Practical Photography with Tim Barto

Four sessions beginning with enough basics to provide a foundation for the fun stuff then sessions on intermediate & advanced techniques & equipment for specific types of photography including landscape, portrait, travel, still life, sports, theater/concerts, and macro photography. Finally, suggestions on what cameras, lenses, and accessories to buy used and new and where to buy them. Take as many or as few sessions as you like depending on skill & experience level.

Session 1 (of 4)
Introduction: Why take a photography course? Course overview, terminology (handout) & limits of the medium (why don’t my vacation pictures look like the ones in the brochure?) Then some basics: camera types, lenses (what do all those numbers mean?), what’s a sensor & what about those megapixels? Basic camera settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc.) & how they affect exposure & depth of field. Don’t be concerned, it’s logical, linear, & you only have to learn it once.
Assignment: Shoot some pictures. Whatever sparks your interest. Experiment with different settings.

Session 2 (of 4)
Review of photos from session 1 (no names so no pressure).
Basic composition & understanding light. A few more nuts & bolts (autofocus, white balance, color basics, flash, filters, & file types) so we can get to the creative stuff.
Assignment: Express yourself. Apply what you’ve learned about light & composition for these shots.

Session 3 (of 4)
Review of photos from session 2.
Questions on sessions 1 & 2 then more on COMPOSITION…..yes it’s that important. Techniques & kit (that’s equipment) for landscape, portrait, still life & sports, photography.
Assignment: Interpret subjects of specific interest.

Session 4 (of 4)
Review of photos from session 3.
Techniques & kit suggestions for travel, stage (theater), & macro photography. What to buy (used & new) & where to buy. Magazine & website suggestions. Overview of photo editing software. Recommendations for computers & monitors for photo editing (handouts).

Questions & review of topics as needed. Suggestions for future sessions.

Pre-register for sessions of your choosing online.