OFF AUTO

Goal: get off auto and understand what the camera is actually doing.

• The exposure triangle: aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and how they trade off against each other

• Shooting modes (Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual) and when to use each

• Focus modes and focus points

• Hands-on practice and examples

• Task: Shoot 20 photos in Aperture Priority only. Include one with a blurry background, one with everything sharp, and one deliberate motion blur. Bring your favourite 3.

Goal: learn to read light before pressing the shutter.

• Direction (front, side, back) and quality (hard or soft)

• Golden hour, open shade, and window light

• Studio intro: one COB light plus a softbox, then adding a second light, and what changes

• Hands-on: portraits of each other on the set, one light at a time

• Task: Photograph the same subject at three times of day (morning, midday, evening). Then take one window-light portrait of someone at home.

Goal: move from snapshots to intentional images.

• Rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, negative space

• Perspective: get low, get high, get closer

• Telling a story in a set of 5 images, not just one

• Hands-on: a styled mini-shoot on the backdrop, where each person directs one set-up

• Task: A 5-image photo story of an ordinary moment (making coffee, a walk, a hobby), with no posed smiles allowed. Shoot fully in Manual.

Goal: finish with images they're proud to show.

• Culling: how to pick your best 10 out of 200

• Editing basics in Lightroom Mobile (free): exposure, white balance, crop, and a consistent look

• Sharing without the cringe: Instagram, printing, and building a mini portfolio

• Group showcase: everyone presents their best 5 from the course

• Task: A 30-day challenge