B0981 - Creative Essentials: taking better photos (beginners)

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Start Date: 13/01/2027      End Date: 10/02/2027        Start Time: 18:30      End Time: 20:30        Hours per Week: 1.50      No of Weeks: 5
Fees:      £80.00 (tuition)     £140.00 (overseas)     £34.00 (concessionary)
Tutor: Mark Wilkinson        No of Places: 12
Shadwell Centre

Course Overview

Course Overview
Do you take lots of photos but rarely feel you’ve captured what you meant — the moment, or the mood, or the person as you see them?
This Creative Essentials course will help you take better photos using the camera you already have, learning about how knowledge of basic camera settings can expand the creative horizons of your photography. You’ll build confidence through simple creative choices — noticing light, background, timing and viewpoint — to give you more control over how your final image looks and create photos that have visual dynamism. The course is highly practically based and will allow you to explore the exposure triangle and how changes in aperture, shutter speed and ISO will enhance the visual impact of your photography.

What will you learn and be able to do?

What will you learn and be able to do?
* Make simple, deliberate creative choices (light, background, viewpoint or exposure) to visibly improve at least one photograph.
* Produce a short set of 5–7 photos of a familiar thing or person, then select your strongest images based on clear visual differences.
* Show how one intentional change can improve a photo by creating a clear before/after comparison.
* Gain insight into the creative possibilities of lens and shutter control common in all types of digital cameras.
* Increase your confidence by navigating the camera settings that are important to give you more creative control of your photography.
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Entry requirements

Entry requirements
No experience needed. Bring a smartphone or any digital camera.
Prosp User 8

Equipment required

Equipment required
You will need to have a camera that can be used in manual mode, i.e. a Compact, Bridge CSC (Compact System Camera), DSLR camera or Smartphone with a manual photography app. Pen & notepaper, you will create a learning journal, recording your progress, making notes during theory sessions and in practical demonstrations.
Prosp User 9

How will you know you are making progress?

How will you know you are making progress?
Your tutor will give you on-going feedback tracking and monitoring your progress, giving feedback though out the course. You and the tutor will use an individual learning plan to monitor your progress allowing you and the tutor to track your knowledge and skills developed on the course. You will also gain more from the course if you commit time to it outside the classroom.
Prosp User 12
There is no exam on this course. But your tutor will update you regularly on your progress and you will also have an Individual Learning Plan, you can use to monitor your own progress.
Prosp User 11

Progress opportunities - your next steps

Progress opportunities - your next steps
At the end of the course we recommend that you progress onto the Learn Creative Digital Photography course. You will have skills that will also enable you to attend Portrait, Studio, or other photography courses.
Prosp User 10

Other info

Other info
Punctuality in attendance on courses is important to us, as students who arrive late interrupt the learning experience for all learners.
Prosp User 13

Extra Support

Extra Support
If you have declared a learning difficulty, disability or support need whilst enrolling and you require support/assistance in class or to complete your course, please discuss your needs with your tutor at the first lesson.
Prosp User 14