PHOTOGRAPHY, LENS and LIGHT-BASED MEDIA
Click here for Photography Curriculum outline
COURSE : AQA
What is it?
Photography GCSE is a very specialist, technical and exciting subject. You must be aware that it doesn’t just involve taking photographs. You will be expected to produce work using a digital camera and ICT as well as using general art and design methods to develop and produce your work. There is a written element to this work and students will study and analyse the work of other artists/photographers and use this knowledge to enhance and influence their work.
How will the work be marked?
A01: DEVELOP ideas through investigations informed by artists/photographers and other sources, demonstrating analytical and cultural understanding. (25 marks)
A02: REFINE ideas by experimenting and selecting appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes. (25 marks)
A03: RECORD ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions in visual and /or other forms. (25 marks)
A04: PRESENT a personal informed and meaningful response demonstrating analytical and critical understanding: realising intentions and where appropriate making connections between visual, oral, written and other elements. (25 marks)
Coursework (60% of total marks)
Students must present a portfolio of work for assessment at the end of the course. A portfolio is everything produced in response to a given starting point or theme and may include sketches, experiments, manipulations of photographs, links to photographs etc. together with the final piece(s).
Examination (40% of total marks)
Students are required to produce a unit of work over a fixed period of time. There will be a ten hour exam where the student will create their final piece to this starting point.
Homework:
Homework will be set regularly and will support activities completed in lessons. This may include taking photographs, researching the work of a photographer or finishing coursework.
Where could this lead to?
Potential to study AS/A2 level Art/Photography. Other higher education courses in Art (Photography) on offer include BTEC First and National Diplomas. There are many Art (Photography) related careers including advertising, fashion, animation, film, journalism, graphic design, film, video and freelance work.
An example of an activity forming part of the curriculum, was a recent Year 10 trip to Baddsley Clinton. Students had the opportunity to see the grounds and inside the very festive looking house, which was dressed for Christmas. The Photography students took a range of striking photos from around the grounds. This trip gave the students an opportunity to perfect some of their photography skills.
The Photography department makes regular links with Higher Education facilities.Students have the opportunity to visit Birmingham to see the work of Art and Photography final year degree students and meet student ambassadors. They visited the beautiful Margaret St campus, where they saw Fine Art and Art & Design work, then went to the Parkside Building, seeing fantastic examples of work from students in Fashion, Photography, Interior Design and Architecture.
