Immerse yourself in a week of Photography

Photography Summer School

Explore street, portrait, food, product and wildlife photography, building a broad set of practical skills while developing your own visual voice

5 Days Experience required In-person classes Practical classes
20% OFF
NEXT COURSE

07 Sep 2026

Photography 5 Day Foundation (DFP-INT-0926-1-103)

Time
10:00 - 16:00
Duration
5 days (Monday - Friday)
Venue
Photoion Studio, Waterloo
Tutor
City Academy Photography Tutors
Course Fee £476.00
Book This Course

See more dates below in the timetable.

Photography Summer School

Take your pictures to the next level with our five-day Photography Summer School. Gaining a further understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography, you will delve into street, portrait, food/product and wildlife photography. Develop an efficient workflow and start putting together your own portfolio using the assignments throughout the week.

New to photography?

Before attending this course you will need a basic knowledge of aperture, camera lenses, shutter speed and ISO including exposure modes. If you’re new to photography, then you may find it helpful to sign up to one of our Beginner Courses first.

Camera Confidence

Enhance your camera skills and techniques

Genre Exploration

Experiment with a range of photography genres

Lighting Techniques

Work with natural and studio lighting

Storytelling Through Photography

Explore storytelling and the aesthetics of photography

Photographic Voice

Develop your individual voice

Workflow Refinement

Refine your workflow

Portfolio Progression

Progress in the development of your portfolio, with critique from your tutor

Classes Starting Soon

Date Day Time (BST) Duration Tutor Venue Price Booking
03 Oct 2026 - 04 Oct 2026
Sat
10:00-16:00
2 days (Saturday and Sunday)
£295.00
29 Oct 2026 - 19 Nov 2026
Thu
18:30-21:00
4 weeks
£295.00
28 Nov 2026 - 19 Dec 2026
Sat
10:30-13:00
4 weeks
£295.00
13 Jan 2027 - 03 Feb 2027
Wed
18:30-21:00
4 weeks
£295.00
08 Feb 2027 - 01 Mar 2027
Mon
18:30-21:00
4 weeks
£295.00
03
Oct
03 Oct 2026 - 04 Oct 2026
£295.00
Day:Sat
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday)
Tutor: Lyndon Ives
29
Oct
29 Oct 2026 - 19 Nov 2026
£295.00
Day:Thu
Time:18:30-21:00
Duration:4 weeks
Tutor: Lyndon Ives
28
Nov
28 Nov 2026 - 19 Dec 2026
£295.00
Day:Sat
Time:10:30-13:00
Duration:4 weeks
Tutor: Matt Taylor
13
Jan
13 Jan 2027 - 03 Feb 2027
£295.00
Day:Wed
Time:18:30-21:00
Duration:4 weeks
08
Feb
08 Feb 2027 - 01 Mar 2027
£295.00
Day:Mon
Time:18:30-21:00
Duration:4 weeks

Photography Studio in the Heart of Waterloo

Located in the heart of Waterloo, our fully equipped Photography Studio has everything you need to develop your skills, including studio lighting, backgrounds, cameras, tripods, props and more.

Step outside and you are surrounded by brilliant shoot locations, from the Southbank, Leake Street Arches and Lower Marsh Market to Waterloo Bridge, the Thames riverside and the bold architecture of the National Theatre. It is an ideal setting for exploring studio lighting, portraiture, street photography, architecture, composition and natural light, with the city providing a constantly changing backdrop for your work.

Photography Studio in the Heart of Waterloo

Your five-day Photography Summer School Course

(Please note that the schedule for this course can change due to weather conditions for the wildlife session, your course tutors will update you if any sessions have moved day).

Day One

Street & Documentary Photography – Head out into London to explore the art of capturing real moments in real time. You will learn how to: Capture spontaneous moments that tell a story Shoot confidently while on the move Adapt to different lighting and environments Observe and anticipate compelling scenes

Day Two

Portrait Photography - Work with a professional portrait photographer to develop your own style and technique. You will learn how to: Use aperture creatively to influence mood and emotion Work with natural and artificial lighting Improve composition and framing Direct and communicate effectively with a model

Day Three

Food & Product Photography - Discover how to create striking, professional-looking commercial images. You will learn how to: Style and arrange products for close-up shots Use aperture to create textured, blurred backgrounds Light products effectively using natural and studio lighting Understand the principles behind commercial photography

Day Four

Wildlife Photography - Explore the essential skills needed to photograph animals in natural settings. You will learn how to: Improve timing and capture the ‘decisive moment’ Observe animal behaviour and position yourself effectively Experiment with manual, shutter priority and aperture priority modes Adapt quickly to changing natural environments (Please note that the schedule for this course can change due to weather conditions for the wildlife session, your course tutors will update you if any sessions have moved day).

Day Five

Portfolio & Professional Development - Bring the week together by refining your work and planning your next steps. You will learn how to: Edit and enhance your images using basic editing techniques Select strong images for a professional portfolio Receive constructive feedback from your tutor Understand the fundamentals of starting or developing a photography business

Hear from our students

Our students talk us through what they learnt over the 5 days, about their camera, and themselves!

READ MORE
Hear from our students

Want to learn more?

Many of our student go on to explore other creative areas to broaden their skills and keep their inspiration flowing. Whether it’s diving into a new art form, building on your current abilities, or simply trying something different for fun, these courses are a great way to continue your journey with us

Browse Courses

You can filter Courses by month and tutor

Date Day Time (BST) Duration Tutor Venue Price Booking
07 Sep 2026 - 11 Sep 2026
Mon
10:00-16:00
5 days (Monday - Friday)
£476.00
20% OFF
07 Dec 2026 - 11 Dec 2026
Mon
10:00-16:00
5 days (Monday - Friday)
£595.00
18 Jan 2027 - 22 Jan 2027
Mon
10:00-16:00
5 days (Monday - Friday)
£595.00
15 Mar 2027 - 19 Mar 2027
Mon
10:00-16:00
5 days (Monday - Friday)
£595.00
21 Jun 2027 - 25 Jun 2027
Mon
10:00-16:00
5 days (Monday - Friday)
£595.00
06 Sep 2027 - 10 Sep 2027
Mon
10:00-16:00
5 days (Monday - Friday)
£595.00
13 Dec 2027 - 17 Dec 2027
Mon
10:00-16:00
5 days (Monday - Friday)
£595.00
07
Sep
07 Sep 2026 - 11 Sep 2026
£476.00
Day:Mon
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:5 days (Monday - Friday)
Offer:20% OFF
07
Dec
07 Dec 2026 - 11 Dec 2026
£595.00
Day:Mon
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:5 days (Monday - Friday)
18
Jan
18 Jan 2027 - 22 Jan 2027
£595.00
Day:Mon
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:5 days (Monday - Friday)
15
Mar
15 Mar 2027 - 19 Mar 2027
£595.00
Day:Mon
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:5 days (Monday - Friday)
21
Jun
21 Jun 2027 - 25 Jun 2027
£595.00
Day:Mon
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:5 days (Monday - Friday)
06
Sep
06 Sep 2027 - 10 Sep 2027
£595.00
Day:Mon
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:5 days (Monday - Friday)
13
Dec
13 Dec 2027 - 17 Dec 2027
£595.00
Day:Mon
Time:10:00-16:00
Duration:5 days (Monday - Friday)

Payments options

Cancellations Policy

Our cancellation policy depends on the course you have booked.

 

Weekly courses and one-day workshops
Cancel at least 72 hours before your course starts to receive a full refund, course credit or a free transfer to another available date. Cancellations made within 72 hours will receive course credit instead.

 

Intensive courses of five consecutive days or more
Cancel at least 7 days before your course starts to receive a full refund, course credit or a free transfer. Cancellations made with less than 7 days’ notice will usually receive course credit instead.

 

We are unable to offer refunds for missed classes or non-attendance.

Book 2 courses at the same time for 10% Off*

Book 3 or more courses for get 20% Off*

*Please note 2ORMORE & 3ORMORE - this offer cannot be redeemed against our One year, 3 Month Courses , Private tuition, Tasters, or Resident Companies i.e. Choirs, Musical Theatre or Dance companies. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Photoion Studio, Waterloo
Photoion Studio, Waterloo
Photoion Studio, Waterloo
Closest Station: Waterloo
Closest Bus Stop: Imperial War Museum / Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway
City Academy Photography Tutors
City Academy Photography Tutors

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