University of Technology Sydney

11318 Photography in the Built Environment

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10004 Bachelor of Design Architecture OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10413 Bachelor of Design Architecture Master of Architecture OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10325 Bachelor of Design Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09079 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10271 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10423 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10272 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10322 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation

Recommended studies:

An understanding of basic camera craft; a digital camera with manual exposure controls; a tripod; familiarity with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop software.

Description

This subject develops students’ understanding of photography’s aesthetic, technical, practical, historic and conceptual role and relationship to the practice of architecture. Through lectures, workshops and assignments the key aspects of photographing architecture are addressed, practiced and appreciated and provide students with a thorough understanding of architectural photography.

Students develop and practice the technical and methodological requirements of photographing architecture; appreciate the historic and cultural relevance of photography to architecture; explore and develop personal photographic research and methodology and apply it to relevant projects.

The subject aims to provide students with the necessary photographic acumen to confidently design and produce photographs of architecture and understand and appreciate the relevance of photography as both an art form and its applied context in architectural practice.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the significance that photography and photographic imaging has to the practice of architecture.
2. Demonstrate how to illustrate the key elements (design, site, materials, light) of architecture through the medium of photography.
3. Identify and appreciate the key historical signifiers of architectural photography and their relationship to art, design and architectural movements and concepts.
4. Identify and display photographic techniques concerning composition, perspective control, camera craft and digital production processes.
5. Demonstrate an appreciation and ability to communicate using the terminology and syntax peculiar to the visual language of photography.
6. Apply critical analytical skills to the production of photographic images.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Establish and develop an informed and ethical position towards social, technical and environmental issues and practices (A.1)
  • Communicate ideas professionally and effectively through a variety of mediums: oral, written, visual, physical and digital (C.2)
  • Produce inspirational responses that demonstrate the successful integration of sub-disciplinary areas of knowledge: history, theory, tectonics and/or practice (I.1)
  • Respond to a comprehensive brief within the disciplinary context (P.3)
  • Integrate an understanding of a relationship between form, materiality, structure and construction within design thinking (P.5)
  • Evidence disciplinary knowledge through the application of physical and/or digital mediums (P.6)
  • Position work within an extended and critically reasoned context through the identification, evaluation and application of relevant academic references and architectural case studies (R.1)
  • Define, develop and apply an appropriate design method in the execution of an architectural project (R.2)
  • Independently analyse, synthesise and formulate complex ideas, arguments and rationales and use initiative to explore alternatives (R.3)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

  • Lectures
  • Practical Demonstrations
  • Self-directed Learning
  • Workshops & Tutorials
  • Student Assessment Tasks

Content (topics)

Photographic composition Photography technicalities & methodology Historical synopsis of photography Photographing architectural models Visual narrative analysis Photographing architectural elements Post-production Basics

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Photographic Building Study

Intent:

To develop a sound understanding and methodology to photographing a building for the purposes of documenting and illustrating architectural concepts and design.

(n.b. this is a summary of the brief - full details provided in Class 1)

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 4, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, I.1, P.3, P.5 and R.3

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Ability to comprehend and execute an architectural photography brief 20 1 P.3
Ability to comprehend and execute an architectural photography brief 20 2 C.2
Application of fundamental photographic production technicalities 20 5 P.5
Comprehension of elemental photographic sensibilities 20 4 I.1
Develop a considered and thorough research methodology to photographic output 20 6 R.3
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Photographic Portfolio

Intent:

To produce a photographic portfolio investigating architecture and the built environment which addresses an original self-initiated, conceptual framework brief.

(n.b. this is a summary of the brief - full details provided in Class 1)

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, I.1, P.6, R.1 and R.2

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Development of photographic concepts in relation to the built environment 20 3 A.1
Execution of photographic analysis relaying concepts inherent to the built environment 20 5 I.1
Application of fundamental photographic production technicalities 20 2 P.6
Development of elemental photographic sensibilities 20 4 R.1
Develop a considered and thorough research methodology to photographic output 20 6 R.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Required texts

Compulsory readings will be made avaliable via Canvas.