Diploma in Photography

What is Photography?

Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 7:00 PM

This lesson explores photographic styles and how they are used as forms of communication. Photography enables you to convey a message or a story, sell a product, or to simply illustrate how beautiful something is. Understanding the different styles will help you identify the subjects you like to shoot and develop your own style. We also look at the various types of cameras currently available and why you would use one over the other.

Camera Functions and Lenses

Thursday, March 9, 2017, 7:00 PM

Most cameras come with a huge range of menus and functions which can be quite daunting for the user to comprehend. In lessons 2, we will look at the common functions that appear on most cameras and demystify their use. Understanding these functions will expand your creative control and open up new possibilities for your images. We also explore the most frequently used lenses and when and where they are used. Choosing the right lens will ensure you get the best shot.

Capturing the Light

Tuesday, March 14, 2017, 7:00 PM

The process of capturing and recording light is a reasonably simple process and understanding this process will change the way you think about the complexity of the camera. Understanding the concept of exposure, is essential to developing your knowledge of light and will improve your ability to capture the scene, the way you see it. We also discuss different types of light and with the aid of some examples, we will analyse various lighting conditions that you might find yourself shooting in.

Motion and Depth

Thursday, March 16, 2017, 7:00 PM

Motion and Depth are essential to expanding the creative potential of your photography. Controlling and manipulating motion and depth in your images will allow you to add drama and sophistication to your images. Whether you want to freeze an athlete in action or blur the flow of a waterfall, controlling motion will expand your capabilities and allow you to explore new subjects. Lesson 4 also explores the camera’s shutter and aperture and examines the role they play in harnessing this creative potential.

Composition

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, 7:00 PM

Composition is one of the most fundamental elements in a photograph. Composition refers to the placement and relationship of elements within a picture. The arrangement of elements in a scene, the angle they are shot at, and the distance the photo is taken from, can completely change the final outcome of the photograph. Understanding how to explore all of the compositional possibilities of the scene will greatly improve your ability to capture the best photographs.

Advanced Composition

Thursday, March 23, 2017, 7:00 PM

In this lesson we will delve deeper into the subject of composition and look at techniques to guide the viewer’s eye into or around your image. Mastering advanced composition techniques will allow you take pictures that engage the viewer and hold their attention. We will also discuss visual consistency when creating a series of pictures.

How much light is enough?

Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 7:00 PM

The ability to capture light the way you see it or would like to see it, is essential to making great photographs that have drama, vivid colours and depth. To fully understand how much light, you need to capture for a scene, you need a way of measuring how much light is there. Lesson 7 also looks at the light meter and discusses how it can be used to understand your exposure even before you have taken the picture.

Fully Manual Mode

Thursday, March 30, 2017, 7:00 PM

This is one of the most fundamental topics in photography. The marriage of shutter and aperture in manual mode gives you the most creative control offered to you by the camera. Having an understanding of the relationship between the two, will allow you to expand the potential of your photography and make creative decisions that were not available to you before.

The Colour of Light

In this lesson we look at the different colours of various light sources and how they can change the atmosphere and mood of your photographs. We explore focusing and how it is key for taking high quality photographs that are sharp and capture your vision. An understanding of focusing will help you keep the viewer engaged with the key subjects in your images.

The Digital Image

The final lesson explores file format and how digital images are constructed. This gives you an insight into the file formats available on your camera which equips you with the knowledge to select the highest quality file format and image size that best suits your purpose. We will also look at some image editing software and the key differences between the most popular ones on the market. Imaging software can take your photography to the next level, transforming your pictures into works of art.