Photography Classes

Are you making the most of your smartphone's camera? This class will show you how to utilize its full potential. Learn to maximize the automatic controls for better focus and exposure, explore special shooting modes like Portrait, Panorama, Night, and Burst for action shots, and enhance your images with basic edits, including cropping, exposure, and color adjustments. By leveraging all the features of your smartphone camera, you'll be able to create impactful pictures. NOTE:  This class is suitable for both Android and iPhone users.

Tuesdays & Thursdays

6:30pm - 8:30pm

January 16 -25, 2024

Tuition:  $65.00

Discover the power of your advanced digital camera in this introductory course. Learn about different exposure modes and when to use them for better focus and exposure in your pictures. Understand the various auto focus settings available and when to use them or switch to manual focus. Find out about megapixels, histograms and JPEG versus raw file formats. You'll walk away with the skills to make the most of your digital camera. NOTE: To get the most from this class, your camera must have Program, Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority exposure modes. Check the manual to see if these features are listed.

Saturday, 8:30am - 5:00pm

1 hour lunch break

January 27, 2024

Tuition: $73.00

Learn additional camera controls and apply your skills to several common photography subjects in this intermediate class. After reviewing  exposure, you learn techniques for landscapes and buildings, portraits, sports and action, close-ups, and low-light photography. You discover how to adjust the colors the camera records to improve fall color, sunset, and indoor shots. And you learn to control the built-in flash for natural-looking photos of people. You will depart with the necessary tools to capture improved photographs across different scenarios. NOTE: To get the most from this class, you should be familiar with the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO controls on your camera. Your camera must have Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Manual exposure modes. Check your camera manual to see if these features are  listed.

Saturday, 8:30am - 5:00pm

1 hour lunch break

February 24, 2024

Tuition: $65.00

Learn to see the world in black and white and translate that vision into your pictures. Practice anticipating how different colors convert to shades of gray in the photograph. Also, learn to look for interesting light to affect the feeling or mood of your pictures. Learn to recognize distinctive shapes, textures, and compelling patterns that  create appealing black-and-white images. Finally, learn how options such as color filters and toning can change the appearance of your black-and-white photos. NOTE: Your camera or smartphone must have a monochrome or black-and-white picture setting or filter to get the most from this course.

Tuesdays, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

January 30 - February 20, 2024

Tuition:  $65.00

Explore the photographic possibilities of nature in winter. Discover tips for better photos of the pristine landscape blanketed with snow and  plants covered with frost. In this class, you will learn how to prepare yourself and your camera for the cold. Next, you will learn to adjust your camera's exposure and color settings to capture stunning images, such as creating black and white photographs of the winter scenery. Two field trips to snowy locations near Missoula will help you practice what you've learned. Finally, you will see how to use editing software to adjust exposure, contrast, and overall color balance to make your pictures look their best. Any camera, including smartphones, and a  tripod, is welcome.

Thursdays, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Saturdays, 9:00am - 11:00am

February 1-15, 2024

Tuition:  $80.00

In this course, we return to a student favorite with all new topics.  Explore themes for mid to late winter, such as wintery cityscapes, indoor abstracts, and animals in the snow. You see suggestions and get tips for making pictures of these topics. In the next class, you share your results and see what everyone else created. Complete the class with a final project you work on throughout the course. All cameras, including smartphones, are welcome. Expand your ideas of where you can make good photographs and have fun! NOTE: This class meets every other week, so you have two weeks to complete each practice.

Wednesdays, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

January 10 - February 21, 2024

Tuition:  $65.00

If none of these classes meets your needs or interests, consider scheduling a private session. Topics can include using your digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless), editing photos with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic, Adobe Photoshop, or Adobe Photoshop Elements, and printing pictures using inkjet printers. 

Sessions are available for individuals or small groups either in person or online with Zoom. Contact me for availability and pricing.