Photography Visual Arts

Photography

Photography is an exciting avenue with which to familiarise yourself with visual arts. You will need to be self-sufficient and self-motivated, with each assignment task concentrating on your individual self-discipline and time management. You will be expected to complete your research and thought processes in your own time, and image processing and internet research during class time. Throughout the year you will have the opportunity to produce creative forms of imagery and practise not only visual forms of work, but also verbal and written.

The units completed in the first and second terms of the programme will help prepare and develop your skills towards building your two or three end-of-year Portfolio Boards. Remember this, as the decisions you make along the way will help direct you and make this process easier for you.

The Photography Department requires that you keep a record of your experiences and thought processes in the form of a Visual Diary, a written form of visual text that records generating and developing your photographic ideas.

Photography is a subject in transition. In the real world, photo-journalists and commercial photographers of all types are using digital technology. There are many reasons why, which include cost, immediacy and versatility. So this will be the main tool that we use for still photography.

Necessary Requirements: Digital Camera, classroom stationery.

Visual Arts

When you view an artwork for the first time, it can be helpful to start by trying to describe the artwork. Ask yourself some of the following questions - they might help to give the artwork a context:

• What is the work called?
• Who is the artist and when was the work made?
• What kind of artwork is it?
• What can you see?
• What was happening in the world around the time that the artwork was made?

Next look to see how the artwork has been put together - key words for this include composition, colour, proportion, texture, pattern, contrast, depth.

Once you have checked out when and how the artwork was made, try thinking about why the artwork was made.

• Is the artist trying to communicate to the viewer?
• What is the artist trying to say through the work?
• How does it make you feel?

Often, information on the artwork label can help with these questions.

Then you could further consider your personal response.

• Do you like the artwork?
• Do you think it is good?
• Is it an important artwork?
• Should it be on display in a museum?
• Would you have the artwork in your own home?
• If you could give the artwork to someone, who would it be?