This beginner photography course is structured to be enjoyable, effective, and adaptable to your personal learning style, ensuring you gain maximum benefit from every session. The curriculum includes carefully designed indoor and outdoor exercises that provide continuous practice opportunities throughout the course duration. With a maximum of 6 students per class, you receive individualized attention from the instructor and substantial hands-on practice time with your camera.
Photography Skills You Will Master:
You will develop confidence and competence in operating your camera in Manual Mode, one of the most valuable skills in photography. Learn to adjust aperture settings to control depth and how much of your scene stays in focus. Understand shutter speed and how it affects motion blur and image exposure. Master ISO settings to properly expose your images in various lighting conditions. These three elements together form the exposure triangle, the foundation of professional photography.
You will learn techniques for controlling focus with precision, ensuring your intended subjects remain sharp and clear while background elements blur artistically, a technique called bokeh. You will become skilled at adjusting white balance to capture accurate and natural colors regardless of the type of lighting in your environment, whether sunlight, artificial light, or mixed sources.
You will discover how to apply the Rule of Thirds, a fundamental compositional principle that creates balanced, compelling photographs with visual interest and professional appearance. You will also master the practical use of your camera's built-in flash system, learning when and how to use it effectively to enhance your images in low-light situations without creating harsh, unflattering results.
Equipment and Supplies Required:
All supplies and materials are the responsibility of students; they are not provided as part of this course. You must bring a DSLR camera, a mirrorless camera, or a compact camera that includes Aperture Priority mode (marked as A or Av), Shutter Priority mode (marked as S or Tv), and a full Manual Mode. These camera functions are essential to the course curriculum.
Additional Course Details:
This course spans 12 hours of total instruction time, divided into 6 sessions of 2 hours each, making it manageable alongside your other commitments. You have flexibility in scheduling: classes are offered in two formats, either once per week for a six-week program or three times per week for a two-week intensive, allowing you to choose what fits your personal schedule best. If you need to miss a class session due to illness, work, or personal circumstances, makeup options are available to ensure you do not fall behind and can complete all material. By the conclusion of the course, you will be confident in using your camera's Manual Mode and will possess a strong, practical understanding of the essential photography techniques that form the basis of good image-making throughout your photographic journey.
