Reflective Practice B1 B2 'Booster Prompt'

(2nd year work).  In conjunction with your research analysis, you could add the prompt...

"What does this involve"?

So this would involve you explaining and demonstrating far deeper knowledge around professional practice and knowledge about how a picture from a shoot comes together.

La Jument - by Jean Guichard 1989 - click on Image for source/website

For instance this image - what would be involved in the production of this set of images? So, imagine that you where that photographer - what was involved in shooting it. All the research, planning, equipment, resources and people that had to be involved so that it came together. How broad is the knowledge required to execute this shot? 

Search La Jument using Google maps to see where this was shot. 

This is optional and needs to be applied to your own research images if you choose to do it.

Y02 B1 Unit activities

Research and Identify the following project management methodologies 

• Agile
• Kanbam
• Scrum 
• Waterfall

Using lots of images identify this work in your S&K design sheet. Try and produce at least a whole page. Use the diagrams that typically illustrate the stages within the process as well as a screen grabs of the basic premise of the methodologies. But to get value of the work - compare and contrast the different approaches and comment on similarities with our own methodology used to produce your projects. Also discuss how these approaches might work in terms of setting up a Photography business or may implemented in conjunction with organising your UCAS Uni applications. 

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Association of Photographers - entry route for employment as an assistant 

Conduct research into the AOP. Use lots of images along with annotations demonstrating that you're aware of this website and the potential of the website in helping you find work and employment within photography. This is a massive resource and could be integral to your future success. Look particularly at the find a photographer link and how that can be used. Also consider the AOP find a photographer link as one of the options for your research when you research your photographer in conjunction with your practical work. These are useful in that they're pretty local to you and that they're currently working. 

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Focus of your work. 

(Continue with your 5 x Uni research work) if that's done - Research the differences between HND's and Degrees and what follows these course if you want to stay in academia - MA's (Masters degree) and PHD's (Doctorates). How might these fit in with your progression goals? 

Also look at which Universities run the BIPP PQE course - this follows on from HND's and Degree programs and is a professional vocational course run by the British Institute of Professional Photographers.

Write a Reflection on how your Uni research is going -

• Are you any clearer on where you might go?
• Has your mind changed about going to Uni
• Has it affirmed your choice of not going to Uni - if so what are your Progression goals now if you're not going to Uni.
• Where are you at with all of these important decisions? 

University USP's - 

If you are getting nearer to making choices about potential Uni's - what are your Uni's USP's (Unique selling points) Explain why you're enticed by your most likely choices. (This could be part of your reflection) 

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Self-directed project status. 

2 and a bit weeks in and you should have completed your research and your post-research reflection. You've all got image from the white-board with details that relate to the things that need to be included in your research if you're looking to attain the higher grades. 

A new layer of depth has been added to the post research reflection and this is detailed in this post here

Level 3 Photography resources: Post Research Reflection (bteclinks.blogspot.com

*Note the Progression value aspects are only required as a part of the Post research reflection and your final reflection. It's optional elsewhere e.g. during the development of the project. 

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Portfolio and website task...

Now that you've got all of your folder sorted of all your images shot over the summer and in the first year, you should be in a position where you've sorted the best 8-10 from each of these shoots and saved these in a sub-folder. The "Besties" in each of these sub-folders now need to be used in 2 ways...

(1). They need to be printed off either in college in the way that has been suggested or by using a service such as 'Freeprint'. From each of your sets of 'Besties' print 4 or 8 images that will work as a set. Hopefully you'll have 60 or more images to show others and get feedback from. Get people to write on the back of the images the ones that they feel are your strongest images. *Make note of what they say in terms of why they're good enough for your portfolio or weak shots and should be discounted.

(2). The images that are in your "Besties" folder, now have to be imported into your design sheet - one set per page (You might have to use 4 columns). You should add commentary relating to your thoughts on your images why they work/don't work as a set. Can you get 4 images that are all horizontal or vertical format - is this necessary in your opinion - what others think? Will it matter as much with a website? 

High-quality prints - 

Compare Fine Art Papers | Art Print Samples | theprintspace

Get your Printspace sample pack that you bought at the start of the course and look through the samples and choose 4 that you might consider using for your portfolio. Analyse them in terms of the papers quality and it's tactile properties, consider if they were handled constantly at interviews would they get damaged? Do you need to get trans sleeves for them to protect them or are they robust enough to be handled constantly? 

Dedicate a column to each of the papers or more if you like and show that you have good knowledge of these products. Add this work to your S&K design sheet as well as recording in your portfolio design sheet. 

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Focus of your work. 

University research

Location - Distance and travel issues, costs involve going back and forth.

Location - Is it in a City - what's there and is this a factor - Leisure and sports facilities shops, shopping malls, pubs, clubs - is the city a bus ride from the campus. Will you need to take buses everywhere - are they subsidised, will you cycle - how many cycles are stolen in the Uni City. Cost implications of a good bike lock. Maybe also look at general crime figures. Insurance for stuff at Uni.

Location - Is it near the stuff you photograph, I chose Plymouth in part because I knew I'd be able to get to beaches to photograph surf, beaches and beautiful landscapes. Does your Uni enable opportunities to support and improve your photography? 

Location - Where are the Halls of residence that you'll live in, in relation to the Uni campus? Check to see if your subject is taught in a satellite campus? 

Find Student Accommodation Bridges Hall, Reading | UCAS

UAL talk in the Pod - what did you think, where you encouraged or put off by it, did you feel like you were the type of student they were looking for. Analyse and discuss *This is primary research. 

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*Scroll down for previous posts 

Current work you need to be producing - 

Activity/Intention - Investigate the cost of having an A3 portfolio box with 20-30 high-quality prints from the print-space presented in archival quality trans-sleeves. 

The London Graphics centre (Covent garden) See website 

Printspace 

The other thing you need to be doing is compiling and bringing together all of your shoots that are being considered for your portfolio. You need to organise your shoots into named folders on your Onedrive and record your process showing and explaining how your workflow system works (Screen grabs and annotations). 

Within these folder you then need to pick 8-10 of your best shots. These then need to be printed off using a service like "Free-Print" of the simple nesting system used within windows to print off 4 images on an A4 sheet as demonstrated...

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University Research____________________________________

What dictates your choice of University - what do you need to consider. 

• Geography/Location 
• Specialism 
• League tables (Search best photography courses in the UK)
• The City/Town
• Type of accommodation; Y1 at Uni is usually spent at halls of residence with other 'Freshers' Y01 students.
• Night life - social life
• Cost of accommodation 
• Transport links
• Parking 
• Course facilities - darkrooms, studios, studio equipment, large format cameras, IT resources, printing, rooming, canteens
• Big name lecturers and professors
• Industry links - visiting professionals
• 3rd year work placements 
• Alumni
• Distance from your previous life - current friends and family 
• Sports and Leisure facilities
• Trips UK and abroad
• Student support
• Student Union
• Crime Levels

5 Universities

If you intent to go to Uni - choose 5 to look at and explore researching and analysing these details so as you inform tour decision. 

Make sure you keep the links to the websites you use and save as a bibliography (On a separate page). Use images, maps, league tables, reviews on student forums, what do students say about the courses. 

Once you start to visit the Uni's (You need to be organising this now) make sure you take pictures and collect information when you're there to enable a more detailed write up on the Uni's you visit. 

Those of you that are not intending to go to Uni at this stage - you only need to research 2 Uni's. We would advise researching our own degree course here at SEC. 

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Digital portfolios on-line________________________________

(1). Research into options for on-line methods for presenting and distributing your portfolio on-line. Find examples of websites, Instagram, Linkedin, Tiktok and facebook and others if you can source them. Copy the interface and examples of the web pages - review the options in terms of pros and cons. What do you like, what don't you like, what looks cheap and nasty and unprofessional and what do you think is the industry standard.

(2). Make sure you look at some big name photographers or current photographers who work for Vogue, what's their approach - do they use multiple platforms or just one - is there a sense of design across the platforms? 

Do many serious photographers use Tiktok? 

What do you think your approach would be if you were looking to have your portfolio on line and why?

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(1). Write up the first section of the personal state, the majority of you have made a good start, the bit that needs to be focused on is section 5 relating to proof that you understand the importance of photography. Aim to write a short paragraph. 

                                               

In the Portfolio and Website design sheet             

Make a start on showing you have knowledge of the range of Hard-copy portfolios. Your commentary should examine and analyse their worthiness in the modern age. Does anyone want to see hard copy portfolios? Who might? (One example was spoken about and there's another on the white board at the moment). Use images of the types that are available - write about what's involved in their production (Costs of prints and the portfolio itself). 

Are they still relevant in photography or has everyone adopted digital methods? What do other students do - Graphic designers, fine artists, fashion and 3D students? 

Does anyone in industry want to see hard-copy work?

Do Uni's want to see hard-copy work? 

Ask Andrew Dee and Sophie on the 5th floor? What do other lecturers say?          

*Do not copy any answers you find on line word for word. Read any info you find and write it up in your language - supplements with supporting info from your lecturers and other people you ask. 

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B1 is made up of 4 separate bodies of work (Design sheets).

1. The personal project this you can start now (Optional). This is a project on a theme of your choice that you have to develop and experiment with over the coming months and is handed in before Christmas. The current suggestion is that over the summer you come up with a theme or subject and research two photographers. If you're really enthusiastic and want to get ahead of the game - do the next step and write up the Post research reflection

2. Portfolio & Website this runs from Sept to December. You record your process of collating your images to form a range of different types of portfolio and a website. This involves researching a range approaches to promoting yourself, the pros and cons of each approach including what's on offer, the costs and aspects such as design and corporate identity. 

3. University & Work this runs from Sept to December and involves writing the all important personal statement as well as a CV. You also explore and research what Universities and jobs are out there, what they offer, how much it'll cost, what you need in terms of grades and skills to access them. Plus so much more, all of which needs to be recorded and reflected on.

4. The skills and Knowledge design sheet (S&K). You'll continue to add to this all the way through the year when you gain generic knowledge and skills that are not directly linked to your other 3 projects. 

Now and soon____________________________________________________________

https://bteclinks.blogspot.com/2023/09/progression-to-y02-project-big.html

September: One of the priorities will be to write your Personal statement which doubles up as a draft cover letter for those of you that do not have Higher Education (University) as your progression goal/aim 

We aim to have the personal statement written up within the first 2 weeks and out of the way and sent to James Burgess who oversees and checks this process.

Progression to Y02 project - The Big Practical Project and more

Updated 28/6/24

(Summer Part 1)

Portfolio Fillers x 5

Pictures only

You need to shoot 5 or more sets of images for your portfolio. This  will only require a simple approach focused on simply taking pictures and getting them down-loaded and into a named folder in your Y02 folder.

 Make use of the good summer light, try and do something different, but still in-line with your overall career/University progression goals or maybe broaden your scope?

(Summer Part 2)

The Big Practical Project (Optional)

You decide the theme/subject, the work simply must be representative of your skill-set and your chosen specialism. 

This will require research into 2 photographers/artists associated with the specialism you will have chosen and identified at the end of the first year that your work generally gravitates towards. The research needs to be high-quality as it will need to meet the 2nd year standards. 

The research will then need to be reflected upon analysing why it will be of use to you in terms of inspiring your project and generating ideas. You also need to clearly state your Intention and where your work fits within an operational context (What kind of work it is, where it would be seen, who might the client be and the audience). 

Once back in September... (Unless you want to make a start over the break)

Over several stages, you will need to Plan - Execute and Reflect on your work as you bring it together, experimenting, trying different approaches, developing, refining and improving your work. This work will be on-going through Sept, Oct, Nov and December with the potential that the shoots you do feed into your portfolio and website. 

The rationale...

The bulk of the work you have to do in the period between September and December at college is primarily researched based. You'll be researching your options for when you leave college - Universities, Assisting, Gap year, Camp America, working on cruise ships, FT employment, freelancing, apprenticeships and internships; along with bringing together all of the work you've done over your time at college to form a range of different portfolios and a website to cater for different types of employers and universities. 

See team under files for the summer project brief. 

Reflective practice (Final)

 

Final Reflection at end of project

Use the 3 basic initial responses – keep these to 2-3 sentences…

(1)     What happened.

(2)     How do I feel it went

(3)     What was good/bad (Don’t emphasis the bad too much)

 

Analysis This the important part and can be exhaustive and detailed.

Use the headings in Blue in your work and write up your response below the headings.

What value was there in producing this work

What value was there in producing the work for this task. Discuss this using these sub-headings…

·        Professional practice

·        Technical skills

·        Experimentation

·        Problem solving

·        Communication

·        Understanding of your use of light

·        Portfolio ready images

Operational context (Purpose and function of the work)

Do you feel that your work is fit for purpose in terms of the context you’ve identified. Does your work look like it could be used professionally in the context you’ve identified? It might be useful to use a professional image in your work alongside one of your finals and compare and contrast. How do you feel yours compare, what more could you have done to bring it up to a similar standard of the professional image?

Progression value

Finally, discuss your work in terms of its impact on your progression goals. What value does this work have in terms of your…

·        Immediate progression goals

·        Short term progression goals

·        Mid-term progression goals

·        Long-term progression goals

Reflective practice - (Practical work)

 

Practical work Reflections (Produced each time you shoot a set of images or produce some significant post production work).

Use the 3 basic initial responses – keep these to 2-3 sentences…

(1)     What happened.

(2)     How do I feel it went

(3)     What was good/bad (Don’t emphasis the bad too much)

Analysis This the important part and can be exhaustive and detailed.

o   What value was there in producing this work? What have you learned? Each time you produce practical work its essential that you should challenge yourself and do something that enables improvement (Development), a different approach, additional use of equipment or experimentation. What did you do that was new, what did you learn, why was it useful in terms of your technical knowledge and abilities, discuss professional practice aspects, lighting and problem solving especially.

o   Are you sticking to your initial intention? Are you still sticking to your initial idea. This is usually discussed on shoot 2 and beyond where your idea might have developed in terms of the idea. If the idea has developed, this needs to be discussed and explained in your reflections.

o   Operational context How is the work shaping up in terms of its fitness for purpose? You’ll have explained in your plans your operational context – why does it suits this scenario?

o    If for instance you’ve said your work is ‘Editorial’ explain how and why, what is the context – what would accompany the work in terms of the associated written content? Be critical in terms of the quality and aesthetics – does it look professional – at this stage can you imagine your images on a website or magazine – are they good enough? Explain what improvements need to be made or why you think they’re professional standard at this stage.  The same approach has to be applied to whatever operational context you’ve identified your work.

o   How does your work support your progression goals

o   Discuss this in terms of Immediate, short-term, mid-term and long-term (See the blogpost on progression goals.

Reflection (Post research)

 This work needs to be produced in the first week after you've completed your research work.

Post research Reflection (used after the research -connected to your first practical task)

Use the 3 basic initial responses – keep these to 2-3 sentences…

(1)     What happened.

(2)     How do I feel it went

(3)     What was good/bad (Don’t emphasis the bad too much)

Analysis This the important part and can be exhaustive and detailed.

·        What value was there in producing this research? It’s essential that the research informs your own work, you should clearly explain what was useful relating to the research and how it will be used in your first practical response. What are you going to be borrowing from the research – how is it going to influence your initial idea?

·        Operational context – Explain the operational context relating to your initial shoot. Are you looking to produce work that might be seen as…

o   Editorial Photography

o   Art Photography

o   Social Photography

o   Advertising

o   Be clear about what your operational context is.

·        How does your work support your progression goals

o   Discuss this in terms of Immediate, short-term, mid-term and long-term (See the blogpost on progression goals.

Portfolio and Final Images

 As you complete each of the tasks you should end up with a set of finals for each of the projects.

(2 finals for the Pinhole project)

These finals should be produced to your best ability and should be kept for consideration for inclusion in your portfolio which you will start to put together at the start of the 2nd year.

Therefore it is important that you save all of your finals in a separate folder on your One Drive called portfolio images or Finals.

If the final images are hard-copy you need to scan the finals in a different way...

How to scan finals

Using either the flatbed scanners or the photocopier machines, scan the images as TIFF files in colour at a resolution of 600 dpi/ppi. Save these files and name them appropriately in the portfolio images folder.

The same images need to then be included in your design sheet at the back in the pages before your final evaluation. You can either make a second scan at 200 dpi/ppi (Colour) saved as a JPEG for use in your design sheet. The ideal method of presentation is to present these images in your design sheet like this...

The space at the bottom of the page beneath the image should be slightly bigger than the white space at the top of the page. 

Try and present the work in a uniform way e.g. the same size within the page and the picture the same kind of proportions.

If you're using word for your design sheets in the picture formatting settings you'll need to use the "Fix the position on page" option.