CURRICULUM INTENT: Fine Art Photography at St Michael’s is a vibrant and exciting course where students are encouraged to be independent, creative, practical, analytical and thoughtful. The intent of the curriculum is to build students’ knowledge, understanding and skills using a range of photography techniques and processes to enable them to develop their ideas effectively. They will be introduced to a range of historical and contemporary photographers, using research to inform their own ideas and creativity. In Year 12 students are introduced to digital and traditional photography through a series of projects, workshops and activities. Students learn how to present a digital portfolio effectively as well as experimenting with more artistic techniques in a sketchbook. They investigate and research a wide range of artists and photographers to influence and develop their own work and outcomes. Students learn how to use Adobe Photoshop proficiently, as well as other digital photography processes. Over the course of the curriculum students are given various opportunities to: • Develop their 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 work develops. • Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress. • Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.
We also offer a range of trips including the London Photographers Gallery, Stratford trip, Photography workshop in Camden and an opportunity to go to Paris.
A Level Fine Art Photography
AUTUMN TERM SPRING TERM SUMMER TERM Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 12 Exploratory Stage: A01: Students will know how to respond to A02: Students will know how to refine A02: Students will know how to In component 1: Personal A03: Students will know the Knowledge: Students will know how to use a DSLR Camera. themes and artists in Photography and select their most successful refine their ideas through Investigation: importance of recording their ideas What will photographs. further experimental work and Students will expand on their through annotation and their own students A01 Contextual Research: Students will know how to A02: Students will learn and extend their photography. prior knowledge to identify a photography relevant to their personal know? critically analyse the work of other photographers technical skills by exploring different digital A02: Students will learn how to problem they wish to investigate theme. displaying critical and analytical understanding. techniques in Manual mode: shutter speed, experiment on their photographs A04: Students will know what that is meaningful to them IOS, Aperture, depth of field. through painting, drawing, stitch, make a successful final personally. Students will know how to capture
A03 record: cyanotype, scanography, installation, outcome to conclude their their ideas visually and explore them They will extend their knowledge of the Students will know the importance of Lighting; artificial sculpture, moving image and film. ideas in this project. Students will know and using different materials and technical context of Photographers and Artists to and natural, and the effect it has on a successful understand the process of skill. help influence their own photography. photograph. A03: Students will know the exploring and refining their work Students will expand on their knowledge of importance of recording their ideas as it develops. They will know Students will know how to expand on A03 Record: Students will know the importance of Photoshop: layering, double exposure, and reflecting on their experiments how to reflect on their work their knowledge of mixed media and Composition and frame, and the effect it has on a feathering, filtering. through annotation. critically and comment on their other appropriate techniques successful photograph: Leading lines, filling the frame, in thoughts and ideas. halves, rule of thirds, central focus.
A02 Experiment: Students will know how to use the tools in Photoshop to edit their own photographs
Year 12 Skills: Exploratory Stage: A01: contextual research: A02: Students show understanding by A04: Students develop their In component 1: Personal A03: Students develop their skills in What skills Students will develop their technical skills on how to use Students explore and research a variety of selecting best photographs and ideas to produce a large-scale Investigation: photography, Photoshop, moving will students their own camera. Artists that look at the theme Portraiture experimenting with appropriate final photo, photos, sculpture, Students explore a personal idea, image and film to produce several have techniques and materials. installation, moving image or issue, concept or theme design ideas relevant to their personal developed? A01 Contextual Studies: Students will show critical A02: Students produce high quality replicas film. supported by written material. theme understanding of what elements make a successful of the artist’s work, using a range of A02: Students will develop their ideas photograph through their own photography and producing technical skills, considering lighting, and skills by experimenting on their A01: contextual research: A03: Students plan and produce Artist copies. composition and style. photographs through, painting, Students explore and research a personal photoshoots considering
drawing, stitch, cyanotype, variety of personal Artists and light, composition, model, props, A03: Students plan and produce personal A03 Record: Students will produce their own photoshoots scanography, installation, sculpture, produce copies and photographic location and meaning relevant to their photoshoots considering light, composition, exploring lighting and compositing in depth. moving image and film. and artistic responses to their personal investigation. model, props, location and meaning. work using appropriate materials . A02 Experiment: Students will have developed their A02: Students will edit their own photos to A03: Students will show understanding and techniques. Photoshop skills in order to edit their own photographs produce photoshoots with the themes of by reflecting on their experiments successfully ‘Sinister,’ ‘Fairy-tale,’ ‘Isolation,’ through written annotation, using ‘surrealism’ and fashion photography subject specific vocab.
Year 13 Component 1: Written studies. A02 Experimentation: Students will learn In Component 2: A03 Record: Students will know A02 Experimentation: Students A04 ESA EXAM Students sit 15-hour Knowledge: Students will know how to explore their ideas in depth and and extend their skills as Photographers Students will know how to select an how to capture their ideas will know how to refine their exam in April/May to produce a What will analyse (the work of the Photographers and artists that through exploring film, video, installation appropriate theme from the exam visually and explore them using photoshoot through further personal outcome from ESA portfolio. students they have studied throughout their personal studies. and other techniques. board that suits their style of working. range of different materials. experimental work and know? photography. Students will know how to unfold their own Photography A04: Students will know how to apply skills A01: contextual Studies: Students will know how to in writing, using subject specific language. learnt to help compose a visual outcome Students will expand on prior expand on their knowledge of Students will know the process of that concludes their personal study knowledge and extend their skills as what makes a successful how to select their best, most Students will know how to propose their development on portfolio. Photographers through exploring the photograph and other mixed meaningful and purposeful their personal portfolio. materials and techniques of other media appropriate to their photos to develop into a final Photographers, artists and designers. personal investigation. photo, sculpture, moving image, They will extend their knowledge of installation or film. the context of artist works and how it has influenced Art, Design and culture through sustained investigations, displaying critical and analytical understanding.
. Year 13 Skills: Component 1: Written studies. A02 Experimentation: Students select best In Component 2: A03 Record: Students take a A02 Experimentation: Students A04 ESA EXAM: Students sit 15-hour What skills Students explore and understand how to analyse (in photographs from portfolio. They Students will produce personal work in variety of themed photoshoots select best photographs from exam in April/May to produce a will students depth) the work of the artists they have studied experiment and develop photographs response to one of eight exciting and edit them to emphasise portfolio. They experiment and personal outcome from ESA portfolio. have throughout their personal studies, as well as unfolding further using different materials and starting points given by the exam meaning and concept form develop photographs further developed? own artwork using subject specific language. Students techniques such as paint, photomontage, board. their personal investigation using different materials and produce 1500-3000 word essay to support practical film, moving image, installation and techniques such as paint, portfolio. sculpture. A01: contextual Studies: photomontage, film, moving A04: Students produce a practical outcome Students explore a variety of Artists image, installation and sculpture. (final photograph, sculpture, installation or and photographers of their choice and Study Leave film) produce copies and personal responses to their work.
IMPACT: Students will learn through teacher led instruction, group work, peer presentations and critique, artist/photographer analysis, moving image, installation, sculpture and film. Students will grow and explore their own personal investigation and learn how to experiment with their ideas independently in year 13.
Formative assessment will take place regularly in order to assess students’ progress and understanding. Opportunities will also be given to mark their students work against the success criteria (both past and present student work) in order to develop an appreciation for the different levels of the mark scheme. Exceptional exemplar portfolios are used to inform students of what makes an exceptional portfolio.
Summative assessment will take place at regular intervals throughout the course, and opportunities will be given for students to rework and adapt portfolio to improve weaker areas and allow for further progress. One to one support and formal feedback will be provided regularly for each students.
Photography allows A-Level students to expand their creative horizons through taking and editing photographs. They will learn how to contextualise their work and develop an understanding of the creative process in industries using photography. By the end of the course, students will have produced a personal portfolio of work through the creation of photographs, digital presentations and written work; they will produce a 1,000 word thematic essay explaining the context in which their practical portfolio exists.