Wellington · Online course

Portrait Photography Certificate in Wellington

Portrait Photography Certificate - Flexible online course with DSLR camera kit included. Learn lighting, composition & business skills. Tutor support included.

Full course details

What you'll learn

The course is the same online course wherever you study from. Its modules:

1. Module 1 – Portrait Photography

See the full Portrait Photography Certificate course outline

Studying portrait photography in Wellington

Wellington is home to the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata, a gallery devoted entirely to portraiture in Shed 11 on the waterfront. Its changing exhibitions cover painting, sculpture and photography, and it runs the Adam Portraiture Award, which it calls Aotearoa's premier prize for painted portraiture. Entry is free for New Zealanders. Alongside the Adam award, the gallery runs the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award, public programmes and group education bookings.

Te Papa's photography collection holds studio portraits by Spencer Digby from the mid-1930s to the late 1950s, along with work by Marti Friedlander, Ans Westra, Anne Noble and Yvonne Todd. Comparing Digby's formal studio lighting with later documentary portraiture is a useful way to study how the genre has changed. The collection can also be searched on Collections Online. Te Papa also holds the Gordon H Burt studio's commercial photographs from the mid-1920s to the 1950s, which show how commissioned portraits sat alongside other studio work.

Portrait Photography Certificate in Wellington: questions

Is there a portrait gallery in Wellington?

Yes. The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata is at Shed 11, 60 Lady Elizabeth Lane, on the Wellington waterfront. It shows changing portrait exhibitions, and entry is free for New Zealanders. The gallery also runs public programmes and takes education bookings for groups.

Can I see historical studio portraits at Te Papa?

Te Papa's photography collection includes studio portraits by Spencer Digby from the mid-1930s to the late 1950s, as well as commercial work by the Gordon H Burt studio. You can search the collection on Te Papa's Collections Online. Te Papa is at 55 Cable Street, and museum entry is free for New Zealanders.

What our students say

Digital Photography

I am studying Digital Photography and am enjoying the experience. I have learnt quite a lot and am only 1/3 of the way through. I would recommend learning online to anyone who wants to enhance their knowledge.

Jacqueline Bradford McDonald

Highly Recommend

It is one of the most fun and easiest courses, It has all the information you need, plus if you do it in order there is no doubt you can pass it.
I enjoy it so much and its a course that has helped me decide on what I want to aim for in the long run. The tutors are awesome and help you throughout and give great feedback on each module/lesson you do! Highly recommend it!

Brontie