UKC

Hi

I am frequently approached by friends and acquaintances to 'help them learn' photography. So, recently, I decided to set up an informal course for a small group. I'm going to see how things go and then maybe offer it wider as a bit of a sideline.

I've racked my brains and have come up with the following topic areas to cover and a rough structure. The delegates will all be complete newbies who have just bought their first SLR and have not yet taken it off Auto.

Has anyone got any thoughts on the following or any other advice? I want to keep it nice and informal and use lots of different locations to meet and shoot (so, maybe cityscapes, landscapes, sports, night time etc). The topic areas are not necessarily going to be taught in this order.

A second part to my question is, how would you go about teaching exposure and DoF? I was thinking that what I might do, is quickly explain the exposure triangle of Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO and then get them to play with this in a shooting situation. So maybe set them all on Manual, at a fixed Aperture and ISO, then get them to change the shutter speed and notice what happens to the image. Then to do the same thing, but for A and ISO, with the other elements being constant.

Taking this to DoF, I was going to get them all to focus on the same point in a scene, to shoot on Aperture Priority (for ease) and to then change the aperture by a stop at a time - noticing the difference on DoF.

Any thoughts or tips on any of this appreciated!

Thanks lots,

Si

1: Basics and composition
How modern cameras work
Introduction to lenses (focal length, speed, angles etc)
Memory cards
Basic camera operations (focusing M v Auto, zooming)
Holding the camera
Composition + framing (rule of thirds, leading lines, perspective, clutter, subject selection etc)
Timing (shutter lag, critical moment etc)
Light (golden hour, shadows versus highlights)

2: Exposure & depth of field
How camera's interpret light (metering)
Camera presets (auto, A, S, M et al)
What is aperture
Shutter speed
Relationship between them both – controlling exposure
ISO & light sensitivity
White balance
Problems and basic solutions (low light, backlit, washed out sky, no detail in shadows etc)
Different ways of metering (spot, centre, matrix etc)

3: Depth of field
How depth of field works
Selective DoF
Using the DoF scale and preview modes
Relationship to focal length

4: More advanced stuff
In-camera flash
Shooting in bright light (fill)
Limitations of flash
Effects (eg rear curtain sync)

5: Filters & accessories
Skylight and UV
Polarising
Special effects and grads

6: Shooting in low light and a night
Tripods
Cable and remote releases
Bulb
Star-trails
Fireworks

7: More advanced camera adjustments
Exposure compensation
Flash compensation
Bracketing

8: Basic Photoshop
Or similar

In reply to zebedoo: I always pushed the 3 'F's when I was teaching photography
i.e. Framing, Focus, & 'F' stops
Then set up different senarios to get them to think how to best use the camera to get the best results.
Moving animals or young children teach about how to focus & frame the image quickly etc.
Running water for different shutter speeds
White on white to think about hard/soft lighting
Sports photography to get used to using a zoom lens & moving with the action
Birds & wildlife to get then used to working with a tripod & Tele lenses
As you go through such senarios you will gradually cover most of the areas you outlined above but at the same time motivating about the great scope of using a camera in a creative and more professional manner. Hope this helps.

In reply to zebedoo: I use the filling a bucket analogy.

exposure needs so much light - as a bucket need so much water.

exposure time = tap on time.
aperture = how much the tap is on
iso = size of bucket

DOF is a bit like(*) how calm the surface of the water is- tap on full means lots of turbulence = lots of out of focus, tap on a tiny bit means fairly smooth surface = everything in focus.


(*) OK not very much like at all.

In reply to another_mark: Or the other story is how DSLRs are actually houses for small artistic pixies.

exposure time is how long the window is open for, iso is how big the brush is and aperture is how fast the paint flows.

Fast paint flow means the pixie doesnt have time to get the detail on all the painting so he just gets the subject right and rolf harrises the rest.

In reply to zebedoo:

Technical things make no sense without application. In my view apart from making sure they know how to turn the camera on and how to download, almost everything (and everything to start with) should stem from taking images and critiquing then. So, someone takes a photo with a telegraph pole in an inappropriate place. It's a learning point. Ditto not enough or too much depth of field. Ditto subject plumb in the middle. And so on, and so on.

The one vital trick IMHO is to be able to distance oneself from one's photos so one can see through their emotional string to their technical flaws. Something that really helps is getting people to critique each others images - that is always easier than one's own.

In reply to zebedoo:
Get them to analyse some distinctive photos, and what they would have to do to take the same shot in the same way? A bit of re-enforcement of what they've learnt and maybe teaching them to pre-viz...?

In reply to all:

Great stuff, thanks for the tips.

@Sean: I like the concept of the 3 Fs. That was kind of what I was thinking of doing in each of the scenarios that I hoped to set up. So, getting them to visualise and image and then use the camera to produce it. Rather than expecting the camera to take amazing photos for them automatically. I really want to enforce the fact that it's a tool. The number of people who see a photo that they like and then say "you must have a really good camera".... cracks me up!

@anothermark: you really should talk to someone about what's going on in your head! No, seriously, good analogies. Thanks

@cats & jon: yes. agree. I've set up a Flikr group for this purpose. I think it's a really important part of things. We're also having some discussion about other 'famous' work and topical issues as they pop up. Cool.

Ta

In reply to zebedoo:

You'll be great at it (your friends obviously recognise that).

My only suggestion is don't overload them with information - you can't impart all your knowledge in a few sessions (don't fret if they don't absorb even 25% of what you talk about).

And remember Lightroom Rule number Five: "Enjoy".

(sorry, that was more than one suggestion!)

In reply to zebedoo:

I like the light approach to teaching photography by Bryan Peterson

http://www.youtube.com/user/ppsop2009


Check this:

youtube.com/watch?v=kEfL6t4MZfI&

Also, I really like way Peterson explains in his videos what is "Correct Exposure" and then extends this definition with idea of "Creatively Correct Exposure". I've found myself it as a useful habit.

youtube.com/watch?v=Q8NEa-ghHbo&

Good luck!