Workshop 101—Digital Photography for Novices/Intermediate: $79

No classes are scheduled at this time. Please inquire about a private lesson.

So you got a digital camera. Now what???

You opened the box, and there is the thick, ominous manual! You feel so confused you may as well have read the Japanese section. I think I know what you really want to know, and that is how to start taking some great photos!

I’ll go through the important parts of the menus. We’ll talk about JPEG and raw files…what they are and when to shoot them. File size is important. (Will you be printing your photos or just posting them on the web?) White balance, color space, focus, exposure modes, and much, much more will be explained so you can understand it.

I will also show you some shooting techniques. Many people that have been shooting a long time still don’t know the best way to hold a camera for a steady shot. I’ll show you and explain the differences when I show you the Most Common Mistakes beginners make! We’ll discuss composition, focal length, focusing, ISO, and shutter speeds, and ƒStops will no longer confuse you! And, of course, the flash!! I’ll demonstrate why some of your photos are too bright and others too dark.

Requirements: This photography workshop is geared towards students with a DSLR capable of complete manual control that will accept interchangeable lenses. But if you have a “point-and-shoot” and are beyond the Newbies level, you will be fine with this class. Some typical camera models:

Nikon: Any of the D3000, D5000, D7000 series or above, including all full frame cameras.
Canon: Any of the EOS cameras, Rebel, 7D, full frame (5D/6D/7D) series, etc.

This class is open to anyone with any brand of any camera with a desire to learn how to take better photos! 

Hardware: Usually about half the students shoot Nikon and the others Canon. I’m a Nikon shooter, but my classes are not brand specific.

Please bring your hot-shoe flash if you have one.

Software: In all my classes you get to see my workflow and watch as images are imported, projected, and refined. I use the latest versions of Photoshop, Lightroom, The Bridge, Camera Raw, and other software. I’ll compare JPEG to raw and compare their features.

I guarantee you’ll learn a lot and be ready to deliver better images!

Please bring your camera, lenses, flash, manual, and pen and paper.