FA4010 - Fashion Journalism and Photography

Learning and teaching strategies on Fashion Communication encourage you to acquire a flexible and imaginative approach to problem solving through enquiry-based learning. You will become an active participant in your learning, integrating creative practice with academic and intellectual skills.

The extended studio (X-Studio) environment is integral to this process, encouraging individual intellectual freedom and a creative collaborative community. The X-Studio embraces our physical studios and making workshops as well as our virtual spaces to create a flexible and rich environment that is responsive to your learning needs.

This dedicated approach has been developed over many years of continuous teaching innovation, research and industry collaboration. It has created a supportive extended studio culture that encourages you to learn flexibly, dynamically blending your learning and University experience between physical and digital interactions both in real-time and online at your own pace.

This extended studio culture not only helps you to become a more confident autonomous learner but also prepares you for a dynamic design industry in which an extended studio philosophy is current practice.

Lecturers with industry experience and supporting research will guide you through the module, developing your understanding of professional standards and practice. Guest speakers from the fashion and media industries, including editors, photographers and stylists, will help you situate your own work in a professional context.

You are encouraged to advance your visual literacy and to be aware of current issues and debates. Working in groups, you learn to be flexible and collaborative, to identify and redefine problems in a creative way and focus on solutions that are both relevant and empathetic.

Traditional, new and emerging technologies are used both in the delivery and realisation of outcomes, and you will learn to present your work and ideas using a range of media and communication tools to a variety of audiences in different situations. You will create digital portfolios and presentations, as well as image-based/multimedia submissions.

• At the beginning of your programme you will be allocated a Guidance Tutor who will be able to provide advice and support in relation to your academic, personal and professional development. Formal guidance tutorials will allow you to reflect on what you have achieved and identify your strengths and weaknesses
• Tutorials with lecturers provide advice on the direction of your work and whether you are meeting Module Learning Outcomes. These will be timetabled, and will help you to progress your ideas.
• Project briefs are introduced via briefing sessions, where the task is fully explored by both staff and students
• Live projects with industry and regional, national and international external partners extend the practical study of the subject area within an industrial context, where possible. They are also designed to support student confidence in their ability to handle professional practice within the creative industries
• Students experience a range of teaching, learning and assessment methods and course work is largely project based
• Modules are delivered through a combination of delivery modes, with guided and independent learning
• Additional study skills materials and workshops are available through Skills Plus at https://library.northumbria.ac.uk/skillsplus/ and Linkedin Learning
• Students are expected to maintain a project plan and are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning
• English language support is provided for international students
• Student Central provide specialist support with personal issues including; DSSR (Disabled Student Support Recommendations) statements; PECs (Personal Extenuating Circumstances) and LAs (Late Approved submission) processes.
• University student services offer specialist support e.g. financial, disability, mental health, international student support etc.
• eLP includes all relevant documentation and learning material, e.g. module briefs, lecture content, video demonstrations, reading lists and weekly tasks, together with meeting spaces, discussion boards and notices
• Visiting professionals support relevant and current practice where possible

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Understand production processes and professional practices within the media, cultural and communicative industries

2. Show a foundational knowledge of the media industry through analysis of a specified magazine

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Evidence your independent judgement in your ability to generate and explore ideas through visual and written fashion communication

Personal Values Attributes
4. Show a fundamental awareness of ethical issues and responsible practice through critical evaluation of your own fashion journalism and photography output

Assessment will be conducted through;

Summative assessment

Magazine analysis, 1,000 words, critically evaluating the target audience, market positioning, advertising, circulation, feature content, language, visuals and design of a specified publication (2) 20%

Magazine feature, including cover and two spreads comprising a profile, photo shoot and InDesign layout (3) 60%

Research file including photographic and journalistic tasks, evidence of development of magazine spreads, and 500-word reflective evaluation on professional practice (1, 4) 20%

N/A

N/A

This module explores the principles and practice of fashion journalism and photography, and the cultural, ethical and commercial context in which they operate. On a theoretical level, you will debate the key issues in the fashion and media industries, including the close tie-ups between the two and how they target their audiences.

In practical sessions, you will develop the skills associated with fashion journalism and photography, including interviewing, research, feature writing, magazine design, styling and portrait photography. With guidance from guest speakers and tutors, you will build up a portfolio of text, imagery and design appropriate to commercial fashion publications.