WORKSHOP ONE: SWEET SUCCESS | {workshops} | april 2012

On the weekend of March 24th and 25th, I taught my first photography workshop. It was an incredible weekend! I enjoyed it immensely and the feedback from participants has been amazing!

The two-day workshop introduced new photographers to the basic fundamentals of photography and how to use their DSLR cameras. It was fantastic to watch the participants - who all came in using auto mode - start to put the information together and ask questions that told me they were getting it! They all left knowing how to use their cameras on aperture priority, shutter priority and manual mode - just like a pro!

We spent the first day in the studio discussing everything from what makes a DSLR different from a point and shoot, how a DSLR will give you those "wow" images, to capturing actions shots and using depth of field in landscape photography and portraits.

On day two, we spent the morning in the studio talking about focusing, composition and post-processing. In the afternoon, we headed to Church Road Park for a live photoshoot with our fabulous model, Megan. It was a chilly day and the sun was high in the sky - not a cloud in sight. I was hoping for a little cloud cover, but the clear blue sky gave me an opportunity to show the participants how to deal with bright sunlight. Time of day is key in photography, but you can't always pick and choose. I gave away a few "secrets" and now all participants know what to do when faced with a bright sunny day! Sunny...what was that rule again?

The emails and comments I have received are wonderful. I thank all eight participants for making my first workshop a great success. I'm working out the details for part II, which will include a full day out in the field.

I plan to offer the Basics for Beginners Workshop again in the near future. If there is anyone out there interested, feel free to get in touch or become a fan on facebook. I will keep you posted on the date and event details.

I want to take a moment now to showcase a few images taken by the Basics for Beginners Workshop attendees. Please note: NONE of these images were taken on auto mode!

Congratulations guys! Great job! You are all well on your way to becoming better photographers. You have the knowledge and evidently the skills, now it's up to you where you take your photography!

Best of luck from one photographer to another!