BRIEF

This practical part of the module works alongside two others; a presentation and essay that works along with specific texts and the idea of identity and the construction of otherness which should inform the practical piece.

The project brief is as follows: 

'You will be working as individual photographers, producing a piece of photographic work, which engages with debates related to identity and the construction of otherness. Your work should be informed by the lectures, research presentations and tutorials, as well as your own independent research. You are encouraged to interpret identity and/or otherness in the widest possibly sense, exploring conceptual and visual strategies new to you.

You can photograph in any style or form and are strongly encouraged to explore uncommon practices to you. Take risks, explore the possibilities of your camera, use a different format to the camera you normally use: build your own pinhole camera, create moving images, projections, image & text – the more you explore the medium the more exiting the outcome will be. If you are using your DSLR make sure that you use it in an uncommon way. There are no restrictions on the number of images you produce. This depends entirely on the nature of your project, and how many images you think are required to communicate your idea. It could be, for example, a set of images implying narrative, a triptych, or a collection of discreet shots which work as a series (all have to be printed and presented to appropriate standard). 

PROPOSAL

You are asked to present your ideas and work in progress to your tutor group in week 4. This presentation should take the form of a 5 minute ‘pitch’, to show test shots, research done and convey your ideas. Following this session you are expected to develop a written proposal (submitted electronically in week 5). In these, you clearly have to state why you have chosen the proposed medium and how it will help you to communicate your ideas. 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

You are expected to write a statement for your work for the crit (and included in the final submission), which should contextualise and support the work produced. This should explain what you were doing and why you were doing it. It should be written as if you were presenting your work to a gallery or publisher. Your proposal may be a good starting point from which to develop the statement. The statement should be around 300 words and doubles spaced. In addition you are asked to produce a mock-up which demonstrates the environment/audience the work is intended for. This should indicate location, scale and the level of engagement with the audience.

  

WORKBOOK/ONLINE BLOG

This is central to the development of your work, as both a personal resource and as a means of documenting your progression. It should be a commentary on all aspects of your project from beginning to end and should contain visual references and inspirations, ideas, experiments, successes and mistakes, and all other documentation. It should include discussion of your photographic and digital techniques and an analysis of the project as it develops: how well it work, how it could be better. Entries are chronological but additional comments can be added at any time.

It may also be useful to include technical notes on camera settings, lighting set ups, Photoshop tools, keyboard shortcuts, and accumulated tips. This can be continually updated as you develop your skills and tools into the future. This is NOT an assessment requirement but a resource for your continued development.