Sep 22, 202010 min read

PVD 223 Photography and Critical Theory - Carol and Clive

Updated: Jan 8, 2021

Module Leader: Carol McKay

Other Teaching staff: Clive Jackson

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, successful students will be able to do the following:

Demonstrate understanding of the main theoretical concepts relevant to contemporary photographic practice
Demonstrate understanding and overview of key developments in contemporary photographic practice
Demonstrate skills of visual and critical analysis relevant to contemporary Photographic practice.
Communicate relevant ideas in writing
Communicate relevant ideas through digital visual presentation

Introduction to the module

I understand that by the end of this module, I need to demonstrate that I can understand. The main theoretical concepts are relevant to contemporary photography practice. I need to show that I have a great understanding so I can build an overview of the key developments in contemporary photographic practice. Furthermore, I need to prove the skills of visual and critical analysis that relate to contemporary. To be fully successful in this module, I will communicate relevant ideas in writing. Finally, I need to communicate relevant ideas through digital visual presentation either on a blog or a PowerPoint Presentation.

My personal, professional profile report

For this, I have been requested to write up a single-page document that contains a SWOT analysis with my create Britain profile or my career edge. Alongside that, I need to produce a report on two different case studies, for example, a photography practitioner or even an organisation whilst reflecting on more than one of the challenges that are featured in the module. I will need to select and discuss one or more of the following case studies: Diversity and decolonising the Lens; Equality of opportunity; Participation ( digital and non-digital) or either Networks and Networking. The full report need's to have 1500 words maximum.

SWOT analysis

To be a photographer I first need to identify all of the key strengths that I have to address throughout my journey of being a photography student to becoming and working as a photographer full time. A SWOT analysis allows me to consider my weaknesses which I need to improve upon, list all the possible opportunities that I might come across during my time and finally, any threats and challenges that I will face being a photographer.

Firstly, I need to discuss what strengths I have acquired throughout my time working up to this moment. My key strengths are great leadership, working with different types of people by having this skill set it allows me to communicate effectively with people in ways to express my opinion on the subject matter. To be a leader, I have learnt that I am very responsible, caring and I understand how important it is to look after my colleagues in my team. It is important that all my colleagues in the team are treated fairly and equally and can contribute to the project. I am reliable I and can be trusted to complete all tasks given to me in a set time frame.

Both opportunities and threats have been impacted by recent circumstances such as lockdown caused by Covid 19. This included not being able to go out shooting and importantly I was unable to showcase my final work from my time during HND photography course back at Southport. However, as one door may close another will open and in my case the opportunities arose that allowed me to end up creating my first photobook, showcasing all of the best work from the previous year.

Knowing how to effectively talk to other people is a key skill when communicating with a client. This quality allows me to share my ideas and built up a network through my personal life experiences.

Monday 5th October 2020

During this lesson, we talked about the work of a photographer Steve Mcqueen who did a project called year 3 where he managed to go around all primary schools in London. It included children from primaries, independent, faith, special, Pupil referral unit and home educated pupils.

This was done to help to bring more young people into wanting to into art gallery it was also done to show off the future of some up and coming artist.

Steve McQueen the photographer/ Filmmaker, not the actor from film built. He grew up in west London, He won the Turner prize at only 30 years of age and won an Oscar for his film 12 years of slave.

https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/steve-mcqueen-year-3

Create Britain

Create Britain is a national platform that can give you the opportunity to present yourself digitally. The Founders of Create Britain are working at Government level. There is a lot of Government support for Create Britain. The Founders are responsible for the funding. Most of the individuals work as volunteers. The aim of Create Britain is to link people together and collaborate with each other.

Sunderland Creative

Sunderland Creative is part of the Sunderland Faculty that allows students to display and share their work. They also work with different partners and it was set up to share the success and achievements of celebrations by the Undergraduate and Postgraduate students. This is a useful network as helps learners in the next steps of their career.

Red Eye

Red Eye is funded by the Arts Council for England, it is the most established Photographer network based in Manchester and is a non-profit community-based organisation.

Photographers come to complete their qualifications in Photography. They support photographers that are working at entry-level. They are situated in Manchester which allows photographers to attend events, gain appropriate advice and guidance with access to opportunities that is necessary for their work.

Their income comes from grant funding such as that received from the Art Council, sales of tickets and sponsorships.

NEPN

NEPN is a professional development organisation, they have supported they work with the National Lottery. It was established in 2009, with the aim is to promote and develop photography in the North East region and England. They have successfully worked with photographers, artists, curators and a large range of cultural partners. The vision is to create an informed and lively context for photographic activity. They are funded by the University of Sunderland. The project that is on-going is supported and funded public by the National Lottery, Arts Council England

Friday 23rd October 2020

what do I want to be at the end of year 3?

where do I want to be when I leave university?

I'm wanting to take up job role of a teacher and the skills and qualities that are needed to undertake the job is something I have spent some time researching recently, looking at how I would be able to achieve and or develop the skills required. Meanwhile for me to get these I'm going to need to build on my planning and organisation skills and build them up from being good all the way to excellent; which comes with time and practice.

I will need to study for a teaching qualification Postgraduate certificate in education and or postgraduate certificate in High Education (PGCE / or PGCHE). Southport College, UCLAN and/or at Edge High university over one or two years.

Now I have completed my HND in photography this has to lead me to move on and started studying at the University of Sunderland starting in the second year program

At I feel with my personality I will be fine keeping students motived. I am always open to learning new things which will make it easy for me to pick up and adapt to new learning resources.

Following on from this when I have done my 3rd year I either want to take a year break from education and see how far I can go with my photography as I want to go as far as a director of photography

but when the time comes and I feel like I can't go any further with my career will "hang up my camera for perfection use and pass the touch on to upcoming photographer" and take up teaching to they can learn and knowledge from the experiences that I picked up over the years.

I need to remind that when I do my teacher training I will need to start applying the start of the academic year of the privacy year and have some experiences in working in a classroom which I already have so far from working in primary school for over 2 years, a preschool and helped out with the Sunday school class.

For the job role as teacher, I need to be engaging and inspirational to students, have a great understanding with safeguarding issues as well as legal issues that will affect students. I also need to be knowledgeable in the photography industry. A teacher qualification, as well as a completed HND alongside a BA in photography, will give me the knowledge and understanding, as well as increase my skills to become a fantastic teacher and a colleague to other staff on the teaching team.

How Marketing (how you get jobs/ clients)

A cinematographer can also be known as a director of photography (DOP) they are mostly freelancer however some D.O.P might end up only working with one director as it might be a key work plus work well together when comes to creating films.

For a Cinematography to get a job and or start working for clients is to start off small by working for yourself and then allow it to grow this will also help to in the portfolio growing. A Cinematographer can start off being a photographer. alongside having your portfolio growing this will help to build a network of contacts.

To get clients this can be done by firstly trying to get your name out of and building relationships that matter and keeping in contact with them to build a genual connection. this can be done by sharing what you can do for each other for example when starting off as a photographer you might need the use of a model in the shoot by this you allowed to help them to build a portfolio which can lead into them getting more jobs modelling and secondly this will help you to get recommendations. Exchanging Money for services to develop a friendship and relationship with each other.

finally, this will only be great if you are a person who is great at communication skills, knowing what you have in mind when you are starting off building this relationship. however, this is a skill that can be builder upon with more times you try to talk and patch to others what you can offer.

As a Cinematographer you need to be amazing in the way you can tell a story from your this should easiest come across when people view your portfolio and how they react to it. A portfolio should only be your best and key work that you as the artist have created

Advertisement is the best way to market yourself as business as another great way to get work... - having an outstanding website that is easy to read and simple to follow for all type of uses a website should have your contact details there, up to date portfolio of your work, business card, logo letterhead all of these need to be carely on who you are as a brand and recporecte you also allow you to stand out

Intellectual Property

this a form of protecting yourself and your work by making sure that everything is copyright (keep your work safe and your own). This will stop people trying to take your work and calming it as their own. Such as the name of your products or brand, all the film and photographs that you create, the design and look of your produce, logo and website design that just a small example of these to make sure that you copyright.

In today era is easier for people today copyright their own work

The was once a photographer who just screenshots of people Instagram post and had it printed off then displayed in an art gallery the people who he took this images from wasn’t happy and tried to sue him but lost the case as the original images weren’t copyrighted so the artist had all the right to screenshots them and display

Another example of this is common when I photographer takes pictures in a gallery and has some form of artwork in the background and the photographer would calm it as their own work.

Having the right insurance will help you stay coved and protect you from any illegal allegations and your equipment for when it gets broken or stolen without having the right insurance the cost will be deadly.

Report: Exploring the Challenges

Case studies 1

ED Badley

I pick my old college lecturer as one of my case studies because of how ended up becoming a lecturer as it very close to my career pathway that I want to take after my years of studying also I feel like I look up to him when it came to finding my own style of photography.

Ed is from Middlesbrough this is where he did most of his studies where he learnt his way around photography including doing an HND like myself, however from a different time and place.

Ed has been a photographer for over 30 years and over the year has managed to collect a lot of experiences in the field of photography this involved photojournalism, picture editor, stock and events photography, wedding and portraits but now his currently working as a lecturer in photography at Southport College where he has been doing for over 10 years.

before becoming a lecturer he was working on Crusie ships ( which is a job a don't mind taking up to gain a little bit of experiences) from that he moved on to be a stock agency for the Travel Library. this lead Ed to change career and become a manager at Venture for the Liverpool / Ormskirk branch. He moved away from this because he started to not feel like a photographer so he managed to take up a role being a technician at Southport College this then lead to him getting the job he still does today.

At the age of 11, he found his passion for photography when he picked up a point and shoot camera during his time on a family holiday in Italy. and carries on taking photos way into his 50's.

Ed himself love teaching just for the same reason why I want to go into teaching that because he loves passing on his knowledge to the next generation of photographer.

Ed work is mostly black and white street photography that is produced either with his own smartphone, Nikon DLSR camera and has done work with Black and white 35mm film camera. He has Nikon D800 for his commercial work but prefers to use Fuji X Pro 1 for his street photography and personal work.

He says that when he is using his mobile he always finds himself constantly looking for the next shoot.

One of his latest series of work was on his father who was suffered from Alzheimer Disease where he conveys the happiness of the life he had before he passed away sometimes just after finishing the series.