Photography Training

Are you someone who has invested in their first "proper camera", perhaps a DSLR or mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (MILC), only to have it gathering dust because its all too complicated? Or are you relying on the Auto mode to set everything for you? If you don't know 'your aperture from your elbow' you are not alone and help is on hand.

Whether you want to photograph landscapes, flowers, people, pets or whatever else this training will help. You will be guided on the fundamental camera controls such as shutter speed, aperture and ISO, so that you can progress from Auto and start taking control. An emphasis will be placed on practical exercises to build confidence in using the camera.

Prerequisites

None, no technical knowledge required, everything will be explained.

Delegates should bring

• A digital camera for exercises, so that images can be taken and reviewed.
          DSLR or mirrorless, either is good or could even be a smartphone if it has a manual control option.
• Charged camera battery, memory cards and your favourite lens.
• Camera manual, if you have it.
• Notepad & pen in case you want to make a few notes.

Booking

When booking Four Oaks Bed & Breakfast this course can be included as an extra. The course fee is £95 per person and includes refreshments.

Are you perhaps looking to use off-camera flash, understand dynamic range and get to grips with neutral density filters, use a hand-held light meter or better understand a histogram?

Prerequisites

Assumes a sound working knowledge of basic photographic practice.

Booking

Please get in touch to discuss your needs (please see contact page) to arrive at a programme of truly bespoke and tailored training.

This course is similar to the Studio Lighting Fundamentals course in that it aims to introduce flash lighting, giving you a basic set of skills and techniques to setup simple one and two light configurations for portrait and fashion shooting. It covers how to use small portable hotshoe type flashguns (often termed Speedlites or Speedlights) in off camera configurations and with more than one light.

Topics

• Basic flashgun setup and controls.
• A simple on-camera single light setup, direct and bounce.
• Flash exposure and sync speed limitations, first and second curtain sync.
• Moving the light off camera, light stands and alternatives.
• Sync options; cable, optical slave and radio triggering.
• Use of a flash meter.
• A simple single light OCF setup, direct.
• Custom white balance control.
• Basic light modifiers - bounce and shoot through brollies, soft box, grids.
• Balancing flash and ambient exposures, the role of high speed sync.
• Effects of changing the light distance, intro to inverse square law.
• Adding a second light for a more complex setup, intro to fill and lighting ratios.

Prerequisites

Specific experience of using flash is not necessary but this will include a hands-on element so delegates should be confident to operate their camera's primary controls for exposure, focus and white balance.

Delegates should bring

• A digital camera (so that images can be taken and reviewed), DSLR or mirrorless, with option for manual control over exposure. The camera should have a hotshoe and/or PC flash terminal to allow sync with external flash units.
• Hotshoe flashgun(s), simple non-TTL or with manual mode is ideal but dedicated TTL units can also be used.
• Lens. Medium to semi-telephoto focal lengths (e.g. 50mm to 100mm) are suggested, ideally as prime lenses but zooms ok.
• Camera & flash batteries and memory cards as required.

Booking

This course can be run as a one-to-one or for a small group, please get in touch to discuss locations/dates/prices.