Course summary

500,000 images worldwide are uploaded onto Facebook every second. Photography has become elevated in status as an art and displayed readily in art galleries. No other visual medium competes with photography in its capacity for immediacy in capturing the intensity of the moment. Today, some of the work produced for exhibition remains characterised by a re-examination of traditional chemical processes. Equally, many images now originate as mega-pixel manipulations and computer creations. This is compelling moment in the evolution of photography during its journey from the darkroom to cutting-edge technology. This is the time to study photography at a higher level within the growing photography department at our dynamic Walsall College. The photographic industry attempts to condition photographers into believing that the qualities of a photograph depend mostly on owning your own expensive equipment. However, photography is, and always has been ultimately about learning to communicate creative ideas in an effective way through the informed capture of light and time. This course offers a strong emphasis in specialist advanced techniques, opportunities for developing a personal style and guidance in producing a unique portfolio of commercial as well as artistic images, based around themed projects, including portraiture, photojournalism, landscape, fashion, advertising, etc. In addition, the course is underpinned by theory units and involves visiting specialist workshops.