The New York Institute of Photography was founded in 1910, according to early brochures, by Emile Brunel.

In its early days, NYIP was a residential school, with offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Chicago.

The Manhattan offices, where the main course was originally developed covered 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of space.

NYIP was first given educational accreditation when the National Home Study Council announced its inaugural class in 1956.

Around that time the company was bought by Harold Deckoff, who was a printer who established the Tribune Publishing Co.