Digital Photography 101

Learn to take control of your camera and capture great photos with confidence!

Taught by photographer Sophie Chalk, this 10-lesson course covers the fundamentals of manual settings, composition, lighting, and basic editing.
Perfect for beginners, you’ll build essential skills and create a small portfolio along the way.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will:

1. Understand how to operate a digital camera with confidence.

2. Master basic compositional techniques to create visually compelling photos.

3. Experiment with lighting, exposure, and color for effective storytelling.

4. Use basic editing software to enhance their photographs.

5. Build a small portfolio of completed work.

Course Details:

Instructor: Sophie Chalk

Course Duration: 10 lessons (2 hours each)

Lesson Length: Each lesson is 2 hours

Price: 375 per lesson

Location: Available in NYC, New Jersey, the Hudson Valley, or anywhere online.

Dates: Choose your own dates and timing!

Lesson 1: Discussing Your Goals & Basic Camera Settings

Familiarize yourself with your camera, the manual and its best settings.
Work with your tutor to discuss personal goals and styles of photography you want to pursue.

Lesson 2: Basics of Manual Mode – The Exposure Triangle

Dive into the fundamentals of manual mode and the law of reciprocity.
Learn about how Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed affect your results.

Lesson 3: White Balance – Artificial and Natural Light Sources

Learn the fundamentals of color temperature and how to set your kelvin scale.
Experiment with how changing the color temperature can add to storytelling and mood.

Lesson 4: Manual Focus and Depth of Field

Use your aperture settings to create visual depth and highlight focal points.
Use your manual focus ring to get the perfect composition.

Lesson 5: Capturing Motion in Photography & Working with a Tripod

Use your shutter speed settings to capture and freeze action.
Start experimenting with field accessories like a tripod.

Lesson 6: Composition and Framing Techniques

Explore different compositional techniques such as rule of thirds, leading lines, & negative space.

Lesson 7: Portrait Photography Basics – Understanding Natural Light

Start exploring the basics of natural sunlight for portraiture.
Learn the language of portraiture lighting.

Lesson 8: Photographing On Location & Final Assignment Preparation

Take a class trip to the city to one of NYs great locations like the Public Library.
Work on creating photographs you’d like to present in Lesson 10 (Final Project and Portfolio Review).