Portfolio work

With University interviews starting in January you all need to start looking through all your work and finding your best images. You need to create a new folder called Portfolio and save this on your Onedrive. In that folder you need to create a new power-point, name this using your name followed by "Portfolio" e.g Teresa Green - Portfolio                                                                                       

 You then need to go back through all the images you've shot - probably starting with your 'Besties' from each of the projects/units and save your best images in sets of 2,4 or 6 in the portfolio folder. At this stage save everything and anything that is good, aim to have a variety of different images - pinhole, film shots, 10x8 work, the recent tape transfers, cyanotypes anything experimental - Universities and photographers love to see this type of work as it shows you're genuinely interested in photography and learning. You'll be competing for places and jobs with people that go to colleges that don't teach the same variety and having a variety of experimental and digital approaches might give you the edge in an interview situation. 

This same PPT will also include information and research into Universities and employment options and potentially record your process of decision making in relation to your progression goals.

In your PPT

Write an introduction. Explain the following ...

• What you've chosen as your specialism for the second year and why you have chosen it.
• What your thoughts are on going to University or working in Photography at this stage - what are your longer term goals, how do you think you're going to achieve them. 

Photo-papers more details

Portfolio options - hardcopy - Uni types portfolios - websites

Mounting options and presentation

Self promotion - gallery shows, social media, net-working 

Portfolio target audience

Basic Research + ethical and environmental AO3

 The expectation is to have 3 slides/pages of research.

*See note at the bottom re higher grades

To attain the higher grades you can't simply use internet research, you have to use a range of research methods- secondary, primary and empirical and a range of sources. Using the internet will get you a pass, but if you're aiming for the higher grades your research has to be far more robust and in-depth and include...

Hard-copy; Journals, magazines, newspapers; Videos and TV; primary research interviewing, emailing and talking to real people; Gallery visits, museums, libraries. 

Slides/pages...

Page/slide (1). a page of images associated with the photographer/artist that you've chosen to research who will inspire your initial set of images. 

Page/slide (2). Details that relate to 

• The operational context of the work you've specifically chosen to influence your work. What kind of work is it, where is it seen, who commissions it (Client) and who is it's audience (Demographic details). Use images were possible to support your investigations and claims.
• How does the photographer make a living from their photography, is it sold as art, do they only do this type of work, what other work do they do, who have the worked for previously, where is their work published, what is their specialism. Use images were possible to support your investigations and claims... screen grabs of lists of clients, galleries where their work is shown/sold, art auction websites etc.

Page/Slide (3). The single image analysis

This relates to deconstructing and analysing the images in terms of the visual language tools used. Use one single image and explain how and why it works as an image, discuss whether it is clear whether the image is easily understood to be what it is e.g. if it's a fashion image, what is there about the image that we recognise as being indicative of a fashion image. If it's an art image - how do we know that? Think about a 'Lay-person' would they recognise the image for what it is? 

• Narrative Is there a story behind the image? Explain the story, what is the image communicating (See the list of concept words) on teams.
• Light How is light used to convey meaning and mood, again refer to the list of concept words. 
• Body language and facial expressions what impact does this have on the reading of the image?
• Use of props what impact does this have on the reading of the image?
• Background what impact does this have on the reading of the image?
• Use of colour what impact does this have on the reading of the image?
• Use of framing and composition what impact does this have on the reading of the image?
• Use of viewpoint what impact does this have on the reading of the image?
• Use of texture/shape/form what impact does this have on the reading of the image?
• Vibe/mood/feel what is it and how has it been achieved through the use of light, equipment, colour and other components listed above? 

Environmental and Ethical 

You have to have a section within the work that discusses ethical concerns relating to your Photography and or photography on a wider scale. *This would have been created in a previous body of work and can be copied over into the current work and improved or embellished further. You can add additional information as you become increasingly aware of Ethical concerns and issues related to your photography or photography in general. 

The same applies to the Environmental aspects.

Flying and travelling

Digital files - data centres

Camera production and renewing of equipment now compared to pre-digital cameras

Use of chemicals

*Higher Grades

The distinction criteria indicates... "Comprehensive and imaginative research is used to inform and direct activities".

With this in mind your initial research almost certainly only informs and directs your initial activities. Therefore to attain higher grades, you need to be continually looking at new research material during any given project to boost your ideas and influences allowing you to merge new ideas off the back of any new research. Therefore it's essential that you add more research - more photographers and artists as you go in the form of mini research ... This can be an additional slide with relevant images and a simple to the point analysis of a single image looking at how the image works and it's operational context. *ANY NEW LINKS can be added to your bibliography. The bigger and more varied your bibliography (Books, journals, magazines) the increased chances of attaining the higher grades. 

Basic Plans AO2

 Minimum requirement

Each shoot needs to have a plan. The plans should be detailed and complex if you're looking to attain the higher grades. This is a list of the basics to enable a pass...

(1). Use and heading Plan/Intention

(2). Explain what it is you're going  to be doing - if the work is in the early stages you might include a reference image from your research that you're trying to recreate elements from... The lighting, background, the pose etc.

(3). Then explain when, where, who with (models, assistants, stylists). Use photos of the location and maps from Google. Explain what equipment and materials you'll be using and any other resources and say why they are Appropriate. 

(4). Then identify the intended operational context of your images... I'll be shooting my images in a style that you might expect to see in (Insert publication, website, company etc). Then explain who the client is in the instance you've identified and who the intended audience is. (Demographic details...

When you explain the audience for your images, it's useful to understand the class system and who is who. Click on the image here and refer to your audience using the descriptions seen in this image. 

*This has to be discussed in your plans and links with AO6.
 

Male/female/other, ethnicity, class, age, wealthy or every day people). *You have to identify a client and audience, as this is required as part of AO6.

(5). Then explain the "Vibe" of the images, what mood and feel are you creating and whether there's a story within the images. Look at this list of words and phrases and put together a paragraph or two that explains what your images are trying to convey. If you're able to, explain how the use of colour, background, location, light, props, facial expressions, body language, camera angles, focal lengths and eye contact will convey the concept and feel of your images.