Often, I’m asked if I teach a digital photography course.
If you mean photography courses that specialize in software like Lightroom or Photoshop. Then the answer is no. Although I’m familiar with these programs, (in case you’re interested, I primarily use Lightroom), there are other instructors who are more qualified than me to teach you.
If you’re looking to learn how to create better photographs by becoming a more thoughtful photographer by composing your pictures by using manual exposure mode, then the answer is a resounding yes.
The core act of creating a photograph has not changed. What has changed over the years is the tool that we use (the camera) and the material used to record light.
In my mind photography is photography. When it comes to the basic act of creating a picture I make no distinction between film or digital. For me, the distinction between film and digital is made when describing the camera being used to make the picture and the process that follows the recording of an image.
During my Introduction to Photography courses, you’ll learn the basics of photography and the fundamentals of photographic composition. You can use a film SLR, digital SLR, or any other type of camera that you can work in fully manual mode.
As stated before, I think that the act of creating a photograph has not changed, however, I think that the tool that we use to make a picture, the camera, has changed substantially. We are still recording light onto light-sensitive material but the camera has now become a computer in addition to an instrument that is used to record light.
Nikon, Canon, Sony, whatever brand you work with they are all, at the heart of things, cameras and they all basically do the same thing, record light. Where they differ is in the operating system of the computer. Just as an Apple computer has a different operating system than a PC, each brand of camera has a different way of doing the same thing.
During my course, it does not matter to me what type of camera you have. You’ll learn to use whatever camera you’re using. Film or digital, it doesn’t matter. You’ll learn to work your camera while learning photography basics and you’ll begin to create pictures using the building blocks of photographic composition.
If you learn the basics of photography, you’ll see the camera for what it really is, just a tool to record light. Film or digital, Nikon or Canon, as a photographer who has a good understanding of the basics of photography, you’ll be able to create photographs with whatever camera is in your hands.
So, do I teach a digital photography course? It depends on what type of camera you bring to the Introduction to Photography class.
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