Photography

The AS Photography course provides an excellent introduction to a range of photographic practice and skills. Students who continue with the A2 course are expected to develop their range of skills further, develop an independent approach to their photography and pursue their research in greater depth.

The course is essentially geared to making black and white photographs with SLR cameras, allowing students to process and print their own work using traditional darkroom techniques. Students are encouraged to work in colour but their colour film has to be commercially developed. Digital work and film and video is currently limited but photography students do have access to the Art Department’s i-mac computer with photoshop for image manipulation and i-movie for video editing.

Who does it suit?

Some students who study Photography will have studied it at GCSE, whilst others will have experience of taking, processing and developing their own photographs. However, interest rather than experience is the prerequisite for doing the course. All students will be given a basic introduction to using a camera and darkroom at the beginning of the course.

The AS

The course aims to give all students a sound grounding in practical lens-based camera work. Students learn to use SLR cameras and are shown how to use a darkroom. Work can be very varied in theme and approach and range from documentary to experimental and more fine art orientated image making. Practical sessions are supported by classes on camera and darkroom theory and set classes on contextual issues.

The AS course is comprised of 3 units:

¨ Unit 1: 2 ‘Research Projects’ based on themes of the student's choice

¨ Unit 2: a ‘Personal Investigation’ into the work of a photographer or some aspect of photography that interests the student

¨ Unit 3: the end of year exam

The A2

The A2 course is comprised of:

¨ one ‘Specialist Project’ on a theme of the student's choice

¨ a ‘Personal Study’ into the work of a photographer, group of photographers or aspect of photography

¨ a final end of year exam

Exam strategy

¨ First year: All AS units taken in June

¨ Second year:

January – retake of any AS units June – All A2 units

The Department

Photography is taught by Nick Reeves, the Head of Department (also Head of Art and History of Art) and by Laurence Waters and Victoria Goddard.

Results

Recent exam results at A level have been very good. Indeed, they have been among the best in the College in terms of ‘value-added’.

Higher Education

In recent years, students have gained places on the prestigious London College of Printing media foundation course, the TV & Film-making course at London Guildhall, the film and media based foundation course at Bournemouth, the Photography degree course at Plymouth and Parsons in Paris. Our highest profile student of the last two years has already worked with Rankin of ‘Dazed & Confused’ and turned down an offer to become the assistant of Magnum photographer Steve McCurry!