Photography Course Reviews

Francois Oosterhof

Bloemfontein

At 57 years old, I was quite apprehensive about delving into the technical side of photography. The camera and its settings were daunting and seemed a leap too far for a person from a simpler time. However, this course pushed me out out of my comfort zone, it seems quite remarkable now that I know the meaning and effect of every icon and setting on my camera.

Without always realizing it, I became more confident and less afraid of all the jargon that, at the start, caused so much anxiety. Photography touches all aspects of your life and will teach you things about yourself you never knew.

I am not a great photographer yet, but when I look at how far I've come because of this course, I am absolutely certain that I can become one if I continue to build on the incredible foundation PI laid.

This course is designed to challenge - it's designed to show how one needs to progress - it is not the end but rather a sort of affirmation of 'yes, I can do this'. I don't know how long (if ever) it would have taken me to accumulate this much knowledge if I'd gone it alone.

The tutors are actual photographers who know their field well and what it takes to be successful - where would you find such a pool of expertise if you went it alone?

After Module 1, I purchased a photographic magazine because of a particular article - I didn't have a clue about what I was reading; it was too difficult and technical, so I put the magazine aside. Fast forward to module 12, and that same article is a bit basic, a little simplistic in its approach, and it wouldn't pass the scrutiny of my tutor. I think this is where one can truly appreciate the structure of the course and even be a little proud of one's achievements.

Chiara Edwards

Johannesburg

The past year has been a year of growth.

Starting this course helped me grow my photography from a simple hobby into the start of a passionate profession.

My dream is now alive with the start of Mango Moon Photography. Looking back on how much I have improved surprises me and makes me extremely proud.

I am nowhere near finished learning (are we ever?) But I truly feel like I have climbed a gigantic mountain that fills my heart with joy. And it all started when I clicked that button to enrol.

Thank you 'The Photography Institute'.

Hein Jonker

Durban

Just a word of gratitude to Gary Wallis for his extremely valuable input and insights on my assignments. I really enjoyed his mentoring, and I thank him for being honest at all times.

Thank you to George Seper for his unstoppable time, expertise and experience in putting together such an amazing course.

I will most certainly invest in some of the Advanced Modules and promote PI course offerings as far as I can reach.

I will never stop learning, it is part of life, and PI will always be the platform where it all started - a solid foundation and impeccable coaching!

If you are considering starting a career or approach in photography, this is the place - right here!

Hein Jonker (proud PI graduate!)

shutterxposures.co.za

@shutterxposures

Sarah Wilken

Kitwe, Zambia

I have enjoyed every minute of working and studying with The Photography Institute and would certainly recommend it to anyone who is thinking of advancing their skills or simply getting into photography. My Tutor's feedback was incredible and so precise, which made it so easy for me to see where I went wrong and what needed to be improved.

The Student Support, that is provided in the course, is extremely well run and I was having instant replies!

I have never been hooked to my studies until it came to this course. Every spare moment I had I was eager to read through my modules and learn more about photography.

One of my favourite things about the course had to be the way the modules were set out and written. Completely step by step and written as if it was tailor-made for me.

Last but not least, I would like to mention the amazing Facebook page. From not being too sure about it in the first few weeks, to posting on it very regularly! What an amazing place to ask for recommendations, advice, constructive criticism on your images and to share knowledge with people who love photography as much you do.

Who would have thought that learning online would have been this much fun!?

Nikola Medjugorac

Johannesburg

Professional. Complete. Enjoyable. Remarkable.

These are the words i would like to use to describe this wonderful journey, with George Seper and his assistants... an absolute winner!

There is so much to be learned during this course from the technical to real life challenges that every Photographer will face during his/her career.

Thank you PI team for making this course available and for sharing so much valuable information with me. Gary, my tutor was absolutely outstanding in every aspect and I am so grateful for his help.

I recommend this course to anyone who is serious to take photography to the next level, a professional level, what this course is all about...

Helena Faasen

Maun

Doing this course has changed the way I take photos. It has helped me understand the basics of photography and I am now so much more in control of my end result. The advice given about how to take a hobby to the next level and become a professional has been very helpful and will use this in my journey to becoming a professional Photographer.

I really enjoyed the assignments that challenged me to learn more about the style of photography I want to pursue as they really helped me understand my own personal style and define it.

I have to add that my tutor, Gary, played a big role in helping the course being such a positive learning experience. His lengthy and detailed feedback on my assignments really helped me understand every module and what the proposed learning outcomes were.

Emma-Jane Maritz

Cape Town

I am an 18-year-old student just out of school. I have always loved taking photos and wanted to further my knowledge to be able to start doing it professionally.

This company is amazing for that, and if you just want to do photography as a hobby, this course is also perfect for you. It is easy to understand, and the website is easy to use. I personally learned a lot.

My photos changed from average photos to professional style photos. The tutors are kind and always there if you need help, and the community of this institute is great people and will always help and give critique when needed.

You will learn to think more creatively, and this course is for everyone of any age. I highly recommend this course.

Foluke Sowunmi

Lagos State, Nigeria

I am grateful to the Photography Institute for the Photographer I am today and the Photographer I will become.

I started with no knowledge on what photography was and today I am being recognized and nominated in my field. Thank you for nurturing me and providing the opportunity that is defining me.

It was an awesome experience! I would do it all over again.

Alfonce Madawo

Brakpan

When I enrolled with The Photography Institute, I had little knowledge of the technicality of photography and handling of equipment. All I carried was passion in my heart for photography that’s all, and it was just all over the place.

Now during this course I have found my place of belonging, I know which photography field set my soul on fire through this course and my fantastic tutor who tamed me and for that I am forever grateful to God for, I would like to encourage anyone who wants to find themselves in photography to study with The Photography Institute, they don’t just teach photography but the business side of it too which was a great benefit for me.

I have learned a lot and I am going to pursue some Advanced Modules, just to learn more so I can be better.

Thomis Sweet

Doha, Qatar

The Photography Institute has been such a wonderful experience.

As I was not able to complete the course all at once, it allowed me the flexibility to pick up when and where possible.

This course, along with the fantastic guidance of my tutors, has nurtured such a strong foundation for my photography journey and I cannot recommend it enough.

thomissweetharvey.com

Facebook

Stephen Elliott

Cape Town

This Professional Photography course is one of the best courses out there!

Being a person that has found his niche for Photography since childhood, and being enrolled in this Professional course has ultimately shifted my career path in the right direction. I really cannot express my gratitude enough to George Seper for writing this course, my tutor Matthew for the amazing feedback and critique on every single module, and to the Institution as a whole!

We now live in the digital era, and this institution has by far, the best online platform there is to learn and grow. With the amazing tutors available that are also specialists in their fields, to being able to join the private Facebook group where you're able to receive critique and showcase your passion, this really is the best place to jump start one's career!

My next step is to enroll in one of the Advanced modules offered by this institution, and I cannot wait to see what the module has offered for me.

I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to better their Photography and passion.

Rihann Van Wyk

Limpopo

When I came across this course I was very excited about it as I had the freedom to do it at my own pace. The second thing that drew me to the course was that I did not have to attend classes or write any exams... This is really great as I live in the middle of the bush and would not be able to attend any classes.

I have learnt so much completing this course - and these are skills that I have tried to learn on my own but could never get right! When I look back now, I wish I had done this course earlier.

I am not a person that reads a lot. However, I could not wait to read through the study material and learn more. The study material is easy to read and very well explained. George did a great job with the inclusion of his personal experience and motivation during the course.

Thank you George- you have managed to put together a course, which I would highly recommend.

Thank you also to my personal tutor, who gave me valuable feedback on my work and great encouragement throughout the course...

awesomephotos.co.za

Melinda Knoesen

Carletonville

Let’s begin with WOW!! What an amazing experience.

This course covers so many different subjects about photography, not just how to press the shutter release button but the different fields of photography, how to light your subject, equipment and software, how to do editing and so much more. I love the way that the modules were written, with a theoretical and a practical side. When you read through the modules it almost feels as if you are personally talking to George and laughing at some of the things he says.

The knowledge I have gained from this course will now stay with me and I will treasure it forever. I will recommend this wonderful course to anyone with a passion in photography. Not just is there your own personal tutor and a student support team who helps you but there are also a Facebook group with over 8000 students willing to help and also share their work with you. I’ve met so many people through the Facebook group and also shared some of my work with my fellow students.

Thanks to George Seper for constructing such an amazing course, helping me through my modules, giving me this great experience, helping find my style of photography and sharing all your secrets with the students to help us be the best Photographers we can be...

Barry Bowditch

Ballito

The Professional Photography course has left me richer in both Knowledge and Emotion.

The Emotion… is as a result of saying goodbye. Having completed the course feels like parting with family, the interaction and advice at the end of each module has been just too fantastic. I was always chomping at the bit to get each and every result.

The Knowledge… gained has given me the confidence to move forward in giant leaps in the weird and wonderful field of photography, and I have already put this new found knowledge into practice resulting in financial rewards.

I have been privileged to have had a tutor of the calibre of Gary Wallis.

This highly successful and acclaimed Photographer, with his incredible photographic experience, has made me feel special every step of the journey.

I can and will recommend the Professional Photography course to aspiring Photographers, it is just so worth it! It has changed my life, I used to think of myself as an advanced amateur, and now feel like a pro!

Thank you team...

bowditch.co.za

Phillip Alexander Bosch

Pretoria

WOW! What a Wonderful journey with George Seper and his team!

I saw an uncle of mine buying his camera and he never wanted to show me how it worked, so I saved up my money and bought my own camera, but it was so hard to get a hang of how it works. The "AUTO" function was the best I knew at that time. I received a training voucher to use at NIKON and attended their free course. After that I understood the camera much better, but there was still something missing!

I then went on "Google" and saw that PI has a Facebook group as well. I then went to their site and read through the course outline etc.

I was a little unsure about the online training scene, until my friend told me that he is also studying at PI and enjoying it very much! I then enrolled myself and BANG, my future already started blooming! As I progressed through the course and photographed new images, I posted them on Facebook and a British Fashion Designer 'T.E.D. Bowles' got in touch with me. He was so amazed with my work that he actually called me while I was on holiday! He offered me a job to photograph his clothing range, and as time went by, things got more serious. We are now business partners running things 50/50!

I learnt so much through this course, lots of techniques to simplify things while photographing. This course is so extensive throughout module 1 to 12! I now discovered my true passion, PHOTOGRAPHY! This is all thanks to George and the team, and for the outstanding course that they present in a very professional way!

I truly recommend this course to anyone that wants to make photography a hobby or a career, or simply a lifestyle! This course is to make the amateur a PROFESSIONAL! A very BIG thanks again to PI for helping me to make a success of my career!...

Adrian Dutton

Johannesburg

After looking at various options with regards to improving my knowledge about photography I settled on the course offered by ‘The Photography Institute’.

From the time I registered for the course it was a great experience. Registration was simple and the study material easily accessible. The layout of the course was easily understandable and informative. I found it easy to submit assignments and received valuable input from my tutor.

I am someone who believes that the best teacher is personal experience however being able to draw on the experiences of someone who has been in the industry for a number of years was a brilliant experience in itself. I do not for one moment regret having completed this course.

The course not only gave me the freedom to work through modules and complete assignments at my own leisure it gave me invaluable insight into the world of photography. I found the technical input exceptionally useful, giving me a deeper understanding into the various aspects of photography. I also found the practical advice with regards to matters such as planning your photography career, working out budgets, client relationships, promoting yourself, delivering of work and matters in the business area of photography - invaluable!

I found the entire course of great value and feel that my photographs have already begun showing improvement and that I now have the tools with to take my photography to the next level.

I would highly recommend that anyone with a passion for photography whether it is just for your personal gain or to pursue a career in photography seriously consider registering for the photography course through ‘The Photography Institute’.

Thank you to my tutor and the support staff for a great experience!...

Jeannie Celeste Kenney

Phalaborwa

Completing the course has given me an extra step ahead in pursuing my career. The theory behind photography is much clearer and I now realise that photography is not just a click of a button but so much more.

I truly believe it is important to have something like this behind your name to make potential clients realise that you take photography very seriously and that you want to offer them excellent service and to reassure people they know what you are doing behind the camera.

My tutor was great and his feedback to all of my assignments have been extremely helpful.

I recommend this course to anyone who wants to take photography seriously..