Photography Training Courses
Blackford Centre for Professional Photography
“It's a really good course and well worth the money. The tutors are all professional photographers with loads of experience.”
“The course covers so much about photography - not just the technicalities but also the business side of going freelance.”
“It's interesting, flexible and you get a qualification at the end.”
“Anyone interested in taking a photography course online should definitely consider this one as I think it is one of the best if not actually the best online photography course out there.”
“Get stuck in! I've only just covered about one quarter of the course so far, and already my confidence and abilities are improving almost on a daily basis.”
Diploma in Professional Photography Course
The 27 Photography Modules
1. History of photography
The birth of the camera
The modernisation of photography and film
The introduction of digital photography
The history of photo manipulation
Digital photography tomorrow
2. Introduction to photography
Making money as a professional photographer
The most common areas of photography
The equipment you’ll need now or later
How to avoid failure and achieve success
Taking photos in public places
3. Professional photography
The do’s and don’ts of professional photography
How to avoid the mistakes amateurs often make
What you should know about digital photography
Tricks of the trade - how to shoot like a pro
The professional mindset - how to think and act like a pro
4. A guide to your manual settings
Getting the right exposure
Setting aperture
Altering the shutter speed
Understanding ISO
How aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together
Other manual controls
5. Techniques for taking professional photographs
Tripods and their importance
Types of lenses
Vantage points and how they affect your photo
Lines, curves, and shapes in your photographs
The importance of foreground interest
Rule of thirds
How background imagery influences your photos
6. Lighting
The different types of lighting
The reflection of light
Outdoor lighting - sunlight
Recommended equipment for outdoor lighting
Introduction to indoor lighting
Photographing indoors – the technical issues
7. Travel photography
A checklist for better travel photos
The types of holiday photos that sell
How to research and prepare for your trip
How to get free holidays
What equipment should you take?
8. Photography equipment
Cameras
Lenses
Tripods
Monopods
Camera bags
Digital storage
9. The great outdoors: nature and landscapes
Nature photography
Landscape photography
Recommended gear
Camera techniques for capturing your images
How lighting affects your photos
Displaying your images and finding markets
Captioning and recording data
10. Macro photography
Focusing in macro photography
What is bokeh and how to photograph it
Macro images of flowers
Macro images of insects
How lighting affects macro photography
When and when not to use a tripod
Additional tips and tricks in macro photography
11. Digitally editing your photographs
Why you need a digital dark room
Correcting imperfect images
Re-invent photographs as new and different images
What you can do with photo editing software
Other elements needed in your digital dark room
Understanding DPI and resolution
What to know before you start editing
Workflow
Picture orientation
Cropping
Levels
Altering brightness and contrast
Hue and saturation
Red eye
Cloning
Printing and saving
12. Portrait photography
The difference between studio and on-location portrait photography
How lighting affects a portrait
What kind of gear you need to shoot portraits
How to interact with your clients
How to handle fidgety children during a session
How to lay out your studio
13. Wedding photography: the basics
Obtaining the needed experience
How to develop a portfolio
The importance of creating a brand
How to present yourself to clients
How to create a business plan
Creating a brochure pack for clients
How to conduct an interview with potential customers
14. Wedding photography: the wedding day
Preparing for a wedding
What equipment you'll need
How to photograph the ceremony
How to photograph the reception
Important moments to remember
Technical tips for wedding photography
15. Wedding photography: presenting your work
Preparing your images
Digital presentations
Editing your photos
How to devise an ordering system
16. Photo manipulation techniques
What layers are and what they are used for
How to use layers
How to apply a layer mask
What the brush tool is and how to use it
How to apply an adjustment layer
How to merge layers
How to use the dodge and burn tools
Adding a lens vignette to your photo
17. Cheesecake and beefcake photography
The origin of beefcake and cheesecake photography
How fashion and glamour fit into this area
Successful boudoir photography
How to identify the attractive qualities of your subject
Where to sell your images
18. Business photography
Working on location
Setting up for a shoot
The importance of light
Environmental portraiture
Capturing the essence of a business
Dealing with challenges
The do’s and don’ts of business photography
Public relations photography
Obtaining commissions
Presenting your work
19. Product and advertisement photography
Why you should consider having a speciality in advertisement
How to select one or more specialities
Photographing products
How to choose your lighting
Tips on setting up a professional photo studio
How advertising photographers get assignments
How to find potential clients
20. Fashion photography
What is fashion?
The role of the fashion photographer
Expressing yourself as a fashion photographer
Developing a style
Shooting fashion shows
Techniques in fashion photography
Marketing and branding yourself
Sourcing contacts
Photographing models in the studio
21. School photography
Working on location
Preparing for a shoot
Lighting and backgrounds
Posing your subjects
Dealing with problem subjects
Organisation
Do’s and don’ts of school, college and social photography
Freelance or employee?
Presenting your work
22. Photojournalism
The basics of photojournalism
How to capture the perfect photograph
Why context is so important
Finding (and getting) freelance photojournalism work
23. Sports photography
Necessary equipment for sports photography
Mixing speed and focal length
Who to contact and where to shoot
Shooting football
Shooting basketball
Shooting tennis
Who buys sports photography and who sells it
How to be a freelance sports photographer working for yourself
24. Developing a digital presence
The importance of having a digital presence
Why you should build a website, and how to do it
The benefits of a photo blog and how it works
Using social networks to establish your business
How your website, photo blog, and social networking work together
How to protect your images for display on the internet
25. Setting up your business, legal and finance
Prepare a mission statement and develop a business name
Setting up your business on a small budget
Putting together a business plan
Paying tax
Indemnity insurance
How to keep financial records in four easy steps
26. Marketing your business
Providing samples of your work
Business cards
Local press
Direct mail
Referrals
Networking
Print ads
27. Obtaining employment in photography
The importance of your portfolio
General tips for finding employment
Entry level photography jobs
Becoming a photographer’s assistant
Obtaining a high paying job in photography
We supply all the modules at the beginning of the course. That means you can study topics whenever you choose. You don't have to wait weeks to get to a section that you need. Though we recommend you take the modules in the order shown, you can tackle them in any order you choose. To help you get the most from the course, we aim to be completely flexible.
