Beginners - Your input please - A 1/2 day course on what?

richpips

richpips

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Rich
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I've joined an artists co-operative, and one of the things I need to contribute, is two 1/2 day courses on some aspect(s) of photography.

The courses would be aimed at the beginner with a DSLR.

My thoughts, for the first, would be the relationship between depth of field,shutter speed an iso.

The second on the considerations in composing a good picture.

Any other, or better ideas.

Ta Rich
 
I'd suggest you largely ignore ISO on a half day course (maybe explain it at the end of the morning but get everyone to set their cameras to a common value) and concentrate on how to hold the camera properly, and then on using aperture / shutter speed priorities in conjunction with dof & shutter speed. Show lots of examples.

Composition for the second course sounds good.

If you need some students let me know, I reckon my wife and a few friends would be interested.
 
Hi Richard
I agree with you, on the first one, Exposure, Aperture and ISO, and the relationship between the 3. Should keep you and your audience occupied for a while.
Second could consist maybe practical and theoretical on/off flash work.

Best of luck running these course
 
You may want to include something about picture aspect ratios. Judging by the number of questions on this forum from people asking if it's possible to make a 10x8 print without cropping, there are a lot of people out there who don't understand aspect ratios and what it means when it comes to making prints.
 
some good ideas there so far,

I assume complete beginneers, why not explain the difference between P&S, Bridge and SLR's particularly what you see is what you get with SLR....... versatility of SLR compared to others...

Also, how to take pictures without using the "Green Box" Setting on the dial.
 
Yep, right back to basics. Most people will know compacts, P&S. So personally I'd start with that. Compact, bridge DSLR and the differences. How a DSLR works (I'm thinking big picture so they can see the light path through it) No point in talking about sensors and ISO if they don't know where it is or what it does ;)

Then the basis of exposure.

Then composition and colour.

I'd also throw in a little bit about images that have changed the world and how images influence all of us both in terms of art, politics and advertising. (thinking of your audience here) Perhaps a good way to introduce photography to them?

I'd also be tempted to show the different genres and explain some of the strenghts of them artistically and technically. There is landscape, portrait, macro, sports, photojournalism, nature, well, all of the forums here actually.

Also on other consideration out my fuzzy head this morning, images and the use of them, we are surrounded by them every single day, sides of buses, billboards, magazines, internet. Where do they all come from, who produces them and for what purpose, are they shot as aspirational selling tools? Are they shot to put us off drinking to excess? What's the message and how does photography fit with that as a communication tool.

Bit deep perhaps but very much depends on your audience.

Hope that gives some food for though. :)
 
Hi Rich,

As a beginner DSLR owner it would be great for a course that looks at how to take 'better' pics using the different creative buttons on the cam. I think the best starting point for me would be from the camera itself and it would be PRACTICAL. So, a section on what happens when you use AV; another when you use TV; another to use A-DEP. With only 1/2 a day intro I wouldn't expect to cover too much. Theory and practice of composition can come in as you explain each of these.

You could then use some iconic images to illustrate the sort of images the 'greats' get when these are used correctly (as per AliB's different genres and strengths). Also some images to show common mistakes and how to correct them. For example - an attempt at DOF that hasn't worked and the best settings to correct this.

For the 2nd workshop, the next logical step for me would be on post processing. So the basics of getting the image from the camera to a usable print or saved image. Intro into the basic fixes and correcting things to improve the image. E.G. the difference between doing a 'quick fix' and doing your own contrast/highlights changes. Again, lots of before and after images that show what things should look like. The theory is all well and good - but we can all read that. What is hard is when someone says - do X until it "looks right", when we don't really have a clue what "looks right" really means.

You don't say if the group will be the same on both 1/2 days - if it is then the images taken on the first day can be used as the examples for processing during the second workshop. Or, give them a homework assignment - and work on those images. If they don't have their own then take a few along that they can work on. Only difficulty will be having the PCs available to work on - but even with 2 - 3 laptops you can get quite a few people working on at least one image between small groups.

So, by the end of the 2 workshops I would be able to use my camera better and get a 'good' image from it ... I'd be a very happy bunny.

Good luck with the workshops.
 
The courses will be aimed at camera users with manual control eg, DSLR / bridge cameras.

The will be an emphasis on using AV TV and or Manual. These all give the photographer "control".

The more I think about it. The more I see scope to do a number of courses / workshops on various aspects. I'd rather do lots of differenet courses, rather than try and cram too much in to too little time.

There will be the inevitable me standing up and saying what's what, accompanied by examples. But importantly, there will be a practical part in each session so that peeps can put into practice what has been talked about.

The genre aspect is interesting, but I'm guessing that aspiring photographers will have a genre in mind, so I'll aim to make content as applicable to sports, portrait, landscape as possible.

Post processing would be a great area for a number of courses in it's own right.
 
Depends what you refer to as a beginner. I suppose I'm not your typical beginner, I tend to be
1. A bit of an addictive personality
2. Hungry for information.

So, for me DoF, aperture, shutter speed and ISO were knocked off the theory board before I even got hold of the camera. I just picked up a book (understanding exposure) and learned how it works, then went shooting everything in sight for two days to understand the relationships in practice rather than theory.

I've had my camera now for, err (*checks the date), about 6 weeks so I am 100% a beginner and I'd say that a course for me would focus on shot composition. I can generally tell if there is a good image in the scene, but I don't trust myself to identify where it is exactly so I end up taking 5 or 6 versions of the same shot, either including or excluding certain elements, ie. zoom in a bit, put a tree left instead of right. A few pointers on how to size up the scene would be extremely handy.
 
Squawk said:
Depends what you refer to as a beginner. I suppose I'm not your typical beginner, I tend to be
1. A bit of an addictive personality
2. Hungry for information.

So, for me DoF, aperture, shutter speed and ISO were knocked off the theory board before I even got hold of the camera. I just picked up a book (understanding exposure) and learned how it works, then went shooting everything in sight for two days to understand the relationships in practice rather than theory.

I've had my camera now for, err (*checks the date), about 6 weeks so I am 100% a beginner and I'd say that a course for me would focus on shot composition. I can generally tell if there is a good image in the scene, but I don't trust myself to identify where it is exactly so I end up taking 5 or 6 versions of the same shot, either including or excluding certain elements, ie. zoom in a bit, put a tree left instead of right. A few pointers on how to size up the scene would be extremely handy.
Click to expand...

Well as you say "beginner" is different things to different people.

People could obviously choose which courses suited them.

Composition as you say would be interesting. There is no right or wrong, but there are many things to be taking into consideration when composing a picture.
 
richpips said:
Well as you say "beginner" is different things to different people.

People could obviously choose which courses suited them.

Composition as you say would be interesting. There is no right or wrong, but there are many things to be taking into consideration when composing a picture.
Click to expand...

Exactly, a list of the basics or pointers in the right direction would be hugely beneficial to your average beginner. Then again as a beginner maybe I don't know whats good for me.

Tell you what, the images in my redbubble (linked to in signature) are what I consider to be my best. Bearing in mind that I've had the camera for 6 weeks that might actually be a good starting point around which to plan a lesson. Look at them, figure out what you would improve and thats the bare bones of a lesson plan for an enthusiastic beginner.

As ever dunning-kruger applies. The beginner can't know what they need, the only way to figure it out would be for the experienced tog to view the work of the typical beginner and find out what's lacking.

So, use me as a test subject.

##edit.
My Redbubble
 
richpips said:
I've joined an artists co-operative, and one of the things I need to contribute, is two 1/2 day courses on some aspect(s) of photography.

The courses would be aimed at the beginner with a DSLR.

My thoughts, for the first, would be the relationship between depth of field,shutter speed an iso.

The second on the considerations in composing a good picture.

Any other, or better ideas.

Ta Rich
Click to expand...

exposure relationships..you covered..add to this subjective metering..spot
composition ..you covered...emphasise the 'rules' are for initial guidance and when 'broken' make some interesting tensions

explain the worth of cropping and cloning...not all shots are made in the camera...( cropping can be done in the camera within limits) this is pp of course but i feel vital and in line with the days of darkroom printing bringing out the best in the negative..
 
mrcrow said:
exposure relationships..you covered..add to this subjective metering..spot
composition ..you covered...emphasise the 'rules' are for initial guidance and when 'broken' make some interesting tensions

explain the worth of cropping and cloning...not all shots are made in the camera...( cropping can be done in the camera within limits) this is pp of course but i feel vital and in line with the days of darkroom printing bringing out the best in the negative..
Click to expand...

PP of course has it's place, though I think the emphasis needs to be on getting as much right as possible in camera.
 
I am new to phtography too(6 weeks with DSLR) even my P&S was just that a P&S.
Read mags whilst waiting for the camera to arrive and slowly got my head around ISO shutter speeds etc etc, got the cam and thinking this would become alot clearer it dident, it went backwards it was harder than i thought it would be.

Now if i was going on a half day course I would not want MASSES of information as it would all get confusing.
So seeing as your only going to have around 4 hours, start right at the beggining explaining what everything does and why it does it, and what happens if you change x then Y etc etc.
The people on the course for begginers should be just that and not really know much about DSLR's so the basics would be fine.

The second half day would be good like said on basic compostion.

Keep it simple but informative.

I am still looking into courses for myself as all the practice in the world will never make you a good photographer if you donot know what you are doing wrong

Spike
 
SpikeK6 said:
I am new to phtography too(6 weeks with DSLR) even my P&S was just that a P&S.
Read mags whilst waiting for the camera to arrive and slowly got my head around ISO shutter speeds etc etc, got the cam and thinking this would become alot clearer it dident, it went backwards it was harder than i thought it would be.

Now if i was going on a half day course I would not want MASSES of information as it would all get confusing.
So seeing as your only going to have around 4 hours, start right at the beggining explaining what everything does and why it does it, and what happens if you change x then Y etc etc.
The people on the course for begginers should be just that and not really know much about DSLR's so the basics would be fine.

The second half day would be good like said on basic compostion.

Keep it simple but informative.

I am still looking into courses for myself as all the practice in the world will never make you a good photographer if you donot know what you are doing wrong

Spike
Click to expand...

So if I split the ISO/DOF/Speed into two parts. One theory and the other practical, so people can see for themselves there and then by application what it all means?
 
richpips said:
PP of course has it's place, though I think the emphasis needs to be on getting as much right as possible in camera.
Click to expand...

agreed..with an eye to improvement later...its really fundamental
 
Good for you in doing it..........

Can come up with lots of suggestions if you like from being on the receiving end of photography instruction!!!

Most important thing to me (and it's obvious you are thinking about this by this thread) but get a lesson plan prepared beforehand, and stick to it. Obviously discussion will wander from time to time, but if you start off on say Av - and someone starts harping on about Tv - bring it back to your plan and structure.

Last course I undertook really sufferered from a lackof direction / control / planning, and as such didn't get much out of it.
 
Lynton said:
Good for you in doing it..........

Can come up with lots of suggestions if you like from being on the receiving end of photography instruction!!!

Most important thing to me (and it's obvious you are thinking about this by this thread) but get a lesson plan prepared beforehand, and stick to it. Obviously discussion will wander from time to time, but if you start off on say Av - and someone starts harping on about Tv - bring it back to your plan and structure.

Last course I undertook really sufferered from a lackof direction / control / planning, and as such didn't get much out of it.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I've some experience in running unrelated courses, so I'll certainly have it all mapped out before. Nothing worse as you say turning up for a course that doesn't deliver what it supposedly claims to offer.
 
richpips said:
So if I split the ISO/DOF/Speed into two parts. One theory and the other practical, so people can see for themselves there and then by application what it all means?
Click to expand...

That sounds great.

Like said in previous posts, a begginer can be a complete noob right through to someone who has owned the camera for a while but wants to know how to use it properly, i.e taking it off auto.

They are thr 3 fundimental elements to taking a good picture so its where to start.

Spike
 
there are some great suggestions already but I'll add as well that aperture/shutter speed/iso is a good 1st course.

One of my friends got a p&s with manual controls and I was trying to explain her what aperture is, and how they are all related... :)
 
As an HND student with lots of extreme newbie in my class I suggest the following.

A session where the students have their cameras out and you walk them through each of the following; Program modes manual, white balance, iso, exp comp, & Flash comp. I really think this would be appreciated as through experience many newbies dont know this and are shy too ask.
 
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