Photography 101

So...after a few failed attempts to get into a Photography Class, I managed my first class last week. Henry's School of Imaging has offered different classes and twice before I was all signed up and ready to go and the class was cancelled due to lack of interest. Anyway, when I called to check on this class to make sure it was a "go ahead" and I explained what had happened the last few times, I was told that this won't happen in the future. Even if one person is signed up for the class, it will go on. Good to know.

Anyway, there are 12 people in this class and it is called Photo 101 and is a 6 week course. The teacher is Mike Bayer who is a photographer/teacher and the classes are very laid back. We were all given the teacher's business card at the beginning of our class and he said we could email or call any time we like. He is willing to share everything he has learned as a photographer. Wonderful!!!

Our first class we went around the room and each person said why they were taking the course. Most everyone said they are tired of leaving their camera on "auto" all the time. I don't leave mine on auto a lot but I do know there are a lot of settings that I don't use much. Hopefully this class will help with that.

I am glad our teacher clarified one thing. A fellow student told the teacher that his wife is obsessed with getting the perfect shot, no editing required. I do not know a photographer that does zero editing. It isn't like I know a lot of photographers, but I know a few and it just isn't possible to get everything perfect. The teacher said it was about 30 percent the shot and the rest would be what comes afterwards. I wouldn't have guessed 30. I was going to say about 50/50 but I am not a professional photographer. Anyway, it is good to know. Some photos don't require a lot of editing but I would think most would need to be a tad sharper or some of the colour a little more vibrant etc. Anyway, this class isn't about editing, it is about knowing how to use the camera.

This class is more like someone handed you a new camera in a box and the teacher is guiding you on how to use it. My second class is tonight. Homework completed.

First Assignment: create a flickr account (for those of you wondering what this is, it is an online photo sharing site). We were to take 3 photos of the exact same thing, no flash, and experiment with the Exposure Compensation. Anyway, you take one photo overexposed, one underexposed and one regular. Post the good and the bad.

We were also given some useful links:
http://wvs.topleftpixel.com
http://www.dpreview.com
http://www.flickr.com
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in_pictures/
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/
http://www.photolife.com
http://www.aperture.org

I should also explain what Exposure Compensation means. It is basically a way to make adjustments to the brightness of a photograph as you are taking it. With the camera set in Program Mode (P) you can hit the +/- button (hitting the + button will make your picture overexposed and hitting the - button will make it underexposed). You always have to remember to go back and set it to 0 or the camera will stay what you had it on last, even if you turn the camera off and back on again.

Anyway, second class is tonight. Looking forward to it.