Photography courses at the OU

Explore photography with short courses from The Open University and The Open College of the Arts. 10 week online online courses, with 10 hours of study a week. 

Grow your skills and develop your passion

Courses supported by or created in collaboration with the Royal Photographic Society. Register today to take your photography to the next level.

Open University digital photography courses

Digital photography: creating and sharing better images

Developed in partnership with the RPS, this online course will help develop your ability to create digital images as you learn the principles of digital photography and image editing. Aimed at those who are new to digital photography or those wanting to improve their existing skills.

Digital photography: discover your genre and develop your style

Created in collaboration with the RPS, you’ll explore different genres and develop the knowledge, skills and techniques to be an intentional photographer. Learn how to work to a photographic brief and create a statement of intent. For those with a solid theoretical and practical understanding of the basics.

The Open College of the Arts short courses

Photography as language

Delve into the world of visual language through practice and theory to better understand the meaning of images and photos you see and make. Through historical practice and contemporary developments, apply the cultural and technical aspects of photography to capture images with depth and meaning. Expand your understanding of photography to think critically and creatively about their significance.

Investigating place with psychogeography

Discover the interplay of places and space with emotion and action. How do spaces make us feel and shape the how and why. Explore ideas around memory, history, voices and narratives that emerge from places and what impact they have. Engage in the topic through multiple media, including photography, writing, drawing, and walking as methods of investigation.

 
 

Explore all microcredentials and short courses

Whatever your starting point or background, our microcredentials and short courses are designed to help you develop your skills quickly. Whether you're looking to develop in your career, address a skill gap, or pursue a personal interest, our courses are entirely online, offering flexibility to fit around your life.

See our full list of microcredentials and short courses.

 

Photography as language

This course is delivered by the OU's Open College of the Arts.

View this course on the Open College of the Arts website

Investigating place with psychogeography

This course is delivered by the OU's Open College of the Arts.

View this course on the Open College of the Arts website