Intensive Weekend Workshop

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

July 9 - 10, 2011

This workshop is aimed at photographers who have just started using a Digital SLR (DSLR) and who would like to learn more about their camera, its features and functions.

If you’ve been taking photographs with your DSLR on the Automatic setting, and want to gain greater control over your camera and the photographs you create, then this workshop is for you.  To get the most out of the investment you've made in your new DSLR you need to get your camera off of the automatic setting.

By completing this workshop, you will gain the confidence you need when using your camera and controlling it to make the creative photographs you desire.

This workshop is completely hands-on and requires you to bring your DSLR to class.  We'll do a number of practical exercises throughout the course that will allow you to put the concepts covered in class into practice for yourself.

About your instructor

Paul Burwell is a professional photographer, writer and educator.  His images have appeared in numerous magazines, greeting cards, advertisements and calendars. He is a contributing editor for Outdoor Photography Canada Magazine where he has a regular column called “Let’s Go Digital!”  In addition to the wildlife photography workshops and tours he hosts worldwide each year, he also teaches a number of photography classes at Edmonton’s Metro Community College.  Paul has been a finalist in both the 2009 and 2010 Worldwide Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and has been named by Popular Photography magazine as a "top shooter" of wildlife photography in their March 2010 issue featuring a two-page spread of Paul's photo of a Snow Leopard.

Paul facilitates his workshops and tours in a cooperative and constructive environment.

What you will learn:

Introduction to DSLRs

• Adjusting the clarity of your viewfinder using the diopter.
• Guidelines to selecting and using interchangeable lenses.
• Using the different auto-focus and drive modes on your camera.
• Using image stabilisation and mirror lock-up functions.
• Using manual hyper-focus techniques and the depth of field preview.

Aperture and shutter priority modes (Creative exposure modes)

• How to use aperture priority to control the depth-of-field of a scene.
• Using shutter priority to control movement of objects in the frame.
• Using Auto-exposure lock (AEL) and exposure compensation to get the right exposure for your photos.
  • Using Auto-exposure bracketing (AEB)
• Reading and interpreting the exposure histogram.

Manual exposure modes and useful custom settings:

• Working the Manual (M) and Bulb (B) exposure modes on your DSLR.
• Using manual white balance for mixed lighting situations.
• Useful custom settings and user-defined shooting modes.
• Performing camera firmware updates.
• Techniques for cleaning your digital sensor.

Using your electronic flash:

• Using flash synchronisaton (slow sync, first-curtain sync and second-curtain sync).
• Using dedicated external flash – features and functions.
• Using flash exposure compensation (FEC).
• Useful bounce-flash techniques

Prerequisites:

As a preqrequisite, you should have a good familiarity with using your camera in automatic mode.

Equipment Required:

At a minimum, you'll want to have...

• A DSLR (digital SLR camera) with a removeable lens.  Unfortunately, if you can't swap the lens on your camera, you won't be able to take this course.
  • Any lens that works with your camera

This workshop includes:

• 14 hours of classroom instruction
• Certificate of completion
• Lunch on both days consisting of a choice of main course, 2 salads, soup, side dishes and desert
• Small group size, limited to 12 participants

Itinerary and Location

• Providence Renewal Centre
• Saturday, July 9th 9:00am - 5:00pm: Classroom instruction
• Sunday, July 10th 9:00am - 5:00om: Classroom instruction

Workshop Costs

• $240 Canadian Dollars (plus tax).
  • Current currency exchange information between the Canadian dollar and your local currency is available here.