Has anyone completed the Photography Institute online course?

My wifes away at my daughters next week so hopefully they will arrive while she is away and I can just bring them out one at a time, she will just think I've go my nose stuck in the same book!
Wasnt' too bad though most of them were under a tenner second hand, its just the fact I bought them all at once!
 
I've been following this thread with interest and I will be signing up to do the course soon

With regard to the "scuffed copies" email that a few of us got, there still seems to be 3 copies left :eek: I was clearing out emails and out of curiosity followed the link on the original email they sent me, way back on November 30th . Scuffed copies still available for £358. Think I may go see how much cash I have available........:thinking:
 
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I've skipped module 7 as the weather is pants and I have an idea what I want or this one, it invlolves people being out and about and nobody is out in this crap weather, I will go back to it at a later date.
I completed module 9 Landscapes yesterday and sent it off for marking. Fingers crossed (again).
 
Just looked through this thread (that took some reading :eek:) but the course you guys are all taking sounds brill - just what im after in fact!

i dont think i can justify spending the money though - especially just after xmas. i did a NCFE level 2 course at my local college which was not great to be fair. but that was because the college running it were crap, nothing against NCFE.

ive subscribed and will keep an eye on how you guys get on through it!

AG
 
Hi all, I am interested in starting a Photography course and hope to gain a recognized qualification at the end, I liked the sound of this "Diploma" course and had asked elsewhere on the forum if this course would qualify towards a degree course down the line, to that end I emailed the NCFE about the level 4 qualification and here is there reply.

"Thank you for contacting us about the Photography course with the Institute of Professional Photography.

The Institute of Professional Photography has been accredited with NCFE’s Investing in Quality (IIQ) Licence which is designed to give formal recognition to an organisation’s bespoke programmes that fall outside the National Qualification Framework (NQF). The licence is based on a number of Quality Statements which provide a quality assurance framework for the development, delivery and evaluation of their programmes. We’ve mapped the Quality Statements to a range of standards: ISO 9001, Investors in People, EFQM, The Common Inspection Framework, The Matrix Standard; and Recognising and Recording Progression and Achievement (RARPA).

In summary, NCFE hasn’t accredited their course as a ‘qualification’ but through their IIQ License we do give formal recognition to their training/courses which result in the ‘award’ of a certificate of achievement.

There’s a wide variety of training providers offering bespoke courses that are accredited under the NCFE IIQ Licence and for all manner of training; be it to meet a particular requirement or because there’s no provision listed on the ‘National Data base of Accredited Qualifications’ (NDAQ) - here’s the link:

http://www.accreditedqualifications....ionSearch.aspx

The training providers who use the IIQ License for this purpose include; Beacon Award winning colleges, local authorities, charities and the emergency services; who are all able to recognise the valuable bespoke training undertaken by their people. Here’s a link to other IIQ centres so you can see for yourself:

http://www.ncfe.org.uk/Default.aspx?id=18782

NCFE does offer a wide range of qualifications which are nationally recognized by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) http://www.ofqual.org.uk/ but the aforementioned course is not one of them."

Hope that clarifies the situation for some in the same boat as me.

Cheers
 
nice info about the NCFE

i emailed about the the course and got some good info back - i just need them to give me a discount and i can then think about getting in on the action!
 
Cheers for that info Sconie - Have to admit it was all a bit of a grey area. That said I wasn't planning on taking a degree so it makes no odds to me personally. Their website would appear to be a little misleading in this area as I got the impressiion that it would count in some way as credit against an OFQual course (though to be fair they never stated that it would anywhere), hope that this makes it easier for potential new students to decide if it's right for them.

Moving on to progress...... Module 2 completed and sent in, received a thank you from the tutor but doesn't seem to have been 'graded' as yet.

Still waiting for the right kind of weather for Module 3 - Got some good ideas, but they all require me and a mate to be outdoors 'on location' so to speak. As we can only manage this on Friday lunchtimes it's going to be a while before I can get this one in the bag I think. I've also started to re-read the Tom Ang book again (now I've found it indoors) so I'm not just messing about wasting time.

At this rate, I might end up doing the modules in semi random order - Need to discuss Module 17 with the wife (neglecting to mention that the assignment is optional of course) and see what she thinks about me getting a model or two in for the day...... ;)
 
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The other thing I noticed on the IPP website, they also mention that their course is accredited by "ASET" to level 4, however ASET was taken over by EDI in 2007, see
http://www.aset.ac.uk/

So it seems well out of date, however if I can establish the worth of the IPP course I may sign up for it anyway, as I don't know if I could commit to four years study for a degree course with the OCA, with work, family and practical photography to fit it.

Cheers.
 
Not quite.

My wife decided it wasn't for her, so I returned it.

So, my comments now will be on the return/refund process.
 
Kind of - Been ploughing through the written stuff, even found my Tom Ang book which is being read properly (complete with notes in the margins). Unfortunately the photography side of it is a bit behind :shake:

Had a great plan for Module 3 and managed to get out and crack on with it a week or so ago. Been really busy at work so only got round to selecting the images and editing last week. Now, on reflection, I'm not convinced that they're good enough to submit. I'm my own worst enemy and harshest crit and they're probably fine, however I have this nagging doubt in my head so I think I probably need a fresh idea or a re-shoot.
(It isn't so much the quality of the images, it's just they have ended up as being more about the activity itself than telling a story about a person taking part in an activity - that makes sense to me) :bonk:
 
Coincidentally, just had an email from them saying that Assignment 2 has just been marked, and I'm on track to finish the course on 11th December 2011 at my current submission rate. Got an A which is nice to know. Hopefully be able to keep it up......
 
Luiz Rodrigues said:
Anyone on module 13??? i am a bit nervous about it...
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I wouldn't worry too much about this one as its not an assignment to send to your tutor, however mod 14 where you have to stage a mock wedding doesn't sound that bad, if you know a fun young couple go and buy a 2nd hand wedding dress from a charity shop, you can get them quite cheap, find a willing church and take as many pics as you can remembering the bride is the main character, read up on it as much as you can and discretely go and watch some togs at work at weddings.
Try and have fun doing it and all should fall into place!
Good luck:)
 
Hey Bill thanks for the tip; I am very much enjoying the assignments.. sad it is going rather quick!!

I found this on Flickr, there was just one lonely soul in there, maybe we could bring people in so we could network more easily???

here is the link

http://www.flickr.com/groups/dppcourse/

all the best!
 
Glad to help, and thanks for that link, I have joined the group,need to get more of us on there.
I'm struggling to get module 7 done at the moment so I have skipped it to do later and moved on.
Currently doing the editing module not liking having to take loads of bad photo's!
 
hi .... i just signed up for this course today after reading this thread :)
i had originally intended going to the local college but due to the fact i work permanent nightshift it was going to be 'interesting'

im looking forward to the coursework arriving ..and have already been contacted by my tutor


matt
 
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Cistron said:
I hope I don't offend anyone with my opinion, but given that photography is so much practice and hands-on, I don't get how an online course can help that much. Most of the information floats around in the aether for free anyways.

The great things about courses is interacting with your peers, instigating ideas for shoots, trying out those medium format camera you can't afford, playing with those lights, mustering up the courage for nude photography as a group, etc. etc.

Or am I missing something?
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I did the DMC online course, and found it really helpful. I did look around for a course at my local college, but discovered to my horror that the tutors were not proper photographers! It's true that there is a lot of info out there on the net, but a lot of it is rubbish. Also I believe that in order to learn something properly one needs to have some kind of structure, and the course I did provided that. I don't need to interact with my peers, I read a lot of books on photography, and I get inspiration from looking at the many great images posted on this forum.
 
So If Im right, this is the inst.org thread....so hows everyone doing?
I just signed up for this today.. hopefully soon I can be in the wedding toggers threads berating the free toggers... :) :) :) :D
 
@Derek, it is indeed.

Started really well, and been reading up on lots... Think the theory part is pretty straightforward, but when it comes to actually making it work I'm not sure if I'm lacking the confidence, being overly critical of my shots or just decidedly average.

Struggling with the concept for the first 'proper' assignment at the momen (Module 3 I think it is) Not really sure whether they're looking for shots of
a person doing the same activity or the same person doing different things (kind of like a day in the life of) - Had a couple of shoots now with a mate and just as I'm about to submit them I start picking holes in them and bottle out. Ironically, one of the shots, the aforementioned friend has had blown up and printed to hang on his office wall at home, so I know they're not too bad.

Pretty sure I'll get something submitted this month though but would like to maintain my A's for as long as possible as some of the assignments look really tough (personal hell is the wedding one - No idea how I'll pull that one off).......

Have you joined the Flickr Group mentioned a few posts ago yet?
 
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im currently working on the assignment on module 3 as well ....and most probably being over critical....i'l get there in the end tho :)



even if it means going out and re-shooting again
 
matt.c said:
even if it means going out and re-shooting again
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I'm on my 4th shoot now and still umming and ahhing.... Asked the tutor for some guidance as to what he's after and whilst he was really helpful he wasn't giving much away. I think it's the "if you need to ask yourself if it's good enough - it isn't good enough" syndrome. May end up using Lego people for all of my shoots after this one as SWMBO and most of my friends now disappear rather quickly as soon as the camera comes out.

:D
 
Sponge said:
Not quite.

My wife decided it wasn't for her, so I returned it.

So, my comments now will be on the return/refund process.
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I finally got the refund. If I'm honest, the communication and time it took was a bit rubbish. They didn't acknowledge receipt of the material, I had to chase them up. (It was delivered on the 31st January.) They didn't keep me updated on the refund; again, I had to chase them up. They took days to respond to emails. If we were talking tens of pounds I wouldn't have mentioned it, but we're not, we're talking hundreds. It felt like the only reason I got it when I did was because I kept reminding them.

Good luck to all those on the course. :thumbs:
 
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What have other people done for this, I live in a really beautiful part of the Scottish Borders and the weather is crap for any type of outdoor shot for tourism:shake:
Can't think of anything to shoot and I'm really struggling with it, any tips suggestions would be aprreciated!:thinking:
 
Quaker said:
I thought long and hard before committing myself to this course. There is an abundant flow of information on the internet but a lot of it is poorly done and its pretty random. I was looking for something more structured and formal.

Its all well and good dragging stuff off the internet but what someone says is the correct way, will mostly be contradicted by another and I get to the point where I don't know my backside from my elbow.

This course (I hope!) will offer me structured learning at a pace that suits me, I have access to a professional photographer who will guide me and crit my work, what I aim to do is take his and only his view on board so I am not bouncing from one piece of advice to another.

This forum is and has been of great help but posting my images for crit nine times out of ten leaves me scratching my head, some say an image is good and some say an image is bad some say tighter crop and some say leave it, so it can be a bit confusing.

I aim to commit myself 100% to this and when I have completed the course I hope to have a better understand not only how to take images but how to sell myself. I don't aim to pack in my day job, but to earn a few commissions would be nice to help finance some decent glass.
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I am thinking of signing up to this course, I have looked through this thread and you seem to be positve about it, I'd be interested to hear how you got on. I'm a complete novice but think it will help to focus me and make me get out and use my camera. (like your dog by the way! I have a black lab too!)
Caroline
 
Finally got my selection nailed for Module 3 - Just waiting for the tutor to let me know whether it's OK to self host or if he'd prefer them on Flickr (Think I'd rather mail them than post on Flickr for the time being), then it's onwards to Module 4.......

Edit - checked out Module 4 and it's all excercises, Should be able to steam through this one fairly quickly
 
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After weeks of ummming and errr-ing I finally submitted my 4 for module 3 over the weekend and got my graded comments back this afternoon.
Stressed about it for weeks and pleased that I got an A- for my efforts (though there's plenty of room for improvement).
Module 4 starts tomorrow !!
 
I don't envy you thatin this weather - Must be a nightmare.
Trying really hard not to think of that - Canvey Island and Southend arent exactly what you'd call top tourist spots......... Essex tourist board have been trying for years so no idea how I'm going to make it attractive !!!
 
I know I'm in the Scottish Borders and it's stunning scenery. I need people to be out doing things but it's either raining or snowing or even both!

Sent from my iPhone using TP Forums
 
Hmmm..... Just had a look at Module 5 (being the next assignment for submission) and I'm already confused. The Assignment heading is "Submit 5 Versions of the same Photo" yet the text suggests that we take 100 photos of different environments, Focal Lengths, Compositions, Angles etc......

Then we need to pick the final 25 ,and tyhe top 5 from that?

Does this mean that the final 5 should be the same subject from different angles/focal lengths etc. in the same place ? or is it just Five photos of the same subject in different places/lighting/foreground/focal length?

beginning to feel like a bit of a numpty:thinking: but really not sure what they mean:shrug: .

How did you guys get on with this one?
 
yoby said:
Hmmm..... Just had a look at Module 5 (being the next assignment for submission) and I'm already confused. The Assignment heading is "Submit 5 Versions of the same Photo" yet the text suggests that we take 100 photos of different environments, Focal Lengths, Compositions, Angles etc......

Then we need to pick the final 25 ,and tyhe top 5 from that?

Does this mean that the final 5 should be the same subject from different angles/focal lengths etc. in the same place ? or is it just Five photos of the same subject in different places/lighting/foreground/focal length?

beginning to feel like a bit of a numpty:thinking: but really not sure what they mean:shrug: .

How did you guys get on with this one?
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HI

I struggled to understand this one so I emailed the institute and they came back with this, hope it makes things a bit clearer.

"
Thanks for your email. I agree, this assignment is more complicated than it needs to be.

We’ve edited the assignment, so that what is expected of you is now clearer. This version of the assignment will be used in the course from now on.

Here it is:

Assignment 5: Submit five versions of the same photo

For this assignment you should use most or all of the areas discussed in this module and apply them to a photo shoot.

Pick any subject of your choosing that you are able to move, and take at least 25 different images of it.

Experiment with different background imagery, focal lengths, foreground interest, vantage points and environments.

When you have finished, pick out the top five, email them to your tutor and write down why these images are superior to all the others.

n What are the strengths of these photographs? Is there anything monumentally different? ​
n How well does the background and overall environment compliment or contrast with the subject? ​
n Describe how your chosen vantage points benefit your images."​
 
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