Diploma in Studio Photography and Technical Detail
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in studio photography and technical detail of vehicles. 8 modules covering digital capture, studio lighting, complete-vehicle photography, macro and focus stacking, documentary and forensic photography, colour management and archiving, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Studio Photography and Technical Detail — studying from Canada
Canada has an active classic and heritage vehicle community, supported by clubs, restoration specialists and museums across the country. Restoration work requires skills in engineering drawings, metalworking, electrical systems and historical research. Heritage vehicle collections and automotive museums, such as the Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa, sustain professional and volunteer expertise. Specialist businesses and independent workshops are the main employers in this niche.
Fees for Canada: C$2,790 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Is this programme recognised by professional bodies in Canada for vehicle restoration work?
SEIUM's qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and carry no national accreditation in Canada. Restoration is largely a trade and enthusiast field in Canada, with recognition typically driven by reputation, workshop experience and clubs or heritage organisations rather than a single licensing body. Confirm with any prospective client or employer how they regard private qualifications.
What career use could this have in Canada's classic vehicle sector?
Potential uses include working with specialist restoration workshops, dealerships, collectors or heritage vehicle organisations. Employers and clients decide how to value a private qualification, and hands-on experience is usually the strongest factor in this sector. The final project may serve as a portfolio example, but it does not guarantee work.
Can I study this online with my own schedule from Canada?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so it suits learners across Canada and no student visa is needed to study from home. Programme lengths are 300, 800 or 1,900 hours depending on the level. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and an assigned technical tutor supports your progress.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Master digital capture to the highest technical standards.
Design lighting set-ups for reflective surfaces.
Photograph complete vehicles in consistent catalogue series.
Document technical details using macro photography and focus stacking.
Apply documentary and forensic photography techniques.
Manage colour accurately from capture to delivery.
Archive images with correctly defined metadata and rights.
Who it's for
- Automotive photographers.
- Technical heritage photographers.
- Auction catalogue photographers.
- Imaging technicians for expert assessments.
- Digital retouchers.
- Photographic archive managers.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to join auction houses.
What you'll work with
- ISO 12233 (resolution and spatial frequency response of digital cameras)
- ISO 15076-1 (ICC colour profiles)
- IPTC Photo Metadata Standard (descriptive and rights metadata for images)
- ISO 19264-1 (image quality analysis for cultural heritage imaging)
- FADGI Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials (digitisation quality guidelines)
- Metamorfoze Preservation Imaging Guidelines (preservation imaging guidelines)
- Royal Legislative Decree 1/1996 (Spanish Intellectual Property Law)
- Capture One
- Adobe Lightroom Classic
- Adobe Photoshop
- Helicon Focus
- Zerene Stacker
8 modules
1.1Sensors, pixel size and dynamic range1.2Macro, wide-angle and tilt-shift lenses1.3Depth of field and diffraction1.4RAW format and bit depth1.5Histogram and correct exposure1.6Noise, ISO sensitivity and sensor temperature1.7Perspective correction with shift1.8Tethered capture1.9Resolution and sharpness charts1.10Practical: sharpness test with a resolution chart
2.1Studio flash versus continuous LED2.2Softboxes, diffusion panels and reflectors2.3Hard light and soft light2.4Reflective surfaces: chrome and lacquer2.5Light tents and diffusion boxes2.6Cross-polarisation2.7Colour temperature and mixed lighting2.8Lighting ratio2.9Controlling unwanted reflections2.10Workshop: lighting a chrome part
3.1Studios with an infinity cove3.2Turntables3.3Standard catalogue angles3.4Light painting in the studio3.5Composition and choice of focal length3.6Consistency across image series3.7Photographing interiors and cabins3.8Engine bays and undersides3.9Compositing from multiple shots3.10Practical: standard angle series of a classic car
4.1Focus stacking4.2Chassis plates and casting marks4.3Paint textures and patina4.4Upholstery, stitching and leather4.5Instruments and dials4.6Mechanical components and joints4.7Metric scales and colour targets4.8Raking light for relief4.9Photographing small parts on a background4.10Lab: focus stacking an identification plate
5.1Recording condition5.2Documenting damage and repairs5.3Ultraviolet fluorescence on paintwork5.4Infrared photography5.5Before, during and after sequences5.6Image chain of custody5.7Photography for expert assessments5.8Basic supporting photogrammetry5.9File integrity and authenticity5.10Case study: pre-restoration documentation
6.1Camera ICC profiles6.2Colour charts and white balance6.3Monitor calibration6.4Batch RAW processing6.5Lens and perspective correction6.6Ethical retouching versus manipulation6.7Colour spaces for web and print6.8Export and delivery formats6.9Print proofs6.10Workshop: workflow with a custom camera profile
7.1IPTC and XMP metadata7.2File naming conventions7.3Digital asset management systems7.43-2-1 backups7.5Photographer's copyright7.6Usage licences7.7Delivery to auction houses7.8Images for catalogues and press7.9Long-term archiving7.10Practical: cataloguing a studio session
8.1Briefing and session objectives8.2Shot planning8.3Designing the lighting set-up8.4Complete vehicle session8.5Technical detail session8.6Processing and colour management8.7Delivery with metadata8.8Final portfolio8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with your tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Capture One, Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Photoshop, Helicon Focus and Zerene Stacker, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: a studio session of a complete vehicle on a turntable, macro documentation of chassis numbers and ultraviolet fluorescence on original paint. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 12233, ISO 15076-1, IPTC Photo Metadata Standard, ISO 19264-1, FADGI Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials, Metamorfoze Preservation Imaging Guidelines, Royal Legislative Decree 1/1996.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Capture One, Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Photoshop, Helicon Focus and Zerene Stacker, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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