Photography School Asia

FAQ

Here are some previous student’s questions and our response but please feel free to contact us if you have additional enquiries.

I am interested in the 5 day course in Cambodia, if you could give me a rough idea of price.
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The tuition fee is $1400 USD for a Five Day Course, one-to-one private tuition with me, personally.
Depending on your skill level, the sort of photography you wish to pursue and your travel itinerary plans your extra expenses can vary but I recommend this as a great five day course.
Day 01, we use the school and surrounding area so I can go over the basics with you, just to check you have no gaps in your knowledge. This is followed by a Compositional Awareness lessons suited to all levels of students as the rules are the building blocks to all good photography.
Day 02, we use your Compositional Awareness training at the fabulous Angkor Wat Temple Complex.
Day 03, I start to teach you people photography, including Compositional People images, Environmental Portraiture, Action People Photography. This is done in the very rural farming communities around Siem Reap. This will include how to approach strangers with confidence, so your subjects feel relaxed and you get stronger images with more impact.
Day 04, we further explore portrait photography using the fishing communities of the Tonle Sap Lake, this is about an hour’s drive outside of Siem Reap but a must visit location.
Day 05, I will teach you how to produce picture sets and stories, using the markets in Siem Reap, which are vibrant and amazing. Then the local communities around town.
Each day starts with me explaining the day’s study brief, using student handouts and slide shows. There are regular small critique sessions plus a days final edit each evening. Photoshop and Lightroom will be taught too.
For the excursions, I use a limousine and driver, there are entrance fees to consider plus some miscellaneous expenses, tips to boat captains as we explore the lake etc. But Cambodia is relatively very inexpensive so if you do all the trips mentioned above expect to pay an extra $350 USD. You pay the driver and entrance fees yourself, I am a photography school not a tour company ( so don’t take the fees from you directly ) but love showing people around some fantastic places too.
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How many people will be on the course?

Unless otherwise stated all the courses are private and the amount of people attending is up to you. When you make a booking you choose how many people will be in your private group.

Where will I be staying while I study?

When in Bangkok you make your own accommodation arrangements, Photography School Asia is not a tour operator and hotel travel expenses are not included in the price. However we are willing to help you find accommodation for your stay in Bangkok. When on a course out of Bangkok, Jonathan will often book your accommodation for you after consulting on your budget allowance for the trip.

How much money for expenses will I need while studying with you?

As a ball park figure you will spend for living expenses is from between $30 to $80 USD a day but of course international flights would increase this figure. If you wish you could give me a fixed travelling and accommodation budget to work with and I make the itinerary plans with that in mind. I have had students wishing to stay 5 star all the way and those with tighter budgets to work with. Both are easily accommodated for.

What equipment will I need, do I have to shoot digital?

No you don’t need to shoot digital, we would do our edits after the film has been developed and via contact sheets and scans. If needed I even have a digital camera set to lend students, so there are no minimum equipment requirements.

Are you doing a photography tours this summer?

I run courses throughout the year most of which are individually created to suit each individual students needs.

Why do you run private courses and not group tours?

I do run the occasional group lesson ‘tour” out of Bangkok, these are clearly stated as group classes on my website. But with a private course you get as much instruction and guidance as you need. I will pass on tips and advice as you work but also allow you to learn by trial and error too. We will work through each day and edit and assess the pictures in the evening.

Do you have any referees I could contact before I sign up please, I am a single women travelling alone by the way.

Yes, many of my old students are happy to be contacted by people interested in studying with me.

 Do you have a set curriculum or do you base the course on the student level?

I base the course on the student’s level and also adjust things to suit the speed of their progression. But saying that I always start each student out on the first day with a basic composition class. This not only helps me see the way they work it is also a great exercise for all levels.

What can a student expect to learn from a One To Five Day Course?

The One and Five Day courses are created by me to suit individual student’s specific needs. Once they are booked I ask a number of questions and ask to see their photographs to date so I can ascertain their needs and targets for the course. This often includes a run through of basic camera understanding. So many students are used to sticking the camera on one of the auto functions and hoping for the best. Without having an understanding of how the camera’s light meter actually works. This approach is not recommended. I then move on to composition, people photography, feature, portraits etc. But as I say it all depends on the individual students answers to my questions, also their initial ability and technical understanding.

 What can a student expect to learn on a longer five to ten day course?

The longer courses gives students the chance to really develop as a photographer. They will not only come away from the course with a good technical understanding but also will have started develop their own eye and style. We can cover the constructs of good story telling through the medium of photography too and maybe even explore possible markets for their work. Travel while learning is also possible on the longer courses. Specially the Ten Day Course where locations can include the surrounding countries to Thailand too. We will explore the ever changing photographic possibilities of new places. How to research what is happening well off the beaten tourist track. All off my students have come away as far better photographers after a Ten Day Course and had a great experience of the region too. Please see my Testimonial page for some of their comments.