An Introduction to Photography

Course Overview

This fun and practical course is designed for those new to photography and for those wishing to understand their camera and develop greater confidence in switching out of Auto mode.

This one-day course will help you to develop a good foundational knowledge of photography. It will provide you with a solid understanding of the effects that different camera settings can have on your images and allow you to start taking control of your camera.

Based from our Bristol Harbourside studio, we’ll give you plenty of time to gain hands on experience in order to help develop and refine your photography skills with Bristol’s historic harbour providing the perfect backdrop.

Course Content

Get to know your camera and initial camera set up

Take control of your camera. Understand and adjust camera settings including aperture, shutter speed and ISO and how changes to these settings affect the images you take

Learn to control the ‘depth of field’ to create images with blurred backgrounds or images with everything in focus

Capture movement within a scene. Learn how to freeze motion or include blur to suggest movement

Learn how to expose and focus your images correctly using the various exposure and focus modes on your camera

Learn simple composition techniques and rules in order to dramatically improve your photographs such as the rule of thirds, leading lines and filling the frame

How to choose photography equipment and lenses

Course Format

We start the day at our Bristol Harbourside studio located in the historic Underfall Yard. Here we’ll introduce you to the basic concepts of photography and introduce the initial camera settings needed to get you started.

We’ll then set off on a photo walk around the Harbourside putting all of the skills and techniques we’ve discussed into practice. There will be ample time to photograph the most interesting areas of the Floating Harbour with plenty of opportunities to discuss techniques and appropriate camera settings.

We will allow time to stop for a lunch break at one of the numerous Harbourside café’s where we can review and discuss any images taken during the morning.

After further time spent photographing, we will return to the studio in the afternoon where we can project any images taken onto a big screen in order to review and discuss them.

By the end of the day you will feel confident in controlling your camera and have improved your photographic knowledge, skills and techniques.

Previous Experience

No previous experience is necessary for the introduction to photography workshop. This course is suitable for everyone from complete beginners to those who own a digital camera but don’t have the confidence or experience to move from the automatic camera settings.

Where possible we can tailor the itinerary to suit each participant differing level of ability.

Equipment Requirements

All DSLR, mirrorless, compact or bridge cameras are suitable providing they allow full manual control of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Mobile phone cameras don’t generally allow much control over these settings so only parts of the course will be relevant.

Full day, usually 10:00 am to 3:30pm but will be confirmed upon booking.

Price

Introduction to Photography Workshop: £125.00 per person (based on a minimum group of 2)