Contextual Studies is vital in developing a deeper understanding of photography and its relationship with art, history, politics and culture at large. This year we will be spending one lesson a week (mainly Wednesdays) on theoretical issues relating to your study on Documentary and Narrative Photography.
Contextual Studies will inform your practical work and vice versa. To achieve high marks and make work that is critical, and which engages with contemporary subject-matter it is essential for you to spend time reading, thinking and writing about issues discussed and how they relate to your ongoing projects.
Here is a PLANNING-TRACKING-CONTEXTUAL STUDY-AUTUMN-TERM
Write 500-1000 words where you try and answer the following two questions. Deadline Mon 18 Sept.
Q1: Define what we mean by Documentary Photography?
Q2: What is Tableaux Photography and how does it construct a narrative different from documentary photography?
You must read the following two texts and include images to illustrate your essay and include quotes using Harvard System of Referencing from sources that shows evidence of reading and understanding.
Bate D. (2009) ‘Documentary and Storytelling‘ in The Key Concepts: Photography. Oxford: Berg
Bright S. (2005) ‘ Narrative‘ in Art Photography Now. London: Thames & Hudson
Also read and look through both these PPTs to get a basic understanding and do your own independent research.
EXTRA READING: To develop a better understanding in answering the above questions, read these two texts by David Bate from his new book, Art Photography (2016) Tate Publishing
On rise of Tableaux in contemporary photographic practice David_Bate_The_Pictorial_Turn
New approaches to documentary in contemporary photography
David_Bate_The_Art_of_the_Document