NYIP Is Catching Up With The Times

When I was researching what correspondence class I should take, I found a lot of blogs about NYIP. They all said that NYIP was a great course, but was stuck in the past. This is no longer true because they really have updated everything. All though you have to still mail your photo assignments in - everything else is geared toward digital cameras. In my latest packet, I can now take my test online instead of mailing them to the school. Guess I picked a good time to study with NYIP.

Is NYIP A Scam?

I received my first unit from the New York Institute of Photography a few weeks back. There is never enough time to blog about it or to do my lessons. Finally I figured out I can do my reading during the 45 minutes the kids are in Karate class twice a week. I have made it through three lessons and got all the questions right on a test! I remember stuff from all those photo classes I took. There is another test I need to mail to my teacher along with my photos from my photo assignments.

As far as I can see it is not a scam. I looked into other correspondence photo schools and as soon as I got their info in the mail, I was getting that scammed feeling. NYIP has recently updated their lessons geared to digital. In the blogs I have read that was the one drawback to NYIP. The lessons seem very up to date, but if you are still using film - the lessons are for you too.

The lessons are informative and are geared towards a seasoned amateur like me or someone who is just starting out with a simple camera. NYIP stresses there is no need to go out and buy all the latest photo gadgets. They emphasis that it is the photographer - not the equipment that makes good photography and I totally agree. The equipment helps, but if you do not have the eye - that will not make a good photo. I have a digital SLR and I love it, but I have taken some great photos with my cheapo $20 digital camera that has tape holding the double AA batteries in.

Lesson One is "Eye of the Photographer", Lesson Two is "The Camera", Lesson Three is "The Lens", Lesson Four is "How to Use Your Camera". I have CDs and DVD to go along with these lessons too, but have not found to time to play them yet - I will. Check back! =)

It's In The Mail!

It came in the mail today! A package from NYIP! It is not my lessons, but the free stuff I got for signing up with them. It was a big, heavy box with five photography books. "Neil Leifer: Portraits" - a big hard cover coffee table book with all the famous people Neil Leifer photographed. "Ansel Adams and the Photographers of the American West" - another big hard cover 250 paged coffee table book. "On Assignment Photographs by Jay Maisel" - a smaller paperback book with photos from this photographer. I guess these three books will give me some inspiration.

The next two books look really useful. "2008 Photographer's Market" - where and how to sell your photographs. It lists 1,450 places that will buy your photos and is a thick paperback book. Cannot wait to start to read this book. And the last book is a small paperback called "The Photojournalist's Guide To Making Money". This is a smaller paperback book - 240 pages, but cannot wait to flip through it.

Where are my lessons? I want to start!
=)