Documentary Photography and Visual Activism (Swansea College of Art) BA (Hons)

University of Wales

This course (the only one of its kind in the UK) embraces documentary photography in its broadest sense, focussing on experimentation with multimedia, installation, exhibitions, workshops and participatory projects to develop your own unique style of visual storytelling.

Visual activism is photojournalism for the 21st century. Our students embrace contemporary strategies to develop a socially engaged lens-based practice, often challenging fake news, inherent bias in our media platforms and power structures.

Students are encouraged to pursue their own areas of interest, previous successful projects have included explorations of identity, family relationships, documenting local football teams and the climate crisis. As well as working with local community groups supporting refugees, asylum seekers and BAME youth groups, our students have also worked with Women’s Aid, Race Council Cymru and LGBTQ charities to develop collaborative projects addressing contemporary social issues.

We have a regular programme of visiting lecturers and specialist workshops that provide our students with invaluable networking opportunities with professional organisations, such as Canon, Getty, Sunday Times and galleries, museums and archives that equip our graduates with essential skills to progress in their careers.

As well as working as freelance photographers, our graduates go on to a wide range of successful careers, including jobs in documentary, editorial and commercial photography, picture editing and research, curating, publishing, journalism, community work and teaching.

• COURSE OVERVIEW
• YEAR ONE

In your first year the focus is on developing your practical and technical skills to provide a foundation to investigate subjects of personal interest. Areas covered include:

• Traditional darkroom techniques

• How to use Adobe software packages

• Professional studio and location lighting techniques

• How to respond to set briefs

• How to combine both analogue and digital skills to create innovative outcomes

• The history of photography and visual culture theory

• YEAR TWO

Building on the skills developed in your first year, the second year is a time for further experimentation and collaborative working:

• Working in small groups to design and curate your own public exhibition

• Conceptualise and produce a photobook

• Have opportunities to undertake funded internships

• Become increasingly focused on developing a professional platform for your work (incl:website/social media/exhibition strategies)

• Experiment with alternative darkroom processes

• Have the option to study a semester abroad

• Apply your research and critical analysis skills to a major project proposal
• YEAR THREE

Your third year is about developing your professional portfolio and equipping yourself for a professional career in the creative industries after graduation:

• Develop a self-directed major project / body of work

• Produce work for collective exhibition in Swansea and London
• Have opportunities to present your work to industry professionals
• Have developed technical and creative skills to industry level