurs in weeks 6 or 7 of the 10 week course)

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
(Occurs at least 2 weeks after the last taught class)

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
(Indicate time spent: 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
(Indicate time spent: 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: Demonstrate an enquiring use of visual research skills to support a photographic project, demonstrating reflective and contextual awareness through the production of a photography logbook.
  2. Practice, skills and techniques: Show a confidence in the planning to realise a personal photography project, demonstrating appropriate digital camera creative control skills and an appropriate knowledge and application for using digital imaging software.
  3. Selection, presentation and reflection: Evidence an appropriate judgement to document, select, edit, print and mount works based on a personal digital photography project.
Reading List
Recommended
Demos, T. J. (2009) Vitamin Ph: New Perspectives in Photography, London: Phaidon Press Ltd.
Fox, A. and Caruana, N. (2012) Basics Creative Photography 03: Behind the Image: Research in Photography, AVA Publishing.
Cotton, C. (2009) The Photograph as Contemporary Art (World of Art), Thames & Hudson.
Bright, S. (2006) Art Photography Now, London: Thames & Hudson.
Barthes, R. (1993a) Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography (Vintage Classics), London: Vintage Classics.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Using a digital camera and digital imaging software with an understanding of professional work flow
An understanding of visual language and visual communication of photographic ideas
Ability to undertake visual research and reflective practice and apply these in the context of digital photography within visual culture
KeywordsPhotography,Digital,Project,Adobe,Photoshop,exhibition,book,print
Contacts
Course organiserMr Oliver Reed
Tel:
Email: Oliver.Reed@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Kameliya Skerleva
Tel: (0131 6)51 1855
Email: Kameliya.Skerleva@ed.ac.uk
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