New
New
Year 10

Researching and presenting a photographer’s work

I can research photographers and present my findings and analysis.

New
New
Year 10

Researching and presenting a photographer’s work

I can research photographers and present my findings and analysis.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Analysing key themes and techniques used by a photographer deepens our understanding of their work.
  2. By studying the work of others, photographers enrich their practice and develop their own photographic voice.
  3. Inspirational photography can be found in many places offering diverse opportunities for research and discovery.

Keywords

  • Analysis - the process of examining the elements or structure of something

  • Annotation - adding notes to explain, analyse, or share your thoughts about a piece of artwork

  • Research - the process of finding information to learn more about a topic or idea

Common misconception

Looking at other photographers’ work doesn’t help you to create your own ideas.

Studying other photographers doesn’t mean copying . It helps you learn new techniques, discover styles you like and shape your own original ideas with more confidence.


To help you plan your year 10 art and design lesson on: Researching and presenting a photographer’s work, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Unpack elements like style, composition, and lighting during discussion. Ask guided questions and note students’ responses visually (e.g. on the board or a shared slide). This models the skill and builds confidence. Use a sentence starter to support their analysis.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Laptops or tablets (for student research) or printed images (for hands-on analysis if tech is limited). Art/photography vocabulary word bank. Sketchbook or access to digital document space.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does "research" in art most often involve?

Copying another artist's work
Taking photographs without a plan
Correct answer: Finding out about an artist’s ideas, style, and process
Asking friends which image they like best

Q2.
In photography, means looking closely at how an image is made and what it might mean.

Correct Answer: analysis, analysing

Q3.
Match each element with its description:

Correct Answer:Composition,How elements are arranged in the frame

How elements are arranged in the frame

Correct Answer:Lighting,The way light is used to create mood or effect

The way light is used to create mood or effect

Correct Answer:Style,The overall look or mood, e.g. bold, soft, or minimal

The overall look or mood, e.g. bold, soft, or minimal

Correct Answer:Focus,What’s sharp or blurred and how it draws attention

What’s sharp or blurred and how it draws attention

Q4.
Which of these is an example of annotation in art?

Painting in response to an image
Correct answer: Writing notes about an image’s style and impact
Naming an image
Asking a friend to draw an image

Q5.
Which of the following is a material process in photography?

Zooming in with your eyes
Correct answer: Editing with software like Photoshop
Writing about an image
Looking at photos online

Q6.
Key characteristics of an art movement are...

Correct answer: Working in a similar style
Correct answer: Using a similar theme
Working in an isolated way
Focusing on only one subject

Additional material

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