FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23.02.09
Gateways And Beyond - The Photo School Launches Online Digital Photography
Course

A ground breaking, year-long online digital photography programme has been launched by the specialist Raumati based photography academy, The Photo School.

The Photo School’s Gateway Introduction to Digital Photography is the only NZQA-accredited online photography programme in New Zealand. It was developed in consultation with secondary school Gateway facilitators and photography industry representatives.

The programme is designed to meet the requirements of the government’s industry training initiative, Gateway Programme, but takes vocational training much further.

The Photo School co-director, Mel Phillips, says that the course is flexible and allows adult students of any age or level to study online.
Secondary students who choose the Gateway photography programme receive an introduction to photography, and spend one day a week working in the industry.

Private students can register for the online Introduction to Digital Photography for the photographic content alone, as a first step towards NZQA recognized achievement.

All students have their own online tutor and are encouraged to work collaboratively via the Gateway Blog and by viewing and discussing each other’s work as it is posted on the school’s website.
“We’re developing a virtual classroom and an online community where students can learn from each other as well as our tutors.”

The Photo School, in association with Whitireia Community Polytechnic, is in its tenth year of delivering industry aligned photographic education at tertiary level. Evidence suggests that The Photo School is one of only two schools in the world with a commercial focus in its delivery of photographic training.
”We’ve had a really strong response from local and international students for our full-time tertiary photography programmes. If early indications are correct, our online courses will attract the same level of interest.

Many of the students find the training to be grounded in industry reality, but we’re also passionate about our work – we live and breathe photography. .”

Students from as far afield as Germany, Sweden, Peru, Canada, China, Japan and Venezuela have graduated from tertiary programmes offered by The Photo School.

The Photo School tutors are all working professional photographers. Meetings are held with industry representatives every semester to ensure programmes are current, practical and that Photo School students are trained for careers within the industry. Industry professionals are involved in the marking of final student work in all of the tertiary programmes.

The Photo School was established 10 years ago by Mel Phillips and his co-director Marie-Jean Mills.
Mel has 20 years experience as a commercial photographer and educator. He taught at Wellington Polytechnic, Massey University and at Whitireia Community Polytechnic. He is an associate of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography, NZIPP.

Information about The Photo School Gateway Introduction to Digital Photography can be found at www.photoschool.co.nz or by emailing mel@photoschool.co.nz

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