Basics of Digital Photography

Class Preview

Start taking better photos today with essential DSLR techniques!

Get to Know Your Camera

Meet your instructor, Rick Allred, as he guides you through the features, settings and menus of digital SLRs. Learn when and how to adjust settings such as white balance, metering modes, exposure compensation and focus modes. Start taking control of the many options available on your DSLR.

Light & Exposure

Rick demystifies the exposure triangle by detailing the relationships among shutter speed, aperture and ISO and demonstrating how to adjust your camera settings accordingly. Discover the impact you can make with soft lighting, shadows and directional light from the front, side and back. Rick also will show you a handy tip for avoiding lens flare in this lighting primer.

Shutter Speed

Become a master at capturing motion as Rick demonstrates how adjusting the shutter speed allows you to freeze action and create artistic blurs with panning. You also will learn useful tips for avoiding camera shake as Rick shares his suggested shutter speeds for different types of movement. Start taking control of your images!

Aperture

Explore the relationship between aperture and depth of field and discover how changing the aperture affects how much of your photo is in focus. Learn how to change the aperture depending on the lighting, such as harsh light and shade. Discover what an f-stop is and how it affects your image’s exposure.

ISO

Adjusting your camera’s ISO setting is helpful when you need to increase its sensitivity to light, especially when shooting in low light. See how increasing the ISO changes your photo and can create a mood as Rick discusses the pros and cons of adjusting this setting on your camera.

Shooting Modes

Take the final step toward getting off auto and discover how different shooting modes can give you a proper exposure. Learn how to use your camera’s light meter and when and how to override it for even more control.

Lenses

Your choice of lens will determine how much of a story you can tell. Rick demonstrates how different lenses and focal lengths affect your background. Understand how wide-angle, prime, zoom, and telephoto lenses can change the depth of your images, and make colors pop by adding a polarizing filter.

Composition & Creativity

Mastering the settings on your camera is the first step to taking amazing photos; an understanding of the basic rules of composition is the next. Rick helps you develop your creative eye and gives you assignments to improve your shooting.

Putting It All Together

A lot is covered in this class! Rick helps you put the pieces together by walking you through his process of making great photos: seeing the light, framing the shot and adjusting the camera settings. Finally, he’ll offer tips for media management, reformatting your memory card and editing your shots.