There are two courses that I offer. The first is the
"Basics" course.
The second is the full
"Elements" course. .
What you learn in both the courses is the technical side to the camera.
What all the controls of your camera do but you also learn about exposure,
white balance (digital), metering, flash use and much more. The
"Basics" course is designed as the starter
course, getting your head around this first level of Photography.
When you do the full
"Elements" course, you get the full package. You learn everything
in the Basics course, but go onto to learn about lenses,
filters and the contruction of an image. You learn the principles behind creating great images and has been designed for those who wish
to learn the elements of photography and/or pursue the more creative aspects of this past time.
One thing is guaranteed, is that you learn more than you thought was possible about photography. Even students who have been photographing
for years find out more about photography when they do a course with James Dixon.
Lessons are done over a cup of coffee/tea, in a relaxed environment with no pressures
IN YOUR OWN HOME.
How much you learn is up to you, but the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Everything you
learn in any session will be put into practice there and then as this is the best way to get your
head around it. If you don't understand any aspect of what I am teaching,
we don't move on until you do. THE BEST PART is I teach you how to take photos USING THE CAMERA, not using
the computer to fix them later.
My fee for private tuition is
$350 for the "Basics" course, and
"$600 for the "Elements" course. Both are relative to the
money you pay for your equipment. Most people will now invest in a good quality Digital SLR and
pay anywhere between $1200 to $5,000. Or if you still buy a film based camera you still can pay
$500 to $1000. In some instances this is just for the body of the camera, then you add on top of
that the cost of the right lens for the job. So would it not make sense to have some lessons that
teach you how to use that camera. To learn what all the controls do, learn to manipulate those
controls to achieve certain results? Well now you can.
Here is as brief look at what you can learn in the Full Elements course:
- The camera controls. What all the various buttons on the camera do and how to use them.
- Understanding light. Learn to "see" the light.
- Understanding exposures. What an exposure is and how to manipulate it.
- What the Aperture and Shutter do within a photograph.
- What Depth of Field really is, and how to truly control it.
- Learn about Metering and how to use it correctly.
- You learn about exposure compensation, bracketing, ISO, Flash photography.
- Finally get your head around White balance (digital photography) and how to control it
correctly.
- You learn about lenses. What they do; how and why we choose different lens for any set subject.
- Learn that taking a photograph is more than buying an expensive camera and pointing it at a
subject.
- And much much more.
The above is just a simple outline of what I teach in the course. Naturally there are many more
things you will learn, but one thing is clear, once having done the course, you will understand
photography and your camera a whole lot more.
You can have the lessons once a week or once a fortnight.
I am available during the day or evenings;
Monday to Saturday.
As I have limited positions in any one week, please book in advance by either sending me an email
or you can ring me directly on the numbers listed in the contacts section or from the home page.
James Dixon
