Mackellar Girls Campus Assessment
Notification
Course: Photography and Digital Media, Year 9
Date of Issue: by Week 10, Term 1
Topic: Objects, Shapes and Shadows
Date due: Week 1, Term 2 (Friday 4/5/25)
Type of task:
Part A: Practical, Documentation of experiments and e/Portfolio
Part B: Written Response, Critical Analysis of Photographic Images
Task Number
1
Weighting
15%
Total Marks
15
Outcomes assessed:
5.1 Develops a range and autonomy in selecting and applying photographic and digital
conventions and procedures to make photographic and digital works
5.7 Applies their understanding of aspects of practice to critically and historically interpret
photographic and digital images.
Task Description: Submit your Photographic and Digital Media (PDM) Portfolio containing all
preliminary tasks exploring the theme ‘Objects, Shapes and Shadows’.
The Portfolio must include all class notes, photographs and relevant documentation for each
of the following:
The Critical Analysis: A minimum of one page text in 12 fonts, single-spaced
NORTHERN BEACHES SECONDARY COLLEGE – MACKELLAR CAMPUS
ASSESSMENT TASK NOTIFICATION
COURSE: 9 Photographic and Digital Media
TASK NUMBER 1
DATE DUE Week 1 Term 2
TASK WEIGHTING
20%
PROCEDURE FOR COLLECTION: Submit to Ms. Mathis in class time.
Your Google Slides e/Portfolio must be submitted digitally on Google Classroom.
STUDENT NAME_____________________________
OUTCOMES TO BE ASSESSED
5.1 Develops a range and autonomy in selecting and applying photographic and digital
conventions and procedures to make photographic and digital works
5.7 Applies their understanding of aspects of practice to critically and historically interpret
photographic and digital images.
TASK DESCRIPTION
TASK
20 Marks
Part A :
Submit your Photographic and Digital Media e/Portfolio containing all preliminary tasks exploring
the theme: ‘Objects, Shapes and Shadows’.
The e/Portfolio must include all class notes, annotated photographs and relevant
documentation for each of the following:
Composition Tasks from class (10 marks)
1. Format
2. Focal Point
3. Rule of Thirds
4. Lighting Tasks (eggs and other objects) - Lighting direction
5. Diffusion
Light and Playful Camera Experiments from class (10 marks)
Experimental Images, Exploring Manual operations on the camera and applying the Exposure
Triangle when photographing images:
1. Slow shutter speed
2. Aperture and f/Stops and
3. ISO (light sensitivity)
Experiments will include:
Repurposing objects over the lens, veiled lens - stocking, gauze and cellophane, glass jar lens
e.g. clear textured plastic, Vaseline on plastic or bubble wrap
The PDM e/ Portfolio must thoroughly document the processes and techniques explored in each
of the images.
Part B:
Written analysis of 2 Photographic images referencing the Principles of Photography
Examples of images demonstrating experimental use of Shutter speed, aperture (f/stops) and
ISO (light sensitivity). All camera settings have been adjusted in Manual Mode
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part B: Critical Analysis
Image 1.
David Moore, Australian
Sydney Harbour Bridge
1947, printed in 1984
Gelatin silver photograph
30.4 x 30.4; 50.5 x 40.3 cm sheet
AGNSW
Image 2.
David Moore, 1927-2003, Australian
Photograph
Gelatin silver photograph
43.0 x 28.0 cm image/sheet
signed “David Moore 84’”
AGNSW
Part B:
Critical Analysis
One page of writing
Applying your knowledge of the principles of Photography, discuss the images by
David Moore.
Referencing images 1 and 2, discuss how the photographer's photographic
compositions engage the audience.
Why has the photographer featured specific photographic principles in the
composition? Explain your understanding of the effective use of the principles with
examples and explanations. Your concluding paragraph should link back to the thesis
statement made in the introduction.
Principles of Photography
Rule of thirds, perspective, leading lines, repetition, pattern, line, balance,
contrast, texture, movement, light/shadow, shape, space, negative space and
reflection.
Apply the Critical Analysis Scaffold and PEEL Scaffold to support your
responses.
You should reference the photographic elements that are relevant to each image. Not
all the photographic principles have to be applied
Scaffold for a Critical Analysis
Introduction:
Introduction:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Title of artwork
Artists name
Date produced
Context place
Form of work (Photography)
Subject or theme
State your thesis statement and
preface your main ideas
Context:
Context:
Each time you bring in a new image of the
photographer
● Briefly overview the main ideas or
conceptual concerns
● Each time you bring in a new artist
or artwork as evidence:
● Provide a context - who, what,
where, when, why, how
● You should offer insight into the
specific theme and style, the social
and political concerns and the
historical and political context.
Analysis:
● Write a minimum of one expanded
PEEL paragraph
● Your POINT sentence should
elaborate on one of the main ideas
from the introduction.
● Your EXAMPLES and
EXPLANATIONS should provide
the specific EVIDENCE from the
images of the material.
● Your ‘Examples’ and ‘Explanations’
should provide the specific
evidence from
the artwork or article.
Example:
Description:
Example:
Explanation;
Example:
Explanation:
●
What does it look like, how was it
made…
● Analysis - what techniques or
devices are used, and why…
interpretation:
● What does it mean?
● What is the artist’s intent…
LINK:
Your ‘Link’ sentence should assess the
effectiveness of the artist in achieving
The goal is specifically related to the
thesis statement.
Explanation:
Conclusion/ Link:
Marking Criteria Practice
Student Feedback
Performance
Experimental Camera work submissions are all developed
in a sophisticated manner, highlighting the student’s ability
to experiment with a number of processes and able to
choose the most suitable example from each process. The
stronger works will resemble a painterly abstract approach
and the object will not necessarily be recognisable. It will
highlight their strength for composition, manipulation of
light and camera technique.
Mark
18-20
All tasks within the conventions of photography
component are completed with accuracy and are well
presented. The high quality of the images indicates the
student has a solid understanding of basic compositional
and studio lighting practices.
Documentation is explicit and thorough for all tasks in the
folio, and it is presented to a very high standard
Experimental Camera work – some of the submissions are
developed in a sophisticated manner highlighting the
student’s ability to experiment with some of the processes
and also that they are able to choose the most suitable
example from each process. The stronger works will
resemble a painterly abstract approach but there are a few
that don’t fulfil these criteria. It will highlight their strengths
in the manipulation of light and camera technique.
15-17
All tasks within the conventions of the photography
component will have a good understanding of basic
compositional and studio lighting techniques is
demonstrated, though this may be uneven across the
various task components.
Documentation is competent; however, it may be less
thorough in its discussion of some task components.
Experimental Camera work - each process is represented
in the portfolio but the final photographs are not abstract
and produced more as a process rather than a final
artwork. It is evident the student has been able to
manipulate the camera techniques but was not able to
experiment with light to obtain strong abstract works at the
end.
10-14
The presentation of images within the conventions of
photography component have a good understanding of the
explicit conventions of photography studied in class.
Documentation is less thorough in its discussion. Some
task components have not been documented or annotated
as a design portfolio.
The presentation of all images, both experimental and
conventional, appears careless.
A foundational awareness of basic composition and studio
lighting strategies is revealed in some images.
Certain tasks may not be presented at all.
6-9
Documentation not presented or superficial.