[taika]

AS Photography is not as 'simple' as some people here have made it out to be. I don't know about all other colleges, but at ours our board required us to do a lot of preparatory work alongside development. This means analysing many, many, photographs - which although is perhaps quite easy, it soon becomes very time-consuming. You are also expected to bring out influence in your own work from existing photographs and developing an original idea. So you are expected to do at least 5 shoots per unit. Then you have to show the editing process and how you got from one point, to another. The course is not JUST about taking photographs, infact, the written work makes up a higher percentage of your grade than the actual photographs (the subject works in a very strange way.)
We also had to do an exam, which seemed a little pointless to say the least. This involved five hours of editing photographs... In my opinion, there is no need for an exam in the subject and it does not work well. I had already finished editing my final prints before this 'exam' and was therefore left with nothing to do. I don't agree with the way the 'exam' is set out, but there is a lot more to it than you may think. In total, we did 4 Units. It can also be very expensive: buying books, mounting prints, printing, film, etc.

[scraceus999]

i agree ^^^

It takes a lot of thought and development to do well in the subject, and also you have to like it or you'll never finish the work, as there is so much.
I found it harder than my English A Level which is one of the hardest, just because it consumed all my social time and made me hate it!!

[Exon88]

A level photography deadline on friday =/

..and i agree photography coursework takes a hell of a lot of effort to get a good grade..theres loads of writing up to do and then theres the explaining pretty much every photograph youve taken. Then theres the research and development..

It is a good subject but it can get a bit boring and take up too much of youre life.

lol

[Kai Hiwatari]

I know this isn't really helpful but i'm doing photography next year =D I'm only doing it because I like photography in general though, only picked the A levels i know i'm gonna enjoy =) I'm also doing art a level so has anyone done photography and art together? And is the workload like really heavy with both?

[Hygge]

Originally Posted by Kai Hiwatari

I know this isn't really helpful but i'm doing photography next year =D I'm only doing it because I like photography in general though, only picked the A levels i know i'm gonna enjoy =) I'm also doing art a level so has anyone done photography and art together? And is the workload like really heavy with both?

Lots of people do both subjects together. The workload can be quite heavy, you do have to put an effort in to get a good grade.

[katiethehobbit]

AS Photography is awesome, i loved it so much and I decided i want to pursue photography as a career, so im doing a diploma in photography now.

in AS photography you didn't need to do any drawing whatsoever i say go for it!

[xxsaraxx7]

Originally Posted by simmerz91

Smartass? Its the general consensus that its a bit of a 'doss' subject and that universities tend not to favour it.

I was chatting to my friend at school who does it and he said that for the actual AS exam, he was simply being marked on editing some photos he'd taken beforehand, via computer and then putting them on some kind of board...wow, very tasking!

Did u ask him how much time his prep work took.... I'll guess NO countless hours that's if his taking it seriously.

[emeleh]

No drawing ability is needed, and you could EASILY do it without dropping another subject. I did the AS off timetable as an addition to 4 other A levels and found it a minimal amount of work, so if its something you enjoy then go for it