Photography

A level Photography comes under the same umbrella of OCR qualifications as Art. It is recommended that girls should have already achieved a grade B in some kind of creative GCSE. The course criteria, structure of units and the timings of the course are all exactly the same. The assessment objectives are worded so that they can be interpreted across all the different courses. The course will cover 2 of the 3 disciplines in Photography."Digital” and "Moving image”. 

Lower Sixth (Centre assessed)

While learning about techniques and the more complex issues regarding the controls on SLR cameras, students will be given a variety of Photographic assignments to carry out. These will focus on different aspects of both the commercial world and artistic use of Photography.  Students will work in a journal / sketchbook that builds into a comprehensive portfolio of their Year 12 work.

Girls will produce a Historic time line that will include major changes in the medium onto which they will be also expected to add examples of work by Photographers they have studied. They will research a variety of techniques and different genres of work and produce responses to the photographers they have looked at and been inspired by. They will be taught a wide range of post-production techniques from simple re-touching and tweaking to full multiple layered compositions. 

Upper Sixth (externally assessed)

OCR A level requires girls to produce a major piece of coursework and supporting studies, referred to as a 'portfolio’. The choice of subject matter is entirely the girls’ own individual choice, and is triggered by a written related research study, started at the end of year 12. The Portfolio and related study are worth 60% of the overall grade. In January the girls are given an exam paper which includes a variety of starting points, and they must produce a new body of work relating to their chosen topic. The final outcome for this unit is produced under exam conditions in 15hours in May. The final piece and related preparation studies for this exam unit are worth the remaining 40% of marks.

NB: It is not imperative to have your own SLR camera. The department has an ever expanding selection of semi professional equipment. However, as girls will be expected to work outside of lessons, it would be advisable to have the use of a camera of some kind. Mr Dixon is more than happy to recommend brands and models with specific budgets in mind.