burwell school of photography

What burwell school of photography does

Burwell School of Photography (BSOP) is a privately held, CRA-registered Private Educational Institution based in Edmonton, Alberta, founded in 2007 by professional photographer Paul Burwell. The school operates from a rented classroom space at the Providence Renewal Centre and offers weekend and evening photography courses, workshops, certificate programs, private lessons, and gift certificates across all skill levels, from absolute beginners to aspiring professionals. Its core curriculum comprises roughly a dozen standard courses (Digital Photography for Beginners, Digital Camera Fundamentals, Photographic Composition, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Landscape, Wildlife, Macro, Portrait, Flash, High Volume, and Business of Photography) plus two six-class certificate programs in Nature Photography (CAD $1,425) and Portrait Photography (CAD $1,350), with select courses delivered online via Zoom.

The business model is fundamentally a per-class tuition model supplemented by certificate prepay discounts, private lessons (CAD $300–$650 per session), corporate training (CAD $1,200+ expenses), and gift certificates. Class sizes are deliberately capped at 8–14 students to enable individualized instruction. GTM is community-led: photography contests, festival volunteer partnerships (Heritage Festival, Cariwest), and a co-sponsored scholarship with the Images Alberta Camera Club drive awareness and word-of-mouth, supported by Facebook, Instagram, a blog, and an email newsletter. Marketing relies heavily on student testimonials and instructor credentials rather than paid acquisition.

The school is operated by a small instructor team of nationally recognized working photographers led by administrator Chris Stambaugh (former PPOC president, MPA designee), who took over after Paul Burwell's death in January 2016. No external funding, institutional investors, or parent company are identified in the data. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

burwell school of photography

Legal name

Burwell School of Photography

Website

https://bsop.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Burwell School of Photography is an Edmonton-based private educational institution offering weekend and evening photography courses, workshops, and certificate programs taught by working professional photographers to hobbyists and aspiring professionals, primarily in Western Canada with select online Zoom classes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photography Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Photography & Videography (EDAAAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Personal Enrichment & Creative Arts Programs (EDAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Photography education
• Photography workshops
• Adult education classes
• Portrait photography training
• Photo editing courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Class Registration Fees: Revenue generated from individual class registrations. Students pay per class they attend, with prices ranging from $65 to $325 depending on the course duration and content. Classes can be taken individually or as part of a certificate program.
2. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates sold in specific dollar values that can be redeemed for classes. Processed through PayPal with credit card payments.
3. Personal Lessons: Private one-on-one or small group instruction with flexible scheduling. Pricing varies by duration (half-day $300-$400, full-day $500-$650 weekdays; weekends higher). Corporate group training available at $1200 plus expenses.
4. Certificate Program Prepayment: Students can prepay for entire certificate programs (Nature Photography $1425, Portrait Photography $1350) with a 15% discount. This provides advance revenue and encourages commitment to completing the program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Burwell School of Photography provides adult photography classes, workshops, certificate programs, and private lessons covering camera fundamentals, composition, photo editing (Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop), and genre-specific specialties such as portrait, wildlife, landscape, macro, flash, and high-volume photography. Courses are delivered through weekend workshops at the Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton and select online Zoom classes, with tuition ranging from $65 for specialty excursions to $325 for in-depth workshops, plus structured certificate programs in Nature Photography and Portrait Photography.

Product overview

The Burwell School of Photography is an Edmonton-based private educational institution founded in 2007, offering a comprehensive portfolio of photography courses and workshops for all skill levels. The school provides structured certificate programs in Nature Photography (requiring Digital Camera Fundamentals, Photographic Composition, Introduction to Adobe Lightroom, Wildlife Photography, Landscape Photography, and Macro Photography) and Portrait Photography (requiring Portrait Photography, Group Portraits, and Flash Photography). Individual courses include Digital Photography for Beginners, Digital Camera Fundamentals, Photographic Composition, Introduction to Adobe Lightroom, Introduction to Adobe Photoshop, Landscape Photography, Wildlife Photography, Macro Photography, Portrait Photography, Flash Photography, High Volume Photography, and Business of Photography. Additional offerings include Raptors Guided Photography Excursions, Personal Lessons (private tutoring), Gift Certificates, and volunteer programs like the Cariwest Festival. The school operates from the Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton and is accredited with the Federal Government of Canada as a Private Educational Institution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Imagine That Photographics: Imagine That Photographics is the personal photography business of Chris Stambaugh, lead instructor at the Burwell School of Photography.
• Dan Nelson Portrait Design
• Harvey Wildlife Photography

Products and services

• Digital Photography for Beginners Introductory class for absolute beginners teaching camera fundamentals including buttons, dials, menu settings, automatic and manual modes, aperture, depth of field, shutter speed, composition, and flash photography.
• Digital Camera Fundamentals Two-day weekend workshop covering the most important camera controls and settings including exposure, sharpness, white balance, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual mode.
• Photographic Composition Online class via Zoom teaching effective composition guidelines, leading lines, color harmony, rule of thirds, Fibonacci mathematics, negative space, texture, form, and storytelling in photography.
• Introduction to Adobe Lightroom Online class teaching Lightroom editing techniques including presets, exposure adjustments, color correction, sharpening, noise reduction, lens distortion correction, masking tools, and local adjustments.
• Introduction to Adobe Photoshop Six-part online class covering Photoshop tools, layers, masks, adjustments, retouching, compositing, and special effects for photo editing.
• Landscape Photography Two-day workshop covering landscape photography techniques including HDR photography, panoramic stitching, field trips, and editing techniques using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
• Wildlife Photography Weekend workshop with Greg Harvey covering wildlife photography techniques, field trip to photograph local wildlife, camera settings, animal behavior, and ethics.
• Macro Photography Multi-faceted workshop covering macro photography equipment, close-up techniques, focusing rails, flash photography for macro, and creative vision development.
• Portrait Photography Intensive weekend workshop covering portrait lighting techniques, natural light, window light, posing, and hands-on practice with live models.
• Flash Photography Intensive weekend workshop covering on-camera and off-camera flash techniques, studio strobes, speed lights, high-speed sync, and portrait lighting setups.
• High Volume Photography Two-day workshop covering high volume commercial photography including school pictures, graduations, sports, green screen photography, workflow, and sales practices.
• Business of Photography Class teaching business practices for photographers including creating business plans, price sheets, marketing strategies, and financial benchmarks for studio success.
• Raptors Guided Photography Excursion Evening photography excursion at a falconer's farm to photograph various raptor species including Peregrine Falcons, Red Hawks, Harris Hawks, and owls in a controlled setting.
• Personal Lessons Private tutoring sessions covering camera fundamentals, Adobe software training, posing and lighting, with options for individuals, small groups, and corporate teams.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available in specific class denominations or custom dollar values that can be redeemed for any BSOP course.
• Nature Photography Certificate Certificate program requiring Digital Camera Fundamentals, Photographic Composition, Introduction to Adobe Lightroom, Wildlife Photography, Landscape Photography, and Macro Photography classes.
• Portrait Photography Certificate Certificate program requiring Portrait Photography, Group Portraits, and Flash Photography classes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Small class sizes limited to 8-14 students ensure individual attention
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Edmonton Cariwest FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026BSOP has provided volunteer photographers to the Cariwest Festival for many years. Volunteers receive a free T-shirt and meal for each shift worked. The partnership gives students access to shoot colorful Caribbean culture events including parades and performances.
• Images Alberta Camera ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2020The Images Alberta Camera Club (IACC) is a vibrant and active group of amateur photography enthusiasts who partner with BSOP to sponsor the $500 Paul Burwell Memorial Scholarship. The partnership includes joint selection committees with IACC directors reviewing scholarship applications alongside BSOP administrators. The scholarship encourages and supports emerging photographic talent in Alberta, with winners invited to present at IACC general meetings.
• Edmonton Heritage FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019BSOP provides volunteer photographers to document the Edmonton Heritage Festival over three days. In appreciation, the festival donates two $250 scholarships to BSOP students who volunteer. This partnership provides students with real-world photography experience while supporting the school's educational mission.
• Providence Renewal CentrecoreOthersBSOP rents classroom space at the Providence Renewal Centre, a retreat center on 20 acres of landscaped grounds within Edmonton city limits. The venue provides spacious, comfortable classrooms with abundant natural light and free parking. The center also displays photography contest finalist and winner images.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• BetterPhoto.com: Online photography school offering self-paced courses with structured curricula and instructor feedback. Targets the same adult hobbyist-to-aspiring-professional segment as BSOP through a digital-first delivery model.
• Bryan Peterson School of Photography: Online photography school offering self-paced courses and live workshops founded by best-selling author Bryan Peterson. Directly comparable to BSOP in offering structured photography education with both foundational and advanced courses.
• Santa Fe Photographic Workshops: Workshop-based photography school offering destination-style classes taught by professional photographers. Comparable to BSOP in instructor-led, workshop-format teaching, but with a destination/travel model targeting a broader geographic audience.
• New York Institute of Photography: One of the oldest and largest online photography schools, offering structured certificate programs and individual courses. Like BSOP, it focuses on adult photography education with formal curriculum, but at much larger scale and online-only delivery.
• Rocky Mountain School of Photography: Photographic Arts college offering structured certificate and diploma programs both in-person and online. Most structurally similar to BSOP in combining multi-course certificate paths with hands-on workshops, though operating at a larger scale in Montana.

Broad incumbents

• CreativeLive: Online education platform with a broad creative-arts catalog including extensive photography courses from working professionals. Comparable to BSOP in targeting adult hobbyists with professional-instructor-led content, but operating at much larger scale via on-demand streaming.
• KelbyOne: Subscription-based online photography education platform founded by Scott Kelby. Targets the same hobbyist-to-aspiring-professional segment as BSOP with structured courses on technique, software, and gear, albeit delivered via video rather than in-person workshops.
• International Center of Photography (ICP): Major photography school and cultural institution offering certificate programs, workshops, and exhibitions. Comparable to BSOP in delivering structured photography education with professional instructors, but at larger institutional scale and broader urban setting.
• Udemy (Photography Category): Massive online learning marketplace with thousands of photography courses at low price points. Represents a key competitive alternative for BSOP's price-sensitive beginner and intermediate students, though lacks the structured certificate and small-class experience.

Regional players

• Houston Center for Photography: Nonprofit photography center offering workshops, classes, and exhibitions. Comparable to BSOP as a community-oriented photography education provider, though operating in a different North American geography with a broader institutional and nonprofit framing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bsop.ca
• Instagraminstagram.com/burwell_school
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burwell-school-of-photography

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about burwell school of photography