Since my hand in on May 8th I’ve not had a lot of time to think about the results and how the grading might look when returned to me. This week whilst at work I could see the WhatsApp group chat pinging over and over with my coursemates worrying about how they had done and when they were likely to get the results back of the other module.
I didnt do the “other” module this year, I had done the module with Sam Wood focussing on Black Country and BIMM Musicians Photography, so I wondered if they had seen their rresult for this one already. I dived into the Canvas App that University Of Wolverhampton use for their information sharing and assignments and saw that there was indeed a result for my years work.
The mark awarded to me for this year/module was 88%, well inside the boundary of a First, I was chuffed. It hadn’t been an easy year by any stretch of the imagination, with my job getting more and more intense, before a change of job role, and then doing both jobs at the same time, to spending a week in hospital and then my Mum being in hospital too and then dying.
Happy that I achieved a good mark I delved further into the Canvas page and looked for the Rubric. the collection of information containing my submissions and the returned comments from the marker of the work. Below are the contents, the title of the Criteria, followed by a description of the level, the comments from the tutor and then the score.
Conceptual Development
Strong, innovative concepts that push boundaries, demonstrating advanced creativity and risk-taking.
“You have not once stopped at just “one shoot” and it is clear throughout your journal (In practice and research) that you have learned from every shoot to find an idea for both briefs that you are happy with and want to pursue, well done! “
18/20
Creative Methodologies & Application
Demonstrates an advanced understanding of creative methodologies, applying them innovatively to practice.
“The approach you have made through both briefs is incredible. You have had set ideas and worked from not just photographers but artistic movements to produce some brilliant and varied work. In The Matter Of The Black Country brief your application and then re application of using redscale film in an abstract nature to show The Black country as an architectural piece is really well worked.”
18/20
Technical Execution & Exploration
Work is executed to the highest professional standards, demonstrating mastery of specialist techniques.
“In both briefs you have applied yourself fully, using both film (experimental and black and white) and digital to explore how you want to tackle the briefs given has produced some great work and looks brilliant!”
18/20
Engagement with Audience & Context
Strong, meaningful engagement with external audiences and contexts, demonstrating clear understanding of impact.
“In the BIMM brief it has really paid off going to band practices, London for a show and building an entire set with brilliant props for the studio shoot – especially with as many members there were in the band you have controlled the situation and gained a visible rapport with them, congratulations. It reads well from the artists and bands in your journal and looks great!”
18/20
Research & Contextual Awareness
Extensive, critical engagement with a range of visual, and contextual sources, applied effectively to practice.
“You research reflects the choices you have made throughout this year coherently and precisley. Its great that you have not only researched photographers / brief orientated imagery of bands etc, but also art movements as you have in the Matter Of The Black Country.”
8/10
Critical Reflection on Practice
Highly reflective, demonstrating deep understanding and insightful critique of practice and decisions.
“All the way through your journal you reflect well on every decision and production of imagery, it has a great narrative.”
8/10
Reflection
Overall, I am super happy that these results were awarded to me. I did work exceptionally hard to ensure that I covered all the bases that we were being asked to. I use the marking criteria for the Learning Objectives as a sort of checklist to make certain I’ve got a piece of work in the submission that covers the requirements. One of my slack areas so far has been research so I’ve been extra vigilant about documenting the research Ive completed this year. Much of it in this blog, with some passed across in discussions with my tutor and peers.
We are asked to reflect on our work, progress and results, and this journal/blog is my method of doing so. It might be a boring read to anyone not also involved in the same study of photography at this level (Level 5) but it’s vital I make notes and show that I use them to improve my practice and thus my output.
The work I’ve produced this year, I thought, was my best work of the course so far. The Matter Of The Black Country images that were exhibited are very strong and the experimentation of using the redscale stood me in good stead for the experimentation and creativity stakes. The works I’ve submitted for the BIMM module were also strong but I feel that portrait and studio photography is definitely not my strong suit.
Future
I now need to focus on the prep for Level 6, and which parts of my practice I carry forward. Some of my practice involves low light photography, some architectural and some based around cyberpunk style images so I’m looking forward to combining all of these in a trip to Japan which I leave for tomorrow. I’ll be staying in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto and I’ve planned it for the rainy season so I can make the most of the miserable weather to capture some decent reflections of neon signs. I’m excited to see what results from this two week journey!! I’ll be sure to share more info on when I return.
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