Task 1: Breaking the Rules

It is really important that you get off to a creative and productive start in your Exam preparation. You should aim to do something practical and photographic each week, either make new images with your camera or work digitally with images in post-production (Lightroom/ Photoshop/ Premiere.)

Those students who are disciplined and work with a real focus on a sustained investigation ie: go on shoots, experiment with images, explore ideas in-depth  will achieve the highest marks and also enjoy the creative challenge of exploring an Exam paper.

Watch this video about John Baldessari narrated by Tom Waits as an inspiration first.

In the first week of the Exam preparation we want you to complete a photographic shoot where you break one of the rules of photography.

#1 The Rules of ObjectivityW. Eugene Smith, John Grierson, Mathieu Asselin
#2 The Rule of Audience Lewis Hine, Daile Kaplan, Mark Neville
#3 The Rule of ManipulationSteve McCurry, Errol Morris, Alice Wielinga
#4 The Rule of RealityJohn Grierson, Peter Watkins, Joshua Oppenheimer, Cristina de Middle, Paula Paredes
#5 The Rule of TechnicalityLaura El-Tantawy, Henrik Malmström
#6 The Rule of OwnershipThomas Sauvin, Mishka Henner
#7 The Rule of the CameraDonald Weber, Liz Orton
#8 The Rule of Rule BreakingOlivia Arthur, Carolyn Drake

Deadline: Wed 28 February – all posts uploaded!

  1. Read: article Rule Breakers by Lewis Bush (Archisle Photographer-in-Residence 2018.)
  2. Plan: Choose one rule of photography and develop an idea for a shoot – 1 blog post.
  3. Research: At least two artists references in relation to your chosen rule that provide analysis and context – 1-2 blog posts.
  4. Record: Produce at least one shoot.
  5. Experiment: Edit a selection of 5 images with annotation – 1 blog post.
  6. Evaluate: Choose your best image and evaluate with reference to Bush’ text and artists references – 1 blog post.
  7. Present: Print best image and prepare a 1 min presentation Wed 28 Feb in class around the table.

Extension: Choose a second rule to break and repeat the above process.

In essence if you follow the above 7 step process in your exam preparation you will fulfil all assessment criteria and work towards a set of final and successful photographic outcomes. 

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