P R O S P E C T U S 2 0 1 0

DIPLOMA
COURSE IN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
WELCOME
The Course is provided Online. You study at home, in your own time and at your own

W elcome to the “Professional Photography Course”

provided by The Photography Institute.
pace. Online education is becoming the preferred method of study for people all around
the world because it is easy, cost effective and most of all; you can fit your study around
your lifestyle.

This Course has been designed to provide you with: We offer the most thorough Online Course in Photography that is available anywhere in
the world, using the very latest online learning techniques; our course brings you every-
• The professional skills and knowledge required to become a freelance photographer thing you need to achieve the success you want.
either as a full or part-time career, as a profitable sideline or as an exciting new
hobby. You will find the modules easy to follow with no formal examinations necessary.
Only basic computer skills are required, and you will find the assignments fun and
• The knowledge and skills to gain entry-level employment as a freelance photograph- interactive.
er in mainstream media. This is accomplished by helping you to build a valuable port-
folio of photographic material which is usually the determining factor in being offered Your Course is self-paced and if you wish, you may take longer than the scheduled 24
mainstream media employment. weeks to complete your Course. If necessary, you may take up to a year to finish your
course studies.

sports Photography
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ABOUT OUR COURSE
This is a new cutting-edge Photography Course written
and directed by some of the best working photographers
in their field. The aim of the course is to provide with the
knowledge and skills required for a career as a profes-
sional freelance photographer. This is an up-to date and
massively comprehensive course covering every aspect
of freelance photography.
The “Professional Photography Course” is delivered
Online and consists of 12 modules and 12 interactive
assignments. The normal time required to complete the
Course is 24 weeks. During this time you will be tutored
in all aspects of professional photography by George
Seper, one of the top professional photographers.
His vast wealth of accumulated knowledge is provided
to you together with the ways to apply this knowledge to
the areas of photography that most interest you.
fashion photography
The business of freelance photography is not just about
award-winning images. It can also be about the right
picture at the right time. Newspapers, magazines and
websites, worldwide are constantly on the lookout for
new and interesting material. The opportunities are enor-
mous and always growing.
The many thousands of magazine titles, books and news-
papers worldwide are the freelance photographer’s main
market. But this is not to mention all the metropolitan
newspapers, regional newspapers, community news-
papers, corporate publications, websites and a host of
other possible markets.
This is a course written by working professional photo-
graphers at the top of their field. This course is not about
theory. It is about equipping you with the real-world tools
and information you will need to become a professional
freelance photographer and to be paid for your efforts.
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8 GOOD REASONS TO BECOME
A FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
1. You are your own boss. As a freelance photogra-
pher you’ll enjoy an independence rarely experienced
in other professions.
2. Your source material is endless.
3. You can specialise in your passions.
4. You can work from home. Your essential tools are
your Cameras.
5. Your hours are flexible. Freelance photography is
something you can do part-time. Unless you are out
on assignment you can work from home, at the times
that best suit you.
WHAT PUBLISHERS REQUIRE
In every area of publishing you will see potential work
for the freelance photographer. The “Professional Pho-
tography Course” shows you how to handle all of these
assignments and more . . .
• General Magazine & Newspaper Photography
• Fashion Photography
• Travel & Resort Photography
• Sports Photography
• Portraiture, Children & Pet Photography
• Wedding Photography
• Show business & Entertainment Photography
• Food & Wine Photography
• Still Life and Product Photography
• Interior & Architectural Photography
• Glamour & Nude Photography
• Black & White Photography

6. A hobby can become a career. You can turn any

& Magazine Photography

freelance newspaper
interest you have into profit by being published. Turn
your hobby into a money-making pursuit.

7. You can enjoy the benefits of a highly paid career.

8. Many areas of photography enable you to travel

extensively and get paid for it at the same time.

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WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT THIS COURSE
There are four special benefits to this Course:
1. The “Professional Photography Course” does not
only focus on the theory of freelance photography, it
focuses on the practical aspects of photography, get-
ting published and being paid for your efforts.
2. The Course is unique in its up-to-date content.
3. The principles of freelance photography are similar
the world over. However this Course has an extreme
focus on the geographical market in which you intend
to operate. You are provided with an in-depth knowl-
edge of this media market and what it requires today.
4. This course is written by one of the worlds lead-
ing professional photographers currently working as a
freelance photographer.
This Course has also been designed for students with
little or no experience in photography. In fact, we en-
courage beginning photographers. Why? Simply be-
cause the world’s media constantly needs new material
and new talent.
Your work, your skills, your hobbies and interests are
even greater avenues to freelance success. Readers
want to share your photographic experiences and spe-
cialist knowledge.

food Photography
P R O S P E C T U S 2 0 1 0 4
Photography
music & entertainment

WHAT’S REQUIRED ON YOUR PART?

So, what’s required of you to become a professional
freelance photographer capable of handling any and
all assignments?
The requirements are simple:
There are no rules to being a freelance photographer.
You don’t have to be gifted. You need no specialised
skill or qualification. In fact your success relies almost
entirely on knowing “how to go about it”. We’ll show
you how.

1. An interest in photography. All newspapers and magazines rely on contributions

2. Ambition and enthusiasm.
3. The willingness to learn.
If you have these qualities The Photography Institute
will provide you with the knowledge and skills to en-
sure your success.
from freelance photographers. However, as you’ll dis-
cover, the need for your photography skills doesn’t
end here. There is a range of other lucrative freelance
work to be obtained.

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WHERE THE JOBS ARE
Almost everywhere you look, you will see a
potential job for the freelance photographer.
Some of these opportunities include:

• Metropolitan & Regional newspapers

• Consumer & Trade magazines
• Periodicals

Travel & Resort

• Websites
• Corporate publications

Photography
• Weddings
• Sporting Events
• Show business & Entertainment
• Advertising
• Newsletters
• Brochures
• Photo Libraries

As you’ll discover, there are literally hundreds of profitable

freelance photography opportunities to be had.

By the time you complete this Course, you will have an

intimate knowledge of all aspects of freelance photography.
This goes far beyond simply taking a picture. It also means
developing your ideas through to the important business
side of marketing your professional skills and being paid for
your efforts.

What’s more, you’ll be learning about the industry from

the inside, benefiting from the accumulated knowledge of
one of today’s most successful freelance photographers.
Remember, like yourself, every one of these professionals
was once a complete beginner.

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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE OUTLINE
Module 1: Cameras & Lenses • Working with depth of field.
• The depth of field scale.
• Introduction to the different types of cameras and • Hyperfocal distance.
their uses. • Depth of field preview.
• Small, medium and large camera formats. • Depth of field and the view camera.
• Different camera functions and their uses. • View cameras and the digital sensor.
• The SLR in depth.
• How to select the correct aperture & shutter speed
• Does size really matter?
for the job.
• What is the best camera to use?
• Introducing different types of lenses and their uses. • Why use Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority or
• Focal length explained. Programme Mode?
• What is a normal lens? • How to put it all together.
• Lens Faults -Aberrations and distortion. • Previsualisation.
• The telephoto lens.
• What does MACRO mean? Module 3: Exposure & Metering
• Different types of specialty lenses.
• Extension rings and their uses. • Different types of light meters.
• Filters. • Reflective and incident metering.
• How to care for your lenses and camera body. • Spot metering.
• Bellows extension and filter factor explained.. • In-camera light meters.
• How to pick the right lens for the job. • What do light meters measure?
• Different methods of metering.
• ISO and exposure compensation control.
Module 2: Shutter, Aperture & their relationship • The 18% grey card and its uses.
• Film and CMOS and CCD chip dynamic range.
• Different types of shutters and their characteristics. • What is ISO and what does it do?
• Shutter stops.
• Dynamic Range.
• F/ stop explained.
• The greyscale test.
• The aperture / shutter speed relationship.
• Reciprocity. • Brief description of the zone system.
• Depth of field explained. • How to build a zone ruler.
• Circles of confusion brief explanation. • Metering colours.
• Sharpness. • Practical exposure methods.
• What happens to the performance of the lens at various • Same time same weather same exposure.
f/ stops? • Is bracketing for wimps?

interior &
architectural
Photography
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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE OUTLINE
Module 4: The Film & Digital Process
• A brief history of the photographic process.
• A photographic history timeline.
• The development and construction of photographic film.
• Panchromatic film & Colour film overview.
• Special use films.
• The “wet process” briefly explained.
• Colour film processing.
• Pushing and pulling.
• Films sensitivity curve analysed.
• Digital image capture overview.
• CCD, CMOS and Scanning Backs explained.
• Tri-linear array scanning backs overview.
• How does digital stack up versus film…really?
• Rendition of greens.
• Highlight & shadow detail.
• Linear Digital Curve vs. Shoulder & Toe Film Curve.
• How to use a histogram.
• Disable those digital camera enhancements
Module 5: Light & Colour
• The colour spectrum.
• Colour Temperature.
• Early colour theory development.
• Maxwells Triangle and modern colour theory.
• Additive and subtractive colour systems.
• RGB, CMYK, CIE, and LAB colour explained.
• Photographic filters.
• Useful filters for digital photography
• The MIRED scale.
• Wratten filters.
• Colour filtering for specific purposes and the digital
equivalent.
• Using a colour temperature metre.
• The digital cameras white balance settings.
• How to see like the camera sees.
Corporate &
• Squinting and other tricks. Marketing
• Pre-visualising and homage to the ZONE system Photography
• Setting Shadows and Highlights.
• What about black and white?
• Photoshop’s Channel Mixer.
• The red channel.
Module 6: Lighting – Daylight & Artificial
• I love daylight.
• Colour temperature of different light sources.
• How to soften harsh light out of doors.
• Lighting people and other small moveable objects
outdoors.
• Filling the shadows in full sunlight.
• Backlighting…wonderful sometimes awful others.
• The World’s best lighting.
• Lighting objects.
• A lighting Guide.
• How to achieve the daylight look inside using flash
or tungsten lights.
• Bounce, bounce, bounce.
• Balancing flash and daylight.
• Flash duration.
• Several methods for portrait lighting.
• The vanity index.
• Lighting men and women….yes, they are different if
you know what’s good for you.

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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE OUTLINE
Module 7: How to take better photos • Which brand should I buy?
• Answering the big question. Why am I pressing the • Portability.
button?
• Second hand gear.
• Commercial reality. • Computers and monitors overview.
• Educate yourself. • A really essential gizmo. The calibration device.
• Why a duck? • The storage solution.
• A process for photographing objects. • The computer tablet.
• A mental shooting checklist. • Capture software; an overview.
• What is important in the shot? • Photoshop CS including Bridge.
• What am I trying to achieve?
• Near enough is not good enough! • Module 9: Retouching, Resolution & Printing
• Think like a lens.
• Have I seen this photo before? • Photoshop and Aperture…the two main contenders.
• Think before you shoot. • How many dpi do I need?
• Previsualising…..again! • Working in RGB.
• What is Gamma? Special
• Adobe RGB 1998 and SRGB explained.
• Using the camera’s preview tools. • Gamut explained. Occasions
• Working tethered. • The CMYK workspace and its uses. Photography
• Don’t fix it in Photoshop lazy bones! • Bit Depth...tonal resolution of the image.
• Things to look out for and to avoid. • Colour channels explained.
• Stick to a subject for a while. • File formats Raw, Tiff, JPG and PSD evaluated and
• Be honest with yourself. explained.
• Be realistic. • Working with 16 bit files.
• Plagiarism is great for starters. • HDR to cope with high contrast images.
• Make a portfolio of shots you love. • Interpolation explained.
• How to develop a style of your own. • Useful retouching tools.
• Make the Densitometer your friend.
Module 8: Equipment & Software • Use Adjustment Layers.
• Levels and Curves.
• Advantages and disadvantages of the various camera • Sharpening…methods and pitfalls.
formats. • Sharpen last…or you’ll be sorry.
• My camera choices for 35mm, medium format and • Unsharp Mask.
large format. • Traps for young players.
• What camera should I buy? Questions to ask yourself. • Less is usually more.
• Do I buy or rent? • My sharpening methodology explained.
• How many and which lenses do I need? • Adobe Bridge and Camera RAW basics.
• Can I use my old film lenses with digital cameras? • Do your prints look like the file on screen?
• Where is the technology going? • Calibrate the whole shebang
• Lighting equipment. What do I really need?

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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE OUTLINE
Module 10: The Studio Module 12: Photo Agents, Picture Agencies and
how to get work.
• How big a studio do I need?
• Is daylight really necessary? • How to find a photo agent.
Glamour &
• What colour do I paint the studio? Some food for • How photo agents work.
thought. • The photographer / agent relationship. Nude
• Poly boards an essential tool. • Avoid mixed agencies if you can. Photography
• Sharing space pros and cons. • Fees and charges.
• Can I work from home? • Agency politics.
• Stay away from bus and train routes. • Be totally prepared for your interview. You only get
• The floor. one chance.
• List of essential stuff. • Don’t argue!
• Parking a must. • Photo libraries and picture agencies in a nutshell.
• Hiring your studio out. • Fees and charges.
• Start with something cheap and small and hire a bigger • The copyright issue.
one if necessary • How to submit images.
• The agency needn’t be next door.
Module 11: How to construct a professional • Going it alone.
portfolio • Be organised.
• Do your homework.
• Try to get a look at other photographers work. • Write down names in the lift.
• Look at the portfolios of stylists to get ideas. • Sell yourself!
• Talk to photo agents. • Befriend the art buyer.
• Be ruthless don’t dilute the folio.
• Is one folio enough? Course contents will vary from time to time at
the discretion of The Photography Institute.
• Get other opinions.
• Think about your presentation.
• This is where to spend money wisely.
• Some ideas to kick around.
• Some ideas on business cards, photo comps and
website as marketing tools

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THE INSTITUTE
The Photography Institute offers you the most advanced and comprehensive online
solution to learning available today. Online education has quickly become the preferred
method of study for people around the world, who are looking for additional skills to
enable them to make more money, start successful careers, turn a favourite interest into
something more rewarding or accomplish a personal quest for self-improvement.

Learn in your own time, in your own home and at your own pace.

Whilst distance-learning programs have been available from a variety of providers for
some time, it is the interaction and immediacy of the web, which has revolutionised
modern study methodology.

Our commitment to providing the highest quality training program has resulted in unique
teaching and student support systems, which produce unparalleled results. In short,
our students consistently produce higher quality work and achieve higher levels of
proficiency, in a shorter period of time, than other teaching methods can provide. The
continuing achievements of our students and the professional recognition and external
validation of our programs is a testimony to the high quality of our courses.

The “Professional Photography Course” offers you, the most advanced alternative to
a conventional classroom, for the training of Freelance Photography. We offer the most
thorough home study Course in Photography that is available anywhere in the world,
using the very latest online learning techniques. Gain the
latest
Our course brings you everything you need to achieve the success you want. insights from
Although some conventional schools run photographic correspondence courses as a the finest
sideline, we have specialised in teaching Photography solely by the home study method, industry
online using the internet. The days of corresponding via video or audio tapes, CD’s, professionals
DVD’s or paperwork through the mail is over. Our methodology gives the student fast
access to his or her tutor via email, enabling a student – teacher relationship that is as
close to sharing a conventional classroom as possible.

For those who are interested in complete online training, we have the solution to your
needs. Discover your true potential now by taking the next step - enrol today and further
your education with online distance learning.

The Photography Institute, your partner to a better future.

P R O S P E C T U S 2 0 1 0 11
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“By the end of this Course you will have the knowledge and skills to work as a Freelance Photographer,
and be paid for your efforts”
The author
George Seper
George Seper began his photographic career in New York
City in the early 1970’s photographing theatrical productions
and portraits of actors. He travelled to Australia and set up
his first studio in 1978 after having worked for three years
as a photographer’s assistant for the Creative Director of
Vogue, Patrick Russell. During that time he also assisted
the great Swiss photographer Hans Feurer, as well as the
legendary English photographer, Norman Parkinson.
George’s own photographic work was concentrated initially
on fashion and beauty and George was a regular contributor
to Vogue, Mode Magazine, Cleo, GQ and Cosmopolitan.
George photographed both men’s and women’ wear, as well
as many Magazine covers. His advertising clients included
some of the best fashion designers in the country.
Looking for other means of creative expression, George
began shooting food photographs for Vogue Magazine
in the Early 1980’s with Carolyn Lockhart; who was then
both menswear editor and food editor of Vogue. His food
photography revolutionised the way food was photographed,
as he approached food with the eye of a fashion photographer
and often worked with 35mm cameras, hand held in natural
light. This was a huge departure from the convention in the
early 1980’s. In the late 1980’s George pioneered the short
depth of field look in his food photography that has become
the worldwide standard of how food is still photographed
today.
His food photographs have since appeared in over 30
countries in publications such as Vogue Italia, Madame
Figaro France, Gentleman’s Quarterly, Martha Stewart
Living, Gourmet, Gourmet Traveller, Vogue Entertaining
and Travel and an array of Vogue and other magazines from
Russia to Brazil. He has photographed many cookbooks and
his advertising clients include Wedgewood, Royal Doulton,
McDonalds, Sara Lee and Continental food products, to
name a few. He has worked extensively in London, Paris
and New York over the course of his long career.
As well as a booming career in food photography, having
left the fashion world behind in the mid 1980’s, George also
began shooting interiors for Vogue Living magazine in the
late 1980’s. He achieved great success in this area and has
shot extensively for Belle Magazine, House and Garden,
Home Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens as well as for
P R O S P E C T U S
George
seper
commercial clients like the Ritz Carlton Hotels, The Hilton
Hotels, Qantas and Air Lanka airlines.
George took time off in 2000 and went on several extensive
sailing trips on his yacht and returned to work in 2005
refreshed and inspired. He is currently photographing a
series of six cookbooks for Murdoch Books.
George is currently represented in the UK, USA and
Europe by the StockFood Photo Agency and by Contacts
Photographer’s Agency in Australia.
www.georgeseper.com
www.international.stockfood.com
George has trained an army of photographic assistants
over the years; many of which now have very successful
careers of their own. He has decided to write this course
in order to pass on his enormous wealth of knowledge on
photography and on the business of photography. We are
extremely excited that he has chosen the Photography
Institute as the venue for teaching his unique skills.
2 0 1 0 12
 goldman
mathew

palmer
George

wallis
Sarah
evans

david
seper

gary
MEET OUR SPECIALISED TEAM
The Photography Institute’s team of qualified professionals are here to guide you through your diploma course, revealing the secrets that have
brought them success along with their wealth of experience and talent to give you the confidence to tackle all of the media industries challenges.

The tutors contact details

All our tutors are current working professionals, hand-picked for
their own professional success and their ability to pass on what
they know.
Please regard your relationship with your tutor as a “partnership”.
It’s your tutor’s job to assess your assignments, develop your
photographic skills and techniques and work with you every step
of the way.
Within a short time you will have the knowledge and skills
required to take great images, turn them into finished pieces
and successfully sell what you have created.............................
At all times throughout the Course you have regular Online
access to your tutor and student support to develop ideas and
material relating specifically to the areas of freelance photo-
graphy that most interest you.
This one-to-one association with a media professional who has
been especially chosen to help your career objectives is one of
the great benefits of this Course.
With this close tutor mentorship, you will feel like your tutor is The Photography Institute
in the same room as you, and all this can be achieved from the
comfort of your own home. That is the beauty of our course, you Garrick House,
can study when you like and at your own pace. 26/27 Southampton Street
Covent Garden
The “Professional Photography Course” is all about making London, WC2E 7RS
money doing what you enjoy. Each week, publishers buy
thousands of images from freelance photographers. General Enquiries:
info@thephotographyinstitute.co.uk
Why are these photographers successful? Because they know
how to go about it! Student Support:
support@thephotographyinstitute.co.uk
At the outset, it is important to understand that this Course is
not simply about the theory of photography. It’s also about being Administration:
published and paid for your photographic work . admin@thephotographyinstitute.co.uk
Virtually all newspapers and magazines rely heavily, if not www.thephotographyinstitute.co.uk
exclusively, on freelance photographers. And, with the thousands
of images editors need for their stories, why not give freelance
photography a go!

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