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Have a question?

Below you’ll find answers to our most commonly asked questions.

London photography courses satisfied students

Do you offer classes for kids and teenagers?

There is no age limit as such on our courses and kids/teens are welcome to join in.

Usually, for younger attendees (11 to 13 years), we recommend that they attend a half-day Beginner course, ideally with a friend or with one of the parents so that they feel more comfortable.

Children 14-over are welcome to join the full-day Intensive Beginner course.

When we do creative days for schools, pupils are usually 14-16 years old, and we run 6 hours sessions (10am-4pm). However, you know your daughter/son best, and if you think that she/he will benefit more from the course having you by her/his side, we will offer a 15% discount on booking the second place, plus a free camera hire.

We can also arrange special tuition for children – we need a minimum of 3 participants. If necessary, we can provide cameras (we offer free hire), and the tuition can also be organized during half-terms.

I registered for the course, what now?

First of all – thank you for booking a photography course with us!

If you booked a group course, you will shortly receive a confirmation email with the course outline, meeting place and all the joining instructions. No email? Please check your spam folder!

If you reserved a place much in advance, please don’t worry if you don’t hear from us for a while.
One week before your course will be due we will send you a quick reminder.

If you booked a One-to-One or online course, we will email you soon to arrange this tuition.

Can I get a certificate after the course?

Yes, we can issue a Certificate of Completion that our tutor will sign.

It looks professional and is printed on high-quality paper so that it can be framed.

However, it is not the same as a college or university degree. To get a degree in art/photography, you would have to study for a few years. But you can certainly mention our certificate on your CV or LinkedIn profile.

We can also email an electronic version of the certificate in pdf format.

What equipment do I need to bring for the class?

If you are coming to one of our photography courses you should bring your digital camera with the battery fully charged, a memory card and at least one lens. Having said that you are welcome to bring as much or as little photo equipment as you like.

If you have a selection of lenses, please get in touch, and we will recommend which lenses will be the most suitable for your class.

For a Photoshop or Lightroom course, you will need to bring a laptop with adequate software installed, unless you made an arrangement to use one of our computers.

My camera is not a DSLR, can I still join your course?

Although our business name is DSLR Photography Courses, our courses are designed for all types of digital cameras! As long your camera allows full manual control – you are able to change aperture, shutter speeds, ISO and focus points; it should be suitable!

Apart from DSLR, all mirrorless systems and bridge cameras are very welcome – all brands like Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax and more …

If in doubt, please let us know your camera make and model and we will confirm its suitability.

I don't have a camera yet, can I hire one from you?

Yes, we offer a free camera hire for the duration of all our photography courses.

This is a popular option as you can learn about all the different camera functions before buying one.

We have Nikon and Canon cameras available.

Just get in touch before/after you make a booking and we will make a reservation for you.

What happens if I’m late or miss my course?

We start classes promptly and keep to stated hours. Please try to arrive 10 minutes earlier to prepare your camera and all the gear that you are bringing.

If you are running late or can not find our studio, please let us know so that we can help you with directions. Please call our studio on 020 8947 8118.

If you find out that you can not make it to the class, we would appreciate it if you notify us as soon as possible. Yes, we can try to make alternative arrangements for you.

If you would like to cancel your attendance and will give us enough notice, we can offer you a full or partial refund. Please see below the Registration & Payments section with answers about our refunds and cancellation policy.

Courses and Bookings

How much practice there will be on the course?

Perhaps more than any other medium photography requires a lot of experimentation and practising.

There are many technical things which need explaining of course, but without putting these things into practice none of it means a great deal.

Therefore in every photography class that we run you will have plenty of opportunities for hands-on practice and individual feedback.

Do we stay indoors or go outside?

Yes, most of our courses are primarily conducted indoors in our studio, however, weather permitting, we always try to go outside so that you can practice with both natural and artificial light.

Some courses, like Creative Practice, Travel Photography, Street, and Night Photography are solely run outdoors. Thus their success depends heavily on the weather.

In rare cases, we need to cancel classes due to bad weather, but we will always let you know in advance and offer some alternative dates.

Is there a standby list in case if someone cancels?

We do very small groups (4-6 participants) and the most popular dates will often sell out in advance.

Once the course is sold out, the registration “Sign up” button changes to “Waiting list“. After clicking on the waiting list button you will be taken to a page with a form to fill in your details.

If anyone cancels, we will advertise this place (ASAP) to everyone we have on the waiting list.

We can never guarantee that a place will become available, therefore we recommend making a reservation on the next suitable date. In case of cancellation, you will have a priority to transfer your booking.

If you are interested in a particular date and the course is fully booked, you can also email us: [email protected] and we will put your name on the waiting list.

Will food be supplied or do we make our own arrangements?

In our studio, we always have plenty of tea, coffee, biscuits, fruits and so forth available free of charge.

If you signed up for a half-day course (10am-2pm), usually halfway through we take a short 10mins tea/coffee break.

However, if you are coming for a full-day class (10am-4pm), apart from the short break, we also take 30mins for lunch.

Since everyone has different dietary preferences, we find that it is easier if course attendees make their own food arrangements.

For lunch, we often go downstairs to the Studio Diner (a small little bar) or to a local Tesco – 5 mins walk. But there are also other places around serving pizzas, sandwiches etc…

If you like, you can bring your own lunch. There is a large common room in the Studios with fitted microwaves to warm up food.

Gift Vouchers

What happens after I buy the gift voucher?

It is very important that you provide us with the full name of the gift voucher recipient. If you haven’t done so during the checkout process please email us now as without that information we can not print and send the voucher.

For orders received before 3 pm, we aim to print and post gift vouchers the same day using Royal Mail first class. Orders received after 3 pm are processed the next morning.

Along with the voucher, you will receive a beautiful handmade card and a copy of the terms and conditions describing how to use the voucher.

If you need the voucher urgently we can email you its electronic copy, or for an additional £6.85 we can post it Royal Mail Next Day special delivery.

How can I redeem my gift voucher?

To redeem your gift voucher, all you have to do is visit our website www.dslrphotographycourses.com, choose a suitable course, date and make a reservation!

On the course registration page please fill in your details (name, email, telephone no) and click the “Sign up” button.

Please note – there is NO box to enter the gift voucher number.

Next on the checkout page, scroll down to the section “Other ways to pay“, and click the ‘Paying with gift voucher’ button.

Finally email us your name and gift voucher number to: [email protected] – to confirm that you will be using a voucher as a full or part form of the payment.

We will then update your booking status on our system and send you a confirmation email.

How long gift vouchers are valid for?

All our gift vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, giving the holder plenty of time to redeem.

Please note that our gift vouchers are sold per course. Therefore in the event of price change (from sale to regular), we will not ask the attendee to cover the difference. We will accept the voucher as full payment for the course.

Can I change my voucher or upgrade to a 1to1?

Yes, we are very flexible about how our gift vouchers are used. 

You can choose a different course (up to the same value) or upgrade to a more expensive course and just pay the price difference.

Yes, gift vouchers can also be used to book One-to-One tuition. Please contact us for more details.

Payments and Refunds

How can I pay for the course?

Paying for the course is straightforward, secure and only takes a second.

After completing the registration process you will be taken to the Order Summary page where you can choose to pay with PayPal using any credit or debit card.

You can also pay by bank money transfer. That’s our preferred method as HSBC does not charge us any extra fees for incoming payments. Please email us for our account details – [email protected].

If you have a gift voucher and would like to use it as part or full payment for the course, please register for the course as normal and email us with your voucher number.

I can no longer attend, will I get a credit or a refund?

We understand that things happen, especially last minute…

If you find that you can’t make it on the day of the course but you give us at least 7 days notice, you will be given the choice of a full refund or a credit for another course.

If you notify us less than 7 days in advance and if we manage to re-sell your place you will receive a full refund or a course credit. Otherwise, depending on the circumstances, we can offer course credit or refund only 50% of the course fee.

If we are only notified the day before or on the day itself, or if you fail to present yourself at the course then we regret that there will be no refund.

Can I transfer my booking to a relative or friend?

Yes, we don’t have a problem with that.

We don’t want to make your life even more difficult by not allowing that or not issuing a refund.

So as long as your friend has some interest in photography and will show up on the day with a camera ready to learn, we are happy to transfer the booking!

Contact and Location

Where are you based and how do I get there?

We are based at the Wimbledon Art Studios and that’s where we run most of our photography courses.

Our full address is:

DSLR Photography Courses Ltd
Studio 131, Wimbledon Art Studios
10 Riverside Road
London SW17 0BB

Wimbledon Art Studios can be easily reached by bus, train, tube and car.

We are approximately 10 minutes walk from Earlsfield train station or 25 minutes walk from Tooting Broadway underground station via Garratt Lane.

For map and directions please visit our Contact and Location page.

Can I come by car? How do I get visitor parking permit?

Yes, there is free parking at Wimbledon Art Studios in Riverside Yard, but you will need a visitor parking permit.

Our postcode is SW17 0BB for satnav.

If you are considering coming by car, please let us know as soon as possible after booking your class.

To get the permit, please send an email stating the date of your workshop and your car registration number to [email protected]

Please note – the management office of WAS is open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm only.

If you booked a class but haven’t gotten a confirmation of the parking permit – please tell the tutor in the morning, and we will try our best to get one for you.

You risk getting a ticket if you leave your car without a permit.

What is Wimbledon Art Studios?

Wimbledon Art Studios is a very active system of over 150 studios occupied by over 250 artists, sculptors, restorers, and photographers to name but a few. The atmosphere is of a fully operational system of busy workshops as distinct from slick and corporate.

Wimbledon Art Studios hold regular exhibitions and open days to which everyone is welcome. More information can be found at: www.wimbledonartstudios.co.uk.

Still not sure? Get in touch!

Give us a call, send an email or simply submit the contact form below.
We aim to reply within a few hours!

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    Contact us

    If you can not find what you are looking for please submit a question to us. We aim to reply within a few hours.

    Alternatively, just call us on 020 8947 8118

    Our business hours are Monday to Friday 10:00-16:00 and Saturday 10:00-14:00.

    You can also contact us by email[email protected]