Digital Photography

Schedule & Assessment / Examples /

Set Assignments

Digital Photography
An essential element in visual design, documentation,
layout - take many different forms - application
good career path
New technology - increasing at a rapid rate (hardware +
software)

Think First

HANDBOOK
AVAILABLE AS A
PDF TO DOWNLOAD /
PRINT
VIEW ON MOODLE AND
ON MODULE BLOG

Schedule
Module essential information / set assignments
Core subject/equipment information and research
examples of work / how to keep a blog
practical sessions - walks around the city, lighting
workshops, camera demo
guest speakers from industry
software sessions - run by CCI Skills Centre
important to come to class and show your work

Digital photographic imaging flow Chart

URBAN
MOTION
MUSIC / GIG

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DIGITAL DARKROOM
NIGHT LIGHT

SEASIDE

30 PHOTOGRAPHS
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION
SUPPORTING JOURNAL - BLOG

CANDID
PORTRAIT

FINAL OUTCOME

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WEATHER

2 ASSIGNMENTS ARE SET AT

THE START OF THE MODULE AND 2
ASSIGNMENTS IN JAN 16.

LANDSCAPE / CITYSCAPE
COMMERCIAL
NATURE
ARCHITECTURE
FASHION / CULTURE
ABSTRACT
HUMAN FORM
SELF - INITIATED

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Students
will create a
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working journal (blog) and
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a final professional presentation
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of 30
photographs
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THIS IS TO BUILD UP YOUR

CONFIDENCE AND GET YOU
TAKING PHOTOS
THESE CAN ALSO THEN BE USED
AS PART OF YOUR FINAL PIECES
OF WORK.

Module Blog

http://dphot.tumblr.com/

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Digital Photography
DPHOT HEMIS Code U20192
ABSTRACT
This course introduces the underlying principles of digital photography. Students will learn how digital
cameras work and how to create digital images, appreciate experimental, abstract and traditional
photographic techniques and learn how to display, compress and store photographs on a variety of
platforms.
AIM
1. To enable students to appreciate the fundamental principles, the technical resources and the creative
potential of digital photography.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the application of Digital Photography as an
integral element within design
2. Understand the physical technology and methods responsible for creating digital images
3. Identify how digital photography benefits the industry and aids the print process
Hand In Date: Friday April 22nd 2016 by 3pm
ASSESSMENT PATTERN
Coursework (100%) The students will produce an evaluative, working journal and a presentation of
photographs. The work will be unsupervised and tutor assessed. You must choose and present your work
with close attention to the relationship/theme. There will be a series of assignments which all relate to the
unit aims and generate content for your final body of work.
Students MUST select core subjects from the 18 listed in the handbook.
Students will then produce a body of photographs from their selected core subject areas. (a max of 30
photographs)
Delivery
1.

A working journal (blog)

2.

A presentation of final images either printed, exhibition or online.

Students are expected to produce a portfolio of photographic work and associated journal of process
experiments, image plans, drawings, written and visual material, demonstrating both thematic and
technical research and experimentation in technique, format and media.
Completed photographic prints and online showcases should be executed with high regard to
presentation and photographic convention and wherever appropriate work should be fully edited
and presented in a professional manner.

SHOW HANDBOOK

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING - ASSESSMENT MARK SHEET | 2015/16

Student Name \ Course -

Assignments (40%) - Portrait | Interview | Experiments | Promotion

Have these all been completed to a professional standard?

Marked on quality of outcome and evidence of - Research / Production & Processes in your blogs. Please make
sure that you have a clear section/page that say Assignments.
Portrait:
Interview:
Experiments:
Promotion:

Blogs (20%) - Is the Production / Ideas Process clear?

Marked on:
Screengrabs (video and/or still) | Idea Process | Behind the scenes | Planning | Editing | Subject Analysis &
Feedback | Software Use. Use of blogs to present the above effectively. Regular updating and use of blogs will be
monitored throughout the semester.

Presentation / Evaluation (40%) - Is the final presentation of photographs suitable for display as a showcase?
Have you evaluated your final photographs?
Marked on:
Presentation Quality of work / Relevance / Advertising - online & offline / Display options and professional
presentation of work / Flow
Evaluation - Have you described your subjects processes clearly and concisely ? Have you considered and
examined the merits and problems of the subjects? Have you evaluated your subject matter, equipment and
editing? What you would do differently?

OVERALL MARK

ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK COMMENTS

It is vital that you regularly update your blog. Important to have clear headings and pages so that we can identify
your work and do not miss anything.

MARKING

Core Subjects - help sheets

SUBJECT
Portrait

CORE SUBJECTS
SUBJECT

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE
Close-up, portray character in
environment, lines on face/
abstract, movement, candid, head
and shoulders

TIPS

Urban

city, decay, street, industrial, bridges, city

people,

Always carry your camera, shoot from the hip, turn off
sounds - be quiet, get dirty

Leisure activities, sport, playing

with animals, children, beach
games, running, jumping

Motion

Blur, panning, freezing. Motion can also

be implied in a picture by the use of
dynamic composition - for example using
powerful diagonal elements in the frame,
or showing people or objects leaving
from an edge of the frame, perhaps even
cut off by it.

The technical aspects of shooting motion are easy: a

fast shutter speed (or the action or sports setting)Seaside
will
freeze motion, a slow one will introduce motion blur.
Dont be afraid to experiment with extreme cropping
or split into 3 sections.

Sand, sea, close-up, landscapes,

splashes, waves, bucket and spade,
amusements,

Sense of movement, passion, singer and

mic, capture energy and mix of lights,
crowd shots, instruments.
Backstage.

The low lighting environment of a live gig presents

several problems to be overcome, the most troublesome being exposure and focus. Film speed 400 and
f2.8 will give you a good overall shot. Unless you are
familiar with the band then you cannot determine what
the lighting will do. Take a spare battery and shoot as
much as possible. Also take a small torch to check
settings etc. Experient with slow shutter speeds to
make the lighting streak.

Music/Gig

Digital Darkroom

Night Light

Candid

At Play

Weather

Pushing the limits using photoshop etc,

change the entire look of an image,
extreme cropping, masking and montage.
Stitching various images together to
make one final shot. Taking layers from
several images to make one.

Remember to save your work as a photoshop file (psd).

Be subtle and dont be afraid to use as many layers,
colours and styles as possible.
www.computerarts.co.uk is great for ideas.

Car headlights, architecture lighting, flash

outdoors/portrait, action shots with flash,
the moon, cityscape,long exposure,
lasers, copper

A tripod and slow shutter speed to capture headlights.

Cityscape
Or you could rest the camera on a wall for the long
exposure. Experiment with your camera flash settings
and take shots of portraits with car headlights in the
background. Painting with light - use a torch and slow
shutter speed to capture the effects.

Un-posed and unplanned, immediate and

unobtrusive

Landscape/

Technical equipment successfully employed for candid

photography is
typically lightweight, small and
unobtrusive rather than big and intimidating. Timing is
so important with Candid photography so always be
on the look out for an opportunity and carry a small
camera with you. Be sensitive to your subject. In some
countries people will shy away from the camera as
they feel you are taking their soul away by capturing
their image.

TIPS
The!3 general types of portrait photography are: close-ups
or facial shots, upper body shots, or environmental portraits
(where you focus on the subject and the surrounding environment that gives the subject character).! Some of the best
portraits are where the subjects look completely comfortable
like their not looking at a camera.! When people try to smile
or make a certain kind of face for the camera it usually
SUBJECT
EXAMPLE
doesn't seem very genuine.! The trick
is to capture the image
when the subject(s) aren't necessarily focused on the
camera.! The main purpose of portrait photography is to
capture the essence of the subject(s).!
Commercial
Photography made or licensed for
the purpose of selling a product,
Laughter and expressions are sometimes key with this core
service or idea where fine-art
subject. Close-ups might work well to convey a feeling ofphotography
a
is created as an end
playful nature
in itself.
Product pack shots, high street
photography - weddings, portraits,
fashion, travel etc
Many people take shots looking out to sea so why not turn
around at the seashore and look
for interesting opportuniNature
Taken outdoors and devoted to
ties. One common problem with landscape beach photo-displaying natural elements such as
wildlife, plants, and
graphs is that while they might capture a beautiful scene landscapes,
they
close-ups of natural scenes and
actually have no point of interest and can as a result be
textures.
rather empty and boring. When taking a shot look for a
point of interest or focal point that will give those looking at
your photo a place for their eye to rest. Perhaps its a pattern in the sand, a set of footprints, the crashing of waves
over a rock, a pier etc. Also look for the little things that tell
the story of going to the beach like shoes at the waters
edge, sand castles, sunglasses, etc.

Snow, wind, rain, sun, storms,

sunsets/sunrises, the effects of
weather on a building, erosion,
melting ice-cream, water on a
window, puddles and reflections,
sun rays after a storm and through
trees.
Skies, mountains, valleys, trees,
rivers, and forests. A landscape is a
section or portion of scenery as
seen from a single viewpoint.
Scenery is the subject of a
landscape image. Typically, people
and animals are not shown in a
landscape, unless they are
relatively small in the image and
have been included in the
composition to show scale.
Normally 3 styles of Landscape
representational, impressionistic
and abstract. Cityscape is the same
as landscape but includes all the
features of an urban setting.

Architecture
In and outside a building structure
Lastly protect your camera against the salt..it will kill it! or environment. Old and new,
modern and traditional, small or
large scale. Bridges, doors,
Try to capture the atmosphere as much as possible. A forest
windows.
Industrial, Ruins.
early morning - mist - could work better as black and white
to
capture the atmosphere. A close up of a wave and splashes
of sea water could convey a storm?
When it rains you will probablyFashion
have to use either a longer
Trends, culture, clothes - think in the
shutter speed or a wider aperture because the clouds tend
to
broadest
sense. What is
also block out direct sunlight.
considered fashionable?
Experiment with having something in the foreground and use
this as your basis to frame the shot. Doing this adds scale to
the overall image.
Abstract
Real subjects, sharp focused and
un-manipulated except for normal
Timing and opportunity play an important part.
darkroom adjustments such as
contrast, exposure and dodging
and burning. Angles, texture,
macro, reflections, shadows,
mirrors, glass. Has no rules.

TIPS
Work to the client brief and understand the audience that
you are pitching to. For this unit you could look at images of
the city (postcard task or tourism department of the council).
It is important to always make sure that the product that you
are selling is visible and of the highest quality.

Photographing Nature Requires Attention

Whether youre photographing wildlife, plants or a wondrous sunset, be aware of your surroundings. Follow these
tips to capture the best opportunities for nature photos:
Be aware of all of your senses: your ear may hear something
that your eyes have missed.
Maintain perspective: when changing locations, check out
where you have just been so you know where to travel next
to get another amazing shot.
Pay attention to your surroundings: look up and down, as
well as side to side.
Study your subjects habits: know how to anticipate an upcoming photo opportunity or when to flee.
Be careful of your angles. Look at the shadows at every
angle - this can help with the mood/texture and also add
depth. Slow film speed, large depth of field, slow shutter =
tripod essential or find a sturdy and straight wall. Look at
abstract, BOLD shapes that pop out. Use a mirror to reflect
light and also add a new perspective.
Look at unique settings to showcase the model and the
clothes etc. Dont confuse this with Glamour Photography.
From the early days to the present Fashion Photographers
were/are always the risk-takers and experiment constantly
with light, subject and colour.
Use colours/non and patterns to create an images. Let the
viewer be intrigued as to the subject.
Use your imagination

Human Form

Photographer Greg Gorman

specialises in Human form.
I dissected each persons face
individually with different techniques, such as lighting, camera
angle, the focal range of various
lenses. You can always hang a
light over someones head and get
an image that looks like the person.
To me, the more interesting images
are ones that leave something to
the imagination.

Get in close and look at obscure angels. Use a macro setting

to photograph the texture of the skin and highlight skin
tones. Play with shadows on the skin.

Self Initiated

Open

Open

Dont use flash!

Flickr Group

HTTP://WWW.FLICKR.COM/GROUPS/PHOT/

Instagram
We are setting you a challenge to gain 100+ followers on Instagram and 100+ likes.
A prize will be given at the end of the year for the student with the most followers and student with the most
likes. You can download Instagram for iPhone and Android at instagram.com/

Take photographs throughout the year and follow people with similar interests, those that you find inspiring and
friends. Challenge yourself with this and make sure to use hashtags to gain followers and likes. Instagram lets you
add locations and link with other social media including posting to your tumblr blogs.
Links:
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/feb/06/urban-instagram-photographers-you-should-follow
http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/10-tricks-to-make-yourself-an-instagram-master-1601722027
http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/instagram-tips-and-tricks/

Journal Keeping
You have to keep a blog to document all
work on this module.
For blogs use Tumblr HTTP://WWW.TUMBLR.COM
or wordpress, blogspot - numerous other
ones - find one that works for you.

HAVE TO SEE ALL YOUR PROCESSES - DOCUMENT AS

MUCH AS YOU CAN

HTTP://PIKCHURSUNIT.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK/

Examples - show processes

Examples

MUST EVALUATE YOUR WORK AT THE END. THIS COULD BE VIDEOS

Examples - blogs

http://sd-digialphotography.tumblr.com/

BLOG EXAMPLES

Examples - blogs

http://jack-daly.tumblr.com/

HTTP://JACK-DALY.TUMBLR.COM/

Student Work

FASHION

Student Work

LANDSCAPE

HTTP://LUKEOBRIEN.CO.UK/WORK/LUKE-OBRIEN-PHOTOGRAPHY.HTML
HIGH QUALITY PRESENTATION OF YOUR WORK IS VITAL

Final Showcase examples

BLOG EXAMPLES

Blog Examples - in handbook

http://jadebrightphotography.tumblr.com/
http://mateusp55.tumblr.com/
http://charlotteskinnerphotography.tumblr.com/
http://fionhot.tumblr.com/
http://charlesoconnorphotography.tumblr.com/
http://darnell-temenu.tumblr.com/
http://klyum.tumblr.com/
http://christosmavros.tumblr.com/
http://peterbradleyphotos.tumblr.com/
http://kexinphotography.tumblr.com/
http://jonathanwhitneysblog.tumblr.com/
http://jsdigitalphoto.tumblr.com/

Think before you shoot - no snaps

Unique images
Need to push yourselves to deliver the work to
tight deadlines and high quality
More in your next scheduled session on basic info
for this module and more about the assignments.

Constantly look . . . .
ROBIN RHODE

RESEARCH CONSTANTLY - LOOK AT STYLES / PROCESSES AND

EDITING TECHNIQUES

Books

PHOTO IDEA INDEX

Explore New Ways to Capture and Create
Exceptional Images with Digital Cameras and
Software
By Jim Krause
Edition: illustrated
Published by HOW Books, 2005
ISBN 158180766X, 9781581807660

GOOGLE BOOK SEARCH HAS A LOT OF CHAPTERS

HTTP://BOOKS.GOOGLE.COM/BOOKS?
ID=2VTO4HP9JDUC&PRINTSEC=FRONTCOVER&DQ=PHOTO+IDEA+INDEX

Books - AVA

HTTP://WWW.AVABOOKS.CH/
EXCELLENT QUALITY
AND SIMPLE TO
FOLLOW

Assignments
There are 4 in total. 2 will be set today. 2 in January
2016.
Assignment 1 - Portrait
Assignment 2 - Interview and Photograph a
Photographer.
DATE HAND-IN Jan 18th by 3pm
SET in January
Assignment 3 - Write your own
Assignment 4 - Promoting and Presenting your work
as a photographer.
DATE HAND-IN April 22nd 2016.

Assignment

Assignment
Portraiture

PORTRAIT

WORKSHEET

BRIEF

Take a series of portraits of yourself and 1 other person Maximum of 3 final photographs.
Please fill in this worksheet and gain feedback to progress. Make sure that you add as much information on your
assignment as possible.
QUESTION

DETAILS
Name of subject
What type of portrait are you taking?
Close-up, environmental, editorial, candid,
abstract.

ASSIGNMENT:
Take Portraits of yourself and 1 other person Max of 3 final photographs.
RESEARCH
Make sure to research portrait photographers
for examples of work and techniques - for
example Rankin, Robert Mapplethorpe,
AnnieLeibovitz, Herb Ritts, Perou. Make sure
to credit your sources and link back to their
websites or add url to your sketchbooks.
RESOURCES
http://www.day19.com/v6/- superb site
http://www.herbritts.com
http://photo.net/gallery/ do a search on
portraits
THINK OF: Framing, light, get close, view
point, angles, shadows, perspective.

NOTE
look at abstract angles and placement of
subject / location. Look at reflections,
behind glass, using mirrors etc

What equipment/techniques will you be using

to capture your subject

GET IN CLOSE TO YOUR SUBJECT

TIMESCALE - Hand-in 18th Jan 2016 by 3pm.
CT Admin Office
Tutorials will cover examples, lighting and
research.
Please use the worksheet for this.

Note : These Assignments are designed to help you during this module.
They will help you gain confidence and start to build up a library of images to work with for your final hand-in.

What post-production will you be applying to

your images if any?

When organizing your shoot, what variables

will you need to take into consideration?

List photographers that have informed and

inspired your work here (please include urls)

Assignment

WORKSHEET

Interview & Photograph a Photographer

BRIEF

As individuals interview and photograph a photographer about their work.

Please fill in this worksheet and gain feedback to progress. Make sure that you add as much
information on your assignment as possible.
DETAILS
Name and location of Photographer you will be
interviewing and photographing

Website of Photographer
Brief overview of their work - what is the style,
genre of work?

Interview & Photograph a Photographer

As individuals interview and photograph a
photographerabout their work. You can do this in
Portsmouth or in your home town. Make sure you
startyour planning early in the module and DO
your research. You will need to physically meet the
photographer.
Please do not leave this until last minute. At some
point we will be checking up on your progress.
You can present the outcomes however your want
- blog, printed etc. You can also present a video as
part of the process.
You are also allowed to use students on BA
Photography.
You will need to ask them questions about
theirwork, how they started, techniques,
equipment, subjectmatter, tips for starting out.
You could ask them if you couldhelp out or watch
them during a shoot?
Ideally have 5 -10 questions to ask them. You will
need to research them and their work. It would
look very unprofessional if you turned up without
doing this.
Plan your photoshoot with them - think of location.
Do they have a studio? or perhaps a special
location?

OUTCOME - Photo Essay Magazine stylespread/

feature -on blog, printed, video

Photographer contact details

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

TOOLS & SKILLS -

Camera, lenses, editing packages like
photoshop, gimp, lightroom, design editing -
indesign forlayout

1.

6.

RESEARCH to get you started

www.thisisthewhat.com/category/interview/
www.interviewsbycrashtaylor.com/interviews/
www.popfoto.net/
www.globalyodel.com/
photo.net/photographer-interviews/
www.andrewsgibson.com/blog/category/
interviews-photographers/
photographerswiththeircameras.tumblr.com/
behindphotographs.com/
www.camerabag.tv/index.php

2.

7.

3.

8.

4.

9.

5.

10

TIMESCALE - 18th Jan 2016 by 3pm CT

Admin Office.

Note : These Assignments are designed to help you during this module.
They will help you gain confidence and start to build up a library of photographs to work with for your final hand-in.

HTTP://WWW.ITSNICETHAT.COM/PUBLICATIONS/

ASSIGNMENT 3 & 4 STARTS IN

JANUARY 2016

WRITE YOUR OWN

ASSIGNMENT
THERE WILL BE GUIDELINES
AND FORMAT POSTED
SOON.

Assignment

Promoting & Presenting

your work as a photographer
All photographers advertise themselves and their services. It is vital that a photographers work is
seen in as many places as possible both online and offline. Even if they have a website they still
require offline advertising. Examples are - websites, business cards, flyers, photo-books, prints,
exhibitions, connecting with social media - e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Flickr
Research how photographers advertise themselves. Provide
examples on your blog or in your sketchbook. Learn from this
research and look at the various formats for advertising your
photography.
The hand-in for this assignment is 30 final photographs
presented in a professional way with a supporting blog or
sketchbook. You can use work already done
in other assignments.
Your starting point should be researching photographers and
other creatives for inspiration.
How do they market themselves?
How do they present their work?
Write a short biography about yourself & style of work
What can you learn from this?
What have you learnt from other assignments?
Look at the different formats available to you:
website, printed, video, exhibition.
What is your best plan of action?
How can you best display your work?
Make sure you choose categories as specified in
the handbook.

Resources:
http://blog.noplasticsleeves.com/category/
digital_portfolios/
http://www.jasontravisphoto.com/
http://www.day19.com/
http://www.simonhoegsberg.com/
http://theselby.com/
www.moo.com - business cards
http://www.flickr.com/groups/artofthebusinesscard/
http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/home
THINK OF:
Quality of photographs, Layout, colour, font, logo.
Typography is very important.
Look at the resources and be inspired = learn
BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR PRESENTATION OF
WORK.
Put your website url and contact details on the card/s.
As before put all ideas and processes in
your blogs/sketchbooks.
PLAN OUT YOUR CAMPAIGN CAREFULLY
Put your website address and contact details
on any printed work.
Websites MUST be LIVE!

TIMESCALE - Friday 24th April 2015

FORMAT - DELIVERY
Seminars with Gary Bown - technical side
Seminars - lighting, camera demos, software
workshop*, guest talks from photographers
Tutorials with Rob Luckins and Claire Sambrook assignments - looking at your work/progress,
photo walks, assignment help.
*Software help - CCI SKILLS - you should have
been informed that you need an intermediate
understanding of software skills to join this module
for help with this http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/cci/cciskills/creative/

BEFORE FIRST TUTORIAL SESSION ON 22ND OCTOBER

START A BLOG AND ADD YOUR FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS

JOIN MODULE BLOG http://dphot.tumblr.com/

JOIN FLICKR AND FLICKR GROUP HTTP://WWW.FLICKR.COM/GROUPS/PHOT/
GET AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT ON YOUR MOBILE.

Lastly . . .
This module requires you to take photographs throughout the year - on average
about 100 a week. The assignments are there to help you start to compile a body
of work. Carry your camera with you at all times. A little notebook is also good.
Try to think about a consistent style - research other photographers
Constantly seek feedback on your work
Plan ahead - photographs, locations, equipment, software, storage, blog,
sketchbook, tasks, save your work/back up!
Students that dedicate time and effort will be rewarded
Important to enjoy your exploration and journey with your camera.

HAND-IN Friday 22nd April 2016 by 3pm

Mini Portraits

Using your camera phones you have 10 mins to go

outside this room and take a photograph of:
1. Yourself
2. Someone that you DO NOT KNOW in the class. Also ask
them these questions:
Name, Course, What interests them about photography.
Think of composition, light, angle and edit however you
want - use filters. You can use apps you currently have on
your phone like instagram. All in black and white etc.
Upload to your blogs.