About the event
Please note:
- This is a 2 part course running over 2 consecutive days from 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM both days.
- This course is exclusively for users of Sony Alpha camera
Join Sony Digital Imaging Advocate & Phocademy Instructor Craig Turnbull for an exclusive Sony only, beginners photography course.
This is where it all starts. Whether you just bought a new Sony Alpha camera or have been using yours for years - if you want to learn how to properly use it this course is for you. In our »Beginners Course: Learn To Shoot« photography workshop you will learn how to use the camera's aperture to control the sharpness and blurriness throughout the image. We'll explain what depth of field really is and how it lets you tell a story with your photo rather than just document what you see. With the right aperture setting you can add a creamy backdrop to a portrait shot and make a face pop right out of the image or you can add that extra bit of sharpness to a vast and majestic landscape shot.
If you are capturing movement like playing children or a waterfall you have to control the shutter speed to either freeze the movement or show motion blur. We use learning techniques that make this very simple to understand and memorise. Photography is really not rocket science but a couple of simple and easy to remember tweaks can make all the difference between a boring photo and an outstanding one. There are several guides for image composition that are worth knowing and you'll have a chance to give each one of them a go during the workshop.
The practical excecises are small individual or group assignments that are designed to help internalise the fundamental concepts of photography so that your newly acquired knowledge will sink in and outlast the workshop. We'll use aperture priority (called A mode) as well as shutter priority (called S mode) and you'll understand when to use which.
Due to the small group size of just 8 there is plenty of time to work closely with each participant and to cover all your questions.
Join us now to experience our signature workshop atmosphere that doesn't feel like a class room at all but will change the way you shoot forever!
Follow on courses, or courses for users of non Sony cameras are available for booking directly through Phocademy.
Techniques covered
- Control sharpness and depth of field - aperture priority AV / A mode
- Freeze action or show motion blur - shutter priority TV / S mode
- Get your shots in perfect focus - continuous autofocus and single-mode
- Correct exposure even in difficult scenes - exposure compensation tweaks
- Use image composition like a pro - rule of thirds and many more
- Modern learning techniques - help you memorise your new skills
- Lots of practical exercises - individual and group assignments
- Suitable for raw beginners - or anybody who wants to leave auto mode
- Helpful tips for setting up and customising your Sony Alpha Camera
What to bring
- Your camera with fully charged batteries and enough free space on your memory card
Event FAQs (For general FAQs, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page)
Will the workshop be cancelled due to bad weather forecasts? Unless there are severe weather warnings the workshop will take place as scheduled. Some of the most iconic images have been taken while it was raining and many times a dramatic sky is the perfect backdrop for a great image. Also, rain forecasts are often flawed and misleading and nobody can tell what the weather will be like at the exact time and place of the workshop. If there is a chance of rain you should pack a raincoat and maybe an umbrella. We will bring spare rain covers for your camera.
What's the maximum group size? This workshop has a maximum group size of just 8 students. That way your instructor can really take the time to explain everything you need to know to take your photography skills to the next level. And you have plenty of opportunities to ask all the questions that are relevant to you.
Do you use lot's of jargon speak? We believe in avoiding jargon speak wherever possible. But words like aperture and shutter speed describe essential concepts of photography that - when understood - make taking great photographs much easier. That's why we use them where necessary but we'll always make sure that you are 100% aware of their exact meaning. In all our workshops we go to great lengths to make you feel so comfortable that any questions you might have will quickly come up and be clarified without it ever feeling like a classroom.
Can I reschedule my workshop? Absolutely - if you give us 10 days notice before the date of your workshop you can reschedule your workshop free of charge. If you have to reschedule within 10 days of the date of the workshop there is a fee of 50% of the standard workshop fee to change your seat to another workshop date. This is because seats are very limited and usually every booking prevents somebody else from coming. If you just don't show up you cannot reschedule your workshop afterwards.
Can I cancel and get a refund? Absolutely - if you give us 10 days notice before the date of your workshop you can cancel your booking and get a full refund.
Other events you may like
See all
