I just wanted to add a helpful note here concerning the importance of showing 'evidence of research' in your notes. Many of you do this quite naturally without the need for prompting - and to you guys I say a heartfelt thank you. But for those others who might be eager to get a higher score for their written work I thought I'd jot down a few ideas here to get you heading in the right direction.
Technical data:
This doesn't have to be extensive in my view, but it's very useful for us tutors to be able to see at a glance a few basic things. With each important shot or exercise consider listing: focal length, ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Also mention if you used any accessories like a certain filter.
Technical/technique research
So, if, through the course of your module work you've consulted some technical sources to help with a certain situation then do mention it in your written work. For instance you may have searched the web looking for information about hyperfocal focussing, or maybe read an article in AP covering the HDR method or shooting in infrared. Tell your tutor and receive recognition, it's as simple as that.
Artistic/aesthetic inspiration
Now here's the area of research that seems most negelected by students. And this is baffling to me as it certainly leads to the most enjoyable and eye-opening of discoveries. So what's involved? Simply this - begin to look at the work of other photographers. If you're doing a project about architecture, then find a photographer who works in that field. Put any observations you make in your notes and say if you were influenced in any way - perhaps to try something new.
But of course inspiration can come from many sources. You might visit an exhibition, see a film or be influenced by a field far removed from photography. Be sure to include it all in your written work as it helps give a picture of how your thought processes and approach evolved through the course of the module.
Although it's very tempting of course to shoot first and research later this sort of approach won't give your new knowledge a chance to benefit your work. So if possible get your research out of the way before you set out taking pictures.
My last piece of advice here is to keep things brief. We don't want reams of data - just a few insightful remarks here and there in the body of your notes and if you want to you can put a list of references on one A4 page at the end of your module too. This is likely to be a brief list of webistes visited, or books consulted or magazines scanned or all three! It is important though to link the research source to your photo and the exercise in question. Tie the three together. An example might go something like this:
' Through looking at the work of Lee Friedlander I was inspired to try alternative compositions. In this shot this meant assuming a shooting angle which overlapped many of the picture parts. I felt this helped to suggest the complexity of the the city street location.'
Or,
' Joe Cornish's book 'The Northumberland Coast' underlined for me the importance of making the most of the foreground. In an effiort to capture the lovely skies that he did I tried a graduated neutral density filter for the first time and visited the location in the golden hours of morning to get the best light.'
Or,
'Heather Angel's marvellous wildlife images encouraged me to visit the British Wildlife Centre where I got some great shots of a barn owl. I looked at their website first to get an idea of opening times and if photography was allowed. To my delight I found out they held photography days where you could, with a keeper, actually go into the displays and get close up views without the wire mesh getting in the way.'
Well guys I hope this has given you a few ideas and I look forward to hearing about your photo adventures!
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