Module: BIO6102-20 Wildlife Photography

Level: 6

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor:  Ian Todd

Module Tutor Contact Details: i.todd@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

This module aims to equip you to work collaboratively with other students in the production of a photographic or film piece focused on wildlife or conservation. Guided by staff, the module will bring together your skills and knowledge in wildlife conservation and in photography/filming, sound capture and editing to produce a portfolio of photographs, films or digital content. The subject matter will focus on a wildlife or conservation theme, based on organised or independent field trips.

2. Outline syllabus

Assisted by staff in Biology and Film/TV and working as a production team you’ll focus your work on a UK-based wildlife conservation project to produce your photographic/film project. You could select an option focused on regionally-based conservation sites or research organisations such as the county Wildlife Trusts, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, National Trust or RSPB.

Following an initial briefing by staff on the opportunities available, you’ll agree the species/habitat/theme as the subject matter and approach for your project. You’ll work in groups comprising students from Biology and from Film and Media to develop and carryout the project.

You will decide on the subject matter and work to produce a photographic/film project  on one of the following themes:

• work of a scientist/conservationist

• animal biology or behaviour, or habitat  - at micro, macro or landscape scale

• field-based interview with a scientist

• creative or free choice theme (subject to negotiation)

Each group will then take their project forward by researching the location(s), organisations and their work, plus the habitats, species or people that will form the subject matter for the project. This preparation will inform the subject matter to be covered and a plan for storyboard development and will be included in the final portfolio of work.

Following planning, scheduling and rough scripting each group will aim to film on location, using for example, digital SLRs, mobile phones and sound recording equipment. Following photographic work in the field, you’ll work collaboratively in your groups to edit and complete your project. After initial consultation with tutors, projects may be uploaded to a suitable platform.

3. Teaching and learning activities

This module is project based, with each student group producing a short photographic or film piece on a wildlife conservation theme suitable for an online audience. The project has three key phases: pre-production planning; photographic/film work in the field and post production prior to publishing on the web.

In preparatory sessions you’ll use and extend your research skills to develop a detailed understanding of the potential subject matter (species, habitats or people) and of the organisation and location where you will be working. You’ll also build your group to undertake the work and plan and prepare for fieldwork. Your group will be small, between two and four people and comprise a mix of biological and film/photographic experience.  Working collaboratively will help you to exchange and develop knowledge and skills in this field and so potentially open up a range of career opportunities.

The output from the wildlife photographic/film project is expected to last three to five minutes. You’ll base it on the subject matter drawn from working with a conservation organisation in the southwest region of the UK.

Following the fieldwork, you’d work together under the guidance of tutors and technical demonstrators to complete your project. In addition during the course of the module you will maintain a group project blog and use this as the basis for an individual critical evaluation of the whole process and of the final piece.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: A group-produced photographic/film piece for website (three to five minutes duration).

• % Weighting: 80%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Individual critical evaluation of the project process based on a production blog (1000 words)

• % Weighting: 20%