Bachelor of Fine Arts: Photo Media

• Photography and moving image increasingly play a crucial part and ever-changing role in contemporary art practice. Via lens-based arts we engage with fact, fiction, and fantasy - and the place where they intersect. Constant advances in wireless technologies, cameras, data storage, and social networking deliver images from anyone to anywhere, in real-time. Still and moving images are central to the ongoing development of contemporary art practices and exhibitions. Images can seduce the consumer and represent our inner selves. Video is now widely recognised as the literacy of the 21st century and images are embedded into our very culture while retaining their power to harness memory and their storytelling potential.
• The Photo Media pathway at Whitecliffe charts this exciting new territory in the related areas of Photography, Fine Art, and New Media.
• The programme engages with this expanding definition of lens-based media, with an emphasis on Fine Art Photography, Sound and Moving Image, and the Photobook. Students work in their studio spaces to develop a unique photographic practice, supported by electives and workshops that deliver rigorous technical instruction. Entrepreneurship studies and internships ensure students have a clear sense of commercial and professional expectations upon graduating. Contextual studies allow students to position their own ideas within a framework of historical and contemporary art and lens-based theory.
• A committed, enthusiastic team delivers the Photo Media programme. The department draws on experienced lecturers, including established and award-winning practitioners from visual arts, commercial, editorial, and theoretical backgrounds. There is a strong research culture within the department, with lecturers engaged in their own commercial and fine art practices as well as in academic research.
• Whitecliffe faculty have active and productive relationships with both the commercial and fine arts arenas: practicing photographers, artists, and industry specialists regularly take part in artist talks, tutorials, critiques, and workshops.
• Many alumni are working full-time in their own photographic practices, or in creative industry-related fields. Graduates excel in national art awards; exhibit in local and international galleries and have their work published.
• Each year a number of top graduates choose to expand their investigations into further academic research at a postgraduate level.

All Bachelor of Fine Arts students will be required to complete the following four compulsory 15 credit courses in the first semester.

• FA7501 Critical and Contextual IA
  Critical and contextual Introduction offers students the essential tools to confidently approach the development of their critical and contextual research and its application to studio practice.
  
  
  
• FA7502 Materials and Processes
  A practical study into a range of art making processes and application including drawing, painting, screen printing, and 3D object making.
  
  
  
• FA7512 Photography and the Media Arts
  A practical study into a range of lens-based processes, methodologies, and technologies. The course introduces students to camera and lighting, moving image, and sound recording.
  
  
  
• FA7522 Visual Thinking
  An introduction to methods of visual research. Facilitates an introductory understanding of the fundamental research processes supporting the development of a studio-based practice.
  
  

After completing Semester One in their first year, students will then enrol in 7504 Studio I (45 credits), and 7503 Critical and Contextual (15 credits). These two courses interrelate with each other and provide the basis for students to create and develop their own ideas and creative outcomes and allow them to choose their specialism in Year Two.

Years 2 + 3 follow the same format (45 credit Studio and 15 credit Critical and Contextual courses) per Semester. Students select either Fine Arts or Photo Media as their specialism for the remainder of the degree.

Year Two focuses on the development of individual practice research, experimentation, and art-making undertaken in the studio with an emphasis on student-directed outcomes. A series of project briefs support students to evaluate complex issues and discuss critical frameworks relevant to contemporary art practice. Students work in their studio spaces to develop a lens-based practice as a response to their encounter with the world.

Students in their final year will engage with two important platforms for the creation and dissemination of their work: publication and exhibition. Semester One addresses the form of the Photobook. During this extended project, students generate a significant body of work that provides the material for their developing skills in editing, sequence, and series. Students engage with ideas around design, production, distribution, and the book as object. At the culmination of the project, the work is assessed and displayed at an open event.

In the Second Semester, students are supported in generative and experimental methodologies, across a range of digital and analogue media. The studio-based project sees student work refined and resolved through a series of Formal Critiques and supported by the development of an Artist Statement. The outcomes are presented and assessed in an end-of-year exhibition. In addition to these major projects, students receive ongoing technical tutorials, workshops, and specialist support in relevant areas including the use of medium and large format analogue cameras and advanced approaches to digital post-production and lighting. Students also receive ongoing advanced support for moving image and sound production.

Visiting artists and practitioners talk frankly to students about 'real world' working conditions. The Whitecliffe internship programme exposes them to industry standards and helps set up a network of connections for their future.

Photo Media graduates are positioned to maximise opportunities as practising lens-based artists in a visual world. Many graduates work as Freelance Photographers in their own businesses, collaborate in creative team, or have found employment at Printing Labs, Photographic Studios, and as Assistants to well-respected Photographers. Alumni have also gone on to work as Producers, Post-production Artists, Curators, Gallery Assistants, and Magazine Editors. Each year several graduates continue into further academic research at postgraduate level.

NZ Government key information link for students, that provides more information to support your decision making for this programme

Domestic Student Entry Requirements:

• Completed application form
• Minimum age: Students must turn 17 within their first year of study at Whitecliffe
• NCEA University Entrance or equivalent
• CIE/IB award
• Discretionary Entrance is available to students who have gained exceptional marks in NCEA Level 2 and wish to embark on higher-level study. These students must display a high level of motivation and maturity
• Some of the above academic requirements may be waived for students over the age of 20
• Interview: All applicants for this programme are interviewed, and students should come to the interview prepared to discuss their work and ideas freely
• Portfolio: This is brought to the interview and should include between 12-24 examples of original work showing breadth of ability. The portfolio can be specific to one genre if that has been the student's body of work. Digital copies of your portfolio will also be accepted
• Letter of Intent: A 250-word letter of intent outlining reasons for wanting to study the BFA programme and desired pathway

International Student Entry Requirements:

• Completed application form
• Passport copy
• Minimum age: Students must turn 18 within their first year of study at Whitecliffe
• IELTS Academic overall score of 6.0 with no band less than 5.5 or equivalent
• Academic transcripts: School or previous tertiary results
• Interview: All applicants for this programme are interviewed. International student interviews are conducted via telephone or online
• Portfolio: This is brought to the interview and should include between 12-24 examples of original work showing breadth of ability. International students may submit their portfolio digitally
• Letter of Intent: A 250-word letter of intent outlining reasons for wanting to study the BFA programme and desired pathway

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Requirements:

This programme has Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) requirements, the following specifications will support you to be successful in your studies.

Required IT Specifications:

Minimum Hardware requirements 

• Mac - Intel processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor with SSE 4.2 or later
  OR 
• MacBook Air with M1 Chip 
  OR 
• Intel® or AMD processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor with SSE 4.2 or later 
• 8 GB RAM (Recommended 16 GB)   
• 250 GB SSD or higher hard drive with 10GB free space minimum    
• Wireless capability 802.11n dual-band    
• Up-to-date antivirus software    

Minimum Operating System     

• Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1809 or later; LTSC versions are not supported
  OR     
• Apple macOS Mojave (version 10.14) or later 

• Internet and data plan.    

Not Supported:    

• Chromebooks    
• Windows X or Windows S OS    
• Tablets (except Windows Surface Pro or iPad Pro)

Macbook Pro (preferred)
AND dedicated GPU (Graphics card)

May use Apple iPad Pro for drawing.