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Culture
and Identity Photo
Project -
Course Programme
Session 1 – Oct 15th
- Look at photographic images by a number of photographers, and discuss
how effects are achieved and how photography can be used to communicate.
- Discuss ideas around culture/identity, and identify a theme for practical
exercise at end of session.
- Introduction to the 35mm SLR Camera.
- Practical exercise – in pairs, go out to Clapham Common to take
photographs inspired by the discussions earlier in the session. (The theme chosen
was ‘Presence and Absence’, inspired by comments about not feeling
fully part of UK society and sometimes feeling as though one were invisible.)
Session 2 – Oct 22nd
The tutor will produce negatives from last week’s pictures.
- Look at the negatives from last week, discussing what worked and why
- Learn how to assess a negative
- Introduction to the Darkroom – learn how to make a contact sheet
and basic print
- Practical exercise – select a negative and produce a 10”x8” black
and white print.
October 29th – no class, half term
Session 3 – Nov 5th
- Look at examples of portraits, and exploring how they can be used to
reveal and conceal identity
- Further discussion of ideas and themes around identity and culture
- Learn how to use artificial lighting to produce effective studio portraits
- Practical exercise – taking portraits of self and others, using
medium-format camera and studio lighting, masks, and props. A series of photos
in pairs were produced from this session, in response to discussions about not
always feeling that one can be oneself in a new country. In one of the pair of
images, the subject wears a mask and holds an object of personal significance
to him/her; in the second of the pair, the mask is removed.
Session 4 – Nov 12th
The tutor will produce negatives from the portraits taken last week
- Print contact sheets of last week’s portrait pictures, and select
and print individual shots.
Session 5 – Nov 19th
- Mid-term assessment – group discussion on whether the course is
meeting expectations, alerting tutor and project manager to needs that have yet
to be met, ideas for improving the course, and changes that the participants
would like.
- Look at the prints made last week, and discuss how effective they are.
- Further discussion of ideas and themes around culture and identity, ways
to express ideas photographically, and ideas for future pictures
- Practical exercise – go out in the local area and taking photographs,
which build on the themes and ideas already explored. The idea of using masks
was explored further, and participants took photos of each other wearing the
masks in public places. This was inspired by discussions about how, as a refugee,
one can feel conspicuous even when trying to be exactly the opposite.
- At the end of the session, participants were given a disposable camera
each so they can take pictures showing their lives outside of the course.
Session 6 – Nov 26th
The tutor will produce negatives from the photos taken during last week’s
session.
- Look at the negatives from last week, together with all the images produced
so far, and discuss how well they work.
- Initial discussion of possible themes and ideas for exhibition at end
of course.
- Practical exercise – The Darkroom part 3. Print contact sheets
of last week’s pictures, and select and print individual shots.
The tutor will collect the disposable cameras at the end of the session so they
can be processed.
Session 7 – 3rd Dec
- Look at the images produced with the disposable cameras, and discuss
their effectiveness.
- Select work for exhibition.
- Darkroom session to make exhibition-quality prints of the selected images,
including those from the disposable cameras.
- Introduction to the ‘Moving Here’ website (by Kerry Rowe
from Moving Here project) Students will get the chance to see the site and learn
about its purpose, and decide whether they would like to have their photos included
on it.
Session 8 – 10th Dec
- Mounting the work for exhibition, and deciding how it will be presented.
- Write captions for the images to be presented on www.movinghere.org.uk
- Discussion of progression routes – further courses in photography
that students can go on to, related subjects for study (multimedia, Photoshop,
etc) and possible career paths for those interested in pursuing work in photography.
Week 9 (optional)
An optional extra session for those who would like to learn film processing.
October - December 2003
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