DESCRIPTION:

Psst! Do you want to be let into a little secret? Many professionals love their compacts and use them everyday to produce stunning results. Travellers love them because they are light and versatile, students love them for their creative expression, parents love them to instantly snap memorable moments , tradesmen love them, hairdressers love them, set designers love them, we love them.

More of us can carry them more easily to more events, and thus get more shots, more holiday destinations, more parties we would have otherwise missed. And that's what the POINT is about "point and shoot" cameras... it's getting the shot.
We mainly have digital compact camera owners on this course, even though we do instruct a people about their film cameras.  In the last few years digital compact cameras have taken a quantum leap forward in size, design, and optics We look at this super new generation of 12mp Canon G9’s, Nikon 5100’s and Panasonix Lumix series through to the ultra small Ixus, Cybershot, Olympus and Finepix ranges. We look at the virtues of swivel screens, of file sizes, of the advantages of being waterproof and shock proof and we de-mystify the control system so you camera can truly be a point and shoot.

Compact cameras encourage users to concentrate on what they are to photograph, rather than spending time fiddling with the camera.  You learn how to compose a good photograph quickly. learn how to balance subject with background. learn about lighting and how to make the best use of the on-camera flash and other light sources. Most important, you learn what the basic camera functions do and start shooting.  With a point and shoot, you begin to think more about the essentials to what make a good photograph, the photographic image itself.

COURSE OUTCOMES:

• Learn how to use every feature on your film and/or digital camera to the full

• Get unbiased advice on what camera gear is best suited to your needs and budget

• Fast track your technical and artistic skills

• Freedom- camera’s light and compact enough for any occasion, anywhere

• Instilling a mindset of flexibility to try out new things to "step-down" to greater freedom, speed, and spontaneous artistry

• Get great shots of iconic and unusual areas of the Rocks and Manly area.

• Small groups (12 persons maximum)

• Interactive, dynamic, exacting, challenging

• Dinner night and awards (11hr only)

• Free camera shopping service & ongoing technical support

WHAT THE COURSE COVERS:

• Your film or Digital compact camera functions

• File sizes, formats

• White balance & bracketing, use of ISO

• Exposure lock and compensation, preset functions/ movie clip mode

• Macro/ depth of field manipulation

• Clean uncluttered composition

• Painting with light

• Preset focusing and exposure

• An analysis of types of compact cameras from:
  camera phones to prosumer models

• Unusual viewpoints & tilting / lens and linear perspective

• Showing movement

• Low light and night shooting

• File sharing, presentation, display, ebooks

• Operation of flash unit combining light from the flash with ambient light ("fill-flash").

COURSE SCHEDULE:

3-day course

COURSE SCHEDULE:

1-day course

instructor:

Andrew Thomasson with photographic assistants

Pre-requisite:

No prior photographic skills required

requirements:

• Any digital and/or film compact

• Memory Card(s):  we recommend at least a 1 GB card for the workshops

• Any camera accessories - such as a small mini tripod

• Charged camera battery, battery charger and a spare if you have one

Next scheduled course:

3-day course

• TBA

Next scheduled course:

1-day course

• Friday, 4 July 2008

• Friday, 25 July 2008

course price & inclusions::

• AUD$250 for 8-hour course

• AUD$290 for 11-hour course

• Instruction from professional photographers

• Detailed notes

• Camera, lens and accessory shopping service

• Best category awards (11 hr only)

• Assessment and critique of your portfolio