Testimonials
Short Testimonials…
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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, 2012-04-17
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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,2012-04-28
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16 year old Bernard Pieterse, who did a basic phtoography course with DPC, was anounced winner n the environment category in the youth competition of the Sony World Photography Awards! Read the full article HERE
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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
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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 Esterhuizen on Photo Critic, 20 January 2012
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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…
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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 …
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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
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I want to say thank you for the excellent photography course which fulflilled 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)
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| Thanks again for an AWESOME weekend! Geez, I don’t recall when last I had so much fun! Teaching photography comes so naturally to you – your passion and dedication certainly comes through very clearly!
Paul Drews, Old Joe’s Kaya www.oldjoes.co.za
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| Photographic Weekend Breakaway hosted by Old Joe’s Kaia, facilitator Danie Bester 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
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| Net terugvoer oor die lightroom kursus gou…. Dis altyd lekker om terugvoer te kry. Venue was uitstekend…. dankie vir Cornè. Tydsbenutting en bestuur: tot op die minuut betyds en dit was lekker dat die horlosie nie nagejaag is nie. Baie maal by ‘n kursus kry mens die idee dat die aanbieder so gou as moontlik almal daar uit wil he, sodat hy kan aangaan met sy dinge. Hier was dit glad nie die geval nie. Inteendeel die kursus het oor sy tyd geloop. Relevansie: al die inligting was tot op die punt deurgegee en daar is nooit afgedwaal nie. Inhoud: Uitstekend! Deon is regtig baie welbelese en het uitstekende kennis en ervaring! van een dosent tot ‘n ander…. I bow down…. brilliant
Waarde vir geld: Baie beslis Aanbeveel: JA!! Ida Neto, 2011-05-12,
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| Hi Deon. Many thanks for the very informative and practical Lightroom course on Saturday. I highly recommend this course; even if one is not interested in editing photographs; the cataloguing capabilities of Lightroom are impressive.
John Taylor, 8 May 2011
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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
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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
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“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
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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…
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“I ‘ve completed a number of courses through Digital Photography Coursesand 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
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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
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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
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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)
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| Thank you so much Danie for such an AWESOME course. During the past couple of weeks I have learned more than I could have hoped to learn in my first Photography course. You have a great teaching technique and you motivated and inspired me to become the best photographer I can possibly be – in time though obviously.I still have a long way to go but thanks to you and the course you put together you have given me the perfect foundation to kick start my journey in photography and I look forward to doing another one of your courses.I look at things in a different perspective now and I am always taking note of things around me to capture. I think the thing I learned the most – apart from aperture, shutter speed, ISO, metering, focusing and all the other settings – was to not be afraid of my camera and what people think of my pictures, but have the confidence to be daring and adventurous with my shots and allow constructive criticism from experienced photographers in order for me to improve, grow and learn as much as I can.
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
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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
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| Six weeks well spent is all I can say. My husband and I signed up for a beginner photography course with Danie Bester in January 2010. It ran over 6 weeks, every Wednesday night with three practical sessions on selected weekendsFrom the start Danie made all of us feel relaxed and part of the experience. He went beyond and above the call of duty. He added additional videos, advice and tips that just added to the whole experience. Danie approach to the course was professional but with a personal touch.Having a fancy SLR camera and not knowing how to use it can be very frustrating. To get a well rounded understanding of basic photography and an appreciation for the art of photography I definitely recommend this course. The course covered ISO, aperture, shutter speed settings and how they all work together. We learnt about light metering, white balance and depth of field. He taught us about composition and creative technique. He specifically focused on portraiture, landscape and night photography and even if you are not really into those genres’s you can still apply the techniques learnt to any other form of photography. In fact I was not really into night photography but now I’m hooked.
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
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| “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 developement 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
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| “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the studio workshopon 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 practising 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
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Feature Articles by students… |