Basic Photography I: The Fundamentals
© Mika Ito, participant from past class
In this six-week workshop students will learn all the gadgets on the camera, how to use them, and how to control the photograph’s final look. Discussions include composition and light, how to get the background in or out of focus, how to stop or blur motion, why to use one ISO over another, and how to use the camera’s light meter to provide the best exposure. Other topics covered include using the right lens for a specific effect and alternative approaches to photography.
Further discussion will center on the similarities and differences between film and digital cameras. The basics that deal specifically with digital cameras will also be explored, such as how to adjust the camera’s white balance, how to view and delete images, and how to transfer the image from the camera to a computer. The goal is to provide each participant all the technical information needed to operate his or her film or digital camera properly.
Students will work in both black-and-white and color while learning how to “see” in the chosen medium. Weekly assignments will be given followed by critiques during the next class session. Digital shooters are encouraged to expand their understanding of the medium and enroll in “Basic Photography II: Diving Into Digital.”
Mark Harmel's (www.harmelphoto.com) images span a wide range of subjects from nature to people. His work has been used by companies like Abbott Diabetes Care, Wells Fargo, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Warner Brothers, Time, Blue Cross, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Sony. He has also been featured in the Communication Arts Photography Annual. “At heart, I’m still basically a street photographer that has evolved to understand and follow great light,” says Harmel. “So these days, even in more controlled environments, I look for the good light first, and if it’s not there, I make it happen.” Currently, he spends much of his time concentrating on healthcare photography and worked with his wife, Dr. Anne Peters, a physician specializing in diabetes, to create a best-selling book on the disease. Mark's stock photography is available through Getty Images, Workbookstock.com and Alamy.
