Diploma in Photography

Photography is the quintessential art of capturing moments with a simple click of a camera and turning them into visual masterpieces. If you love clicking photographs, saving every little memory of your loved ones and finding aesthetics in even the bleakest of landscapes, you can turn your hobby into a thriving and passionate career by pursuing a diploma in photography. It can help you gather all the basics and essential knowledge in a short time, thus laying the foundation for this exciting career. There are a vast array of diploma courses in photography that you can opt for, from graduate diploma to certification courses. Here’s a complete guide on diploma courses in photography, what you will get to study in a photography diploma and the best global universities that you can choose from. 

Course Level	Diploma
Full-Form	Diploma in Photography
Duration	1 Year
Course Type	Full Time
Eligibility	Must have passed all subjects in 10+2 in any stream from a recognized central board or its equivalent
Admission Process	Merit-Based, Entrance Exam and Personal Interview
Average Course Fee	INR 65,000 – INR 5 LPA
Average Salary	INR 2 LPA – INR 5 LPA

What is a Diploma in Photography?

An undergraduate photography programme is called a diploma programme. Anyone interested in enrolling in it must have received their 10+2 diploma from an approved board. The art of taking pictures for visual presentations is called photography. Photography comes in a variety of forms based on themes and viewpoints. Wildlife photography, portrait photography, candid photography, and many other significant photographic disciplines are included.

Eligibility Criteria

In the majority of institutes, the requirements for students to be eligible to apply for a Diploma in Photography are the same. The specifics are shown below:

• All 10+2 topics in any stream from any state or federal board or its equivalent must have been completed by the students.
• Some institutions have requirements for applicants that include having graduated from any discipline and passing all subjects.
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• The pupils must be interested in photography and have a basic understanding of how to take pictures.

Diploma in Photography Major Subjects

A diploma course in photography constitutes essential photography concepts and digital photography along with photo editing coupled with practical learning in different environments and light situations. Following are the major subjects of photography that you will study during a diploma:

Basic Concepts of Photography

In any photography course, the basics of photography from lens, aperture and shutter speed to rules of composition, analogue vs digital photography and ISO, etc. would be the first thing that you will learn. Also starting with a brief history of how photography began, this subject will move to the technical aspects of photography including the parts of a camera, the importance of light in photography, and the process of developing photographs.

Digital Imaging

Digital Imaging is a comprehensive subject that centralizes the concept of digital photography and its essential elements. Pursuing a diploma in photography, you will work on photography software applications such as photoshop along with understanding photo tools, corrections as well as the role of sensors in photography.

In this subject, editing will have a crucial role because, in certain types of photography, photo editing is carried out for corrections, enhancement and other purposes. For this, there are several kinds of photography software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Corel Paintshop Pro, etc.

Practical Photography in Different Situations

Practising photography along with learning the theoretical aspects of photography is a pivotal part of a diploma in photography. Most importantly, photography is an art that can only be mastered through consistent practice. So, the diploma course will include exercises and activities where you will get to know how photographs are clicked in different light conditions as well as environments. You will gain a complete understanding of how food photography, wildlife photography, landscape photography, fashion photography and other kinds of photography are done.

Also Read: Career in Photography

Diploma in Photography Course Books

Name of the Book	Author
Understanding Exposure	Bryan Peterson
Better Photo Basics: The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Taking Photos Like the Pros	Jim Miotke
DSLR Photography for Beginners	Brian Black
Photoshop for Photographers	John Slavio
Extraordinary Everyday Photography	Brenda Tharp And Jed Manwaring
Langford’s Basic Photography: The guide for serious photographers	Michael Langford
The Art of Photography	Bruce Barnbaum
Photography: The Definitive Visual History	Tom Ang

Courses & Top Universities 

In photography, there are diploma as well as certification courses offered by several leading international universities.

Top Universities offering Diploma Courses in Photography:

• Centennial College, Canada
• Massey University, New Zealand
• University of Arts, London
• University of Gloucestershire, England
• International Career Institute (Online distance program)
• University of Wollongong, Australia
• Curtin University, Australia
• University of Technology, Sydney
• University of Canterbury, New Zealand
• Cardiff University, UK
• Coventry University, UK
• Texas State University, UK
• Nottingham Trent University, UK
• TAFE NSW, Australia

Different Kinds of Diploma Courses in Photography

Other than a graduate diploma in photography you can also opt for specialized diploma courses in photography where you can grasp the knowledge of a particular field such as photo imaging, digital photography, documentary photography, etc. Following are the specialized diploma courses offered in photography:

• Diploma in HND Commercial and Creative Photography by Northampton College
• Diploma/certification course in Documentary Photography by University of South Wales
• Diploma in Graphic Design with Photography by Warwickshire College Group (WCG)
• Diploma in Art & Design (Photography) by Barnfield College
• Diploma in Digital Photography by South Seas Film and Television School
• Certificate IV in Photography and Digital Imaging by Swinburne University of Technology

Skills Required

Creativity	Eye for Detail
Good Eyesight	Design
Balance	Knowledge of Photo Editing Software
Knowledge of Patterns, Shapes and Lightning	Camera Handling

Cost Of Studying

A photography diploma may cost more or less depending on the college. Those who are interested in this programme must apply to the college or university’s official website. The costs of different equipment and accessories that students are given for the photography lab are included in the tuition. It consists of lighting, a tripod, a monopod, digital cameras, and other tools offered to students for photography instruction. The typical cost of the photography diploma programme is between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 200,000.

Jobs & Salary

Job Profile	Average Salary
Travel Photographer	INR 3 LPA
Wildlife Photographer	INR 3.60 LPA
Fashion Photographer	INR 3.84 LPA
Photojournalist	INR 3.50 LPA
Street Photographer	INR 3 LPA

Future Scope

Candidates with a diploma in photography have a variety of possibilities if they desire to pursue higher studies. They have the option of pursuing a PG Diploma, BFA, or BVA in photography. After earning a BFA or BVA in photography at the undergraduate level, students may choose to pursue an MFA or MVA in the field. Bachelor of Visual Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts are two related degrees. Both undergraduate degrees are available with a three-year duration. Both the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) and the MVA (Master of Visual Arts) are two-year programmes.

Thus, a diploma in photography is the ideal way to dive deeper into your interest in photography. Not only will you be getting the theoretical knowledge but a diploma from a renowned university will get you the right exposure as well as networking opportunities within your preferred field of photography. If you need assistance in applying for a photography diploma, Leverage Edu can simplify the entire process from filling out applications to finding the perfect mentor to guide you through the entire process.