Diploma in Professional photography -
Integrated course (Full time)

Phase 1: Core Photography & Visual Language

Goal: Turn beginners into confident shooters who understand cameras, light, and composition better than most self‑taught photographers.

Foundations & Gear

• Evolution of photography, basics, types of photography, types of cameras (micro four thirds / 35mm / medium / large format, TLR, rangefinders, DSLR & mirrorless).
• DSLR & mirrorless features and settings with hands‑on demos so students stop shooting on full auto and start shooting with intention.

Seeing Like an Artist

• Seeing the subject, seeing light, rules of composition, creative use of exposure, art of composition.
• Psychological trigger: show before/after frames of the same scene to prove how composition and light choice can instantly take a shot from “phone level” to “professional level.”​

Exposure, Focus & Metering

• Exposure triangle/quadrangle (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, available light) with real assignments.
• Focus methods, front/back‑button focus, tracking high‑speed subjects, creative focus techniques, split focus, focus points & clusters, plus a practical indoor focus class.
• In‑camera and external metering, types of metering, and indoor metering practice so students know exactly how to expose tough scenes.

Depth, Color & Light Basics

• Depth of field techniques and how to use DoF for storytelling and subject isolation.
• White balance / color temperature, how to use WB to convey mood.
• Introduction to types of lights: sunlight, indoor & outdoor lighting, artificial lights, studio lights, speedlights, flash.

AI integration (light):

• Use an AI assistant to generate sample shot lists and moodboards for given briefs so students connect theory to real‑world shoot planning.​

Phase 2: Lenses, Flash & Studio Confidence

Goal: Give students control over any lighting situation and lens choice so they can shoot reliably for clients.

Lenses & Creative Control

• • Introduction to various lens types and their applications (portraits, products, events, macro).
  • How to select the right lens to achieve desired effects: bokeh, compression, minimal distortion, wide storytelling frames.

Flash & Off‑Camera Light

• • Introduction to on‑camera and off‑camera flashes, sync speed, front and rear curtain syncs, modes, triggers, and diffusers.
  • Practical exercises: freezing motion, creating light trails, balancing flash with ambient.

Studio Lights & Modifiers (Offline)

• • Basics of studio & artificial light: strobes, battery lights, and building a simple studio setup.
  • Modifiers (softboxes, umbrellas, beauty dish, grids) and how each sculpts faces and products differently.

“You’ll never say ‘the light was bad’ again. You’ll know how to create your own light anywhere, which is exactly why clients pay professionals and not hobbyists.”​

Phase 3: Portrait, Fashion & AI‑Assisted Editing

Goal: Create people images that look editorial, plus learn modern, fast editing with AI.

Portrait & Fashion Fundamentals

• Portrait & fashion photography, styling & makeup basics, set building, color theory.
• Correction techniques with light and posing to flatter different body types.
• Posing techniques for male, female, couple, and family; artistic and fine‑art portraits; studio lighting practice and light sculpting; light painting for dramatic effects.

Editing & AI Workflow

• Introduction to Photoshop and Lightroom, basics of Camera Raw, RAW conversion, cropping, removing flaws, retouching, color correction, swapping between frames, and core photo editing techniques.

AI editing:

• Tools/software and platforms for AI‑based culling, color correction, noise reduction, and skin retouch.​
• Prompts to generate style references, background variations, or quick mockups for clients, while teaching ethics and boundaries.​

“Most courses still teach only manual editing; here you learn both classic retouching and AI‑powered workflows that real studios are already using to deliver faster and earn more.”​

Phase 4: Cinematography, Reels & Video Editing with AI

Goal: Make students relevant for today’s market where clients want photos and video/reels.

Video & Filmmaking Basics

• Basic mobile videography, making reels (products, food, beauty), event videography & photography, using mobile gimbals.
• Basics of filmmaking and video: panning, zooming, tilt, camera movements, gimbal use, structuring a scene (opening / closing and storytelling techniques).
• Basics of frame rates, video resolution, shooting montages.

Editing & AI Video Tools

• • Basic video editing using apps plus introductions to Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro.
  • AI editing for video:
    Tools that auto‑cut long footage into reels, add captions, clean audio, fix color, and repurpose content into multiple formats from one shoot.​
  • Simple prompt‑based tools for B‑roll generation or text‑to‑video as an optional advanced glimpse of the future.

“One client, multiple services: you become the person who can shoot photos, reels, and event highlights, instead of being replaced by someone more versatile.”​

Phase 5: Newborn, Maternity & Kids Specialisations (High‑Demand Niches)

Goal: Give students niche skills that are emotionally high‑value and highly bookable.

Newborn Photography (with live workshop)

• • Safety, handling baby during sessions (priority), types of poses (beanbag, taco, froggy, side lying, back lying, chin on hands, twins), types of wraps , Extensive hands on wrapping techniques, flow posing.
  • Poses with and without costumes, macro details, family images, themes, twins, set building for uniqueness, costumes, themes, lighting, genres, compositions.
  • AI editing for newborns: gentle skin retouch, background cleanup, color harmony for soft, dreamy tones.
  • Includes one‑day newborn photography workshop with an actual newborn to build real confidence and portfolio shots.

Maternity Photography (with live workshop)

• • • Safety, handling, posing types, costumes, flow posing, family poses, set building, themes, lighting, genres, compositions, makeup.
    • Editing & post‑production with AI tools for skin smoothing, dress enhancements, and mood‑based color grading.
    • Includes one‑day maternity photography workshop with a model.

Kids Photography (with live workshop)

• • • • Safety, types of poses, costumes, handling and directing kids, flow posing, family portraits (how to get the most out of short attention spans), twins, set building, lighting, genres, compositions.
      • Editing & post‑production for lively, vibrant, storytelling images.
      • Includes one‑day kids photography workshop.
      • “Very few beginners get structured, guided access to real newborns, expecting mothers, and kids in a controlled learning environment. This alone can put your portfolio on another level compared to regular ‘basic photography’ course students.”​

Business of photography

How to make a successful career in photography.
Portfolio building
Collaborations
Keen eye for numbers
Striking a balance between business and art
How to fix long term and short term goals
Marketing yourself successfully
How to avoid mistakes most people make.
Special class on the mistakes we at Yellowbird photography made and how we recovered .
How to have an unfair advantage in the marketplace.
Client handling
Soft skills
Sales
The art of positioning
Client agreements
Image copyrights
Building a brand
Legal and Tax terms to know
Types of photography companies that can be built.

Upon successful completion of the course and after finishing Theory and practical tests, Diploma certificates will be awarded to the students.