See how a Course Works: Intro to Online Learning
Description
Our online digital photography course will teach you the techniques you need to know in order to produce stunning, professional-looking digital images.
Looking to achieve better-looking results in your digital photography? You're not alone—the medium is hot, the technology changes daily, and designers, artists, and photographers are all rushing to get up to speed.
To take great photographs every time requires both technical and aesthetic mastery. How and when to use your advanced camera's features? What shooting or composition techniques will get the best results on location? And once you're safely home, how will you handle image correction, retouching, compositing, and printing?
In this 6-lesson online digital photography course, you'll study digital photography with one of the leading experts in this burgeoning field. Ken Milburn, author of The Digital Photography Bible (among 20+ other titles), will guide you through technical concepts and artistic challenges that will stretch your digital photography skills. Class projects include still-life, action, panoramic, candid, and location photos in addition to retouching and printing.
Our online digital photograph course is open to anyone interested in becoming a better photographer and getting the most from their digital camera. Our open enrollment policy means you can get started today!
Outline
LESSON 1 Master your Camera Beyond point-and-shoot, a whole world of opportunity beckons. But do you know what features to use, and when? Lesson One kicks off the course with an in-depth look at the applications of your advanced digital camera features. Lesson topics will include special-purpose automatic exposure options and four methods of focusing. You'll look at when to choose light meter settings (average, matrix, spot, and exposure locking) and how to stabilize your camera. The lesson wraps up with a discussion of how to frame your photos using different viewfinder and preview options. In the assignment, you'll explore the techniques of exposure priority, focusing methods, light metering, and camera steadying.
LESSON 2 Composition and Artistry Great photographs are created by composition, not chance. Lesson Two explores some classic approaches to this challenge. You'll discover how to emphasize the point-of-interest and structure your composition using the rule of thirds. You'll explore perspectiveÑincluding point of view, angle of view, horizons, and vertical linesÑand learn how to control it. The role of surfaces, texture, and lighting in creating contrast will be examined. Finally, you'll learn some tried-and-true photographer's tricks that simply work. In the tutorial / assignment, you'll take candid and portrait photos that demonstrate your mastery of camera angle, point-of-interest, rule of thirds, and depth-of-field.
LESSON 3 Shooting on Location Photographers must adapt to survive. Lesson Three takes you on a tour through the technical and logistical challenges of the location shoot. You'll learn some sage professional wisdom on preparation for location shots, including what equipment to bring, how to keep it safe, and how to deal with unexpected or adverse conditions. All packed? In the assignment, you'll test your location photography skills with a challenging mission and report back to the class.
LESSON 4 Into the Digital Darkroom In the real world, photos are rarely perfect first time around; that's why we have Photoshop. Lesson Four presents a pro photographer's guide to color correction and retouching. You'll learn how to use a gray card, do basic color corrections, correct brightness and contrast, dramatize eyes, and use Heal and Patch tools. Techniques for simulating depth of field and creating perspective are also discussed. In the project, you'll apply your correction and retouching skills to a model photo makeover project.
LESSON 5 Creating Quality Prints As our society gets more and more proficient in digital imaging, fewer and fewer people seem to know how to obtain quality prints. Lesson Five studying the relationship between your digital photography equipment and supplies and the quality of your prints. You'll learn about monitor calibration, inks, and paper, and learn how archival quality is attained. Just as important, you'll learn what different printers can and cannot do, and apply this knowledge in a printing assignment.
LESSON 6 Digital Photography Directions Ready to scale Mt. Adams (Ansel that is)? Lesson Six in your course will address ways of taking your digital photography even further. You'll learn about the benefits of various advanced camera accessories, including macro accessories, filters, panaroma heads, lens hoods, flash units, and reflectors. Techniques for creating photorealistic composite images will be discussed, with an emphasis on matching lighting, texture, perspective, and point-of-view. Panaromas, audio and video complete the tour of next-level techniques and features. In a final project, you'll put together a professional-looking composite to wow friends, family, and potential clients.
Additional Info
- Languages
- English
- Course Length
- 60.00 hours
- Duration of Access
Enrolled students have access to the class for six months. During this period, questions or assignments may be submitted at any time to the instructor. Each course lesson requires an average of 10 hours of study time.
- Instructor
Our online digital photography course is taught by Ken Milburn. Ken is a professional photographer and leading expert in digital photography. Ken's photographic career has ranged from starlet publicity photos for Univeral Pictures, to album covers, advertising, and editorial work for the TV Guide and Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine. His work has been featured in Design Graphics Magazine and Computer Graphics World. Ken is the principal author of 20 computer and photography books including Digital Photography: Expert Techniques from O'Reilly Associates, and The Digital Photography Bible from Wiley and Sons, and several books on Photoshop techniques. Ken has has written more than 300 articles on digital media, featured in Publish, DV Magazine, MacWorld, Computer Graphics World, PC World, and InfoWorld.
- Prerequisites/Audience
This online digital photography course is designed for adult learners interested in building skills and portfolio for a design career. To take the course, students simply require a computer (PC or Mac), an Internet connection (56 Kbps modem or faster), and any required software. For courses with software requirements, computers must meet software manufacturers' system requirements.
- Requirements/Materials Included
To take this course you'll need a digital camera with at least a 3 megapixel rating, zoom, and manual settings. RAW shooting capabilityis recommended, access to an inkjet printer and outside print services (local or online), Adobe Photoshop CS4 or CS5, and basic experience in the software package needed for this course.
- Certification
3 CEU’s
Sessions College is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). Certificate programs are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools.
