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Module

MCH8172 : Digital Mobile Photojournalism (Sem 2) (Inactive)

  • Inactive for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Mr Phil Cullen
  • Owning School: Arts & Cultures
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

1. To develop competence in producing still images in journalism.
2. To shoot and edit effective, powerful photographic content using digital mobile platforms.
3. To be able to edit that content into effective packages to visually communicate a narrative.
4. To understand and be able to apply legal, ethical and professional standards in photojournalistic practice.

This module will give students an insight into digital mobile photojournalism and equip them with the skills and knowledge to tell stories effectively using still images and mobile technology.

A strong emphasis will be placed on all aspects of health and safety and working legally and ethically as a photo journalist.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus may include, but is not limited to:
• The role of the image
• Composition and lighting
• Low-light and outdoor work
• Communicating information
• Picturing people
• Ethics and the law
• News photography
• Features photography
• Digital workflow
• Capturing action
• Editing and presentation

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion1145:00145:00Putting learning into practice to produce portfolio of photography and critical evaluation of this.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture111:0011:00These lectures are all to take place on campus.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical112:0022:00Practical workshop/seminars to take place on campus.
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities112:0022:00Reading, viewing and research related to topics addressed in weekly lectures and workshops.
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Students need to learn the technical and journalistic skills of using mobile platforms such as mobile phones and tablets to produce, edit and display still images, both singly and collectively, in a professional manner. This requires both instruction and practice.
They also need to develop a range of knowledge outcomes related to both professional practice in a journalistic context and to the visual grammar of the photographic image as a journalistic text.
Both these aspects of learning require instruction and guidance, self-directed study and practice. That is why the curriculum consists of lectures to introduce the module elements, followed by workshop/seminar sessions in which ideas are explored and learning is embedded and in which students show and critique their own and each other's work.
There is a strong element of practice in the field and self-directed study, allowing students to test their skills, explore their own learning through critical reflection and learn to synthesise theory and practice.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Portfolio2A70Seven individually themed sections, each of four photographs, each of which is be edited, captioned and appropriately presented
Essay2A30A 2,000-word essay in which students will reflect on, contextualise and evaluate their portfolio.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The seven portfolio elements will fall under the following themes: news and/or features photo essays; weather/landscape/environment; character studies/portraiture; low-light photography; action and movement studies; group portraiture (if circumstances allow). These categories will allow students to explore a wide range of the topics with which photojournalism is concerned and engage with the critical technical, conceptual, relational and aesthetic aspects of the module and its fields, both practical and theoretical.

The reflexive component will allow students to demonstrate their abilities to analyse, synthesise and critically evaluate their learning and demonstrate their ability to develop as reflexive practitioners.

Reading Lists

Timetable