Basic Photography I: Film and Digital Camera Fundamentals
© Joseph Michael Lopez
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 Mark Berndt’s “Basic Photography II: Digital Camera Techniques” (see right column).
Photographer and Arts Educator, Amanda Keller-Konya (www.amandakellerkonya.com) received her BFA from California Institute of the Arts and her MA from California State University, Northridge. Her work has been exhibited regionally, nationally and internationally at venues such as The Quay School of Art in New Zealand and the Angkor Photography Festival in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Throughout her photographic career she has received several grants and awards. In 2005 she self-published her first book, Rungs in the Ladder, followed by School’s Out, Forever? in 2006. Amanda presently teaches photography in the Los Angeles area and works out of her Santa Monica based studio.
