THE BASICS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

take control of your camera to bring forth your vision with confidence

with Celina Bailey

NEXT SESSION: 1/27/25 to 3/2/25

(with the week of 2/17 off to work on assignment)

REGISTER HERE ON JANUARY 7TH AT NOON EST

Class Overview:

Learning the fundamentals of photography will not only help you to take photos that you’ve always envisioned but to do it confidently. Understanding how your camera works will allow you to consistently take perfectly exposed photos in any situation and allow for more creativity in your work. To do so, you need to learn how to shoot in manual mode and take informed decisions on ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Knowing what focus mode to use and how to meter in-camera to take well-exposed images, are just a few of the things you need to learn to take full control. Understanding light and how it’s color (white balance) affects the end results are key principles of photography. The technical part of photography allows for more creative control and consistent results that match your vision. When the science meets the arts is when the magic happens, let me help you do that!

What you will learn:

  • Knowing your camera and its limitations

  • The difference between a crop sensor and full frame

  • Shooting jpeg vs raw

  • Understanding the different focus modes 

  • Understand the different camera modes

  • Introduction to Exposure

  • Understanding ISO

  • Understanding Shutter Speed and how it affects motion

  • Understanding Aperture 

  • Learn to meter in-camera

  • Understand The Exposure triangle and go fully manual

  • Tools to help you get the right exposure 

  • Learn how to read a histogram

  • Learn to meter with the zone system to get the right exposure every time

  • Learn to use the concept of stops

  • Learn to recognize different types of light and how to meter/shoot for

  • Learn how the color of the light (white balance affects your photos)

  • Knowing the difference between different lenses and what type of photography they are good for

  • Learn about different types of photography

  • Basic editing tools to help you enhance your digital images 

Class Mechanics:

This four-week online interactive workshop will include:

  • daily interaction from me answering any questions you might have about the materials presented

  • a weekly video Zoom meeting to supplement each of the lessons

  • weekly assignments due each week with individual feedback from me on each assignment via screen capture video for full participating students only

  • weekly bonus exercises to help reinforce the lessons (detailed feedback will not be given on bonus assignments)

  • a video where I walk you through an edit of an image to show some very basic editing tools and how to save your images for the web and for print- this is not an editing class.

  • alumni students will be allowed to submit assignments in a group thread for brief group feedback from me, as well as ask questions and participate in group discussions.

  • silent students can submit one question for me to answer during the Zoom

  • a recording of the live Zoom will be presented for the silent students and the active and alumni students who could not attend the live meeting

Student Reviews:

“Hands down this was the best photography course, virtual or in person, I’ve ever experienced and the best value. The daily instruction plus recommended exercises to immediately put those principles into practice is a winning combination. Celina provided answers and feedback along the way thru the discussion threads and offered live group meetings as another way to connect, discuss and learn. Also, the assignments with video feedback were invaluable for reinforcing what was learned or course correcting when things weren’t quite right and pushed me creatively to go further. Celina has poured her heart and soul into the course and it shows! And it was fun interacting with and learning from other students as well. Most importantly, the course has transformed my photography, and I’m confident about how to shoot to get the results I want.”

-Coco

“I have a passion for photography and have been taking pictures for some time now, always self-taught and always exhausting the thousand questions that come behind the technical part of photography. I had been wanting, for the longest time, to take a course which showed me the basics of photography to fully understand what I am doing, taking away that guessing game to achieve what I am seeing and know that what i am doing is correct without having that eternal doubt. I never found any course that spoke to me until I stumbled across Celina’s.
Not only was it exactly what I was looking for but better than I could have imagined thanks to the true care Celina has put in to preparing this workshop and for her guidance and all her knowings. She is so inspiring, a fountain of knowledge and an open book that has so generously shared more than what she had prepared. Answering every question and clearing every doubt and from the heart. An inspiring month that went too quick and was full of AHA and WOW moments.
It has been a true privilege to have met Celina and shared this time learning from her. I am so going to miss her and her guidance.
Without doubt one of my best decisions ever. A true and wholehearted thank you Celina.”

-Monique

To read more past student reviews go HERE.

Prerequisites:

A DSLR or mirrorless camera - must be able to shoot in manual mode

Cost:

Active Seat $250 |  Silent Seat $200

To learn more about the different types of seats offered, go to our FAQ section.

Dates of Next Class:

1/27/25 to 3/2/25 (with the week of 2/17 off to work on assignment)

Questions:

Please message me with any questions

REGISTER HERE ON JANUARY 7TH AT NOON EST