FH2D08 - Documentary and the Publication 01 Sep 2020 - 31 Aug 2026 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: FH2D08
Module Title: Documentary and the Publication
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Fashion, Marketing and Photography
Faculty Sub Group: Photography
Module Leader: Paul Reas, Eileen Little
Module Team: Lisa Barnard, Steven Wright, David Barnes, Sebastian Bruno, Karin Bareman
First Intended Intake: SEP 2020 Final Year of Intake: 2025
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 40 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100632 - visual communication
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2020
Valid To 31 Aug 2026

Module Aims

  • To extend and challenge the student’s perception of documentary photography and further develops their visual vocabulary whilst understanding the link between research and practice.
  • To understand-via collaboration- the relationship between artist, designer and/or other associated professionals.
  • To be subjected to the decision processes involved in publishing work.

Content Summary

This module should be seen as an opportunity to explore a different kind of picture making. It is intended to extend the student’s acquired technical skills whilst making different demands of the student intellectually. This is a phase in the course in which it is important to challenge definitions of documentary practice, and the module encourages students to engage with an ever more expansive use of the medium. The module should not only place importance on the making of pictures but should also involve a rigorous and concurrent period of research about a chosen subject. This research will be evidenced in the form of a Project Development Folder at the time of submission. Students should work in a manner commensurate with contemporary professional practices relating to publication projects.

Students will be working closely with invited professionals to acquire skills around production and design, towards the outcome of a publication (- a current example of this might be the ‘artist book’. The invited Industry based professionals will mentor the students on a regular and structured basis. The engagement with professionals and the production processes and associated skills attained will echo the relationships that photographers are likely to establish when resolving projects as publicly disseminated bodies of work.

The module will consist of two separate but related components.

The development and submission of a portfolio of finished photographs. The number of prints will vary from student to student, as it will relate directly to the individual nature of the project. This figure should be negotiated with a member of staff.The submission of a publication. The design and scope of this publication will be determined via the teaching process that progresses a collaboration between the student, course staff and other design staff and industry professionals.

The module will be structured through regular seminars, case study lectures, InDesign tuition and –as the work progresses- design meetings and book making workshops will take place that will allow each student to progress the work towards the production of a finished book.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 4
Seminar 24
Tutorial 1
Project supervision 11
Practical classes and workshops 48
Independent Study 162
Directed Study 150
Total Hours Selected 400

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Research, plan and negotiate a working strategy for a major piece of photographic work.
LO2 Apply a developed knowledge to produce a piece of work which moves away from the traditional narrative and expresses the student’s ideas in a challenging, interesting and contemporary manner.
LO3 Illustrate, via the production of a publication, a clear understanding of the processes and protocols inherent to contemporary photographic publications.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Portfolio Portfolio 1 Students are required to produce a portfolio of photographic work which engages with notions explored -and as defined in the briefing document and illustrated in the briefing lecture. This work should be accompanied by a detailed project proposal. This proposal should not only define the parameters of the work but also clearly indicate the conceptual underpinning of the work itself. The submitted work should be both a publication and a set of 15 to 20 finished prints. These prints should be of a quality commensurate with a professional practice. 0 N/A 50 No 40
Practical Assessment (CW) Visual Journal (CW) 1 Along with the portfolio of prints students are also required to submit their completed book. This book should represent the range and quality of the project and display associated production values which are consistent with a professional practice. 0 N/A 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2 LO3
Portfolio 1
Visual Journal (CW) 1

Reading List

Patterson, C. (2011) ‘Red Headed Peckerwood’. Mack.

Degiorgis, N. (2014) ‘Hidden Islam’. Rorhof.

Pinkers, M. ‘(2014) Will They Sing Like Raindrops’?

Halpern, G. (2016) ‘ZZYZX’ Mack..

Asselin, M. (2017) ‘Monsanto’ 2017.

Abril, L. (2018) ‘On Abortion’ Dewi Lewis.

Casteel, M.L. (2018) ‘American Interiors’. Dewi Lewis.

Georgiou, G. (2019)‘American Parade’.

Winship, V. (2019) ‘And Time Folds’. Mack..

Barnard, L. (2019) ‘The Canary and the Hammer. Mack.

The Dutch Photobook. (2012) New York: Aperture.

Smith. (2012) The Structure of the Visual Book. Visual Studies Workshop

De Bondt S. and Muggeridge, F (2015) The Form of the Book Book. 2ND edn

Ingledew J, (2011), The A to Z of Visual Ideas: Lawrence King

Read S and Simmons M.(2017) ’Photographers and Research: The role of research in contemporary photographic practice, Routledge

Fox, A. and Natasha, C. (2012). Research in Photography. Behind the image. Lausanne, Switzerland: AVA Pub.