Photography Courses In Cardiff, UK

2 Day Beginners Photography Course

Duration: 2 Consecutive Days / 10am – 5pm
Location: Cardiff, UK
Date: This is a 1-2-1 course, book a date that suits you.

This 2 day beginners photography course with professional photographer Paul David Smith is designed to arm you with all of the skills you need to start taking control of your camera and produce professional looking photographs.

You are smarter than your camera, you may not feel it at times but I promise you that you are. Once you start taking control and putting in the important settings yourself, like aperture, shutter speed and ISO, you can finally start unleashing what your camera was really designed to do.

We’ll also cover vital photography elements beyond your camera’s settings, like mastering light, composition, editing techniques, and much more. It’s designed to not only familiarize you with your equipment but also to enrich your understanding of what makes a great photograph. By focusing on both the technical and artistic sides of photography, this course offers a comprehensive learning experience. Ideal for anyone ready to seriously improve their photography, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation and practical skills to apply to your future photoshoots.

Day One

On the first day, we’re diving straight into manual mode. You’ll learn about the exposure triangle, gaining a clear understanding of how your camera functions, including aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. These fundamentals are crucial for anyone wanting to advance their photography skills.

If you’ve ever found yourself puzzled after flipping through your camera’s manual or watching endless tutorials online, you’re not alone. The process can seem overwhelming, but it’s simpler than it’s often made out to be. Since 2008, Paul has been demystifying manual mode for countless individuals, showing them how to master their camera’s settings in just one day.

This workshop is tailored to strip away the complexity and directly explain the purpose and use of each button and function on your camera. By the end of day one, you’ll not only understand your camera better but also how to leverage its capabilities to capture stunning images.

A few examples of what you could learn on this workshop:

Day 2

On the second day, we’ll look at the art of composition and lighting, including the use of external flashes. While mastering your camera’s settings is crucial, injecting your personal artistic flair into your shots is what really tells a story through your photographs. We’re going to explore several composition strategies that professionals rely on to elevate their images beyond the ordinary, and we’ll share these insider tips with you.

We’ll tackle artificial lighting, including flashes, strobes, and continuous lighting options, and see how they can transform your photographs. The term “photography” itself is derived from Greek, meaning “drawing with light,” highlighting how essential lighting is to creating impactful images.

Finally, we’ll wrap up with editing techniques and the essentials for progressing from a beginner to an intermediate level. Paul will guide you through using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, focusing on editing the shots you’ve taken during our time together. You’ll get a comprehensive look at how Paul fine-tunes his images from the initial shot to the final edit, including his methods for organizing and managing his photo library. This part of the course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to not just take great photos, but to enhance them, ensuring your work truly stands out form the crowd.