Posted December 4, 2005 I'm currently at a decison where I have to decide on what A levels I intend to do next year and I want to do Photography, but would like to know more about it from possibly people here that do it as an A level. I do photography as a hobby now, often just scenery when I travel or go to the countryside, but I want to know more about Photography A level please! If you do it/done it then tell me as much about it/whether to do it/what you do..etc.etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 From my experience, it will sap any enthusiasm you have for Photography. But that is largely due to the environment I had to work in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 Well, I don't do A level, but if its anything like GCSE Photography, its as boring as hell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 Do you mean you are doing your AS levels or GCSEs? Anyway over my two years of Photography I had mixed feelings. The times when a photo just wont develop, or you ruin a film or something similar you get angry and upset and if you're like me don't want to go back in the dark room for ages. I also lost my enthusiasm for it toward the end of AS and got an okay - but not as good as i could have gotten - grade. Then in the second year it just clicked really, I knew what I had to do to get a good grade and it all worked. Plus the Photography A-level exam was one of the best fortnights of college. Come and go as you please, can listen to music and chat (as long as its not for hours), eat and drink (as long as you're careful). Plus my photography teacher is the best teacher I've ever had. Its like anything you study in depth, it weens off your passion a bit. Plus be warned, its damn expensive. In my A level exam project I don't want to think how much I spent. It was £80 on processing alone. So £150-200 overall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 photography is something u dont need to learn, like film making, its all a matter of skills that you learn. like lighting etc etc. i did media for instance, boring boring boring...do art Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 photography is something u dont need to learn, like film making, its all a matter of skills that you learn. like lighting etc etc. i did media for instance, boring boring boring...do art How is art not one of those types of subject? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 How is art not one of those types of subject? well all they ever did is draw Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 I did art and media. I felt I learnt more in media because it also goes into the theory and I like the theory a lot. Whereas art I agree is something that can't really be taught. Fair enough perhaps having one or two lessons a week at the start to learn techniques for watercolours, screen printing etc but after you get a proper project you should be able to come and please as you want as long as the teacher keeps an eye to make sure you'll do the work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 So... ..yay or nay nay photography comes from the heart. not from the brain ( u just need one to know how to use a camera) altho do it if there is no other subject to choose from...do history that is awesome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 4, 2005 It'd be good becuase it teaches you the whole processing technique, and how to manually manipulate photos through filters and burning/dodging etc. A negative point is that you'll be exposing yourself to some lovely carcinogenic chemicals. Wear gloves! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 And even with gloves your hand smell all day, all day I tell you! And not to poo-poo Dabooker's arguement but its not like you sit there every lesson learning how to take photos, its mostly practical. Had less than 7 hours pratical in my whole 350ish hours of photography. Just gives you a set time (be that a good or bad thing is dependant on how you prefer to work) to do some photography. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 What do you think will be most fun? Ask some students what they think. Might be useful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 A negative point is that you'll be exposing yourself to some lovely carcinogenic chemicals.Yep, and they stink too! I did photography at college for a bit as part of my Graphic design course, (but only for a few weeks) it's cool developing your own pics and all that sort of stuff. Removing a film from your camera and transferring it to a container for developing while in complete darkness is pretty damn tricky, not to mention very amusing the first time you try it. Anyway good luck, whatever you decide to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 Removing a film from your camera and transferring it to a container for developing while in complete darkness is pretty damn tricky, not to mention very amusing the first time you try it. Ah yes, the amount of times you could hear someone say "fuck" in that room was amusing. If you wanna make it more fun, get four or five people to do it all at the same time. Oh the fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 Ah yes, the amount of times you could hear someone say "fuck" in that room was amusing. If you wanna make it more fun, get four or five people to do it all at the same time. Oh the fun.Indeed, and if there's any nice lookin' girls in your group well... "Whoops I was trying to find the scissors!" :wink: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 Thanks for the feedback guys, especially Ashley, I think it would be better for me personally if I was to carry on doing photography as a hobby as it could get in the way when it comes to my other A levels. I am PROBABLY doing these A levels: Business Studies Physics ICT Psychology Aint 100% sure yet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 I did art and media. I felt I learnt more in media because it also goes into the theory and I like the theory a lot. Whereas art I agree is something that can't really be taught. Fair enough perhaps having one or two lessons a week at the start to learn techniques for watercolours, screen printing etc but after you get a proper project you should be able to come and please as you want as long as the teacher keeps an eye to make sure you'll do the work. I want to do these two! I was going to take photography as well, but all i have heard is how shit the course is and how nasty the teacher is, my friends in the year above have seriously put me off taking it, so im gonna change to english. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 Well I could put you off English if you want :P Stocka even if you didn't do photography maybe you could get in well with the teacher. Just explain you like doing photography but decided to go for your subjects because of career choices or something like that. Then he/she may let you use the dark room providing its not full with actual students doing photography. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 I am PROBABLY doing these A levels:Business Studies Physics ICT Psychology Aint 100% sure yet. Hm, isn't it that you do those for AS and the cometh the A-Level time you giev up one? Well it's what my school does. If so you could take a punt on photography and if it turns out not so great then you could just give it up after AS. Another question. Is there a difference between Computing and ICT? If so what are they? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 Stocka take us some pictures so we can be judgemental bastards! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 5, 2005 Hm, isn't it that you do those for AS and the cometh the A-Level time you giev up one? Well it's what my school does. If so you could take a punt on photography and if it turns out not so great then you could just give it up after AS. Another question. Is there a difference between Computing and ICT? If so what are they? Yeah we do AS first, then A level. Can drop one after first year. Thing is my sixth form you can't do photography, only at the college but nothing else makes me want to go there really. And computing= technical, ICT = data handling,computers in society, spreadsheets etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 20, 2005 I found that photography was great if you want to know the science of the artform, but if you wanna just be creative, dont bother.... The creativity on a photography course is non existant and I ended up getting crap marks cause I didn't give a fuck about the science and just tried to take pretty pictures. Apparently thats what photography isn't about.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 20, 2005 Goes to show that the teacher can make all the difference. Mine didn't care much for the science either. Yeah we had to do all the experimental stuff to get the right ticks, but he tried his best to make it as useful (rather than something you have to do) and enjoyable as he could. Maybe I just really liked my teacher ^_^ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 5, 2006 Do it if you can, the art education community are really a bunch of ****s.. I didn't do it at GCSE because my school was full.. at college I couldn't do it because I didn't have the GCSEs and at university I couldn't do it because I didn't have the a-levels. The back up plan of doing a pre-foundation was out of the question because I lacked GCSEs and a-levels. I think you can teach yourself, I have a lot more respect for myself because of it: http://www.spencerocks.deviantart.com It feels like a-level you get spoon fed, and you do a lot of really shit stuff.. busy work if you will. I think you can get by in a world without the qualifications, you just need a portfolio. A camera is no different to a wrench or a football. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
