UAL Digital Design and Commercial Photography

UAL is an Awarding Body that designs courses to meet the gap in current creative education and employment, to empower, support and inspire young people to reach their potential in the creative sector. The creative industries are currently one of the fastest growing in the UK. This professional based course aims to develop students� ability to develop industry skills and practice within the digital arts, specifically commercial photography and digital design. Students will be expected to work to a brief and produce exciting commercially driven work independently and collaboratively. The course covers a range of industry-based skills, where students can push their understanding of how creativity is used within the workplace. Students are able to enrol on this course alongside any other Visual Arts A-Level including Graphic Design and Photography.

Over the course you may study topics and skills such as; Adobe CC (Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, After Effects) Digital photography; the functions of a digital camera Studio and location photography Flash and lighting Animation Composition and layout Colour and typography theory Branding and logo design Social Media and marketing Editorial and web design Experimental image editing and manipulation Creative business and freelancing skills Visual and contextual research Ideas generation and working to a set brief Critiquing your own work and that of others

In Year 12 the course is structured to develop a variety of skills in both digital design and photography, within short brief-led projects. In Year 13 you will have more freedom to specialise and develop one personal and in-depth body of work. Students are encouraged to develop their skills in research, problem solving, marketing, collaboration, independent thinking, professionalism and producing a marketable product. Students will also understand the potential of self-employment and creative entrepreneurship. Students could expect to continue into professions such as marketing and communications, graphic design, digital and interactive media production, games design, commercial photography and videography, art- working or retouching, wedding photography and more. The Visual Arts department has professional standard studio spaces with Apple Macs, Adobe Creative Suite software, Wacom drawing tablets, a full photography light studio, DSLRs and other professional photography equipment for students to hire. It also has a wide variety of other arts-based specialist tools and equipment to encourage students to explore multidisciplinary techniques. We operate an �open door� policy to allow students to use the equipment and studio spaces independently outside of their lessons.