HND Photography
2 years (full) 3-4 years (part-time)
Entry Requirements
One A Level at Grade D or above or a BTEC Level 3 or equivalent including GCSE Grade C in English.
Course Content
Our specialist resources include:
• A range of art studios
• A ceramics room with two kilns, wheels and spray booths
• A 3D studio with facilities for working with wood, stone and plaster, as well as a range of machinery for cutting and refining
• A print-making workshop for lino prints, silkscreen and monoprints
• Two large fashion studios with cutting tables, industrial sewing machines, excellent millinery equipment and fashion-based computer resources
• Several Apple Mac suites equipped with software including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Director and Cinema 4D Go
• Photographic studios and dark room for traditional photographic techniques.
The HND Photography programme is a largely practical course covering traditional and digital photographic processes. It aims to provide you with the necessary skills for work within the professional photographic industry, whilst giving you a solid understanding of the creative, technical and theoretical aspects of the craft.
The first year of study explores the basics of photography, introducing you to key techniques and concepts such as studio and location lighting, darkroom techniques in colour and monochrome, and digital imaging and design. The hands-on learning process is underpinned throughout by practical guidance and instruction as well as contextual and historical study which grounds the course in a clear theoretical framework.
Once the basics have been mastered, you then have freedom in the second year to explore more specialist areas which reflect your own tastes and photographic interests. If your passion is fashion, then you can choose to learn about the dynamic and vibrant world of fashion photography. Or maybe you dream of becoming the next photographer behind a nationwide advertising campaign for a cool new brand, or a photojournalist capturing groundbreaking images of live events for a famous publication. You can learn all about these exciting photographic fields in the different modules on offer in the second year.
By the time that you graduate, you will possess a diverse and stimulating portfolio of work to a professional standard, which you can then use to further your academic work, or gain employment in a commercial role.
Key Facts:
Specialist expertise and support is on hand at all times from members of staff who are actively engaged in creative research and practice, many of whom have exhibited their work in regional, national and international photographic arenas in the past.
Assessment:
You will be assessed regularly throughout your course via a combination of practical and written tasks. Feedback will enable you to develop in your chosen field, ready to start your career.
The course provides an equal balance of both practical and theoretical types of assessment.
Written tasks will include assignments based on modules, coursework, reports or essays, portfolio collection, and the collation of evidence including production pieces.
Practical tasks will include exhibitions and displays, workshops and seminar presentations. Assessment will include industry-based scenarios where you will analyse and evaluate a specific topic within photography.
Next Step
The course will prepare you for direct entry into a broad range of photo-related fields. Photographers are vital to the key creative industries such as fashion, advertising, broadcasting and publishing, as well as the marketing activities of corporations, charities and public sector organisations.
Specific job roles can include a varied range of tasks, from picture researching and picture editing, to vision mixing, art direction and photo-shoot photography. Many people also choose to become self-employed, offering their photographic services to the public and professional organisations alike.
You could apply to continue your education by a top-up year at the University of Northampton or other place of learning to gain a full degree. This gives you the added benefit of possessing both a highly practical as well as a more academic qualification. Alternatively, you could opt for further specialist training in a particular area of photographic practice to enhance your specialist skills even further.
Course running at Northampton
(056W HND/Photo)
