“My advice, is to use all the equipment at uni as you will never be given such an amazing opportunity to practice again. ”
BA (Hons)Fashion Photography and Image Production
Apply on UCAS
Starting in: 2026
Register your interest- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
UCAS code: FPI3
Institution code: S30
UCAS points: 48Flexible entry options available
Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps
Why study a fashion photography and image production degree at Solent University
Realise your vision on this innovative course, combining fashion photography, fashion film and multi-media production, and gain the skills to become a confident image creator in the fashion industry.
- 0thin the UK in film production and photography, out of 70 institutions (Guardian Uni Guide 2026)
- Top0in the UK for career prospects in film production and photography, out of 44 institutions (Guardian Uni Guide 2026)
- 0thin the UK for teaching quality in communication and media, out of 80 institutions (Times Good Uni Guide 2026)
- Our creative arts and design courses, including the BA (Hons) Fashion Photography and Image Production, are ranked in the top 20% nationally for graduate earnings (LEO 2025).
- Learn from a course team that includes award-winning industry professionals who have worked with some of the world's leading fashion magazines, brands, and designers.
- Our course team maintain close links with industry which enables you to benefit from guest lectures, live briefs, and placement opportunities.
- Recent students have enjoyed work placements London Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, Fat Face, Hungry Tiger Studios, ARWEC Studios, and Graduate Fashion Week, as well as freelance assistant opportunities with leading photographers.
- Graduates have gone on to work for renowned fashion companies such as Bottega Veneta, Mulberry, Giorgio Armani and Jimmy Choo, and secured full-time roles as photographers, studio managers, video editors, production managers and shoot producers.
- Facilities include 11 professional photography studios, a fully equipped infinity cove, and a range of make-up and hair design spaces.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Course overview
Immerse yourself on this innovative and dynamic course that brings together the disciplines of fashion photography, fashion film and multi-media production, giving you the skills needed to become a confident image-creator within the fashion industry. Combining both cutting-edge and traditional approaches to photography and image-making, this course will provide you with the creative and professional tools to express your artistic identity and develop innovative and imaginative visions for the future of fashion photography.
Throughout the course, you'll explore both digital and analogue photography, moving image and post-production, as well as art direction and shoot management. You'll also have the opportunity to collaborate with students from our other fashion courses, giving you invaluable networking experience.
Throughout your studies you will have access to a range of professional photography facilities to broaden your skills, including photography studios (including a specialist infinity cove), make-up studios, Mac suites, and digital reprographics rooms for high quality professional prints. All of which will help you to build a professional and extensive portfolio.
Employability is embedded into this degree and you will have the opportunity to engage with live projects and interact with creative industry professionals. Additionally, you'll be encouraged gain work experience placements throughout your studies. Final year students are also required to take on micro placements - these could be external opportunities or university-led placements, such as photography studio supervisors, creative experience coordinators and social media managers/content creators for the course's social media platforms.
The course also places a strong emphasis on equipping you with the skills and knowledge required by employers for a wide range of roles within the fashion industry. Many of our alumni have successful careers as freelance creatives, working internationally in a range of image-making roles.
You'll be taught by award-winning industry professionals who have worked with some of the world’s leading fashion magazines, brands and designers, including UK Vogue, US Vogue, Glamour, Alexander McQueen, Paul Smith, ELLE, The Guardian, and The Observer.
Work from our final year students across our fashion-related degrees is showcased at Graduate Fashion Week (GFW). In 2023, final-year student, Kristian Braband was awarded the prestigious Terry Mansfield Fashion Publication Award. Read about Kristian's work and his reaction to winning.
If you’re looking to study our fashion photography and image production degree but don’t have the relevant qualifications or experience, the art and design foundation year will help you develop the core skills and knowledge to progress. Find out more about the art and design foundation year.
Memberships and affiliations
Member of:
Who is this course for?
Solent’s Fashion Photography and Image Production programme focuses on giving you a specialist skillset and thorough understanding of the industry, while allowing you to explore and develop your creative practice. The course is perfect for you if you want to experiment and develop your creative and photographic skills.
Applicants will be required to supply a variety of work in a digital portfolio, including sketchbook or supporting material, photography tests and examples, through to written work (essays).
What does this course lead to?
Through the industry-focused skills and knowledge gained on this course, you could find yourself working in an exciting and varied range of creative roles, including fashion, editorial, advertising, production and post-production, digital imaging, video editing, art direction, and picture editing.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Access to professional-standard facilities, including a digital reprographics lab, our recently rebuilt colour and black-and-white darkrooms, finishing and film processing rooms, a modern multimedia lab featuring 24 iMacs with Adobe Creative Suite and Final Cut Pro, plus large professional photographic studios and associated make-up and styling rooms.
Course facilities include an extensive media loans programme, providing access to high-end equipment, such as Canon full frame DSLR and mirrorless cameras, medium format digital Phase One and Fuji GFX50S11/GFX100S cameras, along with an extensive range of lenses (including professional lenses and prime lenses). Students also have access to analogue film 35mm, medium format (645, 6x7 and 6x9) and large format 5x4 cameras, plus Profoto B1x, B10 and B2 lighting kits for location photography. The production store is also fully stocked with accessories – light meters, tripods, flash guns, remote-controlled boom-mounted flash systems and more.
International opportunities
Broaden your horizons by adding an international dimension to your CV – essential to achieving success in today’s fast-changing, global environment.
Studying, working or volunteering in another country could be the experience of a lifetime. Enhance your degree by developing important global skills such as knowledge of other countries, language skills, intercultural awareness, adaptability and confidence.
For more information, please email international.mobility@solent.ac.uk.
What you'll study
Core modules
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis introduces students to creative exploration through hands-on, practice-led workshops and foundational research skills. As your first university experience, this module builds confidence, community, and creative identity while allowing broad experimentation. You'll develop practical abilities, understand research-informed practice, and produce a portfolio demonstrating progression across diverse creative disciplines.
Utopia and Dystopia
In this module you'll be introduced to the creative challenges of communicating ideas within contemporary art and design through a themed, practice-led project where you'll develop concepts through hands-on research, experimentation and visual exploration, mirroring real-world creative processes. By engaging with techniques such as mark-making, surface design, mood-boarding and contextual investigation, you'll build the foundational skills and confidence needed for specialist study.
Creative Industries Launchpad
In this module, you'll collaborate with students on other creative foundation years. You'll begin to explore the professional world of creative practice via an introduction to the soft and hard skills that cut across the creative industries, by investigating future pathways and opportunities, and by kickstarting a personal narrative about your own role in the creative industries sector.
Creative Showcase
As the final module on the foundation programme, this module showcases the diversity of creative skills represented across the creative foundation courses and gathers these skills together in the end-of-year showcase. You will use your specific skillset to contribute to this overall project - cross-disciplinary collaboration is encouraged. The showcase is your opportunity to share your project with key partners and celebrate your contributions with their fellow creative foundation students.
Core modules
Icons and Image
This module will expand your understanding of past and contemporary contexts while developing core skills in research, concept development, and shoot planning. By studying diverse image-making approaches and fashion theory, you will gain essential knowledge of the techniques, practices, and collaborative roles that drive successful fashion imagery.
Fashion Moments
The aim of this module is to change the way you look at fashion images to better understand the power of visuals and their place in the world. You will look at fashion and beauty imagery from a theoretical point of view and use this deeper understanding to support the creation of your own practical work.
Fashion Stories: Concept to Print
This module introduces you to the creative, technical, and collaborative processes behind producing professional fashion shoots for editorial fashion publications. You will learn how to conceptualize, plan, style, photograph, and deliver a fashion story tailored to both brand identity and audience.
Beauty Futures
This module offers a practice-led introduction to the core subjects and skills required for producing beauty focused imagery for editorial and advertising contexts. Through lectures, group seminars, and technical workshops, you will develop an informed understanding of trend driven visuals and the cultural influences shaping contemporary beauty media.
Core modules
Future Focus
This shared, interdisciplinary module provides a 'launchpad' for students across our fashion courses, to collaborate on a live brief - mirroring the professional creative team environment. This client-focused module will give you the confidence to get out into industry and give you the ability to apply the skills gained during your first year of studies.
Campaign Concepts
The module will help you understand how narrative has always been a powerful and evocative aspect of fashion photography, and of visual art in general. You will also explore how moving image has become an essential skill across all creative industries. Practical learning includes skills shared across filmmaking and still image making: concept development, story boarding, pre-planning, shooting, pacing and editing.
Style Cultures
In this module you investigate the fashion photography industry and explore how fashion photographers draw inspiration from varied historical, contemporary, and contextual sources to inspire their work. During the module you'll enhance your existing photographic skills and increase your knowledge of different areas of the industry, enabling you to work within set parameters within these areas.
The Fashion Statement
This module provides an essential opportunity to critically engage with the complex political, social, and cultural landscapes that shape the contemporary fashion industry. Students will be able to choose a cultural, political, or social issue that they are passionate about, investigate it, and express their thoughts and feelings about it through a variety of media.
Core modules
Final Major Project: Research and Development
You will bring together all the skills and knowledge you have gained throughout your time on the course to prepare a considered proposal that is the basis for your final major project and that gives you the opportunity to experiment and develop your ideas through practical testing and research. It is your opportunity to tailor your own project and focus on the areas that interest you most and best support your career aspirations.
Professional Perspectives
This module will support you in refining your career direction by critically assessing current industry practice and your own body of work. By identifying your strengths and areas of development in relation to your chosen industry direction, you'll build professional confidence and establish a link between academic study and professional application. You will be required to gain some work experience hours, that you will reflect on in a later module.
Professional Portfolio
In this module you'll build on the research and understanding gained in the Professional Perspectives module. You will use your specialist skills to define and create a substantial, high-quality portfolio of new work that directly responds to your chosen area of industry, along with a focused ‘graduate career file’ to support you after graduation.
Final Major Project: Realisation
You’ll be able to showcase your breadth of skills and knowledge, gained during your studies, by undertaking in-depth research, development and practice throughout your major project. You’ll create a substantial project that focuses on your area of professional interest and showcases your specialist skills. This could be a body of editorial work, a series of films, photography publication, or even an installation project.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Block teaching at Solent
You will learn by:
You may be assessed at the end of each block by:
- Creative design projects
- Visual reports
- Portfolios
- Essays
- Individual presentations
- Final major project
As part of this course, you will study one module at a time, giving you the chance to build a deeper understanding and see the results of your hard work more quickly. With regular assessments and feedback, rather than exams all at once, you’ll also benefit from improved focus, and a more manageable workload.
Learn more about block teaching
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
The disability advice team provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose a career in fashion photography
The UK is the third largest apparel and footwear market worldwide, after China and the United States, with a market size of approximately £57.92 billion pounds. (Euromonitor International).
Through the industry-focused skills and knowledge gained on this course, you could find yourself working in the exciting areas of fashion, editorial or advertising in the creative areas of fashion photography, art direction, styling, and video production.
By gaining industry-focused skills and knowledge facilitated by this course, graduates may position themselves for employment opportunities within dynamic sectors such as fashion, editorial, or advertising. This encompasses various creative fields including fashion photography, art direction, styling, and video production.
There are also opportunities outside of fashion from retail and photojournalism to sport and live performance - businesses in a wide variety of industries depend on professional photographers to properly market their products. These positions can range from freelance contract work to full-time, in-house employment.
You could earn:
Stylist
Senior stylists: £23,000 and £30,000
Employed junior stylists can expect to earn in the region of £18,000 to £20,000. Senior stylists earn higher salaries of between £23,000 and £30,000. Being a freelancer is very common in this industry, and as a freelancer you'll be paid either a daily or hourly rate. An assistant stylist can earn anything from £50 to £150 per day, but if paid hourly, this is in the region of £7.70 to £8.20 per hour.
Photographer
Typical salary: £16,000 to £22,000.
Many entrants to the profession start as assistants, where salaries can be set at the national minimum wage. In full-time employment, early career salaries are typically between £16,000 and £22,000. Salaries can increase to anywhere from £25,000 to £65,000. The top end of the scale is typically for those who have a strong reputation and are highly sought-after, which takes years of experience.
The stated salaries are published on prospects.ac.uk.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
“My advice, is to use all the equipment at uni as you will never be given such an amazing opportunity to practice again. ”
Solent Careers
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
We also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022
This is on the container for all UG courses
Every student at Solent University will also have the option to study an additional Certificate in Practical Artificial Intelligence qualification alongside their course. Free of charge, the course ensures you'll be prepared for a fantastic and varied career after graduation.
Further study
Thinking about studying further than an undergraduate degree? Alumni can get 20% off their postgraduate study.
MA Creative Direction for Fashion and Beauty
Take charge and lead a wealth of fashion and beauty brands to success with your innovative and creative vision on this practice-based master's degree.
Find out more
MA Visual Communication
Do you have an eye for design? Would you like to help influence the future of visual communications? Our MA Visual Communication degree is ideal for creatives keen to refine their practice, working as part of an interdisciplinary group of students.
Find out moreTuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are:
- UK, ROI, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £5,760 per year for foundation level (subject to UK Government changes). Fees will increase for year 1.
- UK, ROI, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,790 per year (from year 1)
- International full-time fees: £16,178 for foundation level. Fees will increase from year 1 onwards.
- International full-time fees: £19,081 per year (from year 1)
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2026/27 additional costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous additional costs have been:
Compulsory costs
- Year one
Laptop (prices vary)
External hard drive: approx £50 - Year two
Photographic materials (film paper), stationery, digital printing, mounting, final major project, study trips, memory sticks and printing: £300 - £600 - Year three
Photographic materials (film paper), stationery, digital printing, mounting, final major project, study trips, memory sticks and printing: £300 - £600
Optional costs
- Year one
Study trips: approx £300 - Year two
Study trips: approx £300-£800 - Year three
Study trips: approx £800-£1,250
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £20. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
48 UCAS tariff points
- From A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at PPP, BTEC Diploma at MP or T-level Pass (D or E) or equivalent.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to submit an electronic portfolio for consideration.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, our trusted partner, QA Higher Education offers the following pathway programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills:
- International Foundation Year - for progression to the first year of an undergraduate degree
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to submit an electronic portfolio for consideration.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, our trusted partner, QA Higher Education offers the following pathway programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills:
- International Foundation Year - for progression to the first year of an undergraduate degree
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 31 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Find out more about Solent's contextual offers
Alternative entry options
Top-up route:
We welcome applications from students currently studying a Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND or modules of an undergraduate degree course at another university, who wish to enter directly into Years 2 or 3 of one of our undergraduate degree courses. Please contact our admissions team for more information: contact us
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component.
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 95 in each component or equivalent.
TOEFL IBT tests taken prior to 21 January 2026
- Minimum overall score of 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component.
TOEFL IBT tests taken from 21 January 2026
- Minimum overall score of 4.5 with a minimum of 4 in each individual component.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
UCAS points: 48
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
