Photography Classes & Mentoring
~ Unlock Your Own Photographic Potential - It's a Fantastic Art Form! ~
LET’S ELEVATE YOUR SKILL!
If you’re passionate about photography and eager to master the art, my classes and mentoring sessions are just for you. Whether you’re wielding a DSLR or a Mirrorless camera from any brand, I’ll guide you through the intricacies of capturing stunning images. From understanding the fundamentals of light, composition, and exposure… to diving into advanced techniques like focus-stacking, HDR, and portrait lighting styles, my tailored approach ensures you get the personalized attention you need to elevate your skills. Improve your photo quality, learn to manipulate settings for creative control, and gain the confidence to shoot in any scenario – whether that’s taking an amazing sunset photo on the Natchez Bluff or capturing timeless memories of your children and family. Let’s get you on the road to improving your photography skills from good to exceptional!
TWO OPTIONS FOR YOUR DEVELOPMENT:
CLASSES or MENTORING
Group Learning or One-On-One
Each learning path – whether it is through classes with other students or your own highly individualized mentoring instruction,
has its advantages and disadvantages. Below, I will cover each in more detail.
MY MOST POPULAR COURSE
Finally! A way to take creative control of your image-making by learning how to get off Auto Mode and into Manual Mode is available to you right here in Natchez!
This fundamentals course is comprehensive in scope. There is so much to know when using a digital camera. Whether you are already very familiar or a newbie – you are sure to learn some new things because almost all of us have “gaps” in our learning. This course is geared to present the information to you in an easy to understand way, and at a pace that makes it easy to digest. Furthermore, I’m right there to answer your questions.
3 MAIN GOALS FOR THIS COURSE:
1. KNOW YOUR CAMERA INSIDE & OUT: I want you be very familiar with your own camera: where to make important setting changes, menu options, and operating it quickly and efficiently.
2. THE CORE FUNDAMENTALS of digital photography. Like I mentioned above, coming out of this course you will know more about photography than you ever have. This is so you can capture amazing photographs more consistently.
3. MANUAL MODE: Getting off of auto and into manual mode so you can truly begin to take creative control of your camera to get the kinds of images that auto mode will never be able to.
CLASS STRUCTURE & COST:
COST: $195
TOTAL HOURS: 8
STRUCTURE: Either 4 weeks at 2 hours per week OR an all-day Saturday.
By and large, most every class I hold operates around a goal of eight hours of instruction. As a consequence, the times a particular class is held vary from class to class in order to accommodate different peoples’ schedules. Presently, the most typical time structure is to hold four 2 hour modules, held one evening a week for four consecutive weeks. Occasionally, classes are held in one day (on a Saturday) so that folks from out of town can drive in.
Print handouts are often given in each class for you to follow along with the instruction. Moreover, demonstrations using the equipment and slides or illustrations are also part of the teaching. Finally, class times for the four-week structure are normally from 6pm to 8pm or so. The Saturday one-day course time is 9am – 6pm with a break for lunch. Cost is $195 per person. This must be paid up front and there are no refunds for missed classes. Email me or contact me on if you want on a class’s wait list.
SOME POPULAR COURSE TOPICS OFTEN COVERED:
What is Digital photography? How are DSLR and DSLM (Mirrorless) cameras different?
How the camera works, its major parts, and why it matters to know
The “Exposure Triangle” (ISO, Shutter Speed & Aperture)
The “Creative Triangle” (Grain/Noise, Depth of Field & Freezing the Action)
All about “Exposure” & What a “Stop” of Light is
White Balance & Kelvin Color Temperature
Focus Mode & Focus Area (Very Important!)
Back-Button Focus & its Advantage
Various shooting “Modes” (Auto, Manual, Aperture priority, etc)
Camera Menus, Dials, Knobs
File Types (JPG, RAW, TIFF, PNG, etc)
SD & Storage Card Choices (Important!)
WORKFLOW – all about this important concept
Proper Camera Holding and Posture and how it affects the quality of your shot
The 3 Important Stages of Image Making
Compositional Basics (Rule of 3rds, etc…)
Intro to Genres (such as Portraiture, Landscape, Event, Street, Fashion, etc.)
Retouching Software Options (Adobe, Capture One, etc)
The Difference between “Editing” & “Retouching”
Lens Basics (and Focal Length choices)
Equipment such as tripods, cases, hoods and straps
Photography terms, rules, and industry lingo that’s useful to know
and more… (topics can vary depending on student interest)
OTHER COURSES
INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED COURSES (Including AdobeLightroom Classic, Photoshop, and DaVinci Resolve for Video Editing):
Once the fundamentals are grasped it’s time to get more in-depth! At this point it’s time to drill down into all three phases of making an image: pre-production, production and post-production. Accordingly, in intermediate and advanced level classes I cover techniques targeted to a particular skill set. Presently these include classes such as using filters, applied light, HDR, time-lapse, panoramas, bracketing, astrophotography, and so forth.
Similarly, some of the course offerings focus upon post-production editing and retouching. These include using Adobe apps such as Lightroom Classic and Photoshop; as well as video editing in DaVinci Resolve / DaVinci Resolve Studio (by Blackmagic Design). Finally, there are available Classes on more advanced editing techniques such as focus-stacking, frequency separation, luminosity masks, and alpha channels are available as desired.
Possible Other Course Subject-Matter:
Applied Lighting Course (Speed Lights, Studio Strobes & Reflectors)
Portraiture
HDR & Panoramas
Nightscape Photography
Filters (Polarizing, Neutral Density and Graduated Neutral Density)
Time-Lapse
Adobe Lightroom Classic (Library & Develop Modules)
Adobe Photoshop (Introduction / Basics / Masking / Composites)
Some of these may be combined into one class.
INDIVIDUALIZED MENTORING / TUTORING:
Presently I also offer individualized one-on-one tutoring sessions. These sessions are by appointment according to your schedule and mine. No doubt I’ve found that many people prefer a “hands-on” approach to learning. In addition, they want someone right there “beside” them to help them get past frustrating roadblocks. In fact, it’s very common to experience frustrating situations in learning to use a digital camera. Therefore, if this is something you are interested in, contact me and let’s get you on the path to smooth operation of your camera or learning a new skill set. If you are not local to Natchez, a Zoom tutorial can be arranged. On the other hand, if you prefer taking a Course with others, I can put you on a Course’s contact list to give you a heads up when it becomes scheduled. $100 for a two hour tutoring session.
COMMENTS FROM A FEW OF MY STUDENTS WHO TOOK CLASSES FROM ME:
“Even though I already understood the fundamentals of my camera and know how to shoot in manual mode, your class has given me a deeper understanding of the essentials of DSLR photography…and in a very easy to understand format. I appreciate your willingness to answer any and all questions during the class and demonstrating the key concepts with simple, yet informative examples. I always left the class learning something new and ready to put it into action as soon as I got the chance. As an instructor, you always go the extra mile to ensure that I understand the material, even making yourself available after the class for emails, Facebook messages, and feedback on my photos. Can’t wait to take the next class!”
“I took Mike’s DSLR photography 101 class earlier this year and really enjoyed it. Mike is an excellent teacher. He takes time to make sure everyone is “getting it” and provides plenty of time for questions and practice. His lectures were lively and entertaining. He put his lesson up on a big video screen where everyone could see it well. His handouts were detailed and descriptive. He brought different types of cameras and camera equipment as props. His class was very thorough and I feel like I finally have the basic skills to take my DSLR out of auto mode and really use it like it is meant to be used. A great basic DSLR photography class you don’t want to miss.”
“As we concluded our last Photography Basics 101 Class last night I would like to say “THANK YOU”. I must say I have a greater understanding of my camera, lighting, composition, and basic photography. I have taken two other photography classes in the past, but after completing your class I no longer feel intimidated by my camera. You have me seeing things in a whole different light. Thanks again, and I can’t wait to begin 201!”
ONE OF MY MENTOR PROTEGEEs:
This photo is from a walk-about-town outing with Trish, teaching her how to use a Flash Bracket. She first learned how to use her Speedlight and here, has advanced to the “Flash Bracket,” which helps to quickly change from Portrait to Landscape orientation and back as needed – an EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY must have if needing flash for the assignment. It also gets the Speedlight further away from the axis of the lens, and gives a more pleasing lighting result. Note the Mag-Mod modifier on her Speedlight as well, which greatly diffuses and softens the applied light.
By tailoring and customizing her learning needs to exactly what she wanted and was most interested in, she learned quicker and more efficiently. I was also able to guide her with equipment options and possibilities, which opened up all kinds of paths and choices that she wasn’t aware of before.
PARTICIPANTS IN EACH CLASS RECEIVE:
8 Hours of instruction during the run of the Course
1 hour of additional 1-on-1 time just with you (must be scheduled), in the field or in studio
Demonstrations using the gear
Print handouts that you can take home and study
Online courses are great, but you have me to ask your own specific questions & show you how to’s
Access to my video instructions on certain “difficult” sections so you can watch at your own pace
