Skip to content
careertips

HomeCoursesVisual artsDiploma

Diploma · university

Diploma of Photography

This diploma teaches you to take and edit photographs to a professional standard.

Compare 2 providers
How long it takes
8 years
full time
Level
Diploma
University
How you can study
Online or on campus
Taught by
2 providers
NSW, VIC

Is this course right for you?

What the Diploma of Photography asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an eye for composition and light
  • patience to keep practising a shot
  • an interest in visual storytelling
  • willingness to take and give feedback

Before you start

Each provider sets its own entry requirements, so check the ones you are considering.

Diploma or Bachelor?

The Bachelor of Photography is a bachelor degree, which is a higher level than this diploma. Both share the same photography subject.

See the course

Where this course can take you

No job needs this course on its own, but it can help with the work below.

Jobs a degree can help with

None of these jobs needs a set qualification.

  • Photo Lab Technician

    Photo lab technicians turn customers' film and digital files into finished prints, enlargements and photo products.

    Median pay$73,100

  • Photographer

    Photographers plan, shoot and edit images for clients who need them for a website, a publication, an event or a portrait.

    Median pay$95,700

  • Photography Assistant

    Photography assistants support photographers on shoots, preparing cameras, lighting and files so a session runs smoothly and the images come back to brief.

    Median pay$52,000 (estimate)

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

Where you can study this course

There are 2 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

The main topics covered in the Diploma of Photography.

  • Camera technique
  • Light and composition
  • Digital editing and processing
  • Photographic genres
  • Portfolio projects

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

Entry requirements are set by each provider, so check with the provider you choose.

How is it different from Bachelor of Photography?

The Bachelor of Photography is a bachelor degree, which is a higher level than this diploma. Both share the same photography subject.

Related courses

Course Seeker, run by the Tertiary Admissions Centres and the Australian Government Department of Education. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.