Hi I'm new to DSLR photography and want to do one of those online courses as can't really give up the 3 or 4 years it can take to do it at college and university. Has anyone used either The photography Institute or The Institute of Professional Photography. If so could you let me know if they are worth the money and what you feel you gain as not that many reviews on the internet that i can find for the UK
Online Photography courses
- Thread starter LozziC
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Hi,
I'm not familiar with these courses but rather than go with an online course, which personally I think would be much less useful than a college type course, you're as well starting by picking up a couple of decent books. Forums like this also are useful at providing the feedback for your shots and for further developing your "technique".
From here maybe try out a short, practical workshop - the support/feedback you get from one of these would probably be more useful than an online course too
just my thoughts
Simon
I'm not familiar with these courses but rather than go with an online course, which personally I think would be much less useful than a college type course, you're as well starting by picking up a couple of decent books. Forums like this also are useful at providing the feedback for your shots and for further developing your "technique".
From here maybe try out a short, practical workshop - the support/feedback you get from one of these would probably be more useful than an online course too
just my thoughts
Simon
hashcake
Gone to pot!
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There are places such as http://www.thephotographyinstitute.co.uk/
I've toyed with the idea myself but I'm not keen on the idea that there is no face to face contact.
If you google the photography institute you will find plenty of posistive reviews from people that have done the course.
Although overall more expensive, I think that workshops run by pro photographers is a better idea as it's face to face and you should be able to ask them questions and have a hands on approach.
I've toyed with the idea myself but I'm not keen on the idea that there is no face to face contact.
If you google the photography institute you will find plenty of posistive reviews from people that have done the course.
Although overall more expensive, I think that workshops run by pro photographers is a better idea as it's face to face and you should be able to ask them questions and have a hands on approach.
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Hello and welcome ... although I'm pretty new here myself!
You say that you're 'new to DSLR photography' but don't say what experience or equipment you have. Both would help members in giving advice.
Knowing if you have experience of anything more than a point and shoot camera will help them to pitch their suggestions at a sensible level. Knowing which camera you have will allow them to point you towards various web-sites and publications aimed at that make or model.
It's probable that a lot of us haven't any formal training. But a lot of us will have attended seminars and training days. So it would also help to know where you want to go with your photography. Are you aiming at a career or to improve as an amateur?
Sorry if this seems like a lot of questions, but I think it will help refine the advice you'll get from this site rather than leading to a plethora of non-specific advice.
You say that you're 'new to DSLR photography' but don't say what experience or equipment you have. Both would help members in giving advice.
Knowing if you have experience of anything more than a point and shoot camera will help them to pitch their suggestions at a sensible level. Knowing which camera you have will allow them to point you towards various web-sites and publications aimed at that make or model.
It's probable that a lot of us haven't any formal training. But a lot of us will have attended seminars and training days. So it would also help to know where you want to go with your photography. Are you aiming at a career or to improve as an amateur?
Sorry if this seems like a lot of questions, but I think it will help refine the advice you'll get from this site rather than leading to a plethora of non-specific advice.
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I am studying through amateur photographer magazine.
The course is Foundation in Digital photography...
You receive a book with the course notes split into 7 modules, covering different topics, dof, shutter speeds, white balance, metering etc..
You read up on the topic, take photos showing you understand the principles, send them in to your tutor, you get a written report back explaining good or bad points with marks out of 100.
Just working on Module 7 myself on the final project...
You also get various discounts, CS4 for £230.
Cost for the course £299
You have 2 years to complete it...
The course is Foundation in Digital photography...
You receive a book with the course notes split into 7 modules, covering different topics, dof, shutter speeds, white balance, metering etc..
You read up on the topic, take photos showing you understand the principles, send them in to your tutor, you get a written report back explaining good or bad points with marks out of 100.
Just working on Module 7 myself on the final project...
You also get various discounts, CS4 for £230.
Cost for the course £299
You have 2 years to complete it...
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My own view of these online courses is this - why?
They cost a fortune and I'm not so sure you will learn anything you can't learn for free, or very little. A friend of mine recently started some such course, despite me suggesting he shouldn't. Well, he's up to module 7 out of 10, and despite being way past halfway, as far as I can tell he hasn't actually learnt anything new about actual photography. Instead, he's now an expert on dynamic range, histograms and such, all important aspects as you will agree but none of this has taught him how to take a good photograph, by his own admission his photography still "sucks". The cost of this course was something like £300-£400
Everything he has "learnt" could have been picked up from reading one book. He still doesn't shoot in manual because he doesn't fully understand how to. Not that shooting manual makes you a good photographer, I'm just saying surely he should know how to by now, after 7 modules in a 10 module course :shrug:
He doesn't know how to meter, he hasn't been taught how to. He doesn't know anything about how to compose at all, it hasn't been covered, and anyway how would you teach good composition with a short written module followed by one exercise (which is how the course is structured)?
This course is one of the big online courses, it isn't one of the dodgy ones. When you're finished you get a "qualification"
I would suggest, you read as much as you can, there are plenty of online sources, how to's and this excellent forum too. You also learn best by doing so shoot shoot and shoot some more - it doesn't cost anything. Attend one of the meets in your area, if there isn't one then organise one, like I am doing for my area. Ask questions on here too - you will always get a good answer or twenty. Pick a magazine you like, follow the tutorials.
Save yourself a lot of money and spend it on better/more equipment instead
Happy learning
Ste
They cost a fortune and I'm not so sure you will learn anything you can't learn for free, or very little. A friend of mine recently started some such course, despite me suggesting he shouldn't. Well, he's up to module 7 out of 10, and despite being way past halfway, as far as I can tell he hasn't actually learnt anything new about actual photography. Instead, he's now an expert on dynamic range, histograms and such, all important aspects as you will agree but none of this has taught him how to take a good photograph, by his own admission his photography still "sucks". The cost of this course was something like £300-£400
Everything he has "learnt" could have been picked up from reading one book. He still doesn't shoot in manual because he doesn't fully understand how to. Not that shooting manual makes you a good photographer, I'm just saying surely he should know how to by now, after 7 modules in a 10 module course :shrug:He doesn't know how to meter, he hasn't been taught how to. He doesn't know anything about how to compose at all, it hasn't been covered, and anyway how would you teach good composition with a short written module followed by one exercise (which is how the course is structured)?
This course is one of the big online courses, it isn't one of the dodgy ones. When you're finished you get a "qualification"
I would suggest, you read as much as you can, there are plenty of online sources, how to's and this excellent forum too. You also learn best by doing so shoot shoot and shoot some more - it doesn't cost anything. Attend one of the meets in your area, if there isn't one then organise one, like I am doing for my area. Ask questions on here too - you will always get a good answer or twenty. Pick a magazine you like, follow the tutorials.
Save yourself a lot of money and spend it on better/more equipment instead
Happy learning
Ste
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- Mark
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My own view of these online courses is this - why?
They cost a fortune and I'm not so sure you will learn anything you can't learn for free, or very little. A friend of mine recently started some such course, despite me suggesting he shouldn't. Well, he's up to module 7 out of 10, and despite being way past halfway, as far as I can tell he hasn't actually learnt anything new about actual photography. Instead, he's now an expert on dynamic range, histograms and such, all important aspects as you will agree but none of this has taught him how to take a good photograph, by his own admission his photography still "sucks". The cost of this course was something like £300-£400
He doesn't know how to meter, he hasn't been taught how to. He doesn't know anything about how to compose at all, it hasn't been covered, and anyway how would you teach good composition with a short written module followed by one exercise (which is how the course is structured)?
This course is one of the big online courses, it isn't one of the dodgy ones. When you're finished you get a "qualification"
I would suggest, you read as much as you can, there are plenty of online sources, how to's and this excellent forum too. You also learn best by doing so shoot shoot and shoot some more - it doesn't cost anything. Attend one of the meets in your area, if there isn't one then organise one, like I am doing for my area. Ask questions on here too - you will always get a good answer or twenty. Pick a magazine you like, follow the tutorials.
Save yourself a lot of money and spend it on better/more equipment instead
Happy learning
Ste
I agree on you cant just rely on these courses.
But it forces you to go out and try the different things...
I read loads in books and forums as well...
On the course i am doing you have work on composition etc as well as cover the topic...
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I don't think I would suggest all courses are the same, but I would question whether they are good value for money. By its nature, even the ones with a "mentor" commenting on the work you submit, they're only as good as reading a how to, and then asking folk what they think of your attempt surely?
Having said that, if you do an online course and it does improve your photography and you are happy, then it's all good, I just think there are better things to spend your money on and better ways of learning, but I am an old yorkshire cynic
I honestly feel a lot of the online course providers are just getting money for old rope - someone else I know paid £40 for an online weight loss "course". Alright, not quite so expensive but come on! I could easily set up a web site like theirs, make some stuff up and sell it, which is what this amounted to! Spend a few weeks writing up some tutorials, send a few emails to subscribers about their work - is it really worth hundreds of pounds? I mean really?
I am sorry if this upsets anyone, I don't intend it that way. We all learn in different ways and this is just my own view, someone else may feel differently and I respect that. I am not trying to be argumentative but I guess I feel strongly about what I feel is a waste of peoples hard earned and I am not impressed by these so called online courses. The source material is all available for free in other places, and a book covering all aspects required will not set you back a huge amount either.
I do feel differently about decent online courses, like for instance the OU. At the end of which you would be officially qualified. That though, is different.
Having said that, if you do an online course and it does improve your photography and you are happy, then it's all good, I just think there are better things to spend your money on and better ways of learning, but I am an old yorkshire cynic
I honestly feel a lot of the online course providers are just getting money for old rope - someone else I know paid £40 for an online weight loss "course". Alright, not quite so expensive but come on! I could easily set up a web site like theirs, make some stuff up and sell it, which is what this amounted to! Spend a few weeks writing up some tutorials, send a few emails to subscribers about their work - is it really worth hundreds of pounds? I mean really?
I am sorry if this upsets anyone, I don't intend it that way. We all learn in different ways and this is just my own view, someone else may feel differently and I respect that. I am not trying to be argumentative but I guess I feel strongly about what I feel is a waste of peoples hard earned and I am not impressed by these so called online courses. The source material is all available for free in other places, and a book covering all aspects required will not set you back a huge amount either.
I do feel differently about decent online courses, like for instance the OU. At the end of which you would be officially qualified. That though, is different.
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I don't think I would suggest all courses are the same, but I would question whether they are good value for money. By its nature, even the ones with a "mentor" commenting on the work you submit, they're only as good as reading a how to, and then asking folk what they think of your attempt surely?
Having said that, if you do an online course and it does improve your photography and you are happy, then it's all good, I just think there are better things to spend your money on and better ways of learning, but I am an old yorkshire cynic
I honestly feel a lot of the online course providers are just getting money for old rope - someone else I know paid £40 for an online weight loss "course". Alright, not quite so expensive but come on! I could easily set up a web site like theirs, make some stuff up and sell it, which is what this amounted to! Spend a few weeks writing up some tutorials, send a few emails to subscribers about their work - is it really worth hundreds of pounds? I mean really?
I am sorry if this upsets anyone, I don't intend it that way. We all learn in different ways and this is just my own view, someone else may feel differently and I respect that. I am not trying to be argumentative but I guess I feel strongly about what I feel is a waste of peoples hard earned and I am not impressed by these so called online courses. The source material is all available for free in other places, and a book covering all aspects required will not set you back a huge amount either.
I do feel differently about decent online courses, like for instance the OU. At the end of which you would be officially qualified. That though, is different.
I agree again..
There are hundreds of courses about that anyone could set up...
I looked about for months to find the right course.
Ou, photographyinstitute, different colleges doing courses, C+G, learndirect etc
I think its personal choice on what you want to learn...
I liked the homework element as it forces you to go out and shoot...
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Mark, if you don't mind me asking, how do they structure the homework element - I think forcing me out to shoot would be quite beneficial to me - are you able to give any examples?
Cheers, Bradders.
Cheers, Bradders.
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It would roughly be like this:
Shutter speed - one of each - freeze frame/blur/panning...
White balance - one of each - daylight/flash/fluorescent/tungsten
etc
The subject is up to you, you just have to take a photo of each.
The first module is just a list of subjects so the tutor can see what standard you are at... also you have to write a small self assessment on each photo...
Nobody chases you for your modules so you have to be quite self disciplined and keep at it...
Have a look at my flickr Gallery
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Thanks Mark. Hmm, might give that a go. Was hoping that they would be more directive with subject also - kind of forcing you to consider compositions also.
Cheers Bradders.
Cheers Bradders.