The Power of the Portrait:
Portraits, Self Portraits and Identity
Experiment with different layouts and designs.
Use black and white and colour, text, illustration, double exposure etc.
Welcome to A-level
Critical & Contextual Studies
Course Aims:
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To support you develop your ideas and produce a critique that provides a theoretical framework for your portfolio of work.
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To help you gain comprehensive knowledge as well as critical and contextual understanding of the photographic field of your choice.
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To support you to explore thoroughly aspects of photography in a social, political and historical context.
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To consolidate your critical thinking, analytical and reflective skills so that you can articulate abstract concepts into coherent written information.
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The emphasis will be on context and extended written analysis to be accompanied by a relevant visual, portfolio of work.
The course at a glance:
Part 1 - Visual Culture in Practice
The first part of Contextual Studies will introduce you to or expand your knowledge of some of the fundamental themes and genres within Photography and visual culture over the past century. You’ll be familiar with some of these already but this is an opportunity for you to deepen your understanding and potentially identify future areas of research. There will be a short narrative on each of these topics. You will complete a Timeline in response to these topics in order to start to contextualise your research.
Part 2 - An Image is Worth a Thousand Words
The Reading of the image (semiotics) is the process of discovering the wealth of meanings within the frame that occurs when the viewer reacts to the signs and symbols which constitute the picture. Understanding the intentions of the photographer whilst instilling your own meaning and interpretation is paramount. The emphasis here will be on cultural signs, symbols and formal elements in photography and how this impacts on the viewers engagement with the image. This part will be supported by extracts from seminal books from the Crit Con Reading list below.
Assignment 1 will be linked to the study of Semiotics. You will choose an image to analyse in detail. You must show that you understand both the context of the image and the narrative it carries. You must undertake relevant research and demonstrate an understanding of the difference between 'description' and 'analysis. You must also re-make this image. (600-800 words)
Part 3 - Over To You - Personal investigation
Drawing on the knowledge you have accumulated, you will begin to plan and undertake your Personal Investigation. This will be from a starting point of your choice and will encompass detailed critical analysis and contextual research on your chosen topic along with a related practical portfolio. Alongside this you will complete an extended written response of between 1000-3000 words.
Part 4 - Externally Set Task
In your final year you will choose from a series of starting points set by our exam board, produce a body of written and visual work and complete a 15 hour exam.
Documents to download and keep
Term 1
The Project
An important part of becoming a competent photographer is to have a good working knowledge of the history of the medium. By examining the work of major photographers and photographic genres you will become more informed and develop a better understanding .​
You will use the pinterest board to help you with ideas for interesting engaging layouts for your timeline. These will be created by hand or in photoshop.
Alongside this you will collate your research in an Ibook.
Choose one of the subjects below to base your timeline on.
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Documentary style photography
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Photojournalism
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Landscape photography
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Portraiture in photography
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Surrealist photography
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Fashion photography
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Sports photography
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Motion photography
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Information to include:
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Dates of when the photographer was influential
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Why was this person or event important to the history of photography?
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Were they influenced by other photographers or artists?
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What other events were happening in history at the time?
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Include external factors that influence their work like, War. Political/social movements like civil rights, migrant workers, women's rights, environmental movements.
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What photo techniques are used in their work?
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How has the topic influenced photography as we know it?
In response to your timeline research complete the next task
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From your timeline, choose one artist to research further. Use your analytical skills to unpick how and why the photographer creates his/her work.
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Create another detailed research page.
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Now execute a photo shoot using them as your inspiration.
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Your photoshoot should be 60-80 images.
Choose 4-6 to edit using your artists techniques.
Present these over 4 pages with detailed analysis and comparison to your artist.
Term 2
Overview: January - April
Plan for Crit Con Essay
Weeks 9-12 Photography in Advertising
Term 3
Your Personal Investigation should demonstrate critical and contextual skills through researching, analysing and building understanding of one or more of the suggested study areas below.
An important focus is on your ability to use detailed written and visual analysis when conducting research.
Possible area(s) of Critical and Contextual
Study. Choose one from the list below or find one of your own.
Combinations of these areas are also possible:
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•How is the Human form represented
•Architecture and the Built environment
• Intervention in the Environment
•Curating Exhibitions - creating a narrative.
•Art Management and Art in the community.
•Cultural representations within Photography.
•Multi-media, emerging technologies and their use in Photography.
Fill in the statement of intent
Excellent student examples
