PHOTOGRAPHY

Courses and Classes

Digital Photography - Know your camera

• Hands-on and fun

• Certificate in Digital Photography included

Foundations

If you're a hands-on learner, here is our prime course that will help you get along with your camera equipment. Like every painter needs to know his brushes, like every musician needs to know their instrument, you as photographer should know your tool. We'll walk you right through all the features and functions you need to know to get the most out of your camera.

With patience and kindness.

Course C1MAC1 - Photography 1 (Know Your Camera)

6 Weeks • Thursdays 6:30-8:30 pm

Classroom + online via Zoom

Next course starts:

09/14/23

Spots available: yes

This is the course that everybody is talking about:

In this hands-on course, we will demystify each of the systems that make up your camera, e.g: shutter, aperture, ISO, metering and whitebalance. We will explore how each of those work, why they are needed, how they do what they do and why you should care. Then we discover how to use each of them artistically to improve your photography. Classes are very laid back, fun and hands-on. It will help greatly if you have a sense of humor.

This course is part of our Foundations Series. For a side-by-side comparison of all our Foundations

courses, click here.

This course is for you if:

• You'd prefer to not trip over your camera anymore and want to start enjoying photography to its fullest.

• You have been photographing for a while and you know your camera can do more than automatic mode.

• You feel overwhelmed by your camera system and don't know what all the things on it are for.

• You just got a new DSLR and you would like to learn how to best use it.

• You know about shutter, aperture, ISO and could use a refresher with a little leg-up on connecting the dots.

• You're anywhere between 9 and 90 and prefer to study in a fun, hands-on, friendly,
safe, and non-judgmental virtual environment.

Flexibility is key:

Once you sign up for Photography 1, you'll have immediate access to the course on our eLearning store, and you'll continue to have access until your course ends. If you want to preview the material before your course starts, you can. If you miss a class here or there, you can make it up at any time in the 6 months following your enrollment, and you can review the material on our eLearning store as well.

Get your certificate in Digital Photography:

If you attend at least 3 of the 6 classes, you will receive a certificate in Digital Photography at the end of the course. Certificates are issued by C1M Academy and backed by the State of New Hampshire's Department of Education.

What makes our approach unique:

We have been teaching photography since 2006, and we found that while photography looks very easy, understanding all its elements and gaining control is a lot harder than it looks. The fact that camera systems continue to get more complicated isn't really helping here at all. Your camera consists of several complex systems, all interacting with each other. Trying to learn about aperture, shutter and ISO all at once has proved not to be an effective learning method. It's just too complicated.

As you like it, classroom + online at the same time:

We're now offering Photography 1 as a classroom course and online via Zoom at the same time. If you feel you learn better in our classroom, come in for class. If you feel you'd rather not travel to class, join us online on your favorite internet device that'll put you right with us in the classroom.

If you choose to join us via Zoom, please let me know ahead of time so I make sure the camera is on and working.

We've discovered that the best way to learn photography seems to be when we break it down and teach it in fun and hands-on sections. One subject, one technical conundrum at a time. Our courses are geared for adult learning and we found the sweet spot to be at 2 hours per class.
If we go any longer students may get tired and absorb less. The segmented syllabus, together with hands-on learning and focused assignments, seems to make all the difference.

Students tell us what they enjoy the most is the light-hearted atmosphere and the structured approach. Each class introduces new subject matter where students explore their own camera systems, taking small steps. Making learning a fun experience and encouraging students to explore and learn with patience and kindness is what we stand for.

Included with your course is your personal Study Kit, which contains everything you'll need for the course, and then some!

Your personal Study Kit:

We've assembled this invaluable kit of information and tools that you'll be able to use long after your course is over. (Well ... maybe not the cookies. Those, you will have to eat by their freshness date for best value. But everything else in your kit will have a great shelf life.)

As the name implies, Photography 1 is the starting point to explore your love of photography and begin building your skills. We believe that there is always something new to learn. Always a skill you can polish or a handy tip that will reveal some new facet of photography to you.

That's why we emphasize hands-on learning in all our courses. It's also why we created our Study Kit. We believe curiosity and a desire to learn are continuous, not something to turn on for class and off when you go home. And with our Study Kit, you don't have to be dialed in to our virtual classroom to benefit from our course.

What you'll get with your study kit:
Your course book, with all the course content laid out in chapters.
No need to take notes. We've done it for you. You can focus entirely on the night's lesson, knowing that you can refer back to each night's material anytime you need to.
Your C1M Academy Student ID, with all the rights and benefits it bestows.
Student discounts on computer equipment and editing software, among other things, let you feed your passion for photography for less. And who doesn't love that?
Your Quick Reference card, full of tips for remembering what all the hubbub is about.
Let's face it, when you're out with camera in hand, you've got enough gear to juggle. You can't be thumbing through your camera's manual or our course book for information when you want to be taking a great photo. Our Quick Reference card is packed with helpful reminders that will help you get your shot. And we'll show you how to use it throughout this course.
Your C1M Gray Card.
In class 4, we’ll discuss metering and exposure. That’s where a Gray Card comes in handy. We’ll show you how to use it.
Your C1M Whitebalance Target.
In class 5, we will be discussing light and Whitebalance. We’ll show you how to use the Whitebalance Target on the back of the C1M Gray Card to get correct colors with any exposure.
A DVD containing each class in video format. If you miss a class, it'll be right there.
We know that schedules don't always work the way we want them to. Over the course of 6 weeks, missing a class is sometimes unavoidable. While our make-up policy is very liberal, we know that you might not want to wait. Now, you don't have to. You can simply pop in your DVD. Each class will be there in video form, allowing you to cover the missed material at your convenience. (And, you can still make the class up in a later course if you need to.)
3 cards to share with friends, entitling them to a free Intro to Digital Photography class.
There's nothing more fun than sharing something you love with someone you love. Our Intro to Digital Photography passes allow you to share our two-hour quick-start course with three of your favorite people. Then you'll have someone to go take pictures with.
Your emergency cookie pack, to be used in case there is a dire cookie shortage.
We thinks this speaks for itself. You can never be too prepared in this area.
What you will learn:
Our Photography 1 course consists of 6 classes that build on each other to help you learn all you need to know about camera systems. Each class is structured to make learning fun and comprehensible. Using demonstrations, photos, or hands-on training (when possible) we will guide you through the exploration of your camera system. We will have you turn on your camera and take it through its paces. One function at a time. Assignments for each class are very similar to what you just did in class. Throughout the course, we'll spend some time learning classroom material and some time doing hands-on explorations.
Throughout the course, you will learn what each of the systems that make up your camera is for and how to use it. As part of your study kit you'll receive a Quick Reference Card that is intended to be placed in your camera bag. This card contains a wealth of information that will prove its worth over and over to you. And we will show you how to use it. Step by step.
We'll end the course by tying it all together, and we will be using all the systems in concert to take photographs. When the course ends you will have a decent understanding of how to use your camera and how to get better photos from it.

What to do next:

If you would like to sign up, you can do so right now. All you need is a credit card. Click on the Register button, and you're nearly done.

Once you sign up, you'll receive an email saying thank you and telling you what to expect next. We may need to contact you for additional information to satisfy the NH Department of Education requirements. Please make sure we have your phone number.
About a week before the course starts, we'll send you an email reminder.

What if you miss a class:
We've got you covered. People missing classes now and again is quite common and we want to make things easy for you. All classes are available as a video and are included in your Study Kit for you to watch at your leisure. Plus, while the course is running, you'll have access to each class on our eLearning site as well.
If you'd like to make up any missed class, you can do so, within a 6 month period, at any of the upcoming courses.
What you need to have to take part in this course:
• Your sense of humor. (Required)
• Your camera, that can be set to S,A and M modes. (DSLR type recommended)
• The booklet that came with your camera.
• A charged battery and a chip-card for your camera.
There's a method to our madness: C1MAC1 Course Syllabus
Class 1:
Introductions, introducing your Study Kit, camera systems, exposure modes.
Demo: Tripods, heads, monopods and when you need them.
Assignment: Take 3 images in Program mode and note aperture, shutter and ISO.
Class 2:
Using your autofocus like a pro. The shutter, how it controls light entering you camera and how you can use it to control motion in your photos.
Demo: How to use the shutter to show motion. Shooting in shutter priority mode.
Assignment: Take 2 images at different shutter speeds, showing how a slow shutter can show motion and a faster shutter stops it. Using panning to create dramatic motion effects.
Class 3:
The aperture, how it controls light entering your camera and how you can use it to control the depth of field. What the numbers on your lens mean.
Demo: How to use the aperture to control the depth of field. Shooting in aperture priority mode.
Assignment: Take 2 images, one with a large depth of field and one with a shallow one.
Class 4:
ISO, metering systems and how they work with aperture and shutter to control exposure. Elements of composition and how to use them to take better photos.
Demo: How your cameras metering system works. Shooting in manual mode.
Assignment: Use the elements of composition to take some stunning photos.
Class 5:
The 4 properties of light that you should be aware of. Lighting and how to use it in your photos. How to use the Whitebalance setting on your camera.
Perspective: The difference between zooming in and getting closer. Lenses and their focal length.
Demo: Different lighting styles. How to tell if your Whitebalance is off and what to do about it.
Assignment: Take 3 photos using perspective.
Class 6:
Bringing it all together. Walking you through the process of How to Take a Photo in manual mode. Leading with the shutter or leading with the aperture, we'll show you how you can tell the difference and how to set your camera controls for a perfect exposure either way.
Graduation! You've earned your Certificate of Completion
(if you didn't miss more than 3 classes).
See you in class. This will be fun. We can't wait! -

Also ...

If you're ready to go full steam ahead:

Photography 1 is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. We offer a full range of courses and classes that can take you from absolute beginner all the way to advanced (or even pro), if that's what you want. We've found that a lot of our Basics students plan to take our intermediate and advanced courses, too. If you already know that you want to run as far as you can with this photography thing, it may benefit you to buy a Package Deal, rather than buying the courses one at a time. You'll save on your comprehensive photography education. And you'll find that we're very flexible on scheduling, so you aren't locking yourself into certain dates by pre-buying the courses you want to take. If photography is your passion, there is really no down side here.

Get Package Deal details

If you'd like to back off the throttle a bit:

If Photography 1 feels like just too much, either financially or in terms of time, there may be another option for you. In each Photography 1 course, we offer a limited number of spots for students who prefer to register as Basics Lite students. As a Basics Lite student, you would not be eligible for your Certificate in Basic Photography. You would attend only the first three weeks of the course, learning all we have to impart about shutter, aperture, and autofocus, and you'd then be unleashed on the world as a better photographer than when you started. If this sounds like something that might be a good fit for you, visit our The Basics Lite page to learn more.

Get The Basics Lite details

C1MAC1 Photography 1 - register now

Your $599 course retainer reserves your spot in the next Photography 1 course. Your personal Study Kit is included.

After the transaction completes, you will be taken to a sign-up form that we need you to complete. Please share the requested information with us, so we can reach you. We'll ship your Study Kit to you, once you complete and return the Enrollment Agreement form included in your confirmation email.

Or sign up on our eLearning store for our Easy Pay installment plan and pay in 2 easy installments:

Pay one payment of $262.50 at checkout and 1 further monthly payment of $262.50 for a total of $525 including a $26 installment plan admin cost.

Please note that if you choose the installment option, access to materials on our eLearning store begins once your payments have been made in full.

$599

Regular price $599, on sale for $499

$499

By purchasing a seat in this course you agree to our terms and conditions of sale. Your retainer fee reserves your seat and is fully refunded if the course is canceled. Per RSA 361-B, you may cancel this transaction any time prior to midnight of the third business day after the date of this transaction. When you sign up we'll send you an email to confirm. If you do not hear from us within 48 hours, please call us. From time to time, we videotape our classes, so it is possible that you will be recorded while studying with us. Warning: On rare occasions we do run out of chocolate chip cookies.