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Come again... how do these classes work? You say it is all done via the Internet?
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Yes. We email you an illustrated lesson each Wednesday. You can either read this
in your email, print it out, or view an archived version on the Web site.
You will be given a username and password to sign in to the course Web pages, where
you can upload photos, read your critiques, ask questions, and more.
In each weekly lesson, you will be given a specific (and fun) photo assignment.
After shooting the assignment, you select your favorite results and upload them
to the Web site.
It is as easy as that. You can learn from practically anywhere and pace yourself
around your current schedule. The best of all worlds, the online PhotoCourses™ allow
you to master the art in your own way, from the comfort and safety of your own home.
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Do I need to be at the computer at a particular time of the day or a particular
day of the week?
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No, since you are sent the lessons via email, you can access and
read them at your convenience. The course is completely flexible in that way.
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I might have limited computer access. Will I need to be on the computer often?
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No, to the contrary, you do not need to be online that much of the time. You can,
for example, print off the lesson, read it away from the computer. Also, you will
be out about doing your assignment much of the time - unless you are taking the
Photoshop course, these assignments will necessarily be away from the computer.
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When do we have to upload the results from each assignment? How long do we have?
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Your lessons are sent early Wednesday morning and the assignment results are due
on late Sunday. You have about 12 days to complete each assignment.
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How many hours of homework do I have to do each week? Can I fit it in?
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Some students spend as little as an hour a week in our online "Campus Square". Others
spend several hours a day delving into all the learning options.
The time it takes to read each lesson depends on how fast you read. Each lesson
is usually about the length of a substantial magazine article.
The assignments are the most variable element in the course. Each can often be done
in a few hours but you might enjoy lingering while you're out photographing. This
assignments are indeed very inspiring and motivating.
The other activities of the course - asking or responding to questions, participating
in the photo critiques, and interacting directly with the instructor... these activities
can take as much or as little time as you like.
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Would it be okay if we upload previously shot work for critique, if we don't have
time to go out and shoot fresh material?
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Yes, that's usually okay. We understand how valuable the critiques are and how tight
your schedule can get at times.
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Is it okay to edit our images in a program like Photoshop before submitted them
for critique?
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That depends upon the particular course. Obviously it is perfectly okay to do that
in one of our many excellent
Photoshop® courses. For more info,
contact us or check the individual Q&A page for the particular course
you are considering.
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Do I need to use a digital camera?
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In most classes, you do not need to use a digital camera. You can shoot film and
have it scanned into a digital format.
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What if I don't have a scanner?
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Many photo labs offer a service where they will both develop your film and put scanned
versions of each picture onto a disk. Ask you local labs or visit your local business
centers (e.g. Kinko's).
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How and where will I send my photos from the weekly photo assignment?
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You first need to get your images to be in a digital format. Then you upload them
to a particular Web page in the course area of BetterPhoto.com.
Before the course begins, you will be given a special URL where enter your password
and follow a series of prompts to submit your work. Mailed images will not be accepted
and we are not responsible for any photos that are mailed to us. (How's that for
lawyer-talk?)
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What happens if I miss a week or two of lessons because I go on vacation during
the course?
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No problem. That is one of the beauties of learning via the Web; it is self-paced
with only a bit of structure. If you can't "make it" one week, you can easily catch
up the next week. We can even double up for a couple of weeks if you need to cut
it short so you can catch a plane and go on a trip.
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If it don't complete a photo assignment on time, can I send it in for a later critique?
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Yep.
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I keep hearing about this "Light Box" - what is it?
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The Light Box is a special online viewing gallery that will be open only to students
of this course. This is where the instructor critiques your photos and where you
will get to see how other students approach each weekly photo assignment.
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If I don't complete a photo assignment for any reason, can I still send a photograph
of something else to the Light Box?
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Yes, but you don't want to make a habit of it as it may affect your chances of being
one of the three prize winners.
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Did somebody say something about prizes?!?
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Yes! After the end of the course, all of the students will be asked to vote on who
they think are the top three graduates. These three graduates will then have their
best work put on display in a special "Featured Photographer" Gallery at BetterPhoto.com.
Their work will be left on display for at least 30 days.
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Will we get to upload additional photos?
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Yes! As a matter of fact, we invite each student to send a selection of their best
images before the first critique. These images will not be critiqued but will instead
be placed in what we call the "Student Porfolio". This will give you a chance to
share photos with other students as well as the instructor, even before the first
assignment. Additionally, we encourage students to share extra photos in the Q&A
Forum as the course progresses.
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What is the difference between the various courses? Which course is the right one
for me?
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There are distinct differences. Browse the
photography course descriptions pages - including the course outlines and
individual course Q&A pages - to get a better idea of which courses most interest
you. After narrowing it down, if you need help deciding which course to start with,
feel free to contact us.
Tell us what you would like to accomplish, your skill level, and what kind of camera
you use.
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Will you be offering these same courses in the future?
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Most likely. We can never tell the future but we plan to repeat and add to the course
line-up, as time goes by.
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This sounds too good to be true... are there any hidden fee or extra costs?
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No. Absolutely not.
Prices and courses are subject to change but we do not hide any charges from
you.
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Is there a required textbook?
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No. Although all of the instructors are published authors, their photography books
are not required for the courses.
All the same, they are all excellent and helpful books. Autographed books by our
talented instructors can be purchased at the
BetterPhoto Bookstore.
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Why not just buy the book that the instructor has written? What's the difference
between learning from a book and learning in the course?
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We asked some of our previous students how they might answer that question. Here
are a few of their responses:
"I feel that the course is very much better because you get first hand help
from a wonderful photographer who can tell you what you are doing wrong, and how
to fix it. I can't say enough about how his comments help my work. I can read the
book and have the basic knowledge of what to do, but then to have assignments and
go out and actually learn and get feedback is irreplaceable to me. It has been great!"
- S.A.
"At the very LEAST, this course will give you a weekly goal and the motivation
to keep working to improve, no matter where you are in the learning process. The
critiques are invaluable, and the course as a whole is just plain fun!" - P.C.L.
"[The course] forced me to go out there this past winter when normally I would
not have done so. Instead of reading about photography I was actually out there
taking pictures..." - J.C.
"If you want to take better pictures, this is the course. The instructor not
only critiques your work but also shares his knowledge and invaluable tips that
many pros just will not give to you." - T.S.
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Is there a money-back guarantee?
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Yes. We are confident that you will fully enjoy the course. All the same, for our 8-week classes, we offer
a 100% money-back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent out. If
for any reason, you are not satisfied and let us know that you would like to withdraw
before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent out, you will be promptly refunded.
Note: For our 4-week courses, we offer a 100% money back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent out from Betterphoto. If for any reason you are not satisfied and you let the ordering department know that you would like to withdraw before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent, you will be refunded within 7 days. After the second lesson has been sent out, no refunds will be given.
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Will we have access to the instructor to ask questions during the online photo course?
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Absolutely!
If many students ask similar questions as other students during a week, the
instructor may opt to address the question in a special Q&A forum or along with
the next week's lesson.
And don't worry about asking a dumb question - there is no such thing. We encourage
you to pipe up - no matter how silly you may think your question sounds. That is
another of the beautiful things about the Internet - you can ask any question without
fear of embarrassment among your peers.
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Can other people on BetterPhoto.com see my photos, or will they be kept private?
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That is up to you. You are free to include them the monthly photo contest, in the
BetterPhoto galleries, or in another area of the site. If you would like to only
show them in the PhotoCourse™, you can indicate that preference when you upload.
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Do you offer a payment plan?
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No. Not at this time.
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 Ready to go for it? Then visit the
main PhotoCourses™
page and select your favorite course. Or call our toll-free order processing
at 1-888-927-9992.
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