Basic Photography

Background

The beginner’s course offers a thorough grounding to enable the student to understand how the camera works and how photography may be used for a number of different purposes, i.e. conceptually and practically. This course will include the development of visual literacy, an introduction to photographic language and terminology, camera anatomy and techniques e.g. I.S.O., aperture, shutter speed. Students will be given exercises and encouraged to build creative projects. The students will be introduced to the main genres of photography. A test will be written at the end of the course.  

A class critique of student assignments will start most class sessions and students who are late may miss part of this crucial component.

A question and answer session will be held at the end of every class.

Students need to remember to bring their assignment images to class every week.

You will need:

Your own digital camera (secondhand cameras acceptable) with which you are able to adjust:

Focus

Aperture

Shutter speed

I.S.O.

White balance

Your camera must also have a working internal light meter.

You will receive:

Photocopied course notes.

Note : While it is assumed that most students will have digital slr cameras, those with 35mm film cameras will not learn any less ( with the exception of white balance and the class session on camera menu settings ) as the course concerns itself with fundamental photographic principles that transcend whatever photographic format is used.

COURSE OUTLINE – Basic PHOTOGRAPHY

Session 1: 

Bring Camera, batteries and memory card. Etc

- Introduction and discussion of what students require and/or expect.

- Exposure, light metering + basic camera operation.

- Manual exposure on their camera, Aperture and Shutter priority

- Depth of field, movement, freezing, blurring

Making vs taking photos : the elements of a well-made photo.

Slide show of images

Session 2:  

- Lenses, ISO, Metering continued

- JPG and other shooting formats

- How to download + Image resizing.

- Shutter speed : Freezing motion, blurring, shooting in low light. Bulb,

- More on exposure. Hard to meter scenes

Assignment : Aperture and SHUTTER SPEED  exercise.

Session 3:  

Dependent on how many students and how many images we look at we will try to cover some: -Visual communication + visual literacy, how we read images and can use them to speak. Composition, angle of view, context, back + foreground, line, angle, texture, shape, balance, contrast, and other things to bring attention to subject.

Slide show of images

• White balance etc

Session 4: 

 Crit of any outstanding or extra work done

- Visual communication,and composition continued

- Slide show of images

- Visual literacy continued, reading images

- Flash photography and bulb mode.

- Discuss light

Assignment: Light/pattern,texture  project

Session 5:   

- Menus : Now that the students are familiar with the camera we can start looking at the menu system in more detail. White balance etc

- Visual literacy continued.

- Discuss Portraiture, reflections, silouettes

- Slide show

Assignment : Shoot with different white

balance

Session 6: 

Overview of Genre photography, it’s various elements and requirements ( sport, wedding, fashion, documentary, art, reportage, commercial/advertising ). Unfortunately, as this course covers only the basics of photography, we cannot cover genres in greater detail but there should be enough time to cover the most common photographic genres briefly.

Assignment: New project: faces, reflections etc…or one of class choosing

Session 7: 

Overview of course : touch on every topic mentioned ( summary ) and how to build on what has been learned.

Session 8:  

Test

Students will have their final results emailed to them after results from the practical assessment have been combined with their theory test results.