Photograph of a bride and groom cutting a wedding cake

Photography Tuition

Based at Craig-y-Nos Country Park

Getting Out of Auto: Using a DSLR or Bridge Camera in Manual Exposure Mode

The main subject that I teach is "Getting Out of Auto: Using a DSLR or Bridge Camera in Manual Exposure Mode". This tuition is put on as a beginners, two-day, twelve-hour course, for small groups. I run these class-based courses at Craig-y-Nos Country Park regularly throughout the year, and they are normally on two consecutive Sundays, 9:30am - 4:30pm. The cost is just £40 per person for the whole, two-day course.

DATES FOR NEXT COURSE: Due to the Corona Virus Pandemic, there are currently no Getting Out of Auto course dates being arranged.

No previous knowledge of photography or camera operation required. The course is suitable for people who already own their own DSLR or Bridge camera, or are thinking about buying one (I do have two DSLR cameras that people could use on the course). Students will be taught, from scratch, how to use a DSLR or Bridge Camera in Manual Exposure mode, which allows for much more control and for greater creatively, than simply using the camera in an automatic mode. All printed course materials (some seventy-plus pages!), tea, coffee and biscuits are provided and included in the price. Students will however need to bring a packed lunch, or eat at the Changing Seasons Tea Rooms/Cafe at the park. Car parking for students is £3 per day (Pay and Display - cash or card).

NB. Some Bridge Cameras can be a little limiting when used in Manual Exposure Mode, so if you do own a Bridge Camera, and not actually a DSLR, then please contact me with the make and model and I will check to see if it's suitable for the course.

NB. Photography courses are open to anyone over 14, but 14-18 year olds must be accompanied at all times by an appropriate adult, who may participate fully in the course if they wish, and for free.

General Course Outline

  • Finding your way around the camera's controls and settings, understanding lenses, etc.;
  • Controlling Exposure (how bright or dark the photograph is), by manually adjusting the camera's Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO settings;
  • Creative Exposure - Freezing Motion: Avoiding blurry images and capturing fast-moving objects, by working with the camera's shutter speed;
  • Creative Exposure continued - Achieving soft, out-of-focus backgrounds for portraiture, and 'everything in focus' for landscapes, by controlling Depth Of Field, as well as focusing correctly;
  • Composition: Portrait vs. Landscape, the 'Rule Of Thirds', framing, foreground/mid-ground/background interest, lead-in lines, eye-level shooting, perspective, tilting the camera, etc.;
  • Creative Lighting: Basic principals of light - the Inverse Square Law and light 'fall off', "Big light Good/Small light Bad!", plus using small camera-mounted flash lights, etc.

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