Summer Study Abroad - Digital Photography Portfolio

Dates and fees

Date: 30 June 2025 - 17 July 2025

Application deadline: 12 May 2025

Cost: £2,500

Time: 10am - 4pm

Duration: 3 weeks

Entry requirements

English requirements

You should be proficient in written and spoken English and be able to participate in group discussions and make presentations. As a guideline we would expect you to have an English language level equivalent to IELTS score of 6.0. A certificate is not required.

More information on English language requirements and equivalencies.

Academic requirements

This course is open to all levels and is suitable for students over 18 wanting undergraduate-level study.

Course details

Throughout the course you will be given lectures by photographers who have created specialised work in their areas. Course lecturers have worked in fashion, editorial, advertising and fine-art photography. The assignments will enhance your creative camera control as well as develop your conceptual awareness. You can choose to work individually, or with your fellow students. You will be coming together at the end of the week to share your results with your tutor and the rest of the class.

Week one: You will start by having peer to peer portfolio reviews. This will give you the best individual support throughout the course. After this, you will be out testing your skills. You will be shooting briefs on subjects such as street photography, portraiture, conceptual photography and photojournalism.

Week two: We will begin with an introduction to lighting on location and lead on to a series of guided assignments in the studios. Here, your group will be taught how to execute a photographic vision. This will be achieved via brainstorms and mood-boards before getting expert practical advice on how to use a top end photo studio.

Week three: With what you have learnt from the first two weeks, you will now focus on building your portfolio. You will have 1 to 1 tutorials helping to galvanise your ideas in how to create a body of work that is at the core of who you are and how you want to work in future. You will have technical workshops editing your work for print.You will take advantage of the diversity and richness of London’s galleries and museums.  You will also engage in discussions about the practice of photography.

By the end of the summer school, you will have generated enough photographic material to create a hard copy portfolio. Portfolios will be assessed by your tutors. We will present your portfolio to your friends and family in a mini-exhibition.

Course Aims

• To develop a defined photographic style across a number of photographic genres that will eventually lead you to create your own printed photographic portfolio. You can use photographs from the workshops, assignments and your own photography projects to build this printed portfolio in the final week.

Follow On Courses 

Once you have taken this course you may be interested in MA Photography.

Credits

• This course is the equivalent to 4 US style credits.
• If you’re planning to claim credit towards your degree, be sure to check with your home institution before you apply.

Tutor information

David Levine is a renowned English photographer who has made a significant impact in the music and fashion industries for several decades. With over 30 years of experience in the field, he is widely recognized for his exceptional work and ability to capture some of the most iconic moments in music history while based in London. Throughout his career, David has had the privilege of photographing some of the most prominent musicians and bands of our time, including Kylie Minogue, Iggy Pop, Public Enemy, The Cure, ABC, and Culture Club, among many others. His work has been featured in various publications, including NME, No1, Smash Hits, Melody Maker, Vogue, Marie Claire, Tatler, and Rolling Stone.

Why choose Digital Photography Portfolio?

During this intensive three-week course you will:

• experience a taster of our undergraduate photography programmes at UAL.
• develop a portfolio of strong photographic work.
• learn from tutors who are practicing artists, designers and communicators; benefit from access to specialist facilities at one of UAL’s six Colleges.
• meet like-minded individuals from around the world!
• get involved in UAL life through social events and activities.
• All courses are assessed and you'll receive a record of study at the end of the programme if you wish to request credit from your home institution.

Materials

Please bring with you:

• A DSLR with a lens you like to shoot at, preferably including 35mm, 50mm, 85mm/100mm focal lengths. A good 24-70mm telephoto is fine, but prime/fixed lenses are better. A "mirrorless" camera is also ok.
• A notepad and laptop with suitable Adobe Suite software installed. The Study Abroad Office will be in touch with further information.

Summer Study Abroad Award

We offer a Summer Study Abroad Award for all of our 3 week Summer Study Abroad courses.

To be eligible, you must be 18 years or older, hold an offer to join one of our 3 week Summer Study Abroad courses, and be enrolled on an undergraduate degree programme outside the UK.

• The award covers the tuition-fee only and depends on you successfully enrolling for the course. Our cancellation policy still applies.
• Award winners will be asked to take part in promotional activities to promote Summer Study Abroad, including social media posts and takeovers, and blog writing.

Find out how to apply.