Please Help, Dilemma In Choosing Which School For Photography Courses


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vince_vodka

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Nov 19, 2004
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Hi seniors and regulars, I'm in my late 20s(know it's abit late) and wish to take up serious photography courses to pursue as my career. I intend to take up part-time courses instead of full-time as I need to work to support myself and help out with my retired parents at home and I understand that there are several clubs and school offering such courses.

I intend to go into still-life advertising and also maybe into wedding photography as well. I've run up searches and found several like NAFA, NYIP, PSS and SLCC offering courses to my ambition but some of them seems quite costlier as compared to others. It seems to me that SLCC, which is a committee of the Singapore Photographic Trade Association, is providing a good deal....

Please advise where I should enroll myself in to pursue my career. Your kind advise is greatly appreciated......
 

Hi vince_vodka !
I think you are just like me a month ago !!

I was scouting for a school/club/ association which provides professional coaching on DSLR and am pursuing a freelance career in my free time as well. =)
For me, I actually took my time to visit the scholls and talk to the people manging the schools after an imprompt enrollment without prior contact with the trainer.

What steered me to or away from certain school was the way they present themselves to me and the condition of the classroom which the course is to be conducted. You may have other aspects of the conditon which might differs from me. But that's alright. =)

Drop me a PM if you wish. =)
 

Before proceeding to the photography courses, why don't you try to learn yourself? It's definitely cheaper, and you can do it at your own pace.

Basically there are 2 main phase in learning photography:

1. Get more knowledge on photography. Just go to the nearest library, and there are a lot of books there about basic photography theory.

2. Understand more what you read by doing a lot of self practice. Bring the book along while you're shooting, indoor or outdoor. Remember, experience is the best teacher.

You'll be surprised that in the end you don't need the courses after all ;)
 

Hi vince_vodka,

I did took up the NYIP complete photography course not long ago.
Compared the course materials with those available on the market.
Nothing much different.
The course will require you to hand in assignments and will receive a certificate at the end of the day.
You still have to practise shooting on your own.

Feel free to contact me for more detail.
Will be glad to show you the materials before you commit to the course.
Not cheap.
 

oh I would go for one with a cert too ... =)
 

Erm, let me say what I feel. I am a student in NAFA. We dont get good pay by just our cert. It is our portfolio that make the difference.

Photography is go by talent and skill. We dont go by cert. Cert sometime is a stepping stone but like wise it is just a piece of paper. I strongly you to read up in library and deviantart web to gain more tip and knowledge. Get to work in internship. It prove to be better. Work from small. Just do it slowly and you will feel how much money you save and how much you gain than compared to in school.

You think the lecturer will be telling you everything through the whole course? Nah, they just tell you basic that all. The rest still have to depend on you. Pm me if you have further question. =)
 

I second on Hamsterload's comment, thuo I am not NAFA student.
Furthermore, the NYIP course is purely based on assignments, which you need to practise and do on your own.
The course materials are there just to "guide" you, nothing more.
 

instead of enrollin in a course, do course work, then get a cert, u can also do the reverse.

tat is learn the basics yourself, then when tink u are ready, prepare a portfolio for submission for Associates and eventually Fellowship titles.

another way is to join a photographic society where the seniors are ever willing to share their experience.

for example, if u are interested in Still life studio lighting, can contact singapore colour photographic society (www.singaporecolour.org). every month, there is a indoor studio lighting session, where sometimes elaborate and complicated lighting setup are used to light models, still life. make a point to go down before the actual session starts, look at how the lights and other props are arranged. u will learn much.
 

Iirc, the NAFA courses are full time. NYIP, so far havent heard anyone i know doing it but it's reputable self-study option.

Personally for me, i think it's good to start with a course some where. Many adv such as structured learning, can have a mentor, group of kakis to shoot with etc.

For the various schools, there's PSS, objectivs, Safra, SCPS and many others. You can look around the threads to learn a bit more.

Based on my observation and my experience, PSS - Relatively cheap courses, lots of different courses, friendly instructors, good facilities and central location (Selegie, near Dolby Gaut), Objectivs - Exp courses and more specialised in certain area/aspects, good location (near cityhall/bugis), Safra - affordable courses, good facilities (dark room and other facilities in Safra, not the photo club), a bit out of place (near telok blangah iirc), SCPS - affordable courses, friendly instructors, a bit more focus on studio (salon style- posed shots, i.e. Old man smoking, chinese girls in traditional costume etc), out of place (telok kurau)

all has it's pros and cons, try and visit them and see which one suits u better.
 

Iirc, the NAFA courses are full time. NYIP, so far havent heard anyone i know doing it but it's reputable self-study option.

Personally for me, i think it's good to start with a course some where. Many adv such as structured learning, can have a mentor, group of kakis to shoot with etc.

For the various schools, there's PSS, objectivs, Safra, SCPS and many others. You can look around the threads to learn a bit more.

Based on my observation and my experience, PSS - Relatively cheap courses, lots of different courses, friendly instructors, good facilities and central location (Selegie, near Dolby Gaut), Objectivs - Exp courses and more specialised in certain area/aspects, good location (near cityhall/bugis), Safra - affordable courses, good facilities (dark room and other facilities in Safra, not the photo club), a bit out of place (near telok blangah iirc), SCPS - affordable courses, friendly instructors, a bit more focus on studio (salon style- posed shots, i.e. Old man smoking, chinese girls in traditional costume etc), out of place (telok kurau)

all has it's pros and cons, try and visit them and see which one suits u better.

spot on.

there is no best school, but one tat suits one's need best.

one man's food is another man's poison. absorb wats useful, and discard wats not.
 

Thanks for all your suggestions. This forum's members are so helpful, I'm so glad that this forum is so active. A newbie in photography will hardly get lost in here.... Thanks....
 

Another alternative would be to get an internship or job as an assistant for a very experienced photographer. This way you learn the most important things very quickly while earning money and making contacts. However, it is a good idea to do some self-study first before you apply, whether its by yourself or a short class. You should also see if there are any specific courses that you like at Objectifs.
 

You might consider an BA/MA too. A photograph is an expression, and a camera is a tool. Expand your scope and your mind. You can develop the photographic basic skills by practise. Also get to know others in the field too.

BA/MA - Bachelor of Arts/ Masters of Art
 

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