Writing the essay for Photography (A2 Level)

What do I write about?
Something like 2000 words. But on what? It's not on my own photographs by the way... I don't know what to write in my essay that I haven't already done in my research book! (influential photographers, camera, lighting, etc) Any help from preferably people who have finished would be greatly appreciated. :smile:

What did you include in yours?

Reply 1

will...

love_is_noise

What do I write about?
Something like 2000 words. But on what? It's not on my own photographs by the way... I don't know what to write in my essay that I haven't already done in my research book! (influential photographers, camera, lighting, etc) Any help from preferably people who have finished would be greatly appreciated. :smile:

What did you include in yours?

Mine was basically my research for my personal study unit.

How are economic downturns represented by photojournalism?

looked at the great depression and fsa photographers and what effect it had on the subjects as they grew up.

and then looked at how the current recession was being covered. was around 3000 words I think.

so basically what every you're most interested in. Don't see why there should be a problem with using the research you've already done. Just compare different photographers and try to keep it on a set theme (photojournalism, representation of women, truth behind portraits/do portrait show the real person, fashion, etc etc.)

hope that helps.

Reply 2

tea_cakes

10

Have your teachers not given you any pointers into areas you could look into? Choose something that you're really interested in then it'll be much easier to write. I wrote mine on photo-montage, it took forever but I loved it.

Reply 3

love_is_noise

OP

2

No my teachers are awful, and I basically just like taking/editing photographs - never look up photographers work because I'm not THAT interested in it I guess. But thanks :smile:

I think I'll focus on fashion photography. Anyone know of any famous ones? Or contraversial ?

Reply 4

tea_cakes

10

Some of my favourite fashion photographers;

Mario Testino.
Nick Knight.
David Lachapelle
Rankin.

Helmut Newton.
Cecil Beaton.
Herb Ritts.
Guy Bourdin.
Erwin Blumenfeld.
Richard Avedon.

Reply 5

love_is_noise

OP

2

Thanks, but I've had a change of mind, I've wrote most of my essay on advertising/commercial photography.
At the moment I'm just getting pics off the net and writing the denotation and connotations, generally just commenting on the photo, and doing this numerous of times. Is tedious, but I don't know what else to write? I'm going to do a bit of history on it, and some 'influential' photographers, but thats as far as I can think. I'm having real trouble! :frown:

Any more pointers would be sooo very appreciated!
Also, whilst I'm on the topic - what did people include in their exam sketchbook? 40 pages of... what? I've already covered every topic in photography I can think of, as far as lighting/effects/lens's goes! What did people fill theirs with?

Reply 6

will...

love_is_noise

Thanks, but I've had a change of mind, I've wrote most of my essay on advertising/commercial photography.
At the moment I'm just getting pics off the net and writing the denotation and connotations, generally just commenting on the photo, and doing this numerous of times. Is tedious, but I don't know what else to write? I'm going to do a bit of history on it, and some 'influential' photographers, but thats as far as I can think. I'm having real trouble! :frown:

Any more pointers would be sooo very appreciated!
Also, whilst I'm on the topic - what did people include in their exam sketchbook? 40 pages of... what? I've already covered every topic in photography I can think of, as far as lighting/effects/lens's goes! What did people fill theirs with?

If you haven't already you should look at the silk cut adverts if you're doing advertising. Good play on words. AlsoUnited Colors of Benetton's campaigns are good to look at - controversial as well.

In terms of the actual essay plan mine (for photojournalism) was like something like this:

Spoiler

so really not too dissimilar to what you're doing. I find quotes are really good - especially ones from the artists themselves.

and finally for my exam.
mainly look at surrealism which I hadn't really done before. Linked it which photo montages, especially movements such as russian constructivism / dada / pop-art.

In term of the work I produced I went down 2 roads.
First was still life photos which I hadn't really been doing. Other was 'point and click' / general observation's using b&w film camera which I'd done a bit of for coursework.

Mainly pick something that you like the sound of. Mainly just looked at artists I hadn't researched much, but the analysis was the same as I'd done for other projects (lighting, etc).

Hope any of that makes sense. Feel free to ask more questions.

Reply 7

love_is_noise

OP

2

Ah Will, if I came on here more often and read this, I would have loved you forever! Ive only just read it now and handed it in today, aaaah!!
Exactly what I was after though, thanks alot really appreciate it.

Reply 8

coolstufferik

love_is_noise

What do I write about?
Something like 2000 words. But on what? It's not on my own photographs by the way... I don't know what to write in my essay that I haven't already done in my research book! (influential photographers, camera, lighting, etc) Any help from preferably people who have finished would be greatly appreciated. :smile:

What did you include in yours?

Writing essay for photography is a bit strange. You can check out some printable worksheets if you need some help.

Reply 9

Fran:)

8

love_is_noise

What do I write about?
Something like 2000 words. But on what? It's not on my own photographs by the way... I don't know what to write in my essay that I haven't already done in my research book! (influential photographers, camera, lighting, etc) Any help from preferably people who have finished would be greatly appreciated. :smile:

What did you include in yours?

Our project was one that we made up on our own. We started by going to exhibitions and I took inspiration from there.

I looked at "Brassai's night photography in the 1930's" in the end.

I started looking at his work and set out a few questions that I wanted to find the answers to i.e. how his photographs were taken, where he took them.

Then in the next sections I answered the questions (obviously when I say "questions" they weren't like numbered I did it in a essay format!) adding my own responses to his work. I included a few thumbnails of his work where relevant so that someone that didn't know anything about him wouldn't be like wtf?

Then at the end (maybe not relevent to you) I took my own photographs based on his and did comparisons.

Through the essay I looked at the different cameras of that time, how they took photos and other Photographers that were similar to their work or inspired them. I also looked at themes in their work e.g. surrealism.

I think in the end mine was 4000 words.

Reply 10

Fran:)

8

and I just read that you handed it in DOH :frown:

(not you me)

Reply 11

hannah_09

love_is_noise

What do I write about?
Something like 2000 words. But on what? It's not on my own photographs by the way... I don't know what to write in my essay that I haven't already done in my research book! (influential photographers, camera, lighting, etc) Any help from preferably people who have finished would be greatly appreciated. :smile:

What did you include in yours?

Heyy can anyone help me on my essay title?
"A study of Digital versus traditional manipulation in Art Photography’'.
I dont have a clue what 2 write, any help would be great thanks :smile:

Reply 12

moirio :)

Heyy

Ive just started mine, im doing How are dreams represented in art? I dont really know how to start but ive written a sort of plan which starts with why I chose this and what artists relate to this, which im going to study..
and then next paragraphs ill talk about the artist e.g. im doing dali and ill talk about how his work is dream like. And then im showing some of my own work which relates to his..
and then ill do the same with other artists and photographers..
and then just a simple conclusion on how I think dreams are represented in art and basically answering the question in my point of view...
If anyone has any ideas for me would be muchly appreciated cause its meant to be done by now and i havent started :/
thankkks
X

Reply 13

letv

10

Original post by hannah_09

Heyy can anyone help me on my essay title?
"A study of Digital versus traditional manipulation in Art Photography’'.
I dont have a clue what 2 write, any help would be great thanks :smile:

well you can have a look at different photographers and then compare them.. and then you can talk about how manipulation is used in modern adverts etc.

A few people on flickr to look for are

Amy Spanos
Miss Aniela
Rosie Hardy
brookeshaden

There are many more but i am not on flickr right now so if you would like some more just email me :smile:

(edited 14 years ago)

Reply 14

letv

10

Original post by moirio :)

Heyy

Ive just started mine, im doing How are dreams represented in art? I dont really know how to start but ive written a sort of plan which starts with why I chose this and what artists relate to this, which im going to study..
and then next paragraphs ill talk about the artist e.g. im doing dali and ill talk about how his work is dream like. And then im showing some of my own work which relates to his..
and then ill do the same with other artists and photographers..
and then just a simple conclusion on how I think dreams are represented in art and basically answering the question in my point of view...
If anyone has any ideas for me would be muchly appreciated cause its meant to be done by now and i havent started :/
thankkks
X

there are a lot but my favourite right now have to be brookeshaden.. look her up on flickr, i am sure you can talk about her work in your essay.

Reply 15

hannahchan

13

Original post by tea_cakes

Have your teachers not given you any pointers into areas you could look into? Choose something that you're really interested in then it'll be much easier to write. I wrote mine on photo-montage, it took forever but I loved it.

Hi I know this pretty late.. like a discussion in 2010 but I am doing a similar theme and was wondering what sort of information you included in yours? :smile:

Reply 16

Dina sharer

hey im also really interested in photo-montage - i based my AS project on it.
could you tell me your essay title and how you went about answering?
many thanks.

Reply 17

Dina sharer

hey
wondering if you could help me - i based my AS on photo-montage and also interested in that
could you tell me your exam title and how about you went answering it?
many thanks.

Original post by tea_cakes

Have your teachers not given you any pointers into areas you could look into? Choose something that you're really interested in then it'll be much easier to write. I wrote mine on photo-montage, it took forever but I loved it.

Reply 18

Karin_Pedriel

1

I need help for my photography AND art essay.
art essay has the title of how did acrylic paint change traditional painting and I'm hating it. and I have no clue what to do for photography.

in art I mainly focus on oil painting and pencil drawings but I'm much more passionate about photography, i love it :smile:

for photography i focus more on architectural photography, leading lines and perspectives.

i have no clue what to do or write about as my art title isn't very thrilling.

Reply 19

mepal

1

yes y right with high experince

Writing the essay for Photography (A2 Level)

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