Beginner Photography lessons for beginners

LucyS

LucyS

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Hi all,

I wonder if anyone has any recommendations for photography lessons for beginners around the East Midlands area?

The only courses I can find seem to either be full time graduate courses or online courses. Ideally I'd prefer an actual live person to teach me and have regular lessons as I find one-off lessons get forgotten if I leave it a little while before picking up the camera again.

I'm desperate to get off "absolute beginner" level and determined to spend more time with my camera.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Lucy
 
My partner bought me the Jessops level 1 and level 2 courses for Christmas when I bought my new camera recently which seem like good starting points but unfortunately I couldn't get onto one this side of Christmas at the local store so have to wait till Jan to find out what they're like. The stage 1 is a get to know your camera and settings etc and stage 2 is more learning how to use the manual settings. I think after I've done these I'll probably look at a course that you go away for the day on as saw a couple on my Google searches that seem reasonable in price and someone at work did one and said it was amazing. So you could start with Jessops and see what you think?
 
Does your local authority do evening classes, I did my C&G in the 90's and it was really good.
 
Either way, join your local camera club - there will be several near you. They always welcome newcomers and some of the better ones are youthful and progressive, with a good programme of learning, demonstrations, days out etc, and cost next to nothing. It will help to keep your interest engaged between lessons, and practise is key - essential in fact. Learn, practise, ask questions eg on here, practise, practise some more and repeat. It's like learning to play the piano* - it's easy to know how, you just press the keys, but actually stringing a tune together takes practise.

All camera clubs are affliated to the PAGB - the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain, hundreds of them. Find clubs near you here http://www.thepagb.org.uk/about/federations/

*but easier ;)
 
Good advice above. If you can't find a course or club that suits you have a look online. Although it won't be the same as a live tutor there are a lot of photography guides, many are free and some are presented by a photographer rather than just text and diagrams.

Dave
 
Thank you all for replying - you've been super helpful!

A bit nervous about joining a camera club as I'm a complete novice but will check my local one out. They seem friendly so hopefully won't mind a total amateur amongst them.

Will also check out local authorities for evening classes as well as Jessops.

Thanks again for suggestions!

Lucy
 
LucyS said:
Thank you all for replying - you've been super helpful!

A bit nervous about joining a camera club as I'm a complete novice but will check my local one out. They seem friendly so hopefully won't mind a total amateur amongst them.

Will also check out local authorities for evening classes as well as Jessops.

Thanks again for suggestions!

Lucy
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Everyone was a complete novice at some point in time. Clubs aren't for everyone though, it's fair to say.

If you can't find anything local that suits your needs, self teaching is always an option. Once you understand the relationship between shutter speed, aperture, focal length and ISO, which really isn't that complex (to begin with) if you analyse it, you'll be well on your way.

In all honesty, my opinion is that for a good while a beginner should forget about all that and concentrate on composition with the camera in auto mode. It's true, you can't be quite so creative using that method, but the first step to being a good photographer I feel is gaining the "photographers eye". Without it, you can be as technically competent as you want, but you'll never be a great photographer. If you see what I mean.
 
ryanyboy said:
When you say East Midlands Lucy, where exactly are you?
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NW Leics - Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Birmingham and Chesterfield are all about 30 mins away so could easily do something in those areas
 
I can only really second what a lot of other poeple have said. But when i wanted to improve my photography i completed my GSCE in photography at night school, then a couple of years later did another course. Both were really worth while. I also made some good friends there as well. I know its not in person but the videos done by Mike Browe are really good and in the large I think more aimed at beginners so it might be worth checking some of those out. https://www.photographycourses.biz/videos .
 
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