Diploma of Photography

The Diploma of Photography provides pathways into further study or employment.

On completion of the course, you will have a guaranteed pathway into Trimester 3 of the Bachelor of Photography and Digital Imaging degree. The course provides you with 60 credit points of the 180 credit points required for the Bachelor of Photography and Digital Imaging qualification.

Alternatively, it will prepare you for support roles in photography and the creative industries such as working as a photography assistant, cataloguing digital content, digital retouching, or being a visual editing assistant.

As an extension of the Undergraduate of Photography, the Diploma of Photography will further develop the range of technical, post-production and creatives skills that you need to thrive in your photography journey.

This course is where you learn more advanced camera control, post- production, lighting, developing your own unique creative voice, and how to shoot with purpose. Additionally, you'll work with artificial and natural lighting on location including flash, mixed lighting and lighting design, and you will be introduced to studio photography and creative image construction.

Through a variety of projects and assignments you’ll build the tools to reflect on your work and develop the skills to take charge of your creative journey. You’ll explore the importance of strong composition and design, further integrate your technical skills, learn how to create photographic prints and continue to explore taking ideas, and turning them into strong and compelling images.

Image by PSC Student Rita Maloyan.

You’ll learn advanced camera control, post-production and lighting while developing your own creative voice. Over two trimesters, you’ll work with flash, mixed lighting and lighting design on location. Our projects and assignments teach you to reflect on your own work, so by the end, you’ll be able to take an idea and turn it into a strong photograph.

We designed the Diploma of Photography for anyone who wants a substantial tertiary-level photography qualification and a recognised pathway into the Bachelor of Photography and Digital Imaging. This could suit you if you already completed our Undergraduate Certificate of Photography and want to keep going, since the diploma extends that course directly. It also suits you if you’re starting fresh and want two trimesters of accredited study behind you before you decide how far to take photography.

You can study the Diploma of Photography at PSC, located at 37-47 Thistlethwaite Street in South Melbourne, VIC. On campus, you’ll use the studios, lighting equipment and printing facilities used throughout the course, along with direct access to our lecturers. We also deliver the diploma fully online if you’d prefer to study from home, in Australia or overseas.

You’ll work with light in a wide range of settings and learn how to construct an image deliberately. Our subjects cover:

• Advanced camera control

• Artificial and natural lighting on location, including flash, mixed lighting and lighting design

• Post-production

• Composition and design

• Creating photographic prints

Shooting with purpose is the main focus here, so you’ll choose your own techniques according to the image you want to create.

Yes. You’ll produce work through different projects and assignments across both trimesters, covering location and lighting, image construction and printing. You’ll also reflect on your work as you go, helping you refine your technique and develop a distinctive visual approach.

The Diploma of Photography takes two trimesters, while our Undergraduate Certificate of Photography takes one. The certificate covers camera craft and digital post-production. The diploma extends the camera craft and post-production skills the certificate introduces, then takes you further into advanced camera control and image construction.

Each course also gives you a different starting point in the Bachelor of Photography and Digital Imaging. You’d begin the degree at Trimester 2 with 30 credit points behind you after the certificate, or at Trimester 3 with 60 credit points after the diploma.

The Diploma of Photography may suit you if you want to build substantial technical and creative skills in photography, with the option to continue into the Bachelor of Photography and Digital Imaging. Two trimesters give you time to develop strong technical skills and the guaranteed pathway into the Bachelor of Photography and Digital Imaging is there if you want more advanced skills. Eligible Australian citizens can apply for FEE-HELP to cover the tuition. The diploma also prepares you for support roles in photography and the creative industries if you’d rather start working sooner.