Intermediate Photography: Shoot Manual on Brisbane's Streets

This class is for photographers who know the exposure triangle and want full control. We work in manual on the streets of Brisbane's CBD, rain or shine, with street photography exercises along the way, and fix the habits that hold your photos back. You'll come away shooting faster, sharper and with far more intent.

What you'll experience

• Manual mode, properly. Set up custom buttons so changing settings becomes second nature.
• Metering and the histogram. Metering modes, exposure compensation and protecting your highlights.
• Autofocus for moving subjects. Continuous focus and tracking on people and bikes, plus zone focusing for candid street shots.
• Creative control of light and motion. Depth of field, panning, slow shutter and finding a pool of light to wait in.

Who it's for

• You're happy in aperture or shutter priority
• You want consistent, sharp, well exposed results
• You've done the Beginners class, or you shoot regularly
• You have an interest in street or travel photography

Run sheet

1. 0:00 to 0:30: Manual mode and setting up custom buttons
2. 0:30 to 1:15: Metering modes, the histogram and exposure compensation
3. 1:15 to 2:00: Autofocus tracking, then a zone focus street exercise
4. 2:00 to 2:45: Depth of field and motion: panning a cyclist and blurring a crowd
5. 2:45 to 3:30: Light and composition: backlight, shadow and layering a scene
6. 3:30 to 4:00: Feedback on your best frames and a simple editing workflow

The run sheet is a general guide. Timings shift a little with the group, the light and the location.

Your host

Craig Turnbull is a Brisbane commercial, event and travel photographer who has been teaching workshops since 2017 and became a Sony Digital Imaging Advocate in 2018. His classes are practical: you spend the time out with your camera, not looking at slides. See his work.

"Craig's passion for street photography is truly inspiring. His insights, approachability, and hands-on guidance made the session invaluable." (Sachi W., past participant)

This class runs rain or shine, so dress for the weather. If conditions become unsafe, we'll reschedule and let all registered attendees know by email.

• Camera gear and lens selection
• Camera settings and customisation
• Capturing great images in high contrast scenes
• Street photography tips and tricks

• Your camera 
• A charged battery and a spare 
• An empty memory card 
• Your most-used lens (a prime is ideal) 
• Comfortable shoes, plus a rain jacket or hat for the weather, as we walk the city streets 
• Want to try a different focal length on the street? Sony Alpha bodies and G Master lenses can be borrowed for the class, subject to availability, with at least 7 days' notice.