Fine Art Photography Summer School. I. Introduction and rationale This short five week course is aimed at a wide variety of students, some of whom may already be studying at HE level, wishing to develop their research and creative skills further and enhance their understanding of Fine Art Photography and printmaking within the wider context of contemporary fine art. The course introduces students to a basic of core research and creative process skills laid out in a series of short written projects which include practical skill-based exercises, supported by inductions, seminars, presentations and workshops. Students will be set a series of short projects, one building upon the other, with practical explorations in both the analogue and the digital media of photographic processes. These explorations will include an introduction to the analogue black and white photographic process and to the contemporary digital photographic medium in colour. These two primary and entirely different physical processes will each be explored through the student’s individual project interests. This five week course will comprise of two practical components and a critical of study: The first two weeks will focus around the study and practice of black and white analogue photography. The next two weeks will consist of an introduction to the digital medium and it’s application in Fine Art Photography, with an emphasis in working exclusively in colour. The final week will consist of portfolio preparation with an introduction to critical viewing of the work produced. The course will conclude with a final group critique to help identify and develop the students’ independent critical interests in Fine Art Photographic practice. The course is designed for students to make the most of their time studying in Glasgow and to find out more about what the City has to offer by way of galleries and areas of historical and cultural interest that serve as an important resource for artists. Gallery visits form part of the course, as does a study trip to the west highlands. Students will be allocated a studio space for the duration of the course and will be supported by tutorial contact and critical reviews throughout before assessment in the fifth week. Students who have successfully completed the course may wish to add the credits gained towards a course they are already undertaking, or consider applying to join the BA (Hons) Fine Art Programme at The Glasgow School of Art subject to attaining the standards outlined in normal application process.
II. Course Syllabus – 5 Week Fine Art Photography GSA Summer School Week 1 and 2 – Black and White Analogue Photography The first two weeks will revolve around the black and white analogue medium of photography as a Fine Art form. Students will be introduced to the course and to the projects and will be inducted in the GSA Fine Art Photography Department’s facilities. The students will learn how to use analogue 35mm cameras and the related analogue processes to develop their films and make photographic prints in the darkrooms. This work will be complemented by critical tutorials and lectures regarding the issues in contemporary Fine Art practice, as it relates to photography. Special attention will be paid to both allow the time and support the independent making of new work, both in the field / studio and in the darkroom. This work will form the first part of the portfolio preparation, which will culminate in the final week of the course and will include a group critique of work-in-progress at the end. Week 3 and 4 – Digital Colour Photography Weeks 3 and 4 will provide an introduction to the digital medium. Both digital cameras and scanners will be introduced and made available to the students to make work with. Inductions into the scanning and the digital printing processes will occur and regular technical supervision will be provided throughout in the Digital Darkroom during these two weeks. Again, special attention will be paid to both allow the time and support the independent making of new work, both in the field / studio and in the digital darkroom. The students will be encouraged to use their own digital cameras to their full potential and make work that considers both colour and the digital medium for the second part of the course. As with the first part of the course, a group critique will occur at the end of week 4.
Week 5 – Portfolio preparation, final critique and exhibition The final week will begin with an introduction to portfolio preparation, focussing on the selection and editing of the photographs made to a coherent body of personal work for each student involved on the course. Each student is encouraged to both make and select the work through critical feedback occurring through one-to-one tutorials, lectures, seminars and their own independent learning. The culminating work of each student will be presented for the final group critique at the end of week 5. From this work, each student will select up to 3 pictures for inclusion in the final exhibition, which will occur on the last day of this week and mark the end of the course.
Credit Rated Fine Art Photography Summer School Course title Fine Art Photography Summer School SCQF Level 7 Credit Rating 20 credits Students This course is aimed at a wide variety of students, some of whom may already be studying at HE level and have experience of studying art, wishing to develop their research and creative skills in painting and printmaking. It is envisaged that the majority of students will be international students. Pre-requisite None Co-requisite None Rationale This course introduces students taking undergraduate programmes in a variety of higher education institutions to a range of core research and creative process skills. Central to the course is the development of research and conceptual skills in photography as a fine art specialist practice. Aims This course aims to: Introduce students to the key practiced based and research and development skills related to photography as a Fine Art practice. Introduce students to generic conceptual and practical skills. Develop visual literacy, perceptual and cognitive skills. Introduce methods of researching, developing, resolving and presenting creative responses to a project description.
Learning Outcomes By the end of the course students should: Have developed their use of primary and secondary sources in the practical applications of photography as a Fine Art practice Have learnt to use practical and conceptual skills and processes in respond to project requirements and set activities. Have developed their ability to manage time and physical resources in relation to project requirements and set activities. Have developed and expanded practical skills specific to photography as a Fine Art form. Duration (with indicative student effort hours) The course will be delivered over five weeks in the summer. The course will comprise 200 learning hours, of which of which a minimum of 30 hours will be direct contact time. Indicative Content Learning and teaching The course will be delivered through a series of project introductions, lectures, critical reviews, field trips and tutorials drawing from a range of expertise across the School of Fine Art and, where appropriate, visiting lecturers. Assessment Methods Attendance at lectures, seminars, field trips and group discussions will be mandatory. In addition to this students will be required to Present the results of their primary research to their peers and tutors in tutorials and group critiques. Present a portfolio of visual work for individual review and exhibition during the final week of the course. Assessment Criteria Students on this course will be assessed on their ability to: Demonstrate their understanding of the significance of primary research to their studio practice Demonstrate an ability to apply research skills to studio practice
Fine Art Photography Summer Course – 5 Weeks Monday to Friday 9.30 Tuesday Wednesday a.m.- 17.00 p.m. Monday 09.30 a.m. 09.30 a.m. Week 1 Introduction to the course Film Development Black and White workshop and the projects Analogue 2.00 p.m. 11.30 a.m. Photography making photographs Lecture – Fine Art
Week 2 Black and White Analogue Photography
Week 3 Colour Digital Photography
Thursday
Friday
09.30 a.m. making photographs independently (with technical supervision) 2.00 p.m. Film Development (with technical supervision)
09.30 a.m. Black and White Print Workshop 2.00 p.m. making photographic prints independently (with technical supervision)
09.30 a.m. Black and White Print Workshop 2.00 p.m. Lecture – Contemporary Fine Art Black and White Photography
9.30 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. making photographic prints independently (with technical supervision) 2.00 p.m. – 5 p.m. CRITIQUE 1 09.30 a.m. making digital photographic prints independently (with technical supervision) 2.00 p.m. Seminar – Contemporary Fine Art Photography Practice
Photography Today 2.00 p.m. Camera workshop 5.00 p.m. Welcome event 9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. One-to one critical tutorials
independently (with technical supervision)
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. making photographs independently (with technical supervision)
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Staff-led excursion making photographs independently (with technical supervision)
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. making photographic prints independently (with technical supervision)
09.30 a.m. Introduction to digital cameras 11.30 a.m. Introduction to digital scanning 2.00 p.m. Camera workshop and Scanner workshop
09.30 a.m. making digital photographs independently (with technical supervision) 2.00 p.m. Lecture – The Digital Medium
09.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. making digital photographs independently (with technical supervision)
09.30 a.m. Digital Print Workshop (colour) 2.00 p.m. making digital photographic prints independently (with technical supervision)
Week 4 Colour Digital Photography
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. One-to one critical tutorials
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. making digital photographs independently (with technical supervision)
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Staff-led excursion making digital photographs independently (with technical supervision)
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. making digital photographic prints independently (with technical supervision)
Week 5 Portfolio Preparation Colncluding work in progress
09.30 a.m. Introduction to portfolio preparation 11.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Independent portfolio preparation + critical tutorials
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Independent portfolio preparation + critical tutorials
9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Independent portfolio preparation + critical tutorials
9.30 a.m. CRITIQUE 3 3.00 p.m. Installation of selected final work
9.30 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. making digital photographic prints independently (with technical supervision) 2.00 p.m. – 5 p.m. CRITIQUE 2 9.30 p.m. Installation of selected final work 2.00 p.m. Exhibition Opening (Richmond Building)
