Hi folks, hope you can help. My better half has decided she'd like to do a photography course. She's not one for sitting for hours in front of a monitor reading up on how to do things, she'd like a more practical rather than theory course. Although, I wonder if there's a course of tutorial videos she can watch which start you off with a lot of hand-holding through to somewhere approaching a serious amateur. At least it's something other than just sitting reading how to do it, you're actually seeing it being done. Hmm.. She's also thinking of possibly purchasing a d-slr (second-hand I should think), it depends how much one would be. At the moment she has a Lumix FZ8. I've had a look at online/distance learning courses and the price seems a bit steep. The other thought I've had was to buy a magazine subscription which has many good tutorials to keep her busy. Is there a good monthly mag that'd fit the bill perfectly? Thanks in advance.
What about The Open University? Could be worth a look. Failing that, could be worth forgoing the course? Get the camera, watch some youtube videos about posture etc whilst holding the camera and fiddling with it. Then getting out there, learn as you go? But if she really wants a course, see if there are any Art and Design colleges near you, they will probably do a night-time course.
Aye, thanks mars-bar-man, we've had a look and as far as we can tell there are no courses locally, which is a shame. We've also had a look at OU and they do one course that looks like it doesn't amount to much tbh, pretty much a gathering of people to discuss each others photos from the looks of it.
Thanks Tim, I think she's after a course that covers the basics initially, yes. I think it would be grand if it was something like 'how to get a good photo from my camera in each situation'. Umm.. sort of 'given the light or subject, what do I do?' Saying that, I wouldn't mind learning that, too, I do struggle particularly on the light measuring side.
Good idea, there's one that's about quarter of an hour's drive away. Might ring up and make sure it's still running and what to expect/what they do/etc. Thanks I might put a wanted thread up for a d-slr (Nikon preferably) in a bit. I'll see what the shop in town has second hand. Something like a D3100 I think, it seems to have won a lot of acclaim although it is a recent camera so I don't expect to find one second hand. Maybe a D40.
you might want to look at practical photography, they do a 6 month "boot camp" starting end of march, no idea what its like though. details here. They are also doing an offer currently of 6 months of the magazine for £10 to tie in with the camp.
I took half of an A-Level course in Photography, and learned most of what I needed. To be honest, she'll probably spend more time learning about photographers than photography, so I would suggest getting a cheap SLR (I have a Nikon D40 and it's an excellent beginners choice) and playing around with it. Show her Pookeyheads article on this board. EDIT: Here, but scroll down a bit until you see it. I learned a great deal from this.
Thanks, whisperwolf, I'll have a look into that and also thanks, stuartwood89 - pookey's guide looks pretty stunning.
As much as some parts of Scott Kelby's Digital Photography book makes me cringe, it's actually not a bad starting point for what you're looking for: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Photography-Book-Step-step/dp/032147404X It's split down into genres and offers a series of relatively short and easy-to-understand tips. There are three volumes, but I'd recommend trying the first and then figure out whether you want to get the other two.
Bryan Patterson also seems to have a new version of his understanding exposure book available, I loved the 2nd edition for explaining the light measuring bit.
Do not go for the ICS-Learn (distance learning) course in Digital Photography (although from the impression I got, don't do any course with them). You spend a few hundred quid, they send you the documents and then nothing ... no contact whatsoever. Yeah you can learn it at your own time, but you get no contact from anyone unless you go to them, and from what I've heard, it's vague and short contact when it finally arrives.
Im in exactly the same position at the moment, I got my camera in Feb (Canon Eos 400D) and im still learning the basics. All I can suggest is get out and about and just take loads of photos...practice practice practice. Iv been buying a few magazines here and there, iv found Digital SLR photography magazine quite interesting, gives you some ideas as well as walk through guides etc. Good luck
I've paid £10 for a 6-month sub to Practical Photography which, for the next 6 months, is running a tutorial each month covering all sorts of stuff. I bought a second hand D40 from the Southampton branch of the London Camera Exchange shops. D40 + 18-55 AF-S DX lens (the one that comes as standard with it normally) for a bargain £205. Very pleasant people to deal with and the delivery was quick and well packaged. Certainly comes recommended from me. I enrolled her on an online course through the 'Photography Institute'. Well, it wasn't cheap but it's a big course covering everything from the looks of it. The tutor is very quick to reply with quite tailored replies so doesn't seem to be just some robot answering from a crib sheet. In fact, I just bought a Tamron 70-300 1:2 macro lens today from Jessops for £99 - autofocuses well (if noisily) and offers a good starting telephoto range.
That's pretty much my setup. That Tamron lens is noisy so it's not just you in case you were wondering. There really isn't much point in spending ££££'s on high end camera gear if you're a novice, so you made a good move there with the second hand D40.
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Do you have a local FE college? The wife and I did photography night classes (with real film cameras) and you learn an awful lot about exposure in the darkroom.
