Photography Foundations Course

During the past decade photography has become one of the most popular means of expressing oneself creatively. Most people now have a camera embedded in their smart phones or own a digital camera for more elaborate photography. However, even though photography has become more accessible, the rules of composition, light and focus have stayed the same.

In order to become a better photographer it is essential to understand these fundamental concepts of photography and know how to apply them.

At Fame Lights Academy we run a monthly course with three sessions of three hours each that help the participants get a good grasp of what it takes to create attractive images. The sessions are conducted in a way that allows for many hours of hands-on practice along with easy to understand instructions from the trainer.

The focus is on getting familiar with a digital camera and becoming more confident in using its features and settings while having fun.

Session 1: Introduction to exposure

In our first class we look at how our camera works, what features and settings we can play with and how we can use them in a way that makes sense. The session covers the most important elements of exposure with explanations and discussions on how aperture works, how shutter speed can change the look of your image and how to use ISO.

We also cover metering light through the lens and how the different metering modes can affect an image.

The session includes ample time for practicing the newly learned skills and gives participants the opportunity to work with each other and share ideas.

Session 2: The importance of focus

In session 2 we focus on focus. Other than having your image correctly exposed as we learned in our first session, it is essential to guide the viewer’s eye to where you want them to look. The element of focus gives a photographer control over how others perceive an image.

We look at how to master focus using the different focus modes of your camera and how to use focus in combination with aperture and shutter speed.

During this session we will spend most of the time practicing what we learned in the first session along with our newly learned kills of the second session.

Session 3: The rules of composition and when to break them

Composition is the third element of a great image. We look at several ways to make your images more compelling through the use of composition and perspective and make sure you get lots of hands-on practice. In the second part of the session we give participants special assignments to test everyone’s skills and see where extra attention is needed to further help in developing technique and creativity.

This class series runs over 3 consecutive sessions, at the same time every week.