Photography - digital essentials Compact

This course teaches you all about operating your digital camera. Compact Digital Cameras are smaller than SLR’s and do NOT have inter-changeable lenses. They are limited in their choice of operating modes and functions/features. Usually designed to be carried around in pocket/handbag for convenience.

Entry Requirements

Basic computer knowledge for camera/computer connection and file downloading

Student Instructions

please bring your digital camera and your camera manual

Topics

This course teaches you all about your digital camera.
Week 1 Introduction to Camera and Functions

  • Batteries – charging and use
  • Memory cards – types, formatting
  • Holding your camera
  • Functions (symbols & buttons), presets and their operation
  • Menu Functions and selection

Week 2 Downloading to your computer and renaming files

  • USB cables and USB card readers/writers
  • File types -jpg, TIFF, PSD
  • Renaming your files to something useful. Batch renaming.
  • Common problems with your photos – their cause and remedies
  • Software programmes and choices
  • Composition – an introduction

Week 3 Location Shoot (Daytime)

  • Meet at Rosser Park to put into practice everything we’ve covered

Week 4 Intro to Photo editing

  • Demonstration of basic tools and most used features
  • Resizing
  • Cropping
  • Removing adding
  • Giving your photos a bit of ‘zap’
  • emailing and burning to CD

Delivery Style

three classroom based lessons and one outdoor practical session. This will be discussed at the first class. This teacher photographs models for a living – some of his work may be used as visual examples during the course.

Outcomes

Students will have a better understanding of their camera, its controls and when to use them to obtain better images.