Self-test: Is the "Photography (Cert.)" course the right one for me?

What kind of photography courses are there?

Photography is fascinating and keeps both professional and amateur photographers busy. Nowadays, we all take photos - whether it's in the form of the occasional snapshot with a cell phone or passionate photography in professional quality. The range of photography courses on offer is correspondingly broad, for example:

• Introductory and advanced courses (theoretical and practical) for amateur photographers
• Courses on specific photographic subjects such as children, portraits, food, fashion, night shots, landscapes, etc.
• Courses on technical aspects such as flash and lighting, analog photography, night photography, long exposure photography, specific cameras, digital image editing, smartphone photography courses, etc.
• Photo trips and photo excursions with a focus on landscape photography, wildlife photography, etc.

Who is a photography course suitable for?

Target groups:

• People who are interested in photography and want to acquire basic technical and creative skills or expand their photographic knowledge in general or in specific directions
• People who would like to cultivate their passion for photography in a group and acquire additional knowledge in the process

Helpful personal qualities are:

• Strong visual orientation
• A sense of aesthetics and perfection
• Technical understanding
• Creativity
• Own camera

Prerequisites for admission to courses and training programs in photography

• Beginners' courses are open to everyone; possession of a camera is usually a prerequisite.
• In advanced courses, the most important basic photography skills are expected.

Course content and skills taught

Training topics in photography are e.g:

• Understanding of analog and/or digital technology
• Recognize photo motifs
• Image structure and composition
• Exposure and lighting
• Movement in the picture
• Image editing / Photoshop

Skills taught:

• Basic courses teach the correct handling of the camera and the basic skills for photographic design.
• In advanced courses, the specific skills for different types of photography such as portraits, moving subjects, architecture, landscape, etc. are taught.

Costs and financing of further training

Depending on the provider and the size of the group, average course costs for photography courses are around CHF 35-70 per lesson (in the best case less than CHF 20), i.e. very roughly:

• For a short course in one evening you pay approx. CHF 130-200.
• Longer courses (10-18 months) cost around CHF 800-10,000, depending on the intensity.
• Private lessons or courses that involve special equipment, excursions or travel and overnight stays are correspondingly more expensive.

Duration, teaching form, teaching times and effort Self-study time

• Photography courses last between a few days and a year. Lessons usually take place in the evenings or at weekends.
• Course locations usually vary, i.e. you will sit partly in the classroom, partly at the computer for image processing and partly you will be out and about together on a photo hunt.
• Various courses, including photography courses for beginners, are also offered online.
• Photo trips and photo excursions can last from several days to a few weeks and take various forms.
• The self-learning time (learning theory, carrying out practical exercises and tasks) depends on the type of course and the training objective and cannot be generally quantified.

Conclusion

Photography courses usually end without an examination or final project. You will receive a certificate of attendance for some courses.