Short Testimonials…

Read what our students says about our Photography Courses…

Best course I have ever been on, every one who love photography, should go through DPC, Danie, is FANTASTIC, saving up to do more courses with Danie love his work!

Bernadette Hall, 2013-06-05

Just want to thank you guys for the strobist course I attended on the 24th. It was more than what I expected and I am just sorry I did not do it a long time ago. Trompie is a great teacher and I loved the course!

Ria Pretorius, 2013-02-25

I love taking photos and always get very happy snappy! I longed for a course that can provide me with principles to take photos that are beautiful and also meaningful. The Fine Art Photography Course truly changed the way I think about photography. It provided me with even more than I expected. I learned to focus on the “why” and not only the “how” when taking photos. It helped me to develop my own style, teased my imagination and triggered my lust for learning more and more about photography. Learning from great mentors and sharing this journey with other talented photography lovers made the course even more memorable. I made great friends sharing my passion. The exhibition was an unforgettable experience and the juicy red cherry on the cake. I can’t wait to sign up for the next course!!

Lorindi Joubert, 2013-02-15

Thanks to Danie and John for the great exhibition this week end. The exhibits were awesome and the organization was great. Thanks to all that made it made it a great week end, with special thanks to Santie and Lorindi for their part in the refreshments. Also a big thanks for the course that has changed my thinking on photography. Great course guys.

Roger Chrichton, 2013-02-04

Thank you, Danie and John, for presenting this great course! It was a wonderful experience, and I’m definitely experiencing a new dimension in my work. But also to all my “course mates”, it was “nice” to work with all of you, getting to know you, sharing ideas and knowledge, but also having loads of fun!!

Santie Korf, 2013-02-04

Thank you for your time and input in our course and exhibition – what a wonderful experience! – with Danie Bester and John Onderstall.

Annatjie Joubert Vd Merwe about the Intermediate Fine Art Photography Course, 2013-02-04

Great writers often shape our impressions of a place.
The place you implant in us excites me much.
So Bless this time you are spending,
With the gifts you can bestow.

Thanks a mil Danie Bester, Looking forward to future accomplishments driven by your vision. This one was GREAT.

Allan M Gates about the Fine Art Photography Course, 2013-02-03

My experience regarding my recent strobist course with you was nothing short, other than scintillating and brilliant.

Trompie is a house of knowledge with a fresh outlook on outdoor lightning skills and technique, to me this was a breath of fresh air. His communication skills and class interaction made me comfortable and learning was fun. This I say without a hint of ‘sarcasm’ for the first time in my life I felt like a pro photographer. Thank you Trompie I look forward to doing more classes hosted by you..u are without a doubt an asset to DPC, I stand humbled.

Kind regards

Vee Singh

A stunning day of shooting. Been a long time since we were challenged mentally like we were. The is no better way to learn than to use your camera… even with serious restrictions to test our abilities. Thanks team, we need to do it again

Glenn Fouche on the Intermediate | Fine Art Photography Course

Thanks for a wonderful day yesterday, Danie and the DPC team. Your studio lighting course was brilliant! I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Leanne Dryburgh, 2012-09-23

I played with my studio lights on Saturday. Thanks to Danie a knew what I was doing. The photos are good. Not as great as yours, Danie but I’m getting there. Thank you Danie for teaching me what I know about photography.

Gail Zaaiman on Facebook, 2012-09-03

I would like to provide feedback regarding the strobist workshop which was I attended on 5 August 2012.  Congratulations on what I believe is the only course of it’s kind in South Africa.  I did some extensive searches to try find equivalent courses on the Internet.  While some did focus on specialised flash technique I did not sense that they covered the depth of pure strobist technique that your course presented.

The structure of the course was excellent, starting with a half day of theory and moving onto to solid strobist practical in the afternoon.  Theory was covered very quickly and if I had not covered the strobist 101 course on the Internet beforehand I may have missed some details.  From my level of knowledge (beginner with prior reading) the pace was perfect.  I can understand that some may otherwise struggle with the pace, but then it would be their responsibility to slow you down and ask questions.  Showing all the gear while going through the theory provided a very good anchor point to remember the details.  The use of practical exercises between the theory also provided good structure to the learning.  However I would say that the level of the practical exercises in the morning were beginner focused, those in the afternoon were far more advanced and possibly some sort of bridging between the two may be useful.  I’ll describe below potential ways this could be done.

 A real benefit from the workshop is that we were all able to leave with portfolio of quality shots, certainly pictures which far exceed my previous level of ability, without any question.  The workshop provided me with my first opportunity to work with a model.  I thought it ingenious to incentivise up and coming models to assist with the workshop by providing the end pictures as “payment”, a win-win for all parties.

 I’ve also learned that you can take the most incredible photographs in run-down scrap yards, and how contradiction (with appropriate lighting) can make your photographs pop (e.g. beautiful model in run-down or contradicting environment).

 I have done two courses at a photographic college in Johannesburg prior.  While the course content was respectable, these were seriously lacking in practical components (besides homework) so your strobist workshop really stood out.  What I also found quite different is the supportive structure that DPC provides, both via the Photo Critic website and most importantly by both yourself and Danie Bester – specifically the passion you both have to share knowledge.  This is evident by many things such as offering your contact details to students after the workshop for assistance, reviewing the pictures that were taken at the workshop and providing comment, answering questions in detail that I emailed to you before even attending the workshop and offering to assist further.  While technology can do amazing things to help us grow, a website like Photo Critic is successful because of the people driving it.  Apologies for the lengthy email but I feel passionate when I see people driving great things.

 Should you ever have any follow-up workshops I would be very keen to attend.  I’ve grown substantially from that one day workshop and subsequently bough a remote trigger, another light stand and light modifier in preparation for a shoot I did last week for a yoga studio.  The shoot was very successful and I am fortunate that your workshop preceded this.

Kind regards,

Edan Topolansky, 19 August 2012

Ek wil begin deur baie-baie dankie te sê vir die geleenteheid om die opleiding by DPC te kon meemaak. Nie vir die kursus en die feite wat met die studente gedeel is nie – daarvoor het ons mos betaal. Ek wil baie dankie sê vir die wyse waarop Danie en Deon die klasse aangebied het. Die entoesiasme en dikwels emosie waarmee hulle hul kennis en jarelange ervaring met ons gedeel het, het ons as kursusgangers, en ek glo dat ek namens almal praat, geïnspireer om nog meer te wil leer en ook ernstig in fotografie betrokke te raak. My filosofie van “hoe meer jy weet, hoe meer weet jy hoe min jy weet” is weereens bevestig en ek wil vir DPC en sy staf bedank vir die wyse woorop hulle potensieel vervelige material verpak en met ons gedeel het. Ek het veral die prakties baie geniet en sien daarna uit om die “Portraits on Location” in te haal. Jul beginsel om eerder ‘n familie te skep en nie ‘n worsmasien van studente wat maar net opgelei word nie is verseker suksesvol, hou asseblief so aan!

Wilhelm Greeff, 27 July 2012

Ek wil net gou eers dankie sê vir alles wat ek by jou geleer het! Ek wil gou eers bietjie by jou spog en ook eer aan jou gee!  Ek het die Junior kategorie (Ster gradering 1-3) by die Rtb Fotografie Klub vir die jaar gewen. As dit nie vir alles was wat ek by jou geleer het nie sou ek dit nooit gemaak het nie.  Baie baie dankie, jy besef nie al dag wat dit vir ons beteken dat jy jou kennis met ons deel nie.  Ons sê ook te min dankie en vra te veel, maar nou ja … kyk waar sit Bernard vandag en ek voel ook baie trots om te sê ek het by Danie Bester Fotograaf geleer.

 Big big thank you!

Corne Lourens, 9 July 2012

Thanks for an awesome training session last night…. some things are beginning to make sense to me FINALLY.  Looking forward to the next session and in-between I shall be dreaming about Apertures, Shutter Speeds and ISO’s LOL.

Lee Bezuidenhout, 13 June 2012

Once again the inexpensive course was detailed and covered systematically, allowing for questions and comments. As always a highlight with DPC is the practical shoot after the theory is learnt, giving us students the chance to test out our new skills and leave with some additions to our portfolios.

I’m looking forward to my next learning experience with DPC.

Keith Engelbrecht, Feral Photography, 17 April 2012

Ek wil ek jou bedank vir n lieflike kursus die afgelope 6 weke wat ons die voorreg gehad het om by te woon. Ons het so baie geleer, veral met die praktiese deel, en dit soveel geniet. Jou, en Deon se aanbiedings,  was uitstekend en jou werk Danie, uit die boonste rakke. Jy’s n mense mens met jou voete plat op die aarde en dis goed om jou te ken. Jy’t geweldig baie kennis wat my verstom. 

 Ons sien uit om jou te kom sien by die studio binnekort.

 Groete

Estelle Retief, 28 April 2012

16 year old Bernard Pieterse, who did a basic photography course with DPC, was announced winner n the environment category in the youth competition of the Sony World Photography Awards!

Read the full article HERE

Baie dankie vir die studio workshop Danie.  Dit was great en ek het baie geleer.  Dis selde dan iemand so bereid is om al hulle kennis met ander te deel.  Jou werk is absoluut top gehalte!!!

Dedrei Botha, 5 February 2012

I received my new best friend Christmas morning 2010.  We immediately fell in love but I had no idea what she had to offer.  All the buttons on my Canon 550 looked so confusing and the best I could do was to shoot in full auto. I knew that my new found friendship had a lot more to offer but instruction manuals just added to the confusion.  During a visit to Rustenburg a friend told me about Danie Bester and that he was in Rustenburg conducting a basic introduction to photography course. The next moment I found myself 05:30 in a nature reserve photographing a beautiful waterfall and meeting the legendary Danie Bester. That morning the friendship with my Canon (yes, she does have a name) deepened, but I also made a new friend and mentor.  In those two, totally unplanned hours, I learned SO much and with the help of the administrators and members on Photo Critic, the professional and informative course material, the interesting links, blogs, forums on Photo Critic and the guidance of Danie I have grown so much not only as a photographer but also in personal capacity. 

Thank you for introducing and guiding me through the wonderful world of photography.

Bea Geldenhuys, on Photo Critic, 20 January 2012

The Studio Lighting Workshop… This was a truly educational and fun workshop to attend, practical  involvement essential! Studio lighting makes so much more sense now! Just want to thank Danie for handling this workshop with so much professionalism and sharing his knowhow and experience with the class! The model too was easy to work with! A BIG Thumbs up from my side!

Ben Lombaard, 14 November 2011 on Photo Critic. View HERE…

Studio Lighting Workshop… Hierdie studio workshop was awesome!!! Dankie Danie, ek het baie geleer. Dis moeilik om te kies tussen die setups, hulle is almal stunning, maar as ek nou moet kies sal dit Rembrandt & backlights with 2 strip lights wees. Hulle lyk ingewikkeld om te neem, maar is afterall baie simple. Dit toon drama en ek love it!!

Nicolene Top, 14 November 2011 on Photo Critic. View HERE …

Pietman Muller on winning Digital Photography Courses | Photo Critic Shot of the Year competition…

“Thanks to all of you for your kind words and comments, not only now but throughout the year on all my attempts. I learned so much from all of you during this year. Photocritic is a fantastic service and it was a pleasure learning with – and from you all! I am so excited about the growth we can look forward to in the new year, I now have a couple of free workshops to help me even more. Thanks to Danie and his team for a fantastic year!”

Pietman Muller, 21 October 2011

View the winners images here: Shot of the Year 2011 Competition

I want to say thank you for the excellent photography course which fulfilled all my needs. Someone saw some of my photos which I took during our practical outing to Sandton on Facebook and requested to publish it on Gauteng’s website with a short article. Just show you, it is not what you know, but who you know. Lol. This is a compliment to you and Deon. Here’s the link: http://www.gauteng.net/blog/entry/sandton_sunsets_and_surreal_skies_photo_essay/.

Henning Gouws on Facebook, 2011-08-30 (translated from Afrikaans)

Paul Drews, Old Joe’s Kaia www.oldjoes.co.za

I came to the conclusion that one can never say that you know enough, or that you are too professional to learn more about photography.  This weekend breakaway to Old Joe’s Kaia in Schoemanskloof, covered so many aspects of photography, as it was very well presented with some serious learning, but also with a lot of fun moments!  Everything was just right, from the welcoming, briefings, practical shoots and insider professional tips, to the accommodation, superb food and hospitality from Paul and Marian from Old Joe’s Kaia.  I am so great full that I was part of this wonderful experience.

I have learnt a lot about my equipment, how to pick the right gear for the job and the importance of deciding where your focus should be.  One learns so much more when a professional photographer stands next to you, with a patient ear and willingness to share information to better your photography skills.

I am so exited about my photography and would like to recommend everyone to go on a photographic breakaway with Danie Bester.  It is really worth the time and money … and even more!

Thank you for the opportunity to learn from the best!

Cornè Lourens, 2011-06-17

Waarde vir geld: Baie beslis

Aanbeveel: JA!!

Ida Neto, 2011-05-12,

 John Taylor, 8 May 2011

Wou net se vreeslik baie baie dankie vir ‘n fantastiese kursus (Photoshop), het dit baie geniet, en speel / edit nou sommer baie lekker. Wens net daar was meer ure in die dag.

Jolandi Van Tonder, 19 April 2011 

Dear Jenna & Danie

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you both. The basic photography course I gave Richard as a Christmas present was the best gift ever! He thoroughly enjoyed the class and is sooo enthused [it's driving us mad], but hey that was the main aim.  Thank you to you both for the best Christmas present I could ever have given my husband.

God Bless your business into the future.

Denise Stanley, 13 April 2011

“Fantastic I really learned a lot from the course, I came expecting grade 1 studio course instead I got a tertiary studio course. hope to come back again for another course surely”

Tshepo Maredi, 16 April 2011

Thanks Deon for the positive comments, and a special thanks to Danie as there is no ways I could have taken this shot a short month ago.  The course has been great and I would recomend it to anybody who wants to take their photography further.

Posted by Mark Oehley on Photo Critic, 15 March 2011. Click HEREto see his photograph…

“I ‘ve completed a number of courses  through Digital Photography Courses and  it has  dramatically improved my photography knowledge and skills!  Danie , Deon and Mia are highly talented professionals who  are happy to share knowledge and contribute to your career as a photographer!”

Bernice Thorn, 25 February 2011

Dear Danie, Thank you for a really informative, thorough and well explained individual course / lesson on Friday. I learnt so much and have been thoroughly inspired not only by the course but also by your amazing work-you are truly a very talented artist- not just a photographer!

It really was great meeting you and Jenna- thank you so much for your hospitality and lovely food!. I thoroughly enjoyed chatting to you and hope to see you in the near future.

Take care and thanks again for a super day.

Angie Henderson, 4 September 2010

Ek het navorsing gedoen voordat ek op ‘n leermeester besluit het .  Daar is honderde fotograwe, institusies en colleges wat hul opleiding aanbied.  Ek het Danie Bester Fotografie ontdek en kan nie dankbaar genoeg wees daaroor nie.  Ek admireer hul styl en “editing”  van hul fotos.  Dit het my gemotiveer om met hulle kontak te maak vir verdere fotografie opleiding om my eie vermoëns te verbeter.  Ek moet bysê dat hulle wel baie ver van my af is; ongeveer 100km, maar afstand maak nie vir my saak as ek myself daardeur kan verbeter nie. Met my eerste kontak met Danie Bester Fotografie was ek beindruk met hulle vriendelike en akkomoderende gesindheid.  Ek het my eerste individuele sessie geboek vir ‘n “flash” klas, want ek wou graag weet hoe om” flash” met “ambient” lig te integreer.  Ek het die opleiding uitstekend gevind.  Danie en lede van sy gesin (wat Mia sy seun en Jenna sy vrou insluit) is by die besigheid betrokke, en almal is baie vriendelik en hulpvaardig.  My tweede individuele sessie was vir photoshop en lightroom.  Danie en Mia is meesters op hierdie gebied, en is hulle werk  soos kunsstukke wat my aanspoor om my fotos ook so te laat lyk.  Alhoewel ek nie  heeltemaal onkundig was met photoshop en Lightroom nie, het  ek soveel nuwe dinge bygeleer wat vir my nuwe wêrelde oopgemaak het. Met elke kursus wat ‘n mens doen moet jy toepas wat jy geleer het anders gaan die kennis verlore .  Danie en Mia het hul goed van hul taak gekwyt, en kan  ek hulle ten sterkste aanbeveel vir enige kursus wat hulle aanbied.  Hulle bereidwilligheid om te help kweek vrymoedigheid om met hulle kontak te maak wanneer jy hulle nodig het.  Vir my is Danie Bester Fotgrafie ‘n aanwins in my lewe as opkomende en aspirerende fotograaf.

Amelia Bodenstein, 18 November 2010

Ek is tans besig met die fotografie kursus vir beginners wat deur Danie en Deon aangebied word en geniet elke oomblik daarvan en kan gewoonweg nie wag vir die volgende Dinsdagaand se klas nie. Alhoewel die kursus op ‘n baie basiese vlak begin en lekker informeel aangebied word, is ek oortuig dat dit enige iemand wie regtig in fotografie belangstel gemaklik tot vryskut-vlak kan neem.

My eie belangstelling in digitale kameras het maar baie onlangs begin, het nog nie eens ‘n spesifieke voorkeur of genre nie. Op hierdie stadium neem ek enigiets af wat beweeg óf lank genoeg stilstaan; vanaf skulpies tot mense – iets wat ek nooit kon doen voor die koms van digitale foto’s nie. Die gevolg is natuurlik dat ek deur die lens van my geluk (Nikon D80) die afgelope jaar of wat baie foto’s geneem het wat vergete iewers op my rekenaar se hardeskyf ‘n rusplek moes vind. Dis vir my nou erg lekker om ‘n paar van hulle hier te mag laai en al geniet ek dit ook vreeslik baie om ‘n kompliment te kry vir ‘n kiekie wat ek geneem het, gaan ek jou opregte opbouende kritiek baie meer waardeer.

Eureka Hollander, 15 August 2010 (Posted on the Photocritic Website)

Thank you for inspiring me to want to follow my dream of photography, Danie . I appreciate it and I will do my best to work on and improve on everything you have taught me.

Nicola Evans, 8 April 2010

Danie, you have been such an inspiration and I will never forget what you have taught me. Thank you for making the course so interesting. Your love and passion for photography inspired me. I look with new eyes to the world around me because of you. May God bless you.

Marinda Oberholzer (Translated from Afrikaans), 14 March 2010

Being very knowledgeable about camera equipment Danie was able to give good advice when choosing to buy camera gear.  You can pick his brain on anything.

We were only 12 students attending this particular course and because of this Danie was able to give us personal attention.  On our photo shoots he was very hands on when helping us choose our settings correctly.  He had a personal interest in everyone and made sure that we were all taken care of.

Danie did not just stick to the course material but added many extra little things for our benefit.  When asking advice he was always willing to assist.  Danie helps you appreciate photography for the art form that it is. He shared DVD’s on other photographers work and their styles.  He helped us in starting to develop our own style which is so important.

At the end of the course he encouraged all of us to carry on with our photography and not just stop there.  He gave us helpful tips to create our own portfolio even though it was a hobby for most of us.  Having a portfolio is important because there is no use in having hundreds of good photos but no one sees it.  Good photography should be displayed and the photographer should be recognized.

Celeste Engelbrecht,   3 March 2010

“I have been interested in photography for years and even owned a Film SLR before , but never really got the hang of it. Film was so expensive and the price of development too steep for me. I thought the camera would be so damn smart that it would do all the “magic” on my behalf. I later replaced the SLR for a digital point & shoot camera. Eventually, I got a digital SLR and promised myself that, this time, I would invest in a photography course. Why pay so much money for a camera and you don’t know how to use it?What I liked about the basic photography course is that it was practical, spontaneous and motivating. Apart from the theory, Danie shared experience  , tips and creativity with us. Even though I thought I knew the basics before, I only really understand now which settings to make and what choices I have for different types of photos. I am certainly more knowledgeable and inspired after the course.

Pieter Van Heerden (translated from Afrikaans), 1 March 2010

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the studio workshop on Saturday 16 June 2010. The course was quite informative and I really learned a lot about lighting. I already knew some of the things, which I have learned in books, but to experience it practical made it completely different. After such a course, I realized how much there are to learn and I know I would not remember everything, but I know the secret is to keep on practicing what you have learned and build up experience. I want to compliment you on your relaxed and laid back way of presentation. I have been involved in teaching and know the importance of connecting with your students. You made me feel comfortable. I really learned a lot and already started playing around today with some of the things I have learned.

Michael Vorster (translated from Afrikaans), 17 January 2010

Feature Articles by students…

• Click HERE to read Tom Wells’ feature article about his personal experience of the basic photography course..
• Stunning studio portraits by four aspiring photographers..
• Which Camera Equipment to Buy,  A mini Guide by ex-student, Trompie vd Berg