What's included
Online study texts, tutorial videos, a photo-sharing website, and supported discussion forums.
You will need
You will need a camera that creates images as digital files. Obviously a digital camera is designed to do this but recent mobile phones may also be suitable; your camera should have a resolution of 2 megapixels or more. Whatever camera you use, it is preferable if it has some controls or settings (e.g. shutter speed, aperture or automatic settings such as ‘sport’, ‘landscape’ or ‘portrait’), as the course will teach you about the full range of controls and settings that a photographer uses. However it will also be possible to complete the course using a basic camera with little or no control over its settings.
You will need photo-editing software. There are many suitable packages available, some of which are available for free either for download or use online; the course will provide a brief overview of these. The tutorial material uses Adobe Photoshop Lightroom as an example, but links to tutorials for other packages are also provided.
Computing requirements
A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Any modern browser will be suitable for most computer activities. Functionality may be limited on mobile devices.
Any additional software will be provided, or is generally freely available. However, some activities may have more specific requirements. For this reason, you will need to be able to install and run additional software on a device that meets the requirements below.
A desktop or laptop computer with either:
- Windows 7 or higher
- macOS 10.7 or higher
The screen of the device must have a resolution of at least 1024 pixels horizontally and 768 pixels vertically.
To participate in our online-discussion area you will need both a microphone and speakers/headphones.
Our Skills for OU study website has further information including computing skills for study, computer security, acquiring a computer and Microsoft software offers for students.
If you have a disability
Photography is inherently a highly visual subject, and use of a camera may require some manual dexterity.
The course includes significant amounts of work with a computer. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you, you are advised to contact us about support which can be given to meet your needs.
Written transcripts of audio material are provided.
If you have particular study requirements please tell us as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Find out more about our services for disabled students.