New York Institute of Photography

idoteech

I am just starting out, and I was wondering if any of you have taken any helpful online courses in photography techniques? I really need to learn the "basics" (apeture, lighting, etc.). There are several places on the web, and I just want to find the "right" one.

Thanks,
Eva

ShepsMom

Eva, everything i learned about digital (the basic) was for FREE! Yes, there is such a thing
Get your camera out, get your manual out, don't understand something? Google is your best friend (and mine). I think i belong to every photography board available, i'm just not active on all of them. Ask questions and keep on practicing. Practice will make it perfect.

If you know anyone who is into photography, adopt them to your advantage

Keep practicing, again! Just take your camera and go and shoot everything in sight. Play with settings, see what you like, there is a wonderful feature called EXIF DATA, most of DSLRs have it. It will help you to see what picture was shot with what settings.

And there is alway Dgrin to help you out with any questions, just ask and keep on shooting!!

Art Scott

One of the oldest and most respected correspondence photography schools is New York Institute of Photography..... they have a Pro Photo course and also a Photoshop for photo'gers course....... I have recently send inquiries to brooks and the art institutes....the art institutes are the only replies with a nada for online courses in photoing.............

gchappel

I took a couple of courses at Betterphoto.com, and as a beginner in digital I found them useful. The printed classes information was essentially similiar to the multiple books out there- as you would expect. I was really looking forward to the picture criteque- but was somewhat disappointed. I would get a statement from the instructor like- great picture. Sometimes a little addition such as a crop recommendation. The biggest positive for me as it gave me a goal- I had "homework." I could say to myself- and my family- I need to go shoot for a couple of hours for my homework. I liked that.
I stopped by the offices of nyip about 3 years ago, as I had heard only good things. At least at that time much of their teaching was film based, but the fundamentals would shift to digital easily. I do not know if they have upgraded their courses. I found their course for sale on ebay, no feedback but I got all the material for a couple of hundred dollars. Had to buy a cassette player. I found these to be excellent. Everything you need to learn is out there. You can find it for free online. It is in hundreds of books. We all learn differently. I find individual feedback most valuable, but the hardest to find. One way or another you need to learn the basics and then go shoot- a lot!
Gary

photosbyDan

New York Institute of Photography
So I have been studying photography on my own for quite some time, but I was thinking about going to school for it. I saw this ad in the PPA magizine for new york institute of photography and it looked cool so I requested info. It is a correspondance school that takes like a year to complete and it seems pretty exaustive and intensive. At the end they give you a dimploma or certificate and what not. it sounds really accredited and I know you don't need to do anything like this to be a proffesional anyways, but since I am so young I thought it might help my credibility. I wrote all that to ask if any of yall have had any experience with this school or know someone who has, or I guess have even heard of them. Should I go for it or not?

Angelo

I merged these two threads so you guys can both see the various responses.


Don't be afraid to use our great search feature

jonh68

I learned and I am still learning by researching the web and buying books. While a photography certificate/diploma may be nice to have, they still like to see portfolios. A photographer with no diploma and great portfolio will get the job over diploma and so so portfolio.

beetle8

I agree we all learn differently,
I get an e-letter from http://www.photoflexlightingschool.com/index.html
just a tid bit here and there on lighting it's really just a sales pitch for there stuff but tons of great info.
also HP has a few free web classes every now and then, I took one on photoshop and it was great complete with class forum with instructor participation.
Adorama is another one that uses small tips based knowledge for sales they also offer courses for purchase.
I checked into NYIP and felt that with the wealth of free knowledge available the cost was high.

I get most of my knowledge 3 ways, reading and posting for critique here, shooting a lot and I don't mean just pulling the trigger you need to take those shots through a serious viewing see whats wrong with them and research and learn how to fix them. I also have a few photographer friends that I ask for honest critique from,
The other thing that I would like to do and think would be immensely helpful with learning is a photography club.
The good news is your are taking the right step by seeking knowledge.

Here is a link to the HP online classes

georges

BetterPhoto.com
Hi Eva -

I've taken a few courses from betterphoto.com I've learned from them all, but have found the interaction varies by the instructor and the other students.

By far, the 8 week composition course taught by Kerry Drager provided the most interactivity. Drager sends several messages every week, provides fairly in-depth critiques and encourages interaction among the students.

This class had several students and all were very willing to interact on the class discussion board. Absolutely the best class I've taken from BP.

I've also taken a couple of available light portrait classes taught by Ibarionex Perello. He had a less chatty style than Drager, but his critques were also very good. Plenty of interaction with him and the other students, just not as much as Drager.

I'm currently in the first week of a flash photography course taught by Jim Zukerman. Too early to tell for sure, but it looks like it will be fine. There are only a few students in this class and, at this point, they seem like introverts. No interaction on the class discussion board yet.

For me the classes are motivators to keep learning and experimenting. If I didn't take the class, and have the deadlines, I wouldn't make the time to do what I need to do to continue learning. I would eventually get it done, but this helps me prioritize the work a bit higher.

Photo-Do

I've taken several courses from The Picture Perfect School of Photography. In fact, it was one of their students that got me to SmugMug and here. Most classes are 4 weeks with weekly assignments. The teachers are very helpful and questions are answered quickly. They are about $200 per class.
HTH,

Denise

afmdmc

Nyi
I took the NYI course and found it very helpful. and i strongly recommend it. but you need to be a self starter. they start from the very basics and go from there so if you have a basic under standing of photography the the begaining might seem a little remedial. but it never hurts to go over them again.

Just my 2 pennys worth

Good luck. Dave

TexPhotog

texan03

Art Scott wrote:

One of the oldest and most respected correspondence photography schools is New York Institute of Photography..... they have a Pro Photo course and also a Photoshop for photo'gers course....... I have recently send inquiries to brooks and the art institutes....the art institutes are the only replies with a nada for online courses in photoing.............

http://www.artinstitutes.edu/lasvegas/programdegrees.asp?pid=199&dtid=3

The Art Institue is expensive... very, very EXPENSIVE, about 20K a year with a 3 year Bachelor of Science/Digital Photography degree.

As far as online courses, you can take what regular colleges would call "basics", math, science and such for the 192 credit hours required for the degree, but the actual photography classes are done on-campus.

Art Scott

TexPhotog wrote:

http://www.artinstitutes.edu/lasvegas/programdegrees.asp?pid=199&dtid=3

The Art Institue is expensive... very, very EXPENSIVE, about 20K a year with a 3 year Bachelor of Science/Digital Photography degree.

As far as online courses, you can take what regular colleges would call "basics", math, science and such for the 192 credit hours required for the degree, but the actual photography classes are done on-campus.

Yes I know that AI is very expensive.....as I statd they were the only one to reply...the day after I sent email I recieved and email that asked very politely if the could call me and what time would be good....it was not a sales call it was actually an apologetic call for not having a photogrphy degree course online yet....and as we hear a lot here on Dgrin...we are working on it:D.....that was from a VP of admissions from the Pittsburgh school which is where all the online course are out of......
Wichita has at least 5 colleges here and none of them offer a BFA in photography....WSU has one or two classes in the FA dept and the other is in the Communications School in the Journalism school ......so I have looked at diferent schools for a long time and it looks like for me it will be NYIP.......

Art Scott

afmdmc wrote:

I took the NYI course and found it very helpful. and i strongly recommend it. but you need to be a self starter. they start from the very basics and go from there so if you have a basic under standing of photography the the begaining might seem a little remedial. but it never hurts to go over them again.

Just my 2 pennys worth

Good luck. Dave

This is no differnt than any school......even if your 60yrs old and just start college, you have to start with the 100 level courses unless you can test out otf them....and I know people that literally tested out of evey class they would have to take in the freshman and sophomore years and started off with 300level course and then wished they had taken those easy remedial course as they wound up nearly flunking all their classes.......so a little remedial work is good if for no otherreason than to just refresh our memories..........:D...............

afmdmc

Well good luck and be sure and let us know how it goes.

Dave