Has anyone completed the Photography Institute online course?

Its going alright, I'm on Module 5 at the moment,just waiting for some decent weather to complete it. I would recommend the course if your thinking of doing it.
 
Bucketp said:
Its going alright, I'm on Module 5 at the moment,just waiting for some decent weather to complete it. I would recommend the course if your thinking of doing it.
Click to expand...

So module 5 is "Techniques for taking professional photographs" and I presume from your weather comment that you are required to submit a landscape picture or two to complete the module?
Could you possibly give us a bit more detail as to what is required to complete the module?
I'm still trying to justify the £500 price tag (can't help thinking that £500 is a decent lens)
Thanks in advance
 
I know what you mean about the lens.

The module asks you to take 25 photos of an object using different backgrounds, foregrounds,vantage points using different focal lengths and then pick the 5 best, you then have to describe the strengths of each photo, describe how the background /foreground compliment the subject and describe how the chosen vantage point benefits the image. and then send all this to your tutor.
I find the feedback from my tutor who is a very well known photographer who has been in the business for years extremely useful.

The course isn't just about taking photos and sending them off it really makes you think about what you are doing in all aspects of taking photographs, the whole course is based around you turning pro and there are lots of tips and info regarding this.
 
Last edited:
Bucketp said:
I know what you mean about the lens.

The module asks you to take 25 photos of an object using different backgrounds, foregrounds,vantage points using different focal lengths and then pick the 5 best, you then have to describe the strengths of each photo, describe how the background /foreground compliment the subject and describe how the chosen vantage point benefits the image. and then send all this to your tutor.
I find the feedback from my tutor who is a very well known photographer who has been in the business for years extremely useful.

The course isn't just about taking photos and sending them off it really makes you think about what you are doing in all aspects of taking photographs, the whole course is based around you turning pro and there are lots of tips and info regarding this.
Click to expand...

Jesus, I'm think of signing up but I don't even know where I'd even begin to start thinking about that assignment
 
Barrysprout said:
I'm still trying to justify the £500 price tag (can't help thinking that £500 is a decent lens)
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

I'm sure someone said that they keep getting it offered at a discounted price. Sign up for some information and wait for the discount to come rolling in. I'm sure I saw someone say that one offer they were emailed was at a 50% saving.
 
swag72 said:
I'm sure someone said that they keep getting it offered at a discounted price. Sign up for some information and wait for the discount to come rolling in. I'm sure I saw someone say that one offer they were emailed was at a 50% saving.
Click to expand...

I signed up for email information a couple of weeks ago after reading that very same thing. The daily information emails come through but that's all so far. Maybe it was the other course which offered the discount though.
To be fair though courses don't tend to be cheap and this one sounds like it may well be worth the outlay. Just don't have it spare at the moment unfortunately. Following this thread with great interest.
Bucketp said:
I know what you mean about the lens.

The module asks you to take 25 photos of an object using different backgrounds, foregrounds,vantage points using different focal lengths and then pick the 5 best, you then have to describe the strengths of each photo, describe how the background /foreground compliment the subject and describe how the chosen vantage point benefits the image. and then send all this to your tutor.
I find the feedback from my tutor who is a very well known photographer who has been in the business for years extremely useful.

The course isn't just about taking photos and sending them off it really makes you think about what you are doing in all aspects of taking photographs, the whole course is based around you turning pro and there are lots of tips and info regarding this.
Click to expand...

Many thanks for taking the time to supply the extra info. Gives me a much better understanding of the type of work involved.
 
Last edited:
phil8139 said:
I asked for info on this course, they emailed straight back. Never got round to looking at it properly but kept getting emails with discounts if I sign up, last one I got was for £200 off the cost, great saving if you want to do it.(y)
Click to expand...

I commented that the emails I got offered a discount. But the course was for the original OP comments on this course.... http://www.thephotographyinstitute.co.uk/

The rest of this thread is targeted at 'The Institute of Professional Photography'

here .... http://www.inst.org/photography-courses/become.htm

2 different products, (y)
 
I'm another that has found this thread and now has an interest in this course! :)
Is it suitable for relative new comers or are there better courses to do to get up to speed before doing this one??
 
molinari said:
I'm another that has found this thread and now has an interest in this course! :)
Is it suitable for relative new comers or are there better courses to do to get up to speed before doing this one??
Click to expand...


I'm a relative newcomer only had my camera four months but I'm finding it interesting and challenging but not beyond my capabilities (at least not yet);)
 
I'm subscribed!!

I've always wanted to go to uni to do a Photography or Graphic Design course. But seeing as I left college and never completed the second year I thought my hopes and dreams were over for ever getting on a decent course.

However, this course looks fantastic and one I may Start in January as my new years resolution!!
 
NikonSimon said:
so how's it going chaps?
Click to expand...


I passed my module 5:D:D:D and have read through module 6 which is all about lighting, IE shooting in available light be it from windows or artificial light, still got to do the exercises before moving onto mod 7 travel photography. Ill be a bit quiet for a few weeks as I'm off on my holidays on Saturday.:D
 
Stephen Ramsay said:
I'm subscribed!!

I've always wanted to go to uni to do a Photography or Graphic Design course. But seeing as I left college and never completed the second year I thought my hopes and dreams were over for ever getting on a decent course.

However, this course looks fantastic and one I may Start in January as my new years resolution!!
Click to expand...

Hi Stephen

Go for it, it is a good well structured course that you can do at your own pace, nobody hassles you to get assignments completed by a certain time and I find the modules quite well put together. The feedback I get from my tutor is brilliant and there is always your course advisor who answers any questions fairly quickly.
Like I have said before the course is actually making me think about what I am doing with the camera and not just shooting everything I see.
 
Does it teach you actual skills, or just give you assignments to complete with feedback? I guess what I mean is my skills aren't really up to scratch and wondered if this course would help improve those
 
Well done Bill!! I sent my module 5 off yesterday so hopefully I will get that back in a few days.

I have glanced over Module 6 but yet to digest it. Really looking forward to Module 7 and trying to turn Chesterfield into a holiday destination!!

NikonSimon

What this course does (in my opinion) is make you really think about what you are doing. For module 5 I had to submit 5 images, it took me all day Sunday to complete the assignment! It made me really think about lighting and composition.

The course does cover the basics and you are expected to put it into practice. You can improve your skills with practice, if you dont get it right, your tutor will tell you so you learn all the time.
 
Module 5 back and I am really pleased, passed with flying colours. I am chuffed to be honest as I put a lot of work into it.

Next Module is about lighting followed by the next assignment - Tourism - How to make Chesterfield attractive to tourists. That can't be too difficult!
 
Hi Mark,
Had an appraisal at work yesterday and the only negative was that in 2 years I haven't booked myself on any courses (which apparently is a very bad thing). Outshot is that I now MUST book one work related training course and one 'extra curricular' one. As Work are paying I don't need to worry about cost, but my time will be really limited if I'm studying for the work related one as well. The website for this course reckons that many students complete all 27 modules in 9 months which would be really unlikely for me so was wondering how you guys doing the course have actually found the modules. I guess what I mean is that are they broken down into reasonable sized chunks - Could I perhaps do one a fortnight etc. (I know there's no time pressure for the course itself but hate having things drag on)....... Bit of a ramble sorry....

Cheers
Dave
 
Hello Dave.

No need to apologise, no one rambles more than me!

What I like about this course is its structure and how it is thought out and put together. Everything is progressive so it all leads on to the next module. Remember, not all modules have assignments that need to be submitted, for instance, I have just completed Module 6 which has no assignment but it does have Exercises that you are encouraged to complete. I always do complete the exercises as its all apart of learning. I aim to compete 3 modules a month and I am a bit behind, (not by much) the last assignment was a tough one for me for some reason, maybe because I was worrying too much and not confident but I did very well despite all my faffing about.

If I complete the course in 12 months I will be happy with that I don't want to rush it though, I would rather digest the information to make it sink in. To complete an assignment is easily do-able in a weekend I plan to do the Module 7 assignment this weekend which is to submit 3 photos depicting your home town as a tourist destination. As I live on the edge of the Peak District that should be easy for me.

I have purposely not read forward as I want each Module to be a fresh one so I have resisted the temptation of reading through them all, obviously I have glanced my eyes over the main headings but that's all.

What I tend to do is read each Module for 1 hour every other day until the information sinks in then I crack on with the assignments at the weekend, I find that a comfortable way to move with it. Last weekend I was too busy though so I left it alone.

So to answer your question, yes, in my opinion the modules are broken down into reasonable sized chunks (so far).

Hope this helps.

Best regards

Mark
 
A quick question from me as I'm getting closer to signing up for this course....

Does doing this course enable you to buy software at educational prices?? (Photoshop CS5 for £180!)

Thanks :)
 
molinari said:
A quick question from me as I'm getting closer to signing up for this course....

Does doing this course enable you to buy software at educational prices?? (Photoshop CS5 for £180!)

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

You can purchase the Student card, which in turn offers you big discounts on all sorts of stuff. You get covering letters confirming you are a student.
 
molinari said:
A quick question from me as I'm getting closer to signing up for this course....

Does doing this course enable you to buy software at educational prices?? (Photoshop CS5 for £180!)

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Only if you join the NUS extra card then as you are a student you get an additional 10% off the student or teachers edition....
 
This looks interesting. I'd like to do a course but can't do one at a local college as I'm a part time lecturer and teach evening classes which clash with all the photography courses.

This course is a good bit more than a local college course through, so would have to think carefully about it.
 
snigg said:
any chance you can post some of the pics you sent in for marking?
Click to expand...

Not really matey.

Don't be offended but from the very beginning I decided not to post any pictures that I was submitting for marking. The critique is too diverse on here for it to be of benefit to me and my course at this time, with all due respect the only person I have to impress is my tutor who, by the way, is ultra critical but I know where I stand and I know what is required.

I know if I posted the images on here (some) people would jump on them straight away as an excuse to have a go at the course itself and depict the course in a negative light, if my images were of a high standard then there would be no need to complete the course.

My images are not top quality, professional standard, that's why I am doing the course because I want to improve my technique.

Don't get me wrong, I am not embarrassed by them, just the opposite to be honest its just that opinions on here are so diverse I would end up being very confused and wondering what the hell I was doing.

Best regards
 
Mark, fantastic answer. It's great to see that you have looked long term in completing the course to the standard of the course tutor. After you pass, you have all the time in the world to seek crit from the helpful people on here. ;)
 
Quaker said:
Not really matey.

Don't be offended but from the very beginning I decided not to post any pictures that I was submitting for marking. The critique is too diverse on here for it to be of benefit to me and my course at this time, with all due respect the only person I have to impress is my tutor who, by the way, is ultra critical but I know where I stand and I know what is required.

I know if I posted the images on here (some) people would jump on them straight away as an excuse to have a go at the course itself and depict the course in a negative light, if my images were of a high standard then there would be no need to complete the course.

My images are not top quality, professional standard, that's why I am doing the course because I want to improve my technique.

Don't get me wrong, I am not embarrassed by them, just the opposite to be honest its just that opinions on here are so diverse I would end up being very confused and wondering what the hell I was doing.

Best regards
Click to expand...

Completely Agree Mark....the images I show on here and on flickr....are kept separate from the ones I am using for the course
 
The price seems to be 150? Is that a module?
Can't see 500quid anywhere.
 
Course Fees


Standard Course Fees £550.00
Payment Option 1:

Pay in full and receive £50.00 off your Course fees.
Standard Course Fees £550.00. Now only £500.00!
Click to expand...
 
My mistake in wasn't looking at the diploma.
 
Last edited:
Quaker said:
Not really matey.

Don't be offended but from the very beginning I decided not to post any pictures that I was submitting for marking. The critique is too diverse on here for it to be of benefit to me and my course at this time, with all due respect the only person I have to impress is my tutor who, by the way, is ultra critical but I know where I stand and I know what is required.

I know if I posted the images on here (some) people would jump on them straight away as an excuse to have a go at the course itself and depict the course in a negative light, if my images were of a high standard then there would be no need to complete the course.

My images are not top quality, professional standard, that's why I am doing the course because I want to improve my technique.

Don't get me wrong, I am not embarrassed by them, just the opposite to be honest its just that opinions on here are so diverse I would end up being very confused and wondering what the hell I was doing.

Best regards
Click to expand...

Have you seen any of his work? I'm courious to know if the tutors are good experienced photographers, I have seen some from other courses who frankly haven't a clue what they are doing.
 
Hi guys

any news on this course, I am ready to book it but still would love to hear some feedback from the members who are doing it.

many thanks

Luiz
 
swanseamale47 said:
Have you seen any of his work? I'm courious to know if the tutors are good experienced photographers, I have seen some from other courses who frankly haven't a clue what they are doing.
Click to expand...

Hello Wayne,

Obviously I can only answer your question with respect to my tutor.

My tutor has a Masters in photography and several teaching qualifications and as well as having a successful photographic career she teaches photography not only for the Institute but for their local college and The Open College of the Arts.

My tutors' own website has some fantastic work and if I can produce anything like that, I would be a happy man.

Some of my tutors students have gone on to become very successful professional photographers in their own right.

The quality of the tutors is something I researched rigorously prior to signing up.

Hope this helps
 
Hi,
For anyone currently doing the course.

What are your opinions on this 'No Frills Offer'?

I was going to sign up in the new year, but I have just received an email about the no frills offer.
Would I miss any of the 'frills'?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top