Stage 1 - Research - when, why and how.

 You're aiming to produce work that address this criteria...

Stage 1 of our creative process is the activity - Research. 

You therefore need to write about research.

Use the instructions from the session and the prompts below if you need them. Aim to write about 2 columns as a minimum with a column of images.

• When do you have to do it?
• How quickly should you do it and why?
• What do you use to do it?
• What type of resources are you directed to use?
• What are the component parts of your research that you're supposed to identify in your work?
• What does your artist research look like?
• What is primary research?
• What is secondary research?
• What is empirical research?
• Why is Youtube a good resource?
• Why are auction websites a good resource? 
• What are the best ways to research?
• Why are journals so good for researching?
• Where is the nearest Library?
  
• What is the LRC and what's in there for your research?
• How and why do we use the keyboard commands CTRL + F when researching text. 

Use these prompts above as headings aim to write between 2 and 3 columns answering the questions, use screen grabs of resources and Photograph things associated with research practice. 

There is a lot of information about research on my blogs - see the links below and use these to answer most of these questions.

http://btecy01.blogspot.com/2017/09/blended-learning-task-no15.html

Using and searching for interviews 

Using websites for research.

Generally you have to search using the photographers name, that's the best way of doing web based research. The issue is how to do find the relevant photographers in the first instance? The best method by far I find is to start with Journals. The British Journal of Photography show cases the best of contemporary photography and historical photography. I flick through that each time it's published is almost essential when you're studying and if you can get your hands on back-issues -even better! That'll introduce you to a multitude of new photographers working right now! Once you have the names, you can then search wider using their homepage or resources on the web. The chances are, doing that you'll then find the websites that you'll then see are useful for photographic research at this level. 

Some of the better websites include the following...

https://americansuburbx.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/profile/seanohagan

http://www.500photographers.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/oct/31/original-observer-photography

https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/2395

https://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/photography/

https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern/display/ed-ruscha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M9t2fm__K0                if used properly 

https://vimeo.com/13886050                                                   if used properly.

FAQ's_______________________________

"What do you mean by 'component' parts of the research'"?

That refers to the stuff that you generally have to do when you're researching - (1) Work that meets the criteria, you're asked in the assignment to research specific things, sometimes its MTP's other times it the reasons why the photographers make their work. (2) Images (3) Initial response (4) Quotes (5) A bibliography.

These are generally required when you put your research together. 

"What constitutes primary research"?

Primary research in our case generally means (1) Going to galleries or exhibitions and seeing the work In situ - so that you're able to see the size, scale, materials and the way it's framed, hung, mounted etc, which are all really important, even where the work is in the gallery in relation to window/lights etc. I've been to galleries just to see, how work is mounted, the type of frames, the colours of the mount boards and really fine and precise details that you're never going to see or read about readily on the internet. (2). Meeting the artist and either being able to ask questions or observe their work processes, watch them making their art or in the case of photography assisting the photographer. (3). Emails. some of the photographers you research are quite happy to answer your questions if you email them and that's always worth trying as you get really useful answers if you ask the right questions. (4) Empirical research is primary research - research by doing. So going out with your camera and taking pictures or testing your theory about how something might work is a form of primary research. 

Stage 2 - Reflecting on and making sense of your research.

 Stage 2 of our creative process is to reflect on the research making sense of it, explaining and analysing why and how it's been useful.

For this task you need to allocate at least a column to explain how the Gibbs reflective cycle is used, explain that this has to be done after your research and prior to starting the practical work. 

There are a number of links in my blogs that explain how you use the Gibbs reflection, use the explanations to create your own. (Do not copy re-word in your own writing style). 

It's important to emphasise that the final stage 'Plan' becomes the plan for your first practical activity. The plans are also described as being your 'Intentions' and that it's useful to head this section of your work "Action plan/Intention".  

Click here for an explanation of how to use Gibbs reflections in your work

FAQ's_________________________________

I'm confused about the analysis part of the Gibbs what do I write about this?

So, the Gibbs Reflective part happens after an activity, in some cases the activity is research, but most of the time the activity is practical work... A photo-shoot, a session in the darkroom or a session working with Photoshop and so on.

The part that students struggle with is the analysis section, not knowing what to write. 

In the case of writing a 'Gibbs' after research you basically have to write about what you have learned from doing the research. Why has it been useful to you? What parts of the research are you going to carry forwards and use in your own work? What did you learn that is going to be useful to you, not only now, but also in the longer term? 

Important - also explain where you would be if you hadn't done the research? This is a what if scenario... "What if I hadn't done the research" If you explain the impact of not doing the research the work suddenly goes from being descriptive... I did this and I did that to being analytical - this means you look at the worth of the research in more depth showing that you understand how important the research was. 

Generally, if you question what you do, and it worthiness - asking what if I hadn't done it. Or why does that work so well. It generally means you end up writing a whole lot more on top of a description. Students hate it, but it's the difference between passes and higher grades.

https://www.bradfordvts.co.uk/teaching-learning/reflection/

Stage 3 - Plan/Intention

 Stage 3 of the process is the plan or intention 

For this part of the work explain where and when you have to write plans within your work and list some of the things that you should include in your plans...

Do not copy this list write your own version up and try and add to it. Write it up as continuous prose rather than a bullet pointed list

Typically the things that you should detail in your plan...

• When you plan to shoot.
• Where you're shooting the pictures.
• What camera you'll be using.
• Check the battery or batteries
• Clear your SD card and file the images correctly when you do so
• Check your file type and size is appropriate
• What media your using.
• What focal length you'll be using.
• Whether you'll experiment with different focal lengths or change lenses.
• What kind of lighting you'll be using - soft,harsh, diffuse, point etc.
• If your copying someone's lighting techniques say who's.
• Who your model will be.
• Whether you're using tripods, reflectors, or any other equipment.
• Who your assistant will be.
• Any H&S issues
• What your Intention is, what you're trying to achieve or learn. 
• What you're testing out.
• Transport details
• Rooms/studios booked
• Technician support
• Contingency (Back up) plan in the event of any changes - models/light/weather
• When you intent to have films processed by and the work in your design sheet. 

Note - It's especially important that self-directed shoots and final shoots are the ones with the most detail, make sure these can be described as being comprehensive or detailed as these are often the descriptions used in the Criteria in order to attain merits and distinctions. 

When you write this up in your design sheets use the heading (in bold) "Plan/Intention".

Note the "Plan/Intention". is the same thing as the Action Plan at the end of the Gibbs reflection in Stage 2 but, it is so important that I've drawn your attention to it twice. These plans need to be thorough and fairly detailed explaining what you intend to do in the next practical activity. 

See this link here below with regards the details of writing up your plans and intentions...

Guidance on writing Plans and Intentions

*NOTE Make sure you write up your plans in the present tense, do not write them up using retrospective (Past tense) language, otherwise they're not plans. If you're forced to write your plans up after the event, focus on using the correct language, ensuring it reads as though the plan was written before you executed the work. Top tip - Write them up before you do the work!

Plans sometimes don't go to plan, if they don't - just explain/analyse why in your reflective work. 

Stage 4 - 'Do' Your practical work

 Stage (4). Do. Now you execute your plan/intention - you engage with a practical activity - take photo's, work in the darkroom, or work on some post production work using Photoshop. As you produce this work you write it up in your design sheets and then you...

Stage 4 is you producing the work in response to the research, in accordance to your plan. 

For this section you need to describe and explain the kind of things that happen at the doing stage. 

1. What does the doing stage look like (Use some of your previous examples screen grabs of your design sheets)?
2. What's involved?
3. Where does this work appear (E.g. throughout the work after after the research?
4. What's the guidance regarding the balance between use of images and written work.
5. What's the most difficult aspects of the doing or getting the practical work evidenced?
6. What types of things are typically seen in the practical work - what are you guided to include?
7. How important is it to read the criteria in conjunction with the practical work?
8. Is there a limit on what you can do?
9. What sorts of activities are involved at the practical stage?
10. How long does it take to get the work into the design sheets?
11. What problems do you encounter?
12. What resources do you require to get the work completed? 
13. What do you produce at the end of the practical stage of the work?
14. What do you do with the end product of the practical work?

NEW - Use images to from your Unit 04 work to show what your work looks like when you've done the practical work previously. Use a screen grab from Unit 4. 

Similarly mention the fact that a key part of the practical work is producing final images and images for your portfolio - again use a screen grab to show what they're like typically. 

Write up any other activities or aspects involved in the doing stage that you can think of. Use image from your previous shoots, examples of equipment used at the doing stage - wide shots or the results or parts of your work produced during the doing stage. 

Stage 5 - Reflect (Post practical)

Stage (5). Reflect. 

Stage 5, follows your first practical activity and all further practical activities.

You'll use the same reflective method (The Gibbs Reflective Model) used to reflect on your research. You'll use the same 5 or 6 prompts...

What Happened - How do I feel it went - What was good/bad - Analysis - followed by a plan.

Most of the prompts above, only need to be short responses. The analysis section is the most important as it offers the opportunity to explain and Analyse your work. The plan that follows the analysis needs to be detailed too.

It's important that once you've uploaded your work into your design sheet it's analysed or at least explained in terms of...

1. What have I learned (Photography -wise)?

2. Is the work meeting the brief and or the criteria?

3. What could I have done differently that would have resulted in a better outcome?

4. Evaluate the extent to which the stages interrelate with each other and how important/useful this is. *Use the word interrelate in your explanation.

These four sub-prompts used in the analysis section are advised as the minimum.

The final section of the reflection is the Plan AKA "Action plan" or "Planned intentions".

Finally Explain

After you've done your first shoot you then do a series of additional shoots where you try and improve the work over several stages until you run out of time. Each of these shoots needs to be preceded by a plan and so you go through a process of repeating stages 3, 4 and 5. So, for the duration of  the brief you then...

Plan - Do - Reflect usually several more times until you reach the final stage 6.

That's it, that is your way of working from now on.

1. Research first
2. Reflect on research.
3. Plan 1st practical work
4. Do - produce your first piece of practical 
5. Reflect on your practical work
6. Plan next practical work
7. Do - 
8. Reflect 

Repeat stages 3, 4 and 5 again an again till the end and then write a final evaluation. 

Read this 

If you use this creative process correctly your main body of practical work should have far less written material among the images. You should aim to produce short and concise annotations with your photographs, contact sheets, floor plans and diagram. The larger written components in the practical work should be The plan/Intention (highlighted blue) and the Gibbs reflection. (highlighted pink). 

Stage 6 - The final Evaluation

There is no generic approach to the final evaluations.

It's really important to read the criteria in each brief to ensure you know what is required for that specific brief. No two briefs have the same requirements and this in the main thing you need to understand and be aware of as you go forwards with your assignments.

They're important 

There's a tendency for student to produce excellent practical work and then let themselves down with the evaluation - leaving it till the last minute. You should always try and complete the practical work including printing out your final images for your portfolio a day before the deadline, leaving at least a day to work on the final evaluation. 

Keep in mind that grade-wise, the evaluation is worth up to a 3rd of the grade and if you produce distinction level research and practical work and pass level evaluation - the work is graded based on the lowest scoring part of the work e.g. a pass overall because the evaluation was weak.

Follow the guidance you're given, work hard on it and take it as seriously as you have the rest of your work. There's no word count or page count - but you have to respond to the evaluation criteria.

Top Tip Use the wording in the criteria in your evaluation. If the criteria wording suits it, use the wording as the headings for your response. That's normally a really effective way of working in a concise and to the point way.

Click here for Stage 7 (Putting together the actual Decay project) 

The final evaluation for real._______________________________________________________

Start the evaluation with explanation of what you've learned and gained from this unit, primarily discussing it in terms of what you've learned with regards the Creative process. Then apply the stage below...

If you look through the criteria you'll see that in the Merit criteria a number of phrases/sentences that include the words analyse and evaluate. These phrases/sentences are copied in a modified form below to use as the headings for your evaluation.

(1). How the stages and activities in the creative process were used to develop and refine ideas to realise creative intentions.

​(2). How the stages can interrelate to develop and refine ideas and develop skills and own working practice.

​(3). How the stages and activities within the creative process helped develop ideas and produce outcomes

​(4). To what extent do the stages and activities within the creative process help improve future art and design practice.

Write your responses to these prompts underneath each one. With each prompt ask the question what if and discuss the outcome if you hadn't applied the creative process or some of the components (Stages) of it. How would that have affected the work? 

Finally make an overall judgement on the use of the creative process or any of the components of it, has it added value to what you do, do you think that you're work process will be more efficient in the future and do you think it will make a difference to your grades - how, why?

Stage 6:1 (Practice run - putting the process into action).

 So, at this stage, you'll be given an in-class activity to do on the theme of Decay, where you'll be walked through the production of a project implementing the The Creative Process in full.

This short project we'll try and get through and complete in 2 days if not faster, so you need to move quickly through it. 

(1). Research___________________________________________________________

• Research the work of Chris Jordan Midway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBfNyq44hWM watch the video. 
• Screen grab images that illustrate the light used and comment on the light.
• Screen grab images that show the use of the camera and the type of camera and other equipment used.
• See this video here re equipment and process.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M9t2fm__K0&t=184s
• 1 - 2 columns of images - 1/2 column of text. Add more images of the birds and the plastic so that you fill the full page - change the size of the text so that the page is full.

Time allocated - 45 mins

(2). Reflect on research (Gibbs)_____________________________________________

• Write up a quick Gibbs reflection - keep it simple and concise.
• In the Analysis section discuss why it was of value - explain what aspect of the work you could adopt...
• Looking down on to the subject
• Consideration of the background
• Use of a tripod
• Type of light used
• The theme dead animals - human activities impact on nature
• Explain in your plan you're going to shot skulls & skeletons.

(3). Plan_________________________________________________________________

• Write up a plan explaining In the next few days...

• Theme/Subject
• Where
• What camera
• What background
• Who your assistant is 
• What media you're using
• Whether you'll use a tripod
• What light
• What camera settings 
• How quickly you'll get it in your design sheets
• Floor plan of the lighting you might use

(4). Practical - Doing it______________________________________________________

• You'll be supplied with a range of potential backgrounds and props - skulls and skeletons and you need to photograph these on different backdrops - shooting from different angles including from above a la' Chris Jordan. 
• Use reflectors and shoot in diffuse light, but if there's an opportunity to shoot in point light do so too.
• Make sure your camera settings are appropriate 200 iso or thereabouts - large files, high quality.
• Shoot at least 2 different objects.
• Get someone to do a wide shot of you taking the pictures - showing the 'Set' e.g. how you're lighting and going about your process. 
• Same day - in the same session get these off your camera into the design sheet.
• Make a contact sheet - have this following the plan + your wide shot
• Tweak the better ones in Photoshop if needed (Sharpening - Auto Contrast/colour) 
• Aim to fill 2 pages with this work.
• Choose the best 1 or 2 shots and Produce 'Final style' full page single images.

(5). Reflect on Practical work_________________________________________________

• Keep the reflection short
• In the analysis explain what value there was in producing the images and then explain the value of going through this process under guidance. Add the what if component. For example -if you've not gone though this quick How to process producing this practice run would you have known how to go about it and how quickly it is to turn photo-shoots around and get them into your design sheets? 
• In the action plan section look at the images you've done and make a plan to now do post-production work using some form of creative approach to make some of your better images look more decayed.

Repeat Plan - Do - Reflect_______________________________________________________

• Plan - 
• Identify the process/s you'll try
• When 
• Where
• What resources
• Do - 
• Make the work - photograph the stages and process (wide shots of MTP's and equipment used).
• Import all the images into your design sheets and annotate if necessary
• Screen grabs of any Photoshop work (If new technique) with brief explanations
• Produce these developed ideas as full page 'Final style' images.

(6). Final Evaluation _________________________________________________________

Write a final evaluation that discusses these points from the Units Criteria. Discuss the work in terms of what value there was to undertaking this Practice task. Use the text below as headings for each of the sections. 

• (1). How the stages and activities in the creative process were used to develop and refine ideas to realise creative intentions.

  ​(2). How the stages can interrelate to develop and refine ideas and develop skills and own working practice.

  ​(3). How the stages and activities within the creative process helped develop ideas and produce outcomes

  ​(4). To what extent do the stages and activities within the creative process help improve future art and design practice.

Stage 7 - Research your Decay Project

Now it's down to you... You research a theme/idea and produce a project putting The Process into action.

Your first page will be a research page with an introduction. The introduction is simply an over-view of the assignment with the main objectives. It's also advisable to include the learning aims which are found on the front of your assignment. 

Find random Decay images from the internet and upload them to your design sheet. Try and keep each of the sections to full pages - so, with this part fill 2 pages. Allow space for the reflection at the end.

If you've been doing 'Empirical research' add a few of your own images - but make sure these are in a column of their own and you annotate that section to identify them as your work.

Although I've not done it on this example - make sure you indicate that these images are not your own and that they're researched images off of the internet used to just generate some ideas. Save links and have at the end of this part of the work.

At the start of the project also make a decision as to whether you want to use a 3 column template or a 4 column version. 

Click here for Stage 8

Stage 8 - Artist/Photographer research

Artist/Photographer research

This example here (Above) shows 1 x A3 pages. It features 3 Photographers with a column allocated to each Photographer. Half the column is taken up with images and the remainder of the column features the written explanation/analysis of the decay aspects of the photographers work and the Bibliography. *Note you can compile your bibliography on one page if you wish and this will need to produced as the final page of your work after the final evaluation. The column on the right is the Gibbs reflection.

.

Those of you that don't enjoy the research aspect of the work could target 2 really significant photographers who I'll normally list in the assignment or guide you to look at. 

You'll just have to ensure you target your commentary/description of the work, so that you identify and discuss the decay aspects and how the MTP's reinforce the decay narrative in the images. 

Similarly the 3rd column is the Gibbs reflection, reflecting on your research prior to planning your first shoot.

Again this approach isn't compulsory and if you want to use more images or write more, by all means do so. What I will suggest is that you write it and compile it so that it is contained in complete pages that are designated research only. Try not to let the research work continue into pages where the work is practical. You can do this by adding or deleting images or reducing or increasing the size of your text. 

This link here is for Stage 9

Stage 9 - Your first shoot

 So now you're in to the fun bit...

From here onward you start to shoot images. One of the key things in these assignments is that you show development. Development is basically improvement and it can be either...

•  The idea improving and becoming more coherent.
• Your practice improving - getting better at all the Photography elements.

Each practical activity needs to be better in some way than the previous.

Task 1________________________________________________________________

• Write your plan (Blue section below) 
• With your DSLR (Ideally) as it means you're actually learning at this stage how to use the camera, go out and photograph a bunch of ideas for decay, just shoot all sorts. *You could use your previously shot images at this stage, but the main objective is to look at a range of potential ideas.
• Get the images into your design sheet and then reflect on it (Yellow section below) 

The work will generally look like this... 

When you shoot your images, always shoot lots and try different ways of doing it, from above, from the side, close up, with different lenses/focal lengths. Shoot more than you need, as this gives you options and allows you to make decisions about whether each shoot in your design sheet takes up 1, 2 or more pages. (There's not an upper limit). Typically, 2 or 3 pages is fine.

The section that is High-lighted Blue is your plan and the part at the end that is highlighted yellow is the Gibbs Reflection. This same approach should be applied to work done in the dark-room and when you work with Photoshop in conjunction with a project. Here you can see the plan - do - reflect in action.

Each subsequent shoot or activity you do that follows this will be laid out the same - plan at the start, images of your work and activities followed by a reflection. In this example, there's no annotations with the images, but if you want to add annotations you can do, but I would keep them short, generally the commentary and analysis is in the Gibbs reflection. *Note the Gibbs reflection can be longer than this example. 

Below is another way of doing the same thing, but using 4 columns...

This 4 column approach is far more image heavy and looks very busy and if you feel it might work for you there's no reason that you can't adopt it. See the link in the side bar or simply ask me for a copy of the template. There's no reason you can't mix and match using the 4 column design sheets for some of the work and the 3 column for others. The only thing I would advise is that you start a new design sheet each time and bring all the work together at the end at the PDF stage. I wouldn't advise adding a 3 column to a 4 column in the same file. 

Unit 03 Important notice re 'Development'

With Unit 03 this first shoot needs to be a whole range of different subjects, showing that you've explored and visually researched the theme decay in a general way. What you should then do is look at what you've shot and make a decision with regards what you'll now focus on and develop further.

Keep in mind that you'll probably have to go back to your subject several times to develop and improve the images, so, if some of your initial images involved having to go miles to shoot them, you might want to consider shelving those ideas if it's not going to be practical. 

Another thing you might do is work on two or more ideas if you can't make your mind up which one you like the best, so with this set of images seen above, I might look at rusty cans, leaves and drinks cans again in far more detail before deciding which one to go with. This creates a lot more work, which isn't a bad thing as you'll learn lots, but it's not necessarily the best thing to do. 

Stage 10 - Developing your work

You're now into the Plan - Do - Reflect stage.

By repeating this process, you'll improve and develop your idea and technique, the work will be seen to get better and improve. It's also essential to develop the work as this is one of the criteria you're assessed against.  There are a multitude of ways of doing this...

• You should continue to look at photography and videos associated with your theme (On-going research) and if you see something that you can realistically add or incorporate to your project and so improve it, do so, but identify it. This may be another set of images that inspire you. You can do this by adding a minimal reference to it in the planning stage - a single image with an explanation of what it is that you've been inspired by or copying in terms of MTP's or equipment. 

• Change your light, consider where the shadow falls and whether the contrast needs to be reduced on increased. 
• Use reflectors to reflect light back into the subject and fill-in the shadows to control the contrast.
• Change your view-point and field of view.
• Change the background - use something that works in terms of the colour or texture or somehow reinforces the narrative.
• Use a different camera and approach.
• Shoot in the studio
• Use a tripod

To be continued...

So, let's say that you've been decisive and you've made your mind up that you're going to go with the shiny aluminium drinks cans

The final Evaluation

Allow a good few hours to write up the final evaluation as it constitutes 1/4 of the whole grade.

 

Key words and phrases to use when you produce this work include...

Value: Explain and demonstrate that you understand the value of adopting the creative process that you've explored in this unit. How does it differ from how you may have put a project together previously? You could possibly mention your previous Unit 09 and Unit 04.

What if: Use the what if prompt to discuss (Write about) how you may have worked on a future project differently with the knowledge of adopting our creative process. 

Interrelate: No.2 below is important, use the word interrelate in your explanation and discuss how each part of the process relates to the previous and the following section in a coherent manner. Use examples referring to your work. 

Use these headings below and write a detailed response to each of them...

(1). How the stages and activities in the creative process were used to develop and refine ideas to realise creative intentions.

​(2). How the stages can interrelate to develop and refine ideas and develop skills and own working practice.

​(3). How the stages and activities within the creative process helped develop ideas and produce outcomes

​(4). To what extent do the stages and activities within the creative process help improve future art and design practice.

Write your responses to these prompts underneath each one. With each prompt ask the question what if and discuss the outcome if you hadn't applied the creative process or some of the components (Stages) of it. How would that have affected the work? 

Finally make an overall judgement on the use of the creative process or any of the components of it, has it added value to what you do, do you think that you're work process will be more efficient in the future and do you think it will make a difference to your grades - how, why?

Mistakes student make re development

 This assignment, once you get into the practical part of the work requires that you go out and do some really basic shoots simply to establish what it is you're going to choose as your subject or idea. 

In an ideal scenario this should be done quickly maybe over 2 shoots at most. Ideally you'll have done some visual research using the internet or books and will have some idea of what it is you might go looking for during these initial shoots. But, don't restrict yourself to one idea you may have seen, be ready to photograph anything else that represents decay, so when you look at the first shoot or two you do where you're just exploring ideas you'll have a range of ideas and themes to consider as the theme/subject/idea you're going to develop.

From your first shoot or two where you're simply trying to come up with an idea you should ideally be able to pick one of the subjects you've shot and say "That's it - that's my subject/theme" and then go with that.

So this might be an example of some of the ideas you've shot yourself over  2 or 3 shoots just looking for your theme/subject/idea.

The important thing is to get this stage done quick. What you now need to do is pick one of the subjects/themes to go with and develop further. So that means scrap all the other ideas and just go with one. 

So if this was examples of the things you've shot you might look at these and think "Leaves, there's loads of em, all over the place, they're easy to get access to, there's a massive variety of them, that's my subject/theme". 

*(Note these first exploratory shoots can be bunched together with the same plan and Gibbs reflection) 

Then, you're on your way - because now you've got to start shooting and developing your idea on the theme of leaves - nothing else, just leaves. What might do is plan to collect a load of leaves and shoot them in a really basic way using a specific camera and shoot them in a specific kind of light outside where you find them. You then get that work into your design sheets and reflect on the work and analyse it in terms of how good it is at this stage and what next could you do/try in order to develop the work as both an idea and a practical task. 

Once you've finished the reflection on that shoot - you plan your next developmental stage and simply repeat the process of plan - do - reflect over a series of stages where you improve the idea, your approach, gradually refining and developing the project.

Do not at the end use a selection of images from any of the earlier shoots, the idea is the final shoot must end up being the best set of images and for it to be innovative, ideally you'll have combined a post production technique to enhance the sense of decay, so not only would you have shot something that is simply decaying, but the way you treat and present the images should combine and enhance the decay narrative. 

*If you think your other shoots are good there's no reason why they can't be used in the design sheets as A3 images, but they can't be designated as finals. 

Alternative ways.

 B.M2 Show how the stages of development interrelate and can be applied in alternative ways to develop own working practice.

The key to this is to discuss the use of parts of the creative process in terms of how they're used to...

(1). Develop the work in terms of quality of the Photography

(2). Develop the idea and concept

(3). Develop your skills in the use of equipment

(4). Develop your skills in the use of material, techniques and processes

Interrelate - Look the definition up on the web and explain the interrelation aspect of the stages. Make sure you use the word Interrelate in your work - ideally in the heading.

Gibbs Reflection for practical activities

To "Reflect" is to look back at what you've done and make sense of it in terms of...

What have I learned?

What do I need to do?

What more could I have done? 

Your learning is closely linked to the criteria seen in your assignments and as you learn, your work has to address this criteria. If you're aware of the criteria and its demands, you can produce your work so that it directly addresses the criteria within the Gibbs reflections. 

At the stage you're currently working with (Practical) your Gibbs reflections need to include responses to the key words and phrases seen in the criteria. 

C.M3 includes the demand that you "apply the stages and activities within the creative process fluently" Looking back at the work you've done so far, do you feel that you've understood what you've been learning  - does it make sense to you and can you see that you're working within a structured process? If so, this can be used in your Gibbs reflection. It might read something like this...

If you look at the analysis you can see that the criteria (In blue) is used in the the response and the student is demonstrating that they are aware of the criteria and have responded to it by explaining that this part of the requirements for the project is coming together. 

Another of the criteria C.D2 demands that you demonstrate innovation when applying the creative process. In order to address this, you should question in your reflection whether you've done it and, if you feel you have, you should explain how, where, and why your work is innovative.

As in the example above, use the words from the criteria in your Gibbs reflection and anlayse whether  you have demonstrated innovation in your work. This might read like this...

Again, you can see the response in the analysis includes wording (In blue) lifted direct from the criteria. The student therefore is writing up their reflection addressing these key words and phrases clarifying why their work is innovative. 

These types of responses (above) should be used in conjunction with the usual reviewing of the work in terms of...

What have I learned?

What do I need to do?

What more could I have done? 

Layout of the Decay Project (Practical).

From this assignment going forwards, it should be clear as to how you're going to layout your work. None of this is compulsory, just advised.

You now know that at the start of any project you have to research. This research is usually Photographer based and the intention is that something from the research will inspire or influence your work in some way, or enable you to understand aspects of the theme or work you'll be engaging with.

There are a number of ways that the research into the photographers can be laid out. You're no longer required to produce detailed image analysis as you have done previously. The emphasis now is dictated by the requirement to address the criteria. So in the case of this assignment you need to research and write about aspects of the photographers work that relate to Decay. Therefore, the written content can be relatively short and concise. 

It's good practice to introduce the unit with a basic description of the assignment and what's required, this can include the learning aims seen on the front of the assignment. (top left in this image).

With this assignment you've all done some really basic image research just to start the assignment and to get some basic ideas together. Use the images to start the project off. You can do this over 1 or 2 pages. *Note you should indicate that the work is not yours and that it is in fact research. Use the heading Research beneath the intro.

*Note you do not have to use a 3 column layout, 4 columns works really well and looks better a lot of the time and allows more images per page (See below). 

Following your image research page/s you need to produce your artist research...

This example here (Above) shows 2 x A3 pages. It features 5 Photographers with a column allocated to each Photographer. Half the column is taken up with images and the remainder of the column features the written explanation/analysis of the decay aspects of the photographers work and the Bibliography. *Note you can compile your bibliography on one page if you wish and this will need to produced as the final page of your work after the final evaluation. 

The 6th column is the Gibbs Reflection.

Those of you that don't enjoy the research aspect of the work could target 2 really significant photographers such as Ed Burtynsky and Pal Hansen.

You'll just have to ensure you target your commentary/description of the work so that you identify and discuss the decay aspects and how the MTP's reinforce the decay narrative in the images. 

Similarly the 3rd column is the Gibbs reflection, reflecting on your research prior to planning your first shoot.

Note how each of the pages are full with no gaps and each part of the work is produced so that it finishes at the end of the page. Try and work to this same format. Now you move on to the practical work...

Your practical work follows a similar format... 

When you shoot your images, always shoot lots and try different ways of doing it, from above, from the side, close up, with different lenses/focal lengths. Shoot more than you need as this gives you options and allows you to make decisions about whether each shoot in your design sheet takes up 1, 2 or more pages. (There's not an upper limit). Typically, 2 pages is fine.

The section that is High-lighted Blue is your plan and the part at the end that is highlighted yellow is the Gibbs Reflection. This same approach should be applied to work done in the dark-room and when you work with Photoshop in conjunction with a project. Here you can see the plan - do - reflect in action.

Each subsequent shoot or activity you do that follows this will be laid out the same - plan at the start, images of your work and activities followed by a reflection.

Below is another way of doing the same thing, but using 4 columns...

This 4 column approach is far more image heavy and looks very busy and if you feel it might work for you there's no reason that you can't adopt it. See the link in the side bar or simply ask me for a copy of the template. There's no reason you can't mix and match using the 4 column design sheets for some of the work and the 3 column for others. The only thing I would advise is that you start a new design sheet each time and bring all the work together at the end at the PDF stage. I wouldn't advise adding a 3 column to a 4 column in the same file. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O5RNLTcovSiKJJbiSd7qBdSXDcrnKPDb/view?usp=sharing

Instructions for Declaration form.

 You'll have been sent the declaration form as word file, you need to add your signature to it and then send it back to me.

(1). Download the document (Declaration form) from Teams.

(2). Get a piece of white paper and blue or black pen - preferably a thick one (sharpie) if you have one and sign your name on it.

(3). If you have a scanner scan the signature at 1200dpi.

(4). If you don't have a scanner either photograph your signature or scan it using the app on your phone. Do it near a bright window light and try and not cast a shadow across the paper with your signature on. If you are able to control the resolution/file size, make sure you use the highest quality option.

(5). Get the file off your phone/camera/device and open it in MS Paint.

• Click the 'Home' tab.
• Click the 'Resize' option.
• You'll see a drop down box that is titled Resize and Skew
• Click on or check that Pixels is selected.
• Click on or check that Maintain aspect ration is selected.
• Then type 500 in the Horizontal box.
• Click OK and the image will reduce in size.
• Then using the select option crop out any of the image that's not needed so that you are only left with your signature and not a lot of space surrounding (Crop tight). 
• Then click crop
• Rotate if needed.
• Then file save as and give a new name ... signature

(5). Now open your declaration form...

• Fill your name in at the top
• Click into the page where its says Signature. (At the bottom of the page). 
• Then go up to the top of the page in the menu bar and click insert and choose picture.
• Select you image, then click on signature and click insert.
• It'll be too big, so resize it so that it's an appropriate size. 
• Now right click on the image (Signature) and choose format picture at the bottom of the drop down box.
• To the right of the screen where a drop down box "Format picture" has appeared choose the box with the mountains and sun diagram - when you hover over it, it's titled Picture. 
• Click that and then use the Brightness option slider to adjust the brightness of your inserted signature and match it as best you can with the grey surround. 
• Save the file as a PDF naming it using the Unit No. and your name and send it back to me using teams... Unit 00_Declaration form_Joe Bloggs

It should look like this...

Or if you know how to do all this in Photoshop do it in Photoshop. 

Ta

Guidance for the first section of Unit 03

This assignment needs to be produced in 2 distinct parts. 

The first part is primarily written and is simply you writing about our process that we advocate that you use. 

You'll need to produce the work in the Design sheet style as with your first two units.

The purpose of the first part of the work is that you establish and demonstrate that you know what a Creative Process is and how it works in terms of design and art work. By the end of this first part, it's intended that you'll know how our creative process works and functions and you'll know how to use it in conjunction with your work.

The basics of the creative process that we use are...

(1). Research At the start of every Unit/assignment you're be required to research either photographers or artists connected with the theme of the brief.

(2). Post research reflection* Once that research is completed you need to reflect on its usefulness indicating how the research feeds into your work e.g. what will you take from the research, how has it helped you as you move forwards with the project.

(3). Action plan/Intention You'll be using a 'Reflective' process based on the Gibbs Reflective practice model and at the end of each reflection* you're prompted to write up an 'Action plan' clarifying your intentions for the next stage which is usually a practical response. You plan what your intentions are for your practical activity.

(4). Do. Now you execute your plan/intention - you engage with a practical activity - take photo's, work in the darkroom, or work on some post production work using Photoshop. As you produce this work you write it up in your design sheets and then you...

(5). Reflect. Using the Gibbs method, you reflect on your activity you've just done at the Do stage. Generally, but not exclusively, you write about what you've learned and how it impacts on your work in a positive way. Then you write about your weaknesses and deficiencies and what you could do to improve your photographic practice. Again, the Gibbs reflection ends with the requirement for an action plan, so, now you're into the main practical part of the course, so you plan your next practical activity. 

The production of your learning happens over a series of weeks, where you conduct test shoots and attend work-shop sessions where you're introduced to new methods of producing photography. So, over these weeks you simply...

Plan - do - reflect  repeating the process of Plan - do - Reflect again and again till you run out of time and have to finish the work off. You plan and time this process so that your final shoot includes all of the best aspects of your learning and is completed well before the deadline. The final Reflection is your final evaluation and you reflect on all of your learning done over the entire unit. 

All of the components above need to be written about in detail as part of the research assignment. Further guidance for each section will be posted in time. This is the first section here

Design sheet templates.

Here's the design sheet template for the 3 column version - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1adoWzaxL4cZvpe05kaKrMPPmm4GBia5v/view?usp=sharing

Use the download symbol top right and then save. 

This link here below is for a four column version of the design sheet.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O-vEo7pQgJHphXfkISIno0iVCtQ9fj0DesNUg9heH3c/edit?usp=sharing

As above use the download symbol top right and then save. 

There's no hard and fast rule about whether you use the 3 column version or this 4 column version. I'm not sure whether you can mix 3 and 4 column pages in the same design sheet easily. But if you think that it'll be useful to use the 4 column version for some of your pages e.g. those with Photo-shoots save these pages separately and bring all of the work together using the PDF combiner.

Alternatively use four columns for the whole project. 

Decay - Artist Research Unit 03

The learning aims and the criteria are pretty basic and there's no heavy emphasis on any specific details needed from the research, so it's basic 'Fun' research. 

All you're required to do is show that you've included research as part of your process, so it needs to be at the start and needs to be relevant. Therefore the only information you need to include is information relating to how the photographer used their MTP's to enhance the sense of decay. So in this case your research might be as little as a column for each photographer as above. (By all means if you want to do more you can). 

Look at the equipment and MTP's used by the Photographers and identify why their approach used in the shooting and production of the images suits the theme of decay. 

The artists - 

Ed Burtynsky - Pentimento (Black and white shots). Of all the research that you do this is the one I'd like to see you get right. Use this link here and then use CTRL + F and search for Type 55 then read the text from a paragraph or two above Type 55. 

https://aphotoeditor.com/2011/11/30/edward-burtynsky-interview/

Chris Jordan Midway. http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/midway/#CF000313%2018x24

Sally Mann - Warning this next series is optional. Sally Mann is one of the USA's greatest photographers, but she deals with hard-hitting subject including death. Her projects include 'Body Farm' and 'What Remains'. These feature photographs of dead people left out in the open for scientific research reasons to see how quickly they decay in different condition for the assistance of police investigations. Mann though doesn't shoot it using digital instead she uses a View camera and the Tintype process the same as Ed Drew. If you look at this work it's interesting from the point of view of how the technique/process and materials are used to enhance the sense of decay. 

Body Farm - Also search on Youtube looking for her camera and process (Wet plate collodian). Also search Body Farm Sally Mann

The Burtynsky image was sourced from http://www.howardgreenberg.com/exhibitions/edward-burtynsky-pentimento/selected-works?view=slider#5

______________________________________________________________________________

Once you've completed the artist research for this Unit you also need to add a page of image research to generate some initial ideas with more realistic themes especially as you're increasingly constrained in what you do by the current Covid 19 situation. Click here to go to the next stage. 

Examples of how to layout your work (Research)

For this assignment you can probably get away with just 2 columns of written work because the criteria doesn't  demand that artist research is an important aspect to the work. So 2 columns aimed at appropriate artists will be enough and I'd recommend Burtynsky and Pal Hansen because how integral the materials and the process they go through fuses with the decay theme.

Because the theme is decay it's that aspect of the research your written analysis needs to focus on.

The final column is the Gibbs reflection

If you're into your research and you want to do more than 2, once you've done Burtynsky and Hansen do more, but I would suggest 3 more so that you have five columns of research leaving the 6th for the Gibbs.

The reason I suggest this is that it just looks ultra neat and tidy.

If you struggle to fill a whole column with the Gibbs reflection increase the size of the text or put the bibliography in this column rather than under each artist?