So you bought a digital camera. Now what???

You opened the box and there is the thick, ominous manual! You feel so confused you might as well have read the Japanese section. I think I know what you really want to know, and that is how to understand the basics so you can start taking some great photos!

I’ll go through the important parts of the menus. We’ll talk about jpeg and RAW files… what they are and when to shoot them. File size is important. Will you be printing your photos or just posting them on the web? White balance, color space, focus, exposure modes, and much, much more will be explained so you can understand it.

I am also going to show you some shooting basics. Many people that have been shooting a long time still don’t know how to hold a camera for a steady shot. I’ll show you and explain the differences when I show you the Four Biggest Mistakes beginners make! Composition, focal length, focusing, ISO, shutter speeds, and FStops will no longer confuse you! And of course the flash!! I’ll demonstrate why some of your photos are too bright and others too dark.

Requirements: You should have a digital SLR or a digital camera capable of complete manual control. Examples of such cameras include, but are not limited to: Nikon D40, D60, D80, D90, D300 or Coolpix P80; Canon G10, Digital Rebel, 20D, 30D, 40D, 5D. If in doubt, please contact us.

Hardware: Usually about half the students shoot Nikon and the others Canon. I'm a Nikon shooter, but my classes are not brand specific. My two assistants, Ken and Josh, are Canon shooters.

Software: In all my classes you get to see my workflow and watch as images are imported, projected, and refined. I always have the latest version of Photoshop, Lightroom, The Bridge, Camera Raw and others. I’ll compare JPEG to RAW and compare their features.