Monday, January 20, 2014

Why is my basic course of photography successful among my students?


- Photography weekend workshops / one day (4 hours) workshops offers to teach “to take pictures”… I offer to my participants to teach them solid basics of photography, not just the idea that they learned to take a picture.
- A weekend or one-day photography workshop price ranges from $65 to $265 per four (4) hours sessions.
- I offer a 36+ hours course per a fraction of the per-hour offered prices.
- My course holds ten (10) theoretical two (2) hour classes twice a week; two (2) practical eight (8) hours field activities at mid term and after the 9th session.
- Depending on the circumstances, at the end of the course I have oriented students in the preparation of a final exhibition mounted by themselves with their best images as an opportunity to showcase their work. The experience in TAMUK was very satisfying as images were presented for promotion of the Center of Continuing Education receiving great feedback from assistants. Presenting a student photography exhibition after the workshop would also be a great opportunity to bring people to your gallery.
- The exhibition also was a great inspirational experience for students that came to my course with zero or very little knowledge in photography. Tangible results were there, for their proud and public complements.
- As the Continuing Education courses were opened to the students and the community of Kingsville, I had the opportunity to share with a broad range of photographic interests and people of different ages from young to third age apprentices.
- Students learn to apply the basics of photography to their own preferred subjects.
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36 hours Basic Photography Course Syllabus - By JC Lopez-Johnston


Course Syllabus

Topic 1: Welcome to the course… Please, introduce your self and share your expectations for this course.
            - About your teacher…
            - Course content.
            - Homework and fieldwork.
            - Final exhibition.
            - What are you going to receive from the teacher and what does the teacher expect from YOU.
            - What camera do you need to successfully complete the course?
            - Why do YOU take pictures?
            - Professional or amateur photographer? What is a “professional quality” photographer?
            - Can I produce professional quality images? How can I produce professional quality images?
                        + Is it about you or about the camera?
                        + Pre-visualization: What do you want to show? What do you want your viewer to perceive / see?
                        + Choose your subject / theme, draw the attention you the subject, simplify the composition.
            -What is photography?
                        + Definition.
                        + History of photography.
                        + The power of photography and how do photography changed the world.
            - The camera and the eye.
            - The light and it properties / photo sensitive materials.
                        + What is light?
                        + The reflected light.
                        + The incident light.
HOMEWORK

Topic 2: The camera & lenses:
            - What is a camera?
            - Components of the camera:
                        - Viewfinder.
                        - Mirror.
                        - Diaphragm.
                        - Obturator / camera shutter.
                        - Shooter speed dial.
                        - Frame counter.
                        - ISO ring / dial.
                        - Hot shoe socket.
                        - PC connector.
                        - Tripod thread.
                        - Shoulder strap/ring.
                        - Lens.
                        - Camera back.
                        - LCD screen.
                        - Reflected light meter.
            - Types of cameras:
                        - According to the recording media:
                                    + Analog.
                                    + Digital.
                                    + Which system is better?
                        - According to the size of the recording media:
                                    + 110 cartridge.
                                    + 125 cartridge.
                                    + 120 (Medium format).
                                    + 135 (24 x 36 /Full frame).
                                    + Large format.
                                    + Digital APS.
                                    + Digital Full frame (24 x 36).
                        - According to the price level:
                                    + Consumer.
                                    + Prosumer.
                                    + Professional.
                        - According to the mechanics of the body:
                                    + Pinhole.
                                    + Point and shoot camera.
                                    + Reflex cameras:
                                                * Single Lens Reflex (SLR).
                                                * Twin Lens reflex (TLR).
                                    + View camera.
                        - According to how the camera focus the image:
                                    + Fixed focus cameras.
                                    + Autofocus cameras.
                                    + Rangefinder cameras.
                                    + Variable focus cameras.
            - About the lenses:
                        - Focusing ring.
                        - Focal length:
                                    - Fish eyes
                                    - Wide-angle lens.
                                    - Normal lens.
                                    - Tele photo.
                                    - Macro.
                                    - Zoom.
                        - Aperture ring / the (f) number.
                        - Elements.
                        - Lens hood.
HOMEWORK

Topic 3: The exposure:
            - The exposure:
                        - Definition.
                        - The perfect exposure.
            - Type of exposure modes:
                        - Fully automatic.
                        - Manual.
                        - Hand held meter.
            - Type of exposure areas:
                        - Shadows.
                        - Middle tones.
                        - High lights.
            - Definition:
                        - Perfect exposed.
                        - Under exposed.
                        - Over exposed.
            - How to determine exposure:
                        - Gray 18%.
                        - Reflected light meters.
                        - Incident light meters.
                        - Control of the exposure.
            - The zone system.
            - Contrast as tool for creative images
HOMEWORK

Topic 4: How to use the camera:
            - How to hold the camera.
            - How to control the sharpness of the image.
                        - Avoiding unwanted shaking.
                        - Focusing systems.
                        - Selective focus as creative tool.
                        - Adjusting depth of field.
                        - Shutting speed.
                        - Self-timer.
            - ISO/ASA setting and sensitivity to light:
                        - The ISO and the exposure.
                        - The reciprocity law.
HOMEWORK

Topic 5: The electronic Camera Settings:
            - Basic fully automatic modes:
                        - Fully automatic / AE mode.
                        -Portrait mode.
                        - Landscape mode.
                        - Close up mode.
                        - Night portrait.
            - Creative advanced modes:
                        - Program AE mode.
                        - Time value (Tv) / Speed modes.
                        - Aperture value (Av) / Speed modes.
                        - Manual mode.
                        - Auto depth of field mode.
            - ISO –sensitivity to light.
            - Metering modes:
                        - Evaluative / 3D matrix (Canon/ Nikon).
                        - Partial Metering (Canon only).
                        - Center weighed (Canon and Nikon).
                        - Spot (Canon and Nikon).
            - Focusing modes:
                        - Manual focus (MF).
                        - Auto focus (AF).
                        - Artificial Intelligence (AI AF).
                        - Single shot / AF-S (Canon / Nikon).
                        - AI Focus / AF-A (Canon / Nikon).
                        - AI Servo / AF-C (Canon / Nikon).
            - Picture styles / Picture control:
            - Image formatting:
                        - RAW
                        - JEPG
            - White balance.
FIRST FILED ACTIVITY:

Topic 6: The composition:
            - What is composition?
            - Pre-visualization:
                        - What do we want to SAY?
                        - What should be included in the image?
                                    + All elements shall have a reason…
                                    + Emphasize the relevant elements.
                                    + Eliminate the distractive elements.
            - The rule of the thirds.
            - Converging lines.
            - Framing the subject.
            - Size of the subject.
            - Selective lighting.
            - Selective focus.
            - Sense of motion.
HOMEWORK

Topic 7: The light and its physical properties:
            - What is light?
            - Types of light:
                        - Natural light / the magic hours.
                        - Artificial light:
                                    - Daylight.
                                    - Tungsten light.
                                    - Cool light.
            - Temperature of the light.
            - The light and its behavior:
                        - Diffusion.
                        - Reflection:
                                    - Specular reflection.
                                    - Diffused reflection.
            - How does camera “sees” the light
HOMEWORK:

Topic 8: The lighting:
            - The light and the mood of the image.
            - The basic qualities of light.
                        - Intensity.
                        - Direction.
                        - Color / Temperature.
            - Types of light:
                        - Continuous lights.
                        - Intermittent lights.
                        - Natural light.
                        - Artificial lights:
                                    - On shoe flashes.
                                    - Off shoe flashes.
                                    - Strobe lighting.
                        - Available light.
            - Basic studio lighting setups.
                        - Main light.
                        - Fill light.
                        - Hair light.
                        - Rim light.
                        - Modeling light.
            - Light modifiers:
                        - Bouncers.
                        - Umbrellas.
                        - Soft boxes.
                        - Snoots / spotlights.
                        - Flood lights.
                        - Filters.
HOMEWORK:

Topic 9: Basic portraiture technique:
            - The light and the mood of the image.
            - Basic equipment for portraiture:
                        - Camera.
                        - Tripod.
                        - Lighting setup.
                        - Appropriate background.
            - Positioning the lights:
                        - Main and fill lights.
                                    - Power ratios.
                        - Frontal light.
                        - 45º / 90º sidelights.
            - Positioning the subject:
                        - Full body length.
                        - ¾ body length.
                        - Half body length:
                                    - American plane.
                                    - European plane.
                                    - Full face angle.
                                    - Three quarter face angle.
                                    - Profile angle.
                                    - Rembrandt angle.
                        - Full face.
                                    - First plane.
                                    - Full first plane.
                        - High and low angled shots
Interesting resource: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/portrait-photography-tips
FINAL FIELD ACTIVITY

Topic 10: Preparing images to mount an exhibit:
            - List of Materials.
            - Cutting the mounting boards.
            - Mounting the images.
            - Preparing and mounting image labels.

Extra Topic: The recording media:
                        - The negative
                        - Nitrocellulose.
                        - Glass plate.
                        - Metal plate.
                        - Color negative.
                        - B&W negative.
            - The positive.
            - The sensor.
            - Sensitivity to light (ISO).
            - Graininess.
            - Contrast.
            - DX code.
            - Pushing of film.

OPTIONAL HOMEWORK:
            - Free experimental assignment with a film-disposable camera.
            - Free experimental assignment with your cell phone.
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Terms and Conditions

- The amount payed to this invoice only includes enrollment fee.
- Other expenses such as field activities costs (food, transportation to the place of the activity, and others), printing of the final images and materials for mounting the images are NOT included in the enrollment fee.
- The instructor is not responsible for personal accidents and / or damaged equipment occurred along the course activities.
- Field activities costs (food, transportation to the place of the activity, and others) are responsibility of each participant.
- The place for the field activities will be decided in class according to the common interest and possibilities of the group.
- The date for the final exhibition of the images produced in the course, will be announced later.
- The selection of the final images to be presented in the exhibition will be discussed between the instructor and the student, but the final choice is prerogative of the instructor. The images proposed shall be produced as part of the course.
- If the enrollment at the first day of class is lower than 5 participants, it is prerogative of the Instructor to continue with the course.
- If the course needs to be canceled because low enrollment, it is prerogative of the participants to request return of the amount payed or keep the enrollment for next available date.
- The enrollment fee is not refundable for dropping the course at any time.