Cambridge Syllabus Notes

📷 Cambridge IGCSE Art & Design 0400 – Photography

Objective

Learn how to select, review and refine photographic work to create a strong personal response that meets the exam criteria.

1️⃣ Key Concepts

Composition – the arrangement of elements (rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry).
Light & Exposure – controlling brightness, contrast, and colour temperature.
Focus & Depth of Field – deciding what is sharp vs. blurred.
Post‑Processing – editing techniques to enhance mood or narrative.
Personal Voice – the unique perspective or story you bring to the image.

2️⃣ Selecting Your Work

Gather a portfolio of 8–12 images that cover a range of subjects and techniques.
Use the IGCSE rubric to score each image on Composition, Technical Quality, Concept & Personal Response.
Choose the 3–4 best images that show clear improvement and a strong narrative thread.

3️⃣ Reviewing Your Images

Analogy: The Detective

Think of yourself as a detective looking for clues. Ask:

What story does the image tell?
Is the focus where it should be?
Does the lighting support the mood?
Are there any distracting elements?

4️⃣ Refining Your Images

Crop & straighten to improve composition.
Adjust exposure & contrast to bring out details.
Use colour balance to set the emotional tone.
Apply subtle retouching to remove distractions.
Export in the required format (JPEG, PNG) and resolution (300 dpi).

5️⃣ Crafting a Personal Response

Write a concise statement (150–200 words) that links your images to:

Theme or concept you explored.
How you used technical choices to support that theme.
What personal insight or message you aimed to convey.

Example: “Through the use of a shallow depth of field, I isolated the subject’s face, drawing attention to the subtle emotion of longing, which reflects my personal experience of waiting for a loved one.”

6️⃣ Camera Settings Cheat‑Sheet

Setting	What It Does	When to Use
ISO	Sensitivity to light.	Low ISO (100–400) for bright light; high ISO (800+) for low light.
Aperture (f‑stop)	Controls depth of field.	Wide aperture (f/1.8–f/2.8) for portraits; narrow aperture (f/8–f/16) for landscapes.
Shutter Speed	Controls motion blur.	Fast (1/500 s+) to freeze action; slow (1/30 s–1 s) for creative blur.

📝 Examination Tips

Checklist Before You Submit

?? All images are in the correct format and resolution.
?? Your personal response is clear, concise, and links to the images.
?? Technical aspects (focus, exposure, composition) are evident.
?? You have shown improvement from initial to final images.
?? No obvious distractions or over‑editing.

Remember: the examiners look for creativity, technical skill, and a personal voice. Show them why your images matter to you.

select, review and refine work to produce a personal response