Beyond The Selfie

Beyond The Selfie is a free downloadable STEAM workshop developed for use by schools and other educational institutions that aims to provide an introduction to the digital world through the medium of photography and the photographic image.

*“For students who have grown up in a world of mobile phones and iPads, Beyond The Selfie is an eye-opener. When asked what could be improved the most common reply was, make it longer.”*

“Beyond The Selfie is simply a free flexible resource that you can adapt to suit the needs of your students. “

Designed to be flexible, the Beyond The Selfie presentation is available in both Apple Keynote and Powerpoint formats, includes 150 slides, is accompanied by a suggested script and information to support the hands-on activities.

Outline of workshop

Using The Voting System
History Of Photography
Hands-on Activity : Solar Printing
Analog vs Digital
Digital Files
Hacking Images
Beyond The Visible
Hands-on Activity : Photography Challenge
Quiz

*“Using the Plickers voting system is free, it increases engagement, is fun for the pupils and really helps with assessment and evaluation of the workshop.”*

History Of Photography

How photography began, including Camera Obscura, the discovery of light-sensitive chemicals, the first photograph, the first photograph of people, the first selfie and cyanotype prints.
The EM Spectrum and the Colour Image :

An introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum and the capture of the first colour image by James Clerk Maxwell and how his discovery is still the basis of how modern cameras and displays work.
Hands-on : Making a cyanotype print

Designing the print, exposing it and then fixing it with water. A safe and fun way to make a print with no chemicals required.
Analog vs Digital :

Explore the development of both film and digital cameras and images, discuss the difference and introduce the pixel.
Sensors & Pixels :

Simple description of a camera sensor, pixels, red green blue filters, greyscale values and what a megapixel is.
The Digital Document - Bits & Binary :

A simple description of binary notation and how to decipher it. Includes a simple challenge.
Hacking Images :

Does the camera lie? We explore image manipulation and how it can be used and misused.
Beyond The Visible :

We explore some of the many uses for images made using the other wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Hands-on Photography Challenge

We discuss the basics of taking a photograph, give examples of portraits and then it’s over to you
Final Quiz

Our last use of the Plickers app is for assessment and feedback.

Download Free Workshop Materials

To allow us to provide our funders with some idea of the number of people downloading and using these materials we ask you to sign up to become a site member. However, apart from the two emails you will receive on signing up and perhaps an evaluation one a few months later, we will not email you or share your information and you can cancel your membership at any time.

Beyond The Selfie was developed for

the Structured Photonics Group, University of Glasgow

by the Digital Learning Foundation Educational Charity with funding from

EU Horizon 2020, EPSRC and the Royal Academy of Engineering

Our Partners