Alright here's my circuit schematic. I'm really sorry if the photodiode is drawn backwards. I have it such that when read with the multimeter the positive potential (pin) of the diode goes to the positive of the op-amp and similarly for the negative pin. I always get confused about which is the anode or cathode with photodiodes when they are used for recieving light verses emitting. Kind of dyslexic, won't go into it. I have tried it the other way around at risk of the IC, and it read flat 0.00V with any light source I tried.
Sorry about not posting the schematic I'm just a little rusty with them and haven't drawn many since physics 2(two years ago). Hopefully, I did this in an acceptable manner. The curved loop leading to the resistive load and filtering capacitor is not an inductor it is just to signify that that lead is not connected(jumps over) to the V+ 'rail'.
Also I created a voltage divider with a 'virtual ground'(1/2 VCC) but am not using it in the circuit. It was something I built for the single supply op-amp circuit (LM358N) and decided to keep. As it already has the decoupling capacitors in place, and bread boarding with jumper wires is tedious. I have tested the circuit without it and had no change in result, so I don't believe the issue is there. Although, I do know that he type of voltage divider I am using can become unbalanced in amplification experiments.
As for transimpedance verses just an op-amp, I was reading a book about photosignal detection and all they seemed to talk about were transimpedance for photodiodes. So I assumed(perhaps incorrectly)that this would be the way to go. Any input would be really appreciated though. I'm really not seasoned with electrical engineering at all.
For clarity and not having to scroll up again the op-amp is a LTC1050, and the photodiode is a BPW-34.
LTC1050 Datasheet - http://cds.linear.com/docs/en/datasheet/1050fb.pdf
BPW34 Datasheet - http://www.vishay.com/docs/81521/bpw34.pdf
Edit -
Okay fritzing was too confusing for me to use. Also attached to this post is the bread board layout, cable for cable, hand-drawn. Editted again. Resized the images they were too big and combined posts.
