Once you’re bitten by the photography bug, it’s a case of wanting to get better and better. Obviously practice and experience helps, but there will come a point when you’ll want to do a photography course, and the purpose of this site is to help you find the right photography course for you. Below, you’ll find a guide to selecting a photography course, and to the right there’s a directory of photography courses.
How to choose a photography course
Before you even start looking at courses, think about what you want to learn, and what you want to achieve. Once you know your objectives you’ll be able to start looking for the right course that will help you reach those objectives. Here’s a list of some of the questions you’ll need answered. Obviously the questions will vary depending on whether you’re attending a physical course or doing an online photography course:
- Who is running the photography course, what are their qualifications and experience? At the very least, the people running the course should be able to point you to a website that showcases some of their recent work, so you can see for yourself the caliber of their photography. It’s always better to choose someone with real industry experience.
- No doubt you’ll come across courses that seem to exist solely to make money for the promoter. We suggest you avoid these kinds of courses. You’ll recognize these courses because their sales spiels make all sorts of outlandish promises. As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s too good to be true.
- If possible, try to directly communicate with the course teacher/facilitator. Are they passionate, engaging? Will they be fun if you are spending hours with them?
- What does the course cover? Get a detailed overview of the content. The course should include both theory and practical workshops.
- How is the photography course delivered (including, obviously location date and time)?
- What happens if you miss a lesson?
- How long does the course go for?
- What is the full cost of the course?
- How do you pay for the course? If it’s subscription based, how do you cancel the subscription? If you’re unhappy with the course, can you obtain a refund?
- Are there assignments or homework that needs to be completed?
- Is a certificate awarded at the conclusion of the course? Is there an exam?
- How many teachers will be running the course?
- What camera system do the teacher/teacher(s) use (sometimes it’s easier if it’s the same as yours)
- Will you be able to ask the teacher questions?
- How many students will be in the same class? Anymore than 12, and you run the risk of missing out on personal time with the teacher.
We also suggest you research any course you’re considering on sites such as Facebook, looking for comments from past participants.