Littleton Photography Class 2011

I love teaching photography!  When I moved to Denver, and couldn't find a job teaching high school photography, one of the things I started doing was teaching a free photography class at my church.  This is the third year that I've offered the class, and even though our group is small, it has been fun.

Since I posted the basics of each lesson last year, this year I'm going to post student pictures and a few additional notes.

Jo Leasure took this photo as a homework assignment.  She was looking for lines.  She has reminded me that there are many people who are not necessarily new to taking pictures, but they are very new to digital photography.

 My children live and breathe digital technology.  They've never known life without it. I am always learning, and I feel a little behind, but to my parents, I seem like an expert.  One thing I love about photography is that you have to keep learning.  So now I learn new things about the art and soul of photography, but also about the technology.  I hope I can communicate some of that to my students.

So this year we have also talked about terms like pixel, resolution, byte, megabit and gigabyte.  We have also talked about all the online resources for learning about photography.  Have you seen how many tutorials there are on YouTube?  Amazing.  Check them out, and learn something new today.

photo by Amy Wiley

photo by Carol Luallin

Littleton Photography Class - Session 1

Welcome Photography students!  If you missed a class, or just want a review, you can find a shorter version of our class notes here.

On week 1 we looked at our cameras and instruction books to find our memory cards and battery compartments.  We found out how to format the memory card and recharge the  battery.  Everyone discovered whether or not their camera would allow manual settings or had an aperture priority or shutter priority mode.

Four important terms:
exposure - the amount of light in your picture
aperture - the size of the opening through which the light enters
shutter speed - the amount of time the light enters
ISO - in digital photography, a measure of the amplification of the information hitting your sensor
Aperture and shutter speed are the two most important factors determining your exposure.  ISO is next.

Seeing:  The most important factor in photography is not the equipment; it is the photographer.  Your eye, your heart, your mind are more important than anything else.  Yes, some people are gifted with a natural aptitude for seeing great photographs, but you can train your eye and your mind and become a better photographer.

Week 1 we looked for lines and perspective.  Lines are the easiest visual element to find, because they are everywhere!  Look for straight, curvy, and diagonal lines, lines that create direction, and lines that create structure.  Find some converging lines, linear patterns, and an example of aerial perspective as well as linear perspective.

If you don't have your instruction book, go to the manufacturer's web site and download one.

The photograph above is by Casey Etie.