This document provides guidance to students on their Year 13 personal photography project. It explains that the project involves choosing a topic of personal interest to investigate through practical photographic work and a 1,000-3,000 word essay. Students are advised to select an imaginative and original topic they can research extensively and produce a series of fascinating images and writing. The document also outlines the assessment criteria, timeline, and expectations for ongoing progress updates to be presented to the teacher.

1. Year 13 Photography: Start of Personal Project Sunday, 2 September 2018
/Essay
Critical Studies

2. You are going to choose your own topic
Year 13 is a personal investigation into
a theme, issue, idea or photographic
problem that you are interested in. It
is a further unit of practical, visual
photographic work this time
supported by an essay(approximately
1-3000 words).
The study is entirely self generated,
though you will be asked to complete
visual and written tasks to deadlines,
to support the progress of work.

3. A01 A02 A03 A04
Develop ideas
through
sustained and
focused
investigations
informed by
contextual and
other sources,
demonstrating
analytical and
critical
understanding
Explore and
select
appropriate
resources,
media,
materials,
techniques and
processes
reviewing and
refining ideas as
the work
develops
Record ideas,
observations
and insights
relevant to their
intentions,
reflecting
critically on
work and
progress
Present a
personal
response that
realises
intentions and,
where
appropriate,
makes
connections
between visual,
and other
elements
The Assessment Objectives….
Getting a good grade is only possible by covering all of the marking criteria. You can
be the most talented artist there is but if you do not have the sketchbook and work
to back up your final pieces you will get very few marks.
Marking…

4. The personal study should provide evidence of your most advanced work so far,
both technically and conceptually.
You will be learning to work in a completely self directed way, though will
continue with support through tutorials, workshops and class discussions.
Be imaginative, original and creative with the choice of topic. Select a subject
that you can research and will be possible to produce an extended investigation
into. Think where you may find research material and artists supporting it.
You will need to link the topic to artists/photographers/film makers. You will be
producing your own creative photographic work in response to these and be
analysing both.
Consider whether you will be able to produce an extended series of fascinating
visual work alongside the written research.
THINKS TO CONSIDER

5. What you were asked to do…prior to
the summer break
• Continue to visit Galleries
• Photograph in response to your chosen artists/photographers
• Create a minimum of 5 contact sheets
• Continue to develop your essay
• It is still ok to change your theme. If you are finding your
topic limiting or boring I would advise changing it
• Remember it is important to collect artists/photographers but
it more important to study their work and respond. Only then
will you know if they are relevant
• As you photograph, develop. Always look for improvements
and expansion
• Get to know your camera inside and out so taking a picture
becomes second nature

6. September 2018
Now we are back, I will be expecting evidence of your summer
work! We will spend time presenting and discussing your
topics and progress. Have the following evidence:
1. Photographer/Artist research (draft essay/
Personnel Study)
2. Contact sheets (minimum of 5)
3. Chose the better of the contact images for
presentation
4. On going progression (should be evident in your
images and research)
5. Galleries visited and what you learnt
Present this work to the class. What have you learnt and what can you use for your
project?

7. Re-Cap
Y13 theme / Personal Investigation
• May until Christmas 2018
(time provided for Personnel Study/
Essay)
• Last May until June you had time
to Research
• Essay component. May until Nov/
Dec
• July you should have began
photographing
• Work in your Powerpoint
Document

8. Y13 PPE Exams
Photography: 4 lessons set aside. Exam will
commence on the first week back
• Aim to create studio shots during the exam.
• Editing shoots
• Refining work
• Evaluating process
Note: Your Yr 12 Blog should be completely
updated

9. Critical Studies (Personnel Study/
Essay), and Visuals
• Artist practise, meaning, process, movement,
etc. all fall under critical studies
• As you research you gain ideas and discover
various ways of making images so photograph
as you investigate
• Your research and experimental photographs
will help you write the essay
• All three feed into one another. Your essay
helps you to realise your independent project

10. Use Quotes
Explain why the quotes are
relevant etc…and how they
help your independent
investigation
“photography is an act of observation. It has little to do with the
things you see and everything to do with the way you see them”
Elliott Erwitt

12. Critical Studies (Personnel Study/
Essay), and Visuals
• Print first draft. Will be marked and handed
back.
• Include a bibliography and captions
• You should have three critical studies

13. Prep for PPE day
• PRACTICAL ACTION PLAN
• List of materials/equipment
• Plan for approx. 4 lessons
• Start to prepare Powerpoint/evidence
of development of assessment

14. You should now be all working towards
your completed 2nd draft of your essay
It is not too late to change direction with your Essay/
Personnel Study
• Use the Uploaded ‘Slideshow_Collection of Photographers and
Subjects’. (Uploaded on GDrive and Office 365 in yr 12 Teams pg.
Will be transferred to Yr 13 once IT set this up)
• Download the PPT and use the accompanying Index catalogue name
sheet and thumbnail sheets to help you navigate the PPT collection
of Photographers efficiently.
• Research websites on https://artatstannes.blogspot.com blog
• Use the collections of Photography books in Art office
• Independently finding resources through research by visiting
galleries, interviews, online etc

15. Thursday….Essay Support
It is really important that you keep
up to date with your Essay as it
counts towards your final grade.
Every Thursday Mr Gillespie will
check through your essay…so you
MUST make sure you upload your
draft with you every Thursday.
This will help and support you with your progress.

16. • Structure
• Form
• Architecture
• Photoshop
• Ink
• Shapes (geometric)
• Lines
• Ink spread with
Photoshop
• Overlaying the photo
• Change in colour/contrast
• Photoshop
• Ink in Water
• Symmetry
• Photoshop
• Photomontage
• Cropping & warping
• Geometric shapes
• Shadow
• cool tones, warm tones
• Different types of lighting
• Angles
• Perception
• Odd (imperfection)
Your analysis of previous St Anne’s Student’s work

17. • Shutter speed
and lights in the
dark
• Shutter speed
• Drawing with
light
• Coloured lights
• Dark room
• Fast movements
• Mirror
(reflective
material)
• Shutter speed
and
Phtotoshop
• Lights
• Projection
• Projection
• Mirrors
• Coloured foil material
• Lightbox
• Photogram of
origianl picture
• Pinhole
Photography
• Acetate
• Photogram
(inversion)
• Stutter speed
• Shutter speed and
Phtotoshop
• Lights
Your analysis of previous St Anne’s Student’s work