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: Introduction to Photojournalism (LLLA07264)

Course Outline
SchoolCentre for Open Learning CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis digital photojournalism course will introduce you to the skills, techniques and approaches needed to make eye-catching images, which tell journalistic stories through photographs. You will be introduced to historical and contemporary approaches to the photo essay, shown in magazines and news outlets. Gain an understanding of the ethical issues and learn camera and reportage skills to create your own photojournalism assignments.

Please note: During some of the classes you will be working on location around Edinburgh's Old and New towns. Location visits will be between 1 to 2 hours.
Course description 1) Academic Description
Introduction to Photojournalism will guide students into the specific genre of photojournalism and its approach to photography. Students will be introduced to a range of contemporary and historical photojournalists and consider trends and styles. The teaching approach will be supportive and informal, backed up by expert knowledge, anecdotes and experience.

The structure of this course is based around class-based lectures and exercises with supported workshops on location. Students will work to given project briefs and be supported to develop those projects through to presenting a finalised body of photographs. There will be demonstrations and introductions to the relevant post-production techniques using Adobe Photoshop, along with exercises which enable students to develop their skills in camera techniques, lighting and capturing 'decisive moments'.

Students will experience the practical elements of photojournalism as well as learning the context and meaning of images. We will look at how to tell a story with a single image and within a series.

2) Outline Content
Students will, throughout the duration of this course, gain competency in photojournalism styles and approaches as well as image selection. Supported through in-class exercises, these will include:
- Introduction to photojournalism and the camera.
- Introduction to basic camera controls.
- Introduction to historical and contemporary practice.
- Develop an understanding of working to newsroom deadlines for headlines.
- Explore how to 'build a story'.
- Explore the application of photojournalism through the media
- Explore the law and ethical issues surrounding photojournalism.
- Exhibition visit or book reviews.
- Develop a personal project, researching a story through to a presentation of work.
- Explore how to share your work in appropriate formats.
- Post-production - Editing and image selection using Adobe Photoshop.
- Peer support and tutorials.

3) Student Learning Experience

Students will be taught as a group, taking them through the various stages of creating a photojournalism project with tutor supporting in class and on location. Photographs will be made on location either within the class and/or, as a directed study exercise, and digitally processed in a Mac computer lab equipped with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge.
The exercises will give students the opportunity to learn about various factors of the camera and refine their ability to confidently capture images in a variety of situations and scenarios. Group discussions and class critiques, led by the tutor and based on the student's projects will be supported by contextualising their ideas with photojournalists work to inspire, but also challenge student viewpoints. This will allow students to see how their own photography fits into a larger historical context.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2019/20, 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 24, Fieldwork Hours 3, Formative Assessment Hours 3, 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 either week 6 or 7 of the 10-week course. Each student will undertake a five to ten-minute verbal presentation of their practical work in progress, a class group critique follows which is supported and directed by the course tutor.

Each student will record and reflect on their presentation through their ongoing digital Learning Journal and tutor feedback will be summarised in written form through the Leaning Journal and back to the student focusing on specific strengths and what areas need to be addressed in order to meet the learning outcomes based on the formative assessment presentation.

Summative Assessment
This is usually two weeks after the last taught class, the course work will be summatively assessed, and students will receive a provisional grade and mark within 15 working days of the assessment.

The submission should comprise of:
Learning Journal:
A reflective Learning Journal should be kept at regular intervals throughout the course. Ideally, students will submit one or two paragraphs each week comprising of around 100-300 words, supported by visual references as and when required. The Learning Journal is then submitted electronically alongside the digital portfolio submission. The Learning Journal accounts for 20% of the indicative hours of the course and feeds into all three Learning Outcomes.

A digital portfolio of photographs, this should include:
- A digital sketchbook(s) of photojournalism investigations, preparatory and developmental studies, digital contact sheets, visual research and evidence of contextual awareness. (LO.1)
- A body of digitally developed ideas and studies, appropriate to the directed study time available within the course parameters. These should be presented as cloud-based files or on an external device. (LO.2)
- A digital presentation of resolved works that have been derived from the various directed and self-directed project. (LO.3)

This should demonstrate a students engagement with the courses and accounts for 80% of the indicative hours of the course and feeds into all three Learning Outcomes.

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

The combined Digital Journal and Portfolio submission will be assessed against the three Learning Outcomes. Those Learning Outcomes are equally weighted (33.3%) and students will be given a percentage grade for each and an average calculated. To pass, a student needs to attain 40% when all three learning outcomes are averaged.
Feedback Feedback will comprise three components,
1. Informal on-going peer and tutor feedback in class.
2. Formative Assessment - tutor feedback through the reflective Learning Journal and group crits.
3. Summative assessment of a reflective Learning Journal and a portfolio of work.

Formal Formative Assessment: This will comprise of a 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 of the assessment, each student will receive a percentage mark for each learning outcome, along with written feedback explaining the percentage marks and outlining areas for development.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate contextual awareness and critical thinking to support and explore a range of photographic vocabularies to communicate a visual narrative.
  2. Demonstrate an enquiring approach to using a range of camera and post-production techniques to develop a personal body of work.
  3. Show appropriate judgement to select, edit, print and present a coherent, digitally-based photojournalism body of work.
Reading List
Recommended
Berger, J. and Berger, J. 1973. Ways of seeing; a book made by John Berger. New York: Viking Press.
Bolt, R. 2018. World Press Photo 2018 Thames and Hudson Ltd.
Collectif 2019. World Press Photo 2019 Thames and Hudson Ltd.
Halsman, P. and Lubben, K. 2011. Magnum contact sheets. London: Thames & Hudson.
Hurn, D. and Jay, B. 2009. On being a photographer. Anacortes, WA: LensWork
Sontag, S. 2004. Regarding the pain of others. Penguin.

Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills - Knowledge about and use of a range of camera functions and techniques.
- Ability to make basic use of Photoshop for post-production.
- Ability to employ a methodology in telling a story through the medium of photography.
- Ability to undertake research and reflective practice and apply these in the photojournalistic context.
KeywordsPhotojournalism,Photography,Documentary,DSLR,digital,camera,lighting,documenting,editing
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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