We have received many testimonials from students who have successfully completed the Professional Photography Course.

Please enjoy some of our student testimonials listed below.

"This course gave me the confidence to pursue my passion in life and photography.

You can never say that you know enough, or that you are too professional to learn more. This course covers all aspects of photography as is very well presented with serious learning, but also with a lot of fun moments.

The knowledge you gain is of incredible value, and you will"find" yourself in the world of photography, no matter what photographic field you might specialise in.

I recommend this course to anyone who wants to improve their skills. The Photography Institute has a very professional and helpful team, and will contribute to your career or passion!..."

...Dalene Melville, Mossel Bay.





"I bought my first DSLR camera 6 years ago but never understood a thing about it, I used to only take pictures in the automatic function and until a year ago, still didn’t know the extent of what my camera could actually do!

Life happened in the first 5 years of buying the camera, I got married, gave birth to twin boys- so time was really limited and I struggled to get to know my Eos 350D. When things got a little easier at the end of last year, I decided to bite the bullet and educate myself. I searched the internet for online photography courses, as I didn’t have the time to drive to the nearest city to go for classes. The Photography Institute was the only real option, so I enrolled immediately.

I did not know what to expect, the first couple of modules were designed to educate and help me understand my equipment and from there- the fun started! I have learnt so much and feel confident enough to go out into the world and show them what I, as a Photographer, can do now.

To my tutor George Seper, thank you for not only giving me feedback after marking each assignment but also for encouraging me, I always thought I had a talent for photography, but I never believed in myself. You helped me achieve that belief.

I am now proud to tell you that while studying, I entered two photography competitions with the same photograph... I was pleasantly surprised when I got phone calls from both of the competitions, I came 2nd in one, and won the 1st prize in the other! I have never won anything, so it was such a surprise!

Studying with the help of The Photography Institute helped me achieve so much!

Thank you for a great course..."

...Janine Cilliers, Cape Town.





"Professional. Complete. Enjoyable. Remarkable.

These are the words i would like to use to describe this wonderful journey, with George Seper and his assistants... an absolute winner!

There is so much to be learned during this course from the technical to real life challenges that every Photographer will face during his/her career.

Thank you PI team for making this course available and for sharing so much valuable information with me. Gary, my tutor was absolutely outstanding in every aspect and I am so grateful for his help.

I recommend this course to anyone who is serious to take photography to the next level, a professional level, what this course is all about..."

...Nikola Medjugorac, JHB.





"Completing the course has given me an extra step ahead in pursuing my career. The theory behind photography is much clearer and I now realise that photography is not just a click of a button but so much more.

I truly believe it is important to have something like this behind your name to make potential clients realise that you take photography very seriously and that you want to offer them excellent service and to reassure people they know what you are doing behind the camera.

My tutor was great and his feedback to all of my assigments have been extremely helpful.

I recommend this course to anyone who wants to take photography seriously..."

...Jeannie Celeste Kenney, Phalaborwa.

www.jeanniesphotography.blogspot.com





"A very big thank you to The Photography Institute for giving me WINGS!! 

When I first enrolled for this Diploma, I was not sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised with the professionalism of the student support team and my personal tutor.

The material is structured, neat and well planned. The course covered all of the topics that are required for you to decide which path you would like to take in photography.  

Thank you to my tutor Gary for your positive feedback on my work and the encouragement to carry on and reach my goals. Your input was surely just as invaluable as the material I had to work through.

I have learnt a lot about my equipment, how to pick the right gear for the job and the importance of deciding where your focus should be. The course has helped me look for the trends in a particular market and has grown my understanding of what a client would potentially want.

Studying at The Photography Institute has definitely changed my approach to photograph and business, for the better. I have even found myself studying other Photographer's work to see where I can better myself.

I am very excited about my photography and would like to recommend this Diploma to any potential students out there. It is really worth the time and money... and even more!

Thank you once again to The Photography Institute..."

...Jana Beukes, Centurion.





"I have always had a passion for photography. I studied graphic design and was a designer/art director for the about 10 years. In my work, I got to do a lot of work with professional photographers and was always interested in what they were doing during a shoot. Looking back, I would have really liked to have studied photography as my degree but once I found this website I was very glad to have had the opportunity to do this online course.

It was user friendly, very informative and the best part was that I could do it at my own pace and really sink my teeth into the assignments. My tutor, Gary was extremely helpful and positive towards me and was always only a click of a mouse away.

The course itself was fun and very easy to follow and the assignments we creative and fun and I gained a lot of knowledge about my camera, ability and creativity.

Due to this course, I have gained confidence and knowledge to allow me to open my own studio. I have focused on family/wedding shoots and have been getting a lot of interest and have secured a number of weddings for the future. A number of families have also commissioned me to do family portraits and shoots and I am starting to get my name out there. 

I want to thank the people at The Photography Institute for making a great course. I feel very confident tackle shoots and challenges in the future..."

www.jamesgibbs.co.za

...James Gibbs, Durban.





"Doing this course has changed the way I take photos. It has helped me understand the basics of photography and I am now so much more in control of my end result. The advice given about how to take a hobby to the next level and become a professional has been very helpful and will use this in my journey to becoming a professional Photographer. 

I really enjoyed the assignments that challenged me to learn more about the style of photography I want to pursue as they really helped me understand my own personal style and define it.

I have to add that my tutor, Gary, played a big role in helping the course being such a positive learning experience.  His lengthy and detailed feedback on my assignments really helped me understand every module and what the proposed learning outcomes were. 

The support team were also very quick in answering any questions I had and paying for the course was so simple and easy. 

All in all this was a very enlightening and positive learning experience, one I would happily recommend..."

...Helena Faasen, Botswana.





"When I came across this course I was very excited about it as I had the freedom to do it at my own pace. The second thing that drew me to the course was that I did not have to attend classes or write any exams... This is really great as I live in the middle of the bush and would not be able to attend any classes.

I have learnt so much completing this course - and these are skills that I have tried to learn on my own but could never get right! When I look back now, I wish I had done this course earlier.

I am not a person that reads a lot. However, I could not wait to read through the study material and learn more. The study material is easy to read and very well explained. George did a great job with the inclusion of his personal experience and motivation during the course.

Thank you George- you have managed to put together a course, which I would highly recommend.

Thank you also to my personal tutor, who gave me valuable feedback on my work and great encouragement throughout the course..."

www.awesomephotos.co.za

...Rihann Van Wyk, Limpopo.





"I started off my Diploma in Professional Photography with an incredible passion for photography, zero knowledge about DSLRs and some basic business sense. I purchased a second-hand DLSR, signed up to study, and established my own photographic business in the middle of a recession. A year later, I look back and marvel at the journey I have been on.

By applying the insights and knowledge gained from professional Photographers who have ‘been there and done that’, and with the ever helpful guidance of my tutor, my business is beginning to take off, calls are coming in almost daily with requests for quotes and jobs, and I have just purchased my first pro DSLR. I feel ready to take on the world and can’t wait to get out there and apply everything I’ve learnt.

This course taught me so much about my camera and how it works, and I now feel confident using my camera in almost any situation I’m faced with. My tutor helped me to hone in on specific areas of photography that would help establish me more soundly in business, instead of doing anything and everything that came my way, and I am recently seeing the benefit of this. The business advice I received helped me to think through my dreams and desires, establish action plans, marketing strategies, redesign my website, structure my costing, and research the necessary photographic equipment to achieve my goals.

I’m truly so thankful that I have done this course and I believe it is a must for anyone who would like to go into business as a Photographer...."

...Alice Gundry, Boksburg North.





"After looking at various options with regards to improving my knowledge about photography I settled on the course offered by ‘The Photography Institute’.

From the time I registered for the course it was a great experience. Registration was simple and the study material easily accessible. The layout of the course was easily understandable and informative. I found it easy to submit assignments and received valuable input from my tutor.

I am someone who believes that the best teacher is personal experience however being able to draw on the experiences of someone who has been in the industry for a number of years was a brilliant experience in itself. I do not for one moment regret having completed this course.

The course not only gave me the freedom to work through modules and complete assignments at my own leisure it gave me invaluable insight into the world of photography. I found the technical input exceptionally useful, giving me a deeper understanding into the various aspects of photography. I also found the practical advice with regards to matters such as planning your photography career, working out budgets, client relationships, promoting yourself, delivering of work and matters in the business area of photography - invaluable!

I found the entire course of great value and feel that my photographs have already begun showing improvement and that I now have the tools with to take my photography to the next level.

I would highly recommend that anyone with a passion for photography whether it is just for your personal gain or to pursue a career in photography seriously consider registering for the photography course through ‘The Photography Institute’.

Thank you to my tutor and the support staff for a great experience!..."

www.adriandutton.co.za

...Adrian Dutton, Johannesburg.

"I have been an amateur Photographer for quite a number of years, and only after finishing the diploma course from The Photography Institute; do I understand the exact definition of the word 'amateur'.

What I enjoyed most about the course was the way it was broken down into twelve modules and I never felt bombarded with too much information at any time. For those who have done a correspondence course before, know how frustrating it can be to wait for an easier explanation from the school or tutor, and by the time you get a response, you have already lost interest!

With this course I have never waited longer than 24 hours for an answer.

Although this is an online course- you only deal with one dedicated tutor, which is a professional Photographer, on a first name basis.

Most of my shots are now taken in full manual mode, where as in the past automatic mode was my first choice. Now, even the way I look at light differs from the past due to a much better understanding of colour temperature, and how to see as the camera sees!

I would recommend this course to anybody that wants to take their hobby to a new level or make a career out of photography.

With this opportunity I would like to thank Gary for his professional advice whenever I needed it, and George Seper for constructing such a use comprehensive course...."

...Paul.L.Fourie, Ramsgate.





"I loved this course as it covered a wide range of different subjects. Cameras, lenses, aperture, exposures, studio's, portfolios and editing images are all covered extensively in this comprehensive course. It provided me with all of the knowledge and professional skills required to become a professional Photographer.

I loved the idea of studying online at my own pace, it's so convenient if you work full time. The student support team and tutors are always there to help and respond within a day. They really helped me to specialise in my passion.

I have just started to advertise as a wedding Photographer and I have shot 3 weddings so far and I already have 7 confirmed bookings in the next 3 months!

My portfolio keeps on improving daily, as I never stop shooting. I would love to do another course with you guys!!

Thank you for making this possible!"

www.michelleharmse.com

...Michelle Harmse. Windhoek, Namibia.





"The Professional Photography course has left me richer in both Knowledge and Emotion.

The Emotion… is as a result of saying goodbye. Having completed the course feels like parting with family, the interaction and advice at the end of each module has been just too fantastic. I was always chomping at the bit to get each and every result.

The Knowledge… gained has given me the confidence to move forward in giant leaps in the weird and wonderful field of photography, and I have already put this new found knowledge into practice resulting in financial rewards.

I have been privileged to have had a tutor of the caliber of Gary Wallis.

This highly successful and acclaimed Photographer, with his incredible photographic experience, has made me feel special every step of the journey.

I can and will recommend the Professional Photography course to aspiring Photographers, it is just so worth it! It has changed my life, I used to think of myself as an advanced amateur, and now feel like a pro!

Thank you team..."

www.bowditch.co.za

...Barry Bowditch, Ballito.





"I have always searched for something that I could say I was gifted at and I could be passionate about. Photography for me happened by chance and I have never looked back. Each day spent behind the lens is pure bliss and photography fills my days with passion and love.

Choosing to study with The Photography Institute has been the easiest decision I have ever made. What drew me to study this course was the comprehensive module outline which covered the technical aspects of photography but also the business behind photography which is really important to me as I wanted to further my passion for photography into a career. I also liked the fact that I could study the course at my leisure.  

I loved the way each module was written, to a point that made me feel like I was having a conversation with another Photographer. The feedback received from my tutor - George Seper and his team has been incredible and has really propelled my learning in photography. I truly have a better understanding about the technical aspects of photography and this course has been tremendous in terms of directing my focus into making photography my career.

I would definitely recommend this course to everyone who wants to improve their skills. I would like to thank George Seper for constructing such a comprehensive course and for igniting my passion for photography…."

...Kavish Rajpaul, Pietermaritzburg.





"WOW! What a Wonderful journey with George Seper and his team!

I saw an uncle of mine buying his camera and he never wanted to show me how it worked, so I saved up my money and bought my own camera, but it was so hard to get a hang of how it works. The "AUTO" function was the best I knew at that time. I received a training voucher to use at NIKON and attended their free course. After that I understood the camera much better, but there was still something missing!

I then went on "Google" and saw that PI has a Facebook group as well. I then went to their site and read through the course outline etc.

I was a little unsure about the online training scene, until my friend told me that he is also studying at PI and enjoying it very much! I then enrolled myself and BANG, my future already started blooming! As I progressed through the course and photographed new images, I posted them on Facebook and a British Fashion Designer 'T.E.D. Bowles' got in touch with me. He was so amazed with my work that he actually called me while I was on holiday! He offered me a job to photograph his clothing range, and as time went by, things got more serious. We are now business partners running things 50/50!

I learnt so much through this course, lots of techniques to simplify things while photographing. This course is so extensive throughout module 1 to 12! I now discovered my true passion, PHOTOGRAPHY! This is all thanks to George and the team, and for the outstanding course that they present in a very professional way!

I truly recommend this course to anyone that wants to make photography a hobby or a career, or simply a lifestyle! This course is to make the amateur a PROFESSIONAL! A very BIG thanks again to PI for helping me to make a success of my career!..."

...Phillip Alexander Bosch, Pretoria.

"I have always been interested in photography. For as long as I can remember my camera has always been with me. I used to spend all my pocket money on developing my spools when I was at school! I have since become a mother but still take photographs at every opportunity.

I came across this website by chance while browsing and decided right then and there to enrol. I have not looked back since...

The course is broken up into modules which are clearly defined and do not cause an"overload" of information. You can take up to 12 months to complete the course and it is really user friendly and easy to understand.

This course has certainly given me the opportunity, motivation and necessary knowledge to develop my hobby into a small part time business.

My lecturer was amazing and I could email my queries and he always got back to me quickly and had the utmost patience with me. I eagerly awaited each assignment mark and could not wait to start taking the pictures to submit for the next assignment.

The assignments were well planned and thought out and gave me the opportunity to really utilise everything that I had learnt in each module.

This course is by far the most fantastic learning tool for photography. Thank you The Photography Institute for giving me this wonderful opportunity...."

...Gayle Henderson, Pinetown.

"I want to commend The Photography Institute on the holistic approach presented in this course. The value proposition was excellent and I received real value for my money.

The detail contained in the 12 modules is very well balanced, I have to say that each module posed the right amount of challenges, it was never easy or even boring and on the other hand the challenges where manageable, I never felt lost or had the feeling of"this is too hard to continue".

I found that the way the course contents are written is motivational in the sense that I was always looking forward to the next challenge in the following module. The assignments sometimes looked easy on the first glance, but getting stuck in, each assignment posed real challenges that needed to be solved.

On the technical internet side of things I was very impressed how everything worked, never did I had a problem uploading any of my assignments or downloading the next module.

My tutor was very professional and helpful, from the beginning I received very high marks and after a few assignments, I handed in a dog, to test if the assignments are really looked at and marked correctly and no surprise the"dog" got a low mark and a negative comment from my tutor. This little exercise built up my confidence in the system and from then onwards I really appreciated a good mark. I really hope that George and the boys working with him will create more specialised courses in the future and perhaps a few practical workshops.

Thank you for a wonderful experience I am actually missing working with you..."

...Rolf Eichenberger, George.

"I have spent the last 13 years of my life mostly being a mom and housewife. As my kids days at school became longer I had an intense desire to do something beneficial and fulfilling for myself. This lead to me finding out more about studying photography.

A photography lecturer at a college that did not offer online courses recommended that I consider studying through The Photography Institute. This was good advice for me as I was wary of studying through institutions that no one knew anything about.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my studies with The Photography Institute. The modules stretched my thinking and challenged me to get out there and take the photographs I might not usually have taken. My tutor was very helpful not only when it came to commenting on my assignments but also in giving answers to my silly questions and The Support Team were also quick to reply to any concerns I had during my studies.

I have learned a great deal about taking better photographs and also how to use my equipment properly. Even during my studies I was asked to be a Photographer at a conference and also to take the portraits at my kids' school, which I could never have done had I not started this course.

It is great knowing that I have completed the diploma, but more than that, I now have a qualification which could open doors for me should I wish to make a career out of it. I thought I loved photography before I started this course but now I am in love with photography!!..."

...Elizabeth Hempel; Almaty, Kazakhstan.

"Refreshing, interesting and extremely satisfying feeling after completing this course.

It makes you see the other side of photography realising that it is not just pressing a button but knowing how a camera works using light to realise the Photographer's vision of a subject.

This is a course that will not only make a professional Photographer out of the more serious photo hunter, but will trigger an interest in someone seeking a new hobby. Really very satisfying!!

Hopefully my pictures will feature in National Geographic soon!

Thank you Gary Wallace for your professionalism and great tutoring..."

...Francois Goosen, George.

"I just want to thank everyone at The Photography Institute for all their help and advice over the last 6 months.

Before I started with this course I knew very little about photography but as it is my passion I really wanted to take it further.

I decided to use The Photography Institute because I could study from home in my spare time and I could submit my assignments online which makes it very easy, as I am a mother of 3, which makes it difficult for me to attend a college fulltime or even part time!

When I registered and paid my first fees I immediately got my first assignment which was great! The service offered by the tutor and student support was excellent and I'm now taking amazing photographs!

Thank you..."

...Juanita Venter, JHB.

"I have been a surgical and post mortem Photographer for about 10 years. It is sometimes very dark and I needed to see the light.

I needed to get back to basics and find my roots, this course really did that. I loved previsualisation and nothing will ever feel the same again.

This course is well written by people that do really exist. Gary, my tutor was absolutely brilliant and he gave me lots of help and inspiration, a true professional.

I highly recommend this course for anyone who wants to build a foundation or wants to build on a foundation. Dynamic range has no boundaries!!! ..."

...Raymond Kriel, Cape Town.

"I graduated from school in 2007 and was not sure what I wanted out of life. I always had a passion for photography but my images were always disappointing to me.

Capturing a moment that you can never get back" was always very fascinating for me therefore I wanted to know more and so I decided to do a course.

Signing up to THE PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUE course was one of the best decisions I could have ever made, my images already started improving within my second module and at that point I knew that this was the course for me, my path to success and my future in photography.

All the modules and assignments were well constructed and easy to follow, assignments were always marked in time provided with good, honest and useful advice.

I had one tutor throughout the entire course who without fail responded as quick as he could. I did not feel lost or alone not once throughout the course.

I would recommend this course to any beginner, people who need to find themselves in the wide field of the photography world and even if you take images as a hobby and want to know more about it. This course is for anyone who is willing to learn whilst enjoying it.

I can't thank THE PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE course enough for giving me a huge stepping stone to accomplish my goals as a Photographer. I HAVE"FOUND" MY SELF!!!

A year later with no regrets I gained my diploma and have already registered a company name for myself to start off small while studying further...."

...Samantha Moore, JHB.





"I recently completed my photography course with The Photography Institute and can highly recommend this course to any aspiring Photographer! I loved the fact that I could continue at my own pace, it suited the demands of my schedule.

Contributing to my enjoyment of the course was the outstanding student support I always received when submitting any enquiries.  The staff members were undoubtedly professional, willing to assist and extremely competent! 

The student site itself is highly efficient and very user-friendly! The tutors were brilliant, always supplying constructive criticism, which as a consequence encouraged me immensely! I loved the fact that all of the tutors are working professionals. It benefited me greatly to be able to communicate with someone with so much experience and drawing from Gary's expertise!

The course truly expanded my horizons, teaching me so many things I never knew – establishing a solid basis on which I can now continue to build!

The course content is extremely well organised, laying the foundation in the first few modules, building on that foundation in the middle modules and the last few modules very practically engaging you in preparing for your career.

I was also pleasantly surprised to find that The Photography Institute kept me updated on freelance photography jobs in South-Africa! 

All in all this has been a wonderful learning experience for me! Now that I am equipped with the knowledge I am excitedly looking forward to starting my career as a freelance Photographer."

...Solé Anne Rudman, Klerksdorp.





"Let’s begin with WOW!! What an amazing experience. 

This course covers so many different subjects about photography, not just how to press the shutter release button but the different fields of photography, how to light your subject, equipment and software, how to do editing and so much more. I love the way that the modules were written, with a theoretical and a practical side. When you read through the modules it almost feels as if you are personally talking to George and laughing at some of the things he says. 

The knowledge I have gained from this course will now stay with me and I will treasure it forever. I will recommend this wonderful course to anyone with a passion in photography. Not just is there your own personal tutor and a student support team who helps you but there are also a Facebook group with over 8000 students willing to help and also share their work with you. I’ve met so many people through the Facebook group and also shared some of my work with my fellow students. 

I can’t wait now to go out and share my work with the world and with confidence that I never had before.

Thanks to George Seper for constructing such an amazing course, helping me through my modules, giving me this great experience, helping find my style of photography and sharing all your secrets with the students to help us be the best Photographers we can be..." 

...Melinda Knoesen, Carletonville.