Write up to 150 words about an issue that you feel worthy of comment. It can be immigration, finance, social deprivation, domestic violence or any contemporary issue that you feel strongly about. Then make an image that expresses your concerns in one of the three artistic styles listed below. This is not an easy task and you may have to do some research before you start.

Once you’ve completed your first image, have a go at a second image in another style. Try and make time to attempt the third style – or at least make some notes outlining how you’d go about it. You could then come back to this exercise later and put your ideas into practice.

Constructivist: Produce a composite image from several images that you feel fully express your argument or position.

Surrealist: From the same position statement, produce an image based upon surrealist notions of how the issue stands from your position. Why or how do you affect the issue? Is it ‘unconscious’ – just instinct that things should be different – or is it ‘repressive’ in order to provide what you see as a natural order of things? Produce an image that delivers your feelings from a surrealist viewpoint. (Re-read pp.281–82 in your reader if you need a reminder about what these terms mean.)

Conceptual: The issue you’ve written about may be able to furnish you with a concept. Try making a précis of it in about 15 words. Once you’ve realised your concept, plan a way of expressing this in an image. Think in either a literal or non-literal manner – logically or illogically. Anything goes provided that your methodology visually supports the concept and the idea is illustrated through the imagery.

Write the three tasks up in your blog alongside illustrations of constructivist, surrealist and conceptual photography you used as research for your image-making.