In Partnership with:
Explore creative and technical skills ranging from studio work to experimental imagery
Explore creative and technical skills ranging from studio work to experimental imagery
Explore creative and technical skills ranging from studio work to experimental imagery
A Level Photography requires you to achieve at least the minimum entry requirements for your chosen pathway. The minimum entry requirements will be discussed at open events and at your college interview.
Photography at Wyke is a great A Level choice if you have a keen interest in photography and lens based media. A wide range of facilities exist that will allow an in depth exploration of processes and techniques. The course requires dedication and a commitment to work independently. Ownership of a digital SLR camera is beneficial but not essential.
Photography is often studied alongside courses such as Media studies and Graphic design, but can also serve as a complementary study route, offering an element of variety to an intense academic programme. An interest in photography is absolutely essential and prior creative study is considered an advantage.
Wyke Photography department has a well-equipped purposed built studio with Bowen’s flash equipment and a computer suite that uses the latest digital software. A darkroom and film processing facilities also exist and the combination of traditional and digital techniques is viewed as central to the course. The course is delivered as three distinct units of study, which test the skills of observation, media handling, ideas development, contextual research and visual realisation. Quality of written expression is especially important in the second year of study.
A first body of coursework is internally set and marked and is concerned with the building of photographic skills and the construction of a portfolio of studio and location based images that shows a wide variety of techniques, methods, outcomes and subject matter. Darkroom photography is still explored and is integrated with the use of digital imaging platforms.
A personal investigation is undertaken in the first period of second year study; the theme for this work is agreed via negotiation between the individual student and the course team.
This component of the course also requires the undertaking of an illustrated essay related in theme to the nature of the personal investigation.
An externally set exam paper is released in February offering a choice of themes for independently researched visual development and contextual work. The culmination of this body of work is a fifteen-hour exam undertaken in April in which a summative piece of visual work relating to the exam question is undertaken.
Throughout the course, you will be encouraged to produce practical and critical/contextual work in one or more areas including; portraiture, landscape photography, still-life photography, documentary photography, photo-journalism, experimental imagery, photographic installation, video, television and film. In the second year of study you will be encouraged to develop your own starting points with an emphasis on individual outcomes.
The best preparation for this course would be to establish the habit of carrying a camera whenever possible and using it daily to establish visual themes referring to the work of other photographers or artists for ideas and inspiration. Photography has many aspects and uses but visits to galleries especially those exhibiting photography as well as fine art would help form an understanding of the subject.
External link: wyke-photography.blogspot.com
Mark Power
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Don McCullin
Dorothea Lang
Faye Godwin
Bill Brandt
Wyke Sixth Form College hold train to teach information events which offer you a great insight into this course. If you are interested in attending one of these events, please complete this form and we will be in contact with the key information.
Please note that the applications for this course can be submitted by following the ‘Apply Now’ button on this page. Applications are made through the University of Huddersfield rather than Wyke Sixth Form College. We look forward to meeting with you.
The knowledge and skills gained through the study of this course can lead to further and higher level courses concerned with Fine Art or commercial based media. The study of photography may lead to a career in freelance, commercial, industrial, fine art or landscape photography or could be invaluable to a career in graphic design, journalism, film, media and digital applications.
At Wyke Start, our 2-day taster event in July, each of your subjects will set you some work to complete to help prepare you for the course. The work is available to download on https://www.wyke.ac.uk/wyke-start-summer-work
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Extra support is offered throughout the course with lunchtime and twilight sessions regularly available, a high level of pastoral care assists you through the both course and wider college activity. External visits to galleries and exhibitions are organised to support coursework development and exam preparation. Individual tutorials are incorporated into the structure of the course with extra one to one tuition available on request.
