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10 | UG 2015

BA Commercial Photography

This is a one-year course designed to improve students’ photographic skills in a professional and student-centred environment. Students will have the opportunity to test their skills within a choice of supported topic themes that are linked to live projects and industry liaison.

Students have the opportunity to take elective modules that will allow articulation to BA (Hons) Communication Design to specialise on the photography pathway.

Guests @ Gray’s In addition to our course lecture programme, we also have our Guests @ Gray’s lecture programme. Here, we invite national and international artists and designers to the School to speak about their work. We have had a phenomenal list of speakers that have visited the school in the last few years.

Why not visit our blogsite to review them. www. graysartschoolaberdeen.com/ category/guests-grays/ Fig 22 Orlando Anderson. 2014

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Course Structure and Content

What our students go on to do

Course Content Commercial Studio Projects will allow students to expand upon practical and technical abilities in studio and location-based projects linked to live projects, industry and commerce.

Self-directed work enables concentration on students’ core strengths to build a professional portfolio of work.

After completing the course students have predominantly gone on to start up new photographic businesses and gain employment with local photography companies; they have also secured employment within Higher Education institutions.

Critical and Contextual Studies in Photography will support the understanding of photography through historical, cultural and economic dimensions, exploring the work of key practitioners.

A Case Study of Alumni

Students have re-located to work in London with major fashion photographers whilst others have travelled to secure internships in New York and London after graduation.

Almost 40 % of current students have now articulated with the BA (Hons) Communication Design (Photography).

John Prince

Business Start-up in the Creative Industries and Management Studies will develop sound business awareness to support business development ideas.

“My early career life was spent mainly within the sports & fitness industry but in 2010 I developed an interest in photography that resulted in a life changing career move.

In 2011 I enrolled onto the HND Photography course at Aberdeen College (now North East Scotland College) and then progressed onto the BA Commercial Photography course at Robert Gordon University.

This course is designed to articulate from HND Photography programmes and Gray’s School of Art has an articulation agreement with North East Scotland College. This course is taught at Gray’s School of Art, North East Scotland College, and Aberdeen Business School and marks a new and innovative approach to course design and the integration of business and creative practice.

The BA Commercial Photography course was very well delivered with a huge support mechanism, both at the University and the College. The critical and contextual modules of the course were especially stimulating exploring photography through discussion.

I found upon completing the course that it has provided me with the confidence to take my photographic journey to the next stage”.

External Engagement / Live Projects Live projects are a major part of the course due to the nature of commercial photography and students work with various local and national companies. These have included National Trust for Scotland, Topshop, F8 Magazine, RGU Sport and a number of local enterprises and charities.

Fig 23 John Prince. HANNAH MILEY. 2014