Module Code: 5CTA2139
Learning Project 2: AI Photography, Volumetric Capture & Moving Image
Semester A 2025
Module Leader: Matt MacPake
Submission Deadline: Friday 9th January 2026 before 4pm Via Studynet
New Depthkit Studio, demonstarting Volumetric Capture and multi-camera calibration.
Introduction
This module provides students with opportunities to personalise their learning experience and to begin to develop an in-depth, individual specialisation within the field of Creative Media. The module will provide a menu of learning projects, similarly structured and weighted, tutor-led programmes of creative technical training, each focused on a particular area or practice within creative media and using a problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy.
This learning project will centre on the creative and critical possibilities of AI photography, volumetric capture, and moving image. You will investigate how AI-driven image-making tools are reshaping photography, how volumetric cap- ture opens new modes of immersive storytelling, and how moving image continues to evolve as a core medium within digital arts. Framed around real-world creative challenges, this project encourages both technical experimentation and critical reflection on the cultural, ethical, and artistic implications of these emerging practices.
In digital arts today, new technologies are transforming how we create, tell stories, and build immersive worlds. AI photography allows artists to generate and experiment with images in completely new ways, from quick concept art to detailed textures for games and animation. Volumetric capture adds an extra layer of realism, enabling us to record people and objects in 3D so they can move naturally within virtual environments. At the same time, the moving image remains central to how we connect with audiences, evolving beyond the flat screen into interactive, immersive experiences.
Together, these tools present exciting opportunities for animation, gaming, and digital storytelling. They make it pos- sible to build worlds that feel alive, to push creative ideas further, and to blur the line between cinema, performance, and play. By experimenting with these technologies, you’ll not only gain valuable technical skills but also explore how digital arts can shape the way we imagine and experience the future.
This learning project will be delivered all day on a Tuesday and will be one of three learning projects you study in se- mester A this year. Each learning project requires 150 study hours from the student, so be prepared to work diligently, attend all classes, and stay up to date with all resources. Ensure you communicate with your tutors and show your work on a regular basis.
Your Work Your Practice
Study Task 1: Create a Digital Sketchbook and Record Your Practice
This semester, you will start a new digital sketchbook. You can create this sketchbook using InDesign, PowerPoint, or Canva - it’s up to you, but this should be something that allows you to create a final PDF (for web, not print) version. You will upload your work to studynet for the final submission. I recommend using InDesign, as it will help you learn professional software that will support your degree over the next two years. Using this now will help build your confidence with the software.Throughout the semester, you will record your practice, taking on board all feedback and support offered by tutors. As you create your assignment, tutors will expect to see evidence of all study tasks, which include planning, research, practice, refinement, and evaluation. Throughout your work, we encourage testing and experimentation; ensure that this is re- corded and documented in your sketchbook.
It’s good practice to share everything you do, even if you feel it is unsuccessful. Simply write it up and reflect on your work in full, as this will still be assessed and count towards your grade. The idea is to demonstrate progress and development throughout the semester, which means showcasing all your work, not just the best of it. Please note that you will be asked to share your work and progress throughout the semester.
Therefore, ensure that you always have your work available and ready to show in each class you attend. Sharing work, communicating with staff, and asking for help with your tasks are all key expectations. Ask- ing for help with your work will not only help you develop more effective work in the future but also foster a collaborative environment. We are here to help and support you; please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Linda Dounia is a self-taught artist and curator born and raised in Senegal. She explores the social construction of
power and the cultural implications of how it is distributed. Her practice is a conversation between physical and digi-
tal mediums, by way of AI, and also incorporates image-making principles from her training as a designer.
The Zizi Project (2019 – ongoing) is a collection of works by Jake Elwes exploring the intersection of Artificial Intelli- gence (A.I.) and drag performance. Drag challenges gender and explores otherness, while A.I. is often mystified as a
concept and tool, and is complicit in reproducing social bias.
Study Tasks: Problem Based Learning Challenges
In this project, you will explore the creative and technical possibilities of AI Photography through a prob- lem-based learning approach. Rather than following step-by-step instructions, you will engage with open-ended challenges designed to reflect real-world issues facing contemporary digital artists. Working within the broader context of digital arts, animation, games, and immersive media, you will investigate how AI-generated imagery can be used critically, creatively, and ethically as part of your practice. This project asks you to develop solutions that are both imaginative and purposeful, encouraging collaboration, exper- imentation, and critical reflection as you build the skills needed to navigate the rapidly evolving field of AI and visual storytelling.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is particularly valuable in this context because it mirrors the realities of work- ing in creative industries, where there are rarely straightforward answers and innovation often stems from questioning, testing, and refining ideas. Through PBL, you will be expected to take ownership of your learn- ing by identifying key questions, researching potential solutions, and applying your findings in a practical and creative way. You will also be required to work collaboratively, share insights, and reflect critically on both process and outcome. In doing so, you will not only gain technical understanding of AI photography tools, but also strengthen your problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking skills — all essential for professional practice in digital arts. As part of the PBL approach, staff will act as facilitators and guides rather than instructors, supporting you by helping to clarify problems, pointing you toward relevant resourc- es, and encouraging critical discussion. However, staff will not provide ready-made solutions, step-by-step technical answers, or “correct” outcomes; instead, the responsibility lies with you to define, explore, and resolve the challenges presented. This means that while you can expect guidance, feedback, and construc- tive questioning from tutors, the direction and depth of your learning will come from your own initiative, collaboration, and creativity.
*Please reffer to the PBL tasks given out in class for more details - you can find these on canvas/ studynet in resources/units.
Study Tasks: Portfolio of Work
For your final submission, you will produce a portfolio of work that brings together outcomes from your three chosen learning projects. This portfolio will demonstrate both the range and the depth of your creative and technical development over the semester. It should not simply be a collection of separate exercises, but a carefully curated body of work that communicates your abilities, interests, and potential as a digital artist.
The portfolio must be presented with a considered design, showcasing your work in the best possible way. Attention should be given to layout, sequencing, and visual coherence so that the portfolio reads as a pro- fessional piece of creative documentation. You are encouraged to consider how visual choices, such as typography, structure, and image presentation, can enhance the clarity and impact of your ideas. The sub- mission should be clearly divided into three chapters, with each chapter dedicated to one of your selected learning projects.
Alongside the visual portfolio, you will submit a 500-word reflective text. This writing should explore the connections between the areas you have chosen to specialise in and articulate how combining these skills can inform your future professional practice. You should reflect on how your chosen projects relate to one another, what they reveal about your interests as a creative practitioner, and how they might position you within the wider creative media sector. The aim is to demonstrate not only what you have produced, but also your capacity to think critically about your practice and its potential applications in professional contexts.
A Photographer Embraces the Alien Logic ofA.I. Charlie Engman’s experiments with Midjourney have
yielded fleshy distortions, peculiar make–out sessions, and unfamiliar pictures of his mother.
Photogrammetry 3D Volumetric Capture example.
How to Submit your work
Assignment submission:
With all study tasks, your digital sketchbook will be submitted on Friday, 9th January, before 4 pm via studynet. Please make sure you upload several hours in advance to avoid any issues that could occur. It is your responsibility to submit work on time.
Important: You must submit as part of your work:
A digital sketchbook for this semester containing all study tasks.
Please see the check llist on Canvas/Studynet for help and support or talk to your tutors.
All resources & quotes Harvard Referenced appropriately throughout your sketchbook.
When uploading your sketchbook to studynet, please make sure you upload a web resolution ver- sion (72dpi) and not a print version (300dpi). Otherwise, the file will be too large to be uploaded to StudyNet.
Please reach out for help and support if you have any questions. Files need to be named appropri- ately. See the handout (StudyNet) before submitting your work.
Sharing Work, Tutorials, and Critiques
Share and show your work regularly. Provide peer feedback, participate in class discussions, and engage in class activities. Task details will be given in class or via email. All resources and reading lists are online (see StudyNet).
If you have any doubts about what you need to do, always refer to the assignment brief and use the resourc- es made available to you on Studynet/Canvas. If you are still unsure, please do not hesitate to reach out to your module leader and/or class tutors for support at any time. Attend all tutorials; attendance is recorded. Ask your tutors for support throughout the teaching period. vTake notes in every class and tutorial. Write up each tutorial in your sketchbook and submit it as part of your work. Show how you have acted on advice or made decisions.
It is up to you to ensure that you attend lessons, read the information, and keep up to date with your as- signments. You can always ask for help from lecturers and staff by emailing to arrange a meeting. Staff are available and happy to support you.
How your work will be assessed
Your work will be assessed against the following assessment criteria:
Learning Outcomes - Knowledge and Understanding: Successful students will typically…Have Knowledge and understanding of:
1. Develop an in-depth understanding of a small range of specific practices and processes of creative
media design and production, each associated with a particular format, technology or practice and apply this understanding to solve a range of problems. (A1, B3, C4)
2. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of relevant theories, artefacts and precursor traditions of practice relat- ing to individual practice. (A2, A3, B2)
Learning Outcomes - Skills and Attributes:
Successful students will typically …
1. Show level-appropriate skills in a small range of specific practices and processes of creative media de- sign and production and use these to produce high-quality outcomes. (B3, C1, C4)
2. Use reflection and a range of appropriate sources and references to synthesise learning and make con- nections between selected areas of specialist practice.(D2, D6)
3. Be able to take responsibility for their learning and demonstrate autonomy and self-reliance in applying knowledge in novel or unfamiliar areas. (D1)
How your work will be assessed
Your work will be assessed against the assessment criteria in the rubric below.
GRADE DESCRIPTORS (Undergraduate reference scale to assist coarse-grained marking of individual pieces of work)
Referencing, LRC & Support
Use a bibliography only for academic essays or reports. In your digital sketchbook, place referenc- es at the end of your writing. This makes finding research easier for future work. List all resources using the Harvard Referencing system. In your digital sketchbook put your references at the end of the piece of writing. This is more efficient for you in the future if you need to locate research for some other piece of work.
*All resources & references need to be listed in the appropriate professional manner using the Har- vard Referencing system. You will be given help & support with this in class & in the LRC induction. If you still need further help don’t forget to use LRC support, Tool Kit online StudyNet & ask your tutor. Help is available in class and during the LRC induction. If you need further assistance, please remember to utilize LRC support, the online StudyNet toolkit, and consult with your tutor. You can also access Library SkillUP, Get Started, Study Success Hubs, Ask Herts, Student Wellbeing, and Careers and Employment team, Handshake for additional guidance and support. Contact the ad- vice & support centre on 01707 285022, [email protected] , hertfordshire.su/advice, Hert- fordshire Students Union College Lane Mon-Fri 10am-4pm
By submitting you are declaring that your submission is entirely your own work.
If you have cited from other sources or in any way included material that was not produced by yourself, those sources must be acknowledged. Failure to acknowledge where work is not your own may result in an allegation of academic misconduct. For more information, see ‘Assessment Offences and Academic Misconduct’Links to an external site. on Ask Herts, together with the fol- lowing guidance from Library SkillUP:
- ‘Referencing: Why do it? Introduction’
- ‘Academic Integrity’
- ‘Why bother to acknowledge the work of others?’
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Proof Reading Tools
Generative AI tools: These may only be used in an assessment when you have been given explic- it and specific permission in the assignment brief (see below). If you have not been given such permission, you must not use generative AI tools - to do so will constitute academic misconduct. Even where permission has been given, you must still reference clearly any use of generative AI in the development of your submitted work. If you do not reference any use of generative AI tools, this will also constitute academic misconduct. If in any doubt, you should ask your tutor for advice.
Proofreading tools: Increasingly, proofreading tools are being embedded into standard packages e.g. Word, Grammarly, and becoming more sophisticated. A proof-reader or proof-reading tool must only be used to identify and draw attention to possible changes which you can then choose to accept or reject. Neither a proof-reader nor a proof-reading tool (whether genAI or not) can ever be used to make changes to your work directly; this will ensure that you remain the author of your work. Full information on the University’s policy and guidance on use of generative AI and proof- reading tools can be found here on Ask HertsLinks to an external site.
For this Assignment, the following applies:
In this assessment you are expressly permitted to use AI tools in the creation of content for your work where specific tasks allow you to do so. Where tasks state you cannot use AI you must create the work yourself.
You can also use AI to proofread your work. Alternatively, you can use a proofreader or non-genAI proofreading service.
Third-party assets
In the Learning Project material, you have been introduced to the tools for combining images with- in a multi-layered environment, including Multi-view Photography, video chromakey, and visual scanning. You can bring external material into a designed imaging environment to enhance the artefact you decide to create. Your artefact should be a studio-based starting point that combines AI and other source materials to form an artefact that demonstrates your skills and conceptual understanding of the Learning Project’s goals. Assets such as 3D models should be used to the minimum, but AI tools in Unreal, Photoshop and Premiere should be explored.
Source(s) must be acknowledged in the submission by Harvard references.
Each Learning Project requires you to inform the staff of the third-party assets you intend to use in your artefact. If you need to have staff approval to use the asset, or the use in the university context breaks copyright rules, then you should not use this artefact. It is your responsibility to check usage and copyright when using third-party assets. You must inform the staff and complete a release form, which can be found on the website or downloaded from the terms and conditions of the material you intend to use.
Ethics
The Ethics Committee must approve all coursework that involves ‘human participants’ (such as interviews, questionnaires or surveys, even where these are conducted among family/friends). Applications should be made to the committee at least two weeks before the start of a project. Approved applications will receive a protocol number and this should be included as part of the module submission. If students undertake work that involves human subjects without the prior ap- proval of the Ethics Committee they may incur an academic penalty. Guidance on how to make an application can be found on Ask Herts under More Information hereLinks to an external site.
Risk Assessment
A risk assessments exercise may be required to be completed prior to undertaking some assign- ment work. You can find information about Health and Safety on Ask Herts hereLinks to an external site. A risk assessment is not required for this assignment.
A Photographer Embraces the Alien Logic ofA.I. Charlie Engman’s experiments with Midjourney have
yielded fleshy distortions, peculiar make–out sessions, and unfamiliar pictures of his mother.
NOTE: Tutors will refer to SCHOOL-LEVEL GRADING CRITERIA when assessing your work and determining an appropriate mark to award. You can see the School-Level Undergraduate Grading Criteria here.
[ ** Reference Grades above 90 should be awarded for work of truly exceptional quality and used very sparingly ]
Engagement by the student in all aspects of Teaching anvd Learning and Assessment are essential to ensure successful completion of the module, students with an OVERALL Module Grade below 40% will be offered the opportunity of a referral in the same academic year.
All students are advised to read the School’s STUDENT/PROGRAMMES HANDBOOK. The handbook provides information concerning many aspects of study, including how to submit your coursework, how your work will be marked, late work, Exceptional Circumstances, key contacts for support, etc.. The Hand- book is available on the Creative Arts Toolkit here.
If you are unable to submit
Where there are clear and provable reasons for a student being unable to meet an assessment deadline, module tutors are able to approve a short-term Coursework ExtensionLinks to an external site.. This gives permission to hand in an assessment after the published deadline without either incurring a penalty or waiting to re-take an alternative assessment as a referred or deferred student. Requests for extensions can be made at any time up to the coursework deadline. The maximum number of days for a short-term extension is seven (7) calendar days and ten (10) calendar days for students with a Study Needs Agree-ment (SNA). If a student needs more time than this, they should submit an application for deferred assess- ment through Exceptional Circumstances. You can find the short-term coursework extension form on the Creative Arts Toolkit here.
Applications for Exceptional Circumstances must be submitted no more than fifteen (15) working days after the assessment submission date and at least five (5) working days before the Board of Examiners.
Please read the guidance on Ask Herts (Exceptional CircumstancesLinks to an external site.) for further information.
Any student who submits work for assessment deems themselves to be sufficiently fit and well to under- take that assessment and may not later claim to have exceptional circumstances in respect of the assess- ment. Full details of the University’s ‘Fit to Sit’ policy can be found hereLinks to an external site..
Penalties for late submission
(i) For first-sitting or deferred (DEFC) coursework, for each day (or working day for hard copy submission only) up to five days after the published deadline, coursework submitted late (including deferred course-work, but with the exception of referred coursework), will have the numeric grade reduced by 10 grade points until or unless the numeric grade reaches 40.
(ii) Referred coursework submitted after the published deadline shall be awarded a grade of zero unless a short-term extension has been granted.
Referrals
For students who are referred (FREFC) due to failure on first-sitting of one or more elements of assess-ment, only the assessment elements which have been failed and then passed at referral will be capped to 40. Students who are referred are not eligible for a Short-Term Extension or the Late Submission Period from the published referral submission deadline.
Re-enrolment
Following re-enrolment (FREN) on any module, the grades awarded will be those actually achieved in the assessment. Grades will not be capped except where there are penalties for other circumstances (such as late submission). No previously passed assessment elements can be carried forward for the same module from a previous academic year.