Digital Photography: What? How? Why?

Being Thursday it would normally be guest blogger day on Photo-Africa but today is slightly different.

This has been a long time coming and is part of a much larger picture which is slowly but surely coming in to focus.  Exciting, all be it very busy, times.  ’Regular programming’ will continue from tomorrow and next Thursday will see another great guest blogger taking the stage at Photo-Africa but for now please indulge me as I share some exciting news.

I am very pleased to present ‘Digital Photography – What?  How?  Why?’, the first in a series of fun and interactive photography workshops that will help you to not only understand the basics of digital photography but also explore the creative side of the craft.

Aimed at beginner and intermediate photographers and users of both compact and DSLR cameras, this full day workshop will help you to dramatically improve your images in one day.  The workshop has been designed around the most common questions people ask about digital photography.  What is aperture?  How can I improve my images?  Why is the rule of thirds important?   Why not?   What do I do once my image is in on my computer?

Through a combination of theory, practical exercises and visual presentations we will work through the technical, artistic and post processing elements of digital photography.

By the end of the day you will understand the basic technical terms and how aspects like shutter speed, aperture and ISO can easily be used to create memorable images.  Along with this we will share tips, ideas and various other creative principles and approaches to photography which will assist you in creating better images, with more visual impact, whether you are shooting people, wildlife, landscapes or just snapping away on holiday.

Digital photography should be fun and the goal of this workshop is to simplify all the terms and technical ‘stuff’ so that you can focus on taking better pictures!

During the workshops we will work through the following and more:

The Technical ‘Stuff’

• What is aperture / shutter speed / ISO?
• What is exposure?
• What is metering?
• What is a histogram?

The Artistic ‘Stuff’

• Light and how to use it
• Composition and Creative Cropping
• Lines and Shapes
• Color
• Negative space
• Seeing images

Processing Your Images in Lightroom

• What is Lightroom?
• The basics if post processing
• What does this slider do?
• Special Adjustments
• Live walkthrough

In between all the above theory we will work though various practical exercises, group discussions, photo recipes and a live walkthrough of the complete picture taking and post processing process with the goal always being to simplify all the various technical terms and principles and make them practical for you to use when you head out with your camera.

The Inanda Country Club lends itself perfectly to the practical exercises in the workshop and the lush landscapes and surroundings offers participants many opportunities to practice and try various photographic techniques.

Included

• Full day digital photography workshop
• Comprehensive printed lecture notes
• CD with notes and other useful resources
• Tea, coffee and pastries on arrival
• Tea, coffee during mid morning break
• Lunch
• Tea, coffee and biscuits during mid afternoon break

Cost

R 900

To Bring

• DLSR  Camera (preferred) or Digital Compact Camera with full manual control
• Laptop (Not necessary but helpful if you want to follow along with the post processing walkthrough)

Venue

Inanda Country Club, 1 Forrest Road, Inanda, Sandton

Date

Saturday 22 May 2010

Duration

09h00 to 16h00

Bookings or Questions

To request a booking form or for any questions please do not hesitate to email me or simply fill in the below contact form and I will get back to you.

At this stage the first workshop will take place on Saturday 22 May but depending on demand, the possibility exists that another workshop will be scheduled for Saturday 15 May.

Also note that the workshop can be arranged as a private event which is then tailored to your specific needs, something that works very well for a group of friends, small company team building or activity to offer guests at your lodge or hotel so please don’t hesitate to contact me for further info.

Later this year we will also be taking this workshop on the road to various cities and towns around South Africa so make sure to keep an eye on the  workshops and photographic safaris website, which will be launched in the next few weeks, for further details.

I look forward to welcoming you to one of our workshops!

Gerry