PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BEGINNERS

Portmarnock Community School Adult Education Programme:

Photography DSLR Course (For Digital Single-lens reflex Cameras)

This course will be suitable for both beginners and those with some experiences of DSLR photography but who wish to improve their understanding of their camera’s abilities. If you have a DSLR camera but generally stick to the automatic modes when taking pictures then this course is ideal for you. While your camera’s automatic modes are the least complicated way of taking pictures, they greatly limit control, and ultimately the camera’s creative potential. This course will help you to master aperture, and shutter speed; the two key considerations in digital photography and a lot more besides. Technique and composition will be explained in an easy to understand manner, and you will have the opportunity to try out your new skills with various exercises. Once you have mastered your DSLR camera we will then take a look at how to edit photographs using Adobe Photoshop. All you’ll need is an entry-level DSLR camera with an 18-55mm kit lens (Recommend Canon or Nikon), and a tripod.

Depending on student interest, near the end of the course we hope to introduce photo editing using Adobe Photoshop or other editing software, as required by the class. For this you will need a Laptop (Mac or Pc) Adobe Photoshop CS5 or later (options for obtaining this software will be explained) and you will need to have basic computer literacy. However the Photoshop element of the course may be reduced as per students preferences.

• Week 1: Introduction. Overview of Camera Controls. Key Concepts. Introduction to Aperture – Depth of Field.
• Week 2: Aperture continued Shutter Speed – Capturing motion Photographic Techniques. ISO.
• Week 3: Composition. Shutter Speed continued. Photographic Techniques continued. Essential functions and Settings. Project 1 issued.
• Week 4: Lenses and Filters. Equipment: Filters, Tripods etc. Photographic Techniques continued.
• Week 5: Lighting. Flash photography. Presentation of Project 1. Project 2 issued. Week 6: Portrait photography. Night Photography. Photographic Techniques continued.
• Week 7: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop. Editing of photographs. Adobe Camera Raw/Lightroom techniques.
• Week 8: Presentation of Project 2. Summary of techniques learned. Final Questions.

Next Course TBC- awaiting tutor- to be confirmed         10 weeks      €110         7:30 – 9:30pm

Tutor: TBC