Entry Requirements:
To access this course you are required to:
- Have four or more GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above (ideally including English and maths)* or a Level 2 qualification in a related area, such as art and design, media or photography
- Have an interview and show a selection of work to demonstrate your suitability for the course
*If you do not have a Grade C/4 in English and maths, you will attend lessons to achieve these qualifications alongside your Level 3 qualification
What will I learn? - Digital and Analogue Photography: Understand the full range of photography, from modern digital techniques to the timeless art of shooting with film.
- Creative Composition and Lighting: Learn how to compose visually stunning images, using light to shape your subject and tell your story.
- Studio Techniques: Work with professional studio equipment, mastering lighting setups for portraits, product photography, and more.
- Post-Production and Editing: Get hands-on with industry-standard editing software like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, perfecting your images to a professional standard.
- Photography Styles: Explore different genres of photography, including portraiture, landscape, documentary, fashion, and fine art photography.
- Building a Professional Portfolio: Develop a high-quality portfolio that showcases your best work to potential employers or higher education institutions
What skills will I gain?
By studying this course you will:
- Develop your creative potential while improving your understanding of visual communication
- Learn how to use a wide range of artist and studio equipment, software and cameras
- Gain skills that can be applied in the industry, and learn what industry opportunities are available
- Gain valuable team working and communication skills
- Improve your employability skills
How will I be assessed?
The course is mainly project/assignment based, however there are exams in year 1 that are externally assessed. In year 2 there are no exams, and work is internally assessed and external moderated.
Throughout the course you will be continually assessed and it will culminate in a final project which will be graded as a pass, high pass, merit, high merit or distinction.
What can I do next?
The skills you will learn from this course will enable you to:
- Progress to Further Education including our HND in Art and Design (Photography) Level 5 course.
- Pursue an apprenticeship in photography, media production, or digital arts.
- Potential career paths include:
- Professional Photographer (Portrait, Wedding, Fashion, Product, Event)
- Photojournalist (Documentary, News, Editorial)
- Studio Assistant (Supporting roles in professional studios)
- Photography Assistant (On-location and in-studio support for professional photographers)
- Photo Editor (Working for magazines, media outlets, or agencies)
- Digital Retoucher (Enhancing and manipulating images for print or online use)
- Visual Content Creator (Creating imagery for social media, blogs, websites, and online platforms)
- E-commerce Photographer (Capturing high-quality product images for online retail)
- Videographer/Content Producer (Expanding into video and multimedia content creation)
- Social Media Manager (Creating and curating visual content for online brands)
- Advertising & Marketing Creative (Working on campaigns with strong visual elements)
