I came to STUDIO7 two years ago for the first time. I had done two previous courses (at other institutions) and learned more in two classes at STUDIO7 than in all the other times I studied. Steve is an excellent teacher and doesn’t just teach you to how to take a photo, but to put that extra something into it…Lighting, character…and to develop your own creativity. The atmosphere is always cooking – you just can’t wait for the next class to learn more and more. I can’t stop going back. They always walk that extra mile with you…Love them to bits.
Yolande Needham
Steve, I just want to tell you how much you and your course have done for me. What an amazing learning curve and I really haven’t stopped taking photographs. I truly live for photography. You are a great teacher and your passion for photography is evident in your teaching. I am unable to put into words really, just how grateful I am for your teaching and your dogged determination. I never wanted to hear a half-hearted crit on my work, and you never gave that. You were always honest and that meant a lot to me. Thank you. X
Love Louise (AKA Sue)
I did all of STUDIO 7’s courses and can honestly say that they are the best courses I have ever done and the best thing I have ever done for myself. Steve is a wonderful teacher. He has a great passion for the art of photography. If you are willing to work hard and challenge yourself, you will only get encouragement from him. I didn’t want to be a mediocre photographer. I needed to be challenged and persuaded to do my best which is exactly what Steve did for me. Steve is only happy to spend hours looking at your work and discussing the finer details which makes you want to do better, and do more and more photography. I had a lot of fun and laughter and learned a great deal. If you are thinking about doing one of these courses, I say GO for it, you will not regret a single second. Thank you Steve, you are always in my thoughts when I am out and about doing landscapes or at home in the studio. Your words of encouragement never leave me.
Sue Slemon
To me, STUDIO7 helped me discover a part of me that I didn’t know. I just wanted to do photography and I ended up doing graphic design as well, and it was the best year of my life. No place will you find teachers who are as involved as the wonderful people at STUDIO7. Individual attention was given to each and every one, and progress was followed up on! I made so many memories, had so many laughs, tears and blessings.
Roxy Hart Bayman
Dear Steven, Today I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for teaching me how to take photos. I moved (in my own mind) from zero to hero in photography. Thank you for your guidance, your passion, your creativity, your knowledge and also your incredible patience. Thank you for not accepting second best from us. We all come from different places. Thank you for sharing your life story with us. It made me understand you so much better. I have a lot of respect for what you have accomplished and I hope that you, your family and your business will grow stronger and stronger. Lastly, thank you for blessing your students and for the lovely prayer that you said. They might not realize it, but it will stay with them for the rest of their lives. The impressions of a good teacher’s wisdom stays within one.
Love Karin Haasbroek
I am glad I finished the course and thank you for a magnificent learning experience. It will certainly be part of me for the rest of my life. “Awesome Teacher.”
Morne Botha
I was a bit emotional yesterday so I may not have really thanked you properly for taking this photographic journey with me over the last , I think, 8 months. It has been one of the most inspirational things I have ever done and has added a completely new dimension to my life, and you have been a patient & guiding teacher.
Moira Smith
Steve, If I believed in role models, you would be mine. Thanks for everything!
Mark Reitz
Dearest Steve and Karyn, 2009 at STUDIO7 was undoubtedly the most amazing (and stressful) year of my life so far…Coming to learn from the two of you was the best decision I could have made & I will carry these gifts of knowledge on your subject with me forever. Thank you for everything you guys have taught me…I hope that this college will continue to flourish so that many people can be as blessed as I have been to have had this experience and education.
Love Always Claire King
Dear Steve, Wow, I couldn’t have imagined that this year would turn out the way it did – It totally exceeded my expectations! What an absolute passion it’s stirred up inside! A new side of me has been awakened; an artistic side that I was convinced I didn’t have, and that makes me so excited. This year, every artistic part of me has been shaken awake and with that has come my expression of the authenticity inside of me – my creativity externalized. Thank you for making this journey so much fun and for teaching us valuable lessons along the way. It’s been a fantastic, exciting time!
Love Nicole de Vries
Thank you for being an inspiration to my daughter. She is a child with some fire in her again.
Christa Gouws, Mother of Marcell Van Heerden
Thanks for helping me where the Academy failed.
Jaco Burger
Why I Prefer STUDIO7 School of Photography and Design above any other: Hi my name is Gheon Steenkamp, and I’m a student of STUDIO7 School of Photography and Design. I just want to tell you what I think of STUDIO7 and why I would refer this school to anyone who is interested in photography and really has a passion for it. In my first year, I studied photography in 2006 in Stellenbosch in a place called SIPS. I don’t want to bring any photography school down in any way because that’s not who I am and that’s not what STUDIO7 does, but I really didn’t enjoy it there and I actually started to hate photography and my passion just disappeared. I couldn’t wait for the year to end so I could get out. I would just like to encourage you to compare schools and hope you make the right choice. When I was at SIPS everyones photos would look the same. STUDIO7 taught me so much and my photos improved like you won’t believe. I just want to close off by saying that I am so thankful that I found STUDIO7 – it saved my photography and made me love photography again.
Gheon Steenkamp
Hoekom ek STUDIO7 bo Sips verkies: Baie minder geld, maar meer waarde vir jou geld. ‘n Hele jaar om aan jou portfolio te werk en jy kry meer as een kans om jou foto’s oor te neem en presies reg te kry vir jou portfolio. Jy het genoeg tyd om jou foto’s te neem, so ‘n mens het tyd om te dink wat mens wil afneem, waar in Sips mens groeps take gekry het en almal se foto’s dieselfde lyk aan die einde van die dag. Vir my gee STUDIO7 die kans om ‘n meer profesionele fotograaf in te verander as Sips, omdat by Sips was daar nie presies vir ons gesê word wat om te verwag word in ‘n foto nie en ons het nie kans gekry om dit oor te neem nie. As gevolg van dit het baie mense swak gedoen en in my opinie was die mense bevoorordeel in die klas, oor verskeie redes. Ek dink ook ek sal ‘n baie beter werk kry as ek by STUDIO7 weggaan as wat ek by Sips sou gekry het, want ek gaan met ‘n BAIE beter portfolio weg by STUDIO7.
Marelise Carstens
So back in 2006 I was faced with the task of deciding how to spend my gap-year. I ended up choosing to study a year course in photography, which looking back has probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. I chose to attend STUDIO7 based on the recommendation of a friend and under the guidance of Steve. I can definitely say that when I walked away a year later I was a much wiser and better equipped person. The skills that have learned and the opportunities have opened up to me have played a very large part in shaping my life and contributing to where I am today. I really want to thank Steve for the way in which he conducted the classes, always being truthful, always being constructive and pointing you in the right direction when your images seem to be missing the plot! I really cannot stress how valued this is in shaping confident and impeccable young photographers, and wouldn’t for a moment hesitate to recommend STUDIO7 to any aspiring photographers and enthusiasts. I wish STUDIO7, Steve, all the people helping out there as well as current, past and prospective students the best for the season and a great year ahead. May you guys grow beyond your wildest imagination.
Henrique Cilliers
Dear Steven, Just a short note to say thank you so much for all you taught me this year! I have learnt so much and am so grateful to you! Thank you for sharing all your secrets and always encouraging us to try harder! I will always try to stay in focus!
Sarah Gilbert
I am a student of STUDIO7, from the class of 2005. STUDIO7’s course was action packed, fun and always on point. In one year Steven showed me how to paint with light as well as showing the world what I see, by using photography as a medium. It is definitely a well laid out course. I went away with practical and theoretical insights of photography. STUDIO7 captured valid insights when looking through the eyes of a photographer and the lens. Whether you’re new to photography or have a small passion for photography, this course will help you to identify subjects and express what you see to the world in the most creative ways. I strongly recommend STUDIO7’s course – you won’t regret it!
Claudia Jones