Adult Course: Photography — Basics of Using a Digital Camera
How it works
Our tutors run group courses when there is sufficient demand. Courses require a minimum of 2 students and typically run with up to 4 students per group. Once interest reaches the required number, we arrange the course schedule based on group size and tutor availability to ensure convenient times and effective learning. All group sizes and timings are confirmed before the course begins.
Course overview
A practical 6-week programme for adults who want to learn the fundamentals of digital photography. The course covers camera settings, composition, exposure, lighting, practical shooting techniques and basic post-processing. Sessions combine short theory explanations, hands-on exercises and weekly assignments to build confidence and skill.
Who this course is for
Complete beginners who own or have access to a digital camera (compact, bridge, mirrorless or DSLR).
Beginners who want to move beyond automatic modes and understand creative control.
Hobbyists who want structured practice and constructive feedback.
Duration and format
Six weekly sessions, each 2 hours.
Small groups (typically 8–12 students) to allow individual attention.
Mix of classroom instruction and practical outdoor/indoor shooting.
Weekly take-home tasks to consolidate learning.
Week-by-week breakdown Week 1 — Camera types and basic handling
Overview of digital camera types and lenses.
Holding the camera, using the viewfinder and LCD, basic maintenance and care.
Menu navigation and setting basic preferences.
Introductory exercise: familiarisation shots to get comfortable with controls.
Week 2 — Exposure fundamentals: aperture, shutter speed and ISO
What exposure is and how aperture, shutter speed and ISO interact (the exposure triangle).
Creative effects of aperture (depth of field) and shutter speed (motion freeze vs blur).
Practical exercise: series of controlled shots demonstrating changes to exposure settings.
Week 3 — Focus, autofocus modes and metering
Focus systems: single, continuous, and manual focus.
Focus points, back-button focusing and managing focus for moving subjects.
Metering modes and basic exposure compensation.
Practical exercise: focusing and metering for portraits and moving subjects.
Week 4 — Composition and visual storytelling
Basic composition rules: rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, balance and perspective.
Using light, colour and negative space to create mood and impact.
Practical exercise: composition-focused shoot with guided feedback.
Week 5 — Light and basic flash/lighting techniques
Understanding natural light: direction, quality and golden/blue hour.
Introduction to on-camera flash and simple fill flash techniques.
Working with reflectors and available light indoors.
Practical exercise: low-light and mixed-light shooting.
Week 6 — Introduction to basic post-processing and course review
Overview of basic editing workflow: cropping, exposure adjustments, colour correction and simple retouching (using free or common software).
Preparing images for print and web.
Final practical assignment review and group critique.
Next steps: recommended resources and suggested practice paths.
What you will need
A digital camera (compact, bridge, mirrorless or DSLR) with a charged battery and memory card.
Owner’s manual (helpful for camera-specific functions).
Notebook and pen.
Comfortable clothing for outdoor sessions.
Learning outcomes By the end of the course participants will be able to:
Confidently operate a digital camera beyond automatic modes.
Control exposure using aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
Use focus and metering intelligently for different situations.
Apply basic composition principles to improve image quality.
Understand simple lighting techniques and basic editing to enhance images.
Assessment and feedback
Weekly practical tasks reviewed in class.
Final portfolio review in Week 6 with constructive feedback.
Ongoing instructor support and recommendation for further learning.
Costs and enrolment
Course fee, dates and enrolment details provided by the course organiser.
Equipment hire may be available on request for those without a camera.
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