Go beyond ‘Point and Shoot’ to capture photographs that are memorable and pleasing. Use your digital SLR or advanced digital camera out of the Auto setting to cultivate an awareness of the photographs you take. The sessions will help you capture the image in your mind rather than relying on luck. There are plenty of opportunities to critique each other’s work in a supportive environment. To learn from each other and have a load of fun as well.

Each lesson is divided into two sections a class and a mini workshop. Lasting about an hour each these introduce and practice a fundamental aspect of modern digital photography. There is a concentration of the practical side of getting better shots of family, friends, holidays and those special events that deserve vivid memories.

The topics: “People”, “Places”, “Events” and “Action” overlap and guide the classes. They introduce specific concepts that are merged with previous knowledge. The course is a very brief introduction to these areas, a glimpse of the possibilities and, of course, better photographs.

In this class students generally have their photos taken by the other students and/or the tutor. If this is an issue, please let the tutor know. Images from the class should be treated as private.

Course Outline:

Every week a main topic will be used to guide the class:

• People: Portraits, family and groups.
• Events: Parties, occasions and get togethers.
• Places: Travel and locations.
• Action: Sports and active/moving subjects.

Learning Outcomes:

• Creating better photographs through awareness and practice.
• Increased awareness of the attributes of a good photograph.
• Simple techniques to improve the photographic experience for yourself and others.

What to bring:

• A camera with at least some non-auto modes and a charged battery.
• An empty memory card, if possible.
• The camera’s manual either printed or as a PDF in your phone (etc), if possible.

About the Tutor:

'Paul is an amateur photographer with adult teaching experience that is happy to explain and present the fundamentals of his hobby to anyone willing to learn. Following a typical path he became interested in Photography in his late teens and early 20’s. There he learned monochrome shooting and printing techniques. Then with the advent of popular colour photography, marriage, children and mortgages interest fell back to documenting family life.

With the maturing of Digital Photography, now adult children and a holiday in New Zealand in 2007, the magic returned. He has been learning and developing his skills ever since. This combined with a lifelong career in Computing and Information Technology make Digital Photography an ideal outlet for relaxation and creativity.

Paul is still learning and enjoys the wonder of developing a photographer’s view of the world.'

Other Information:

• To ensure resources are ready for you at the start of your course, we ask you ideally enrol at least one week before the course commences.
• All courses need a minimum number of students to run ("we try our hardest to get those") . If your course does not have enough students it will be cancelled prior to the commencement and you will be informed.