New Downtown Vancouver Location for our 2017 Courses!!

Learn all about your digital camera, starting at the basics of its operation to using it effectively and with confidence in any kind of shooting situation.

This course is suitable for all digital cameras that feature manual controls (such as DSLR, Mirror-Less, and even most Point and Shoot's).

Your skilled Instructor will teach you basic photography concepts, such as exposure calculation, depth-of-field, effective composition guidelines and how to use your camera in low light effectively and creatively. You will have the opportunity to practice your newly acquired skills during several field trips and a full scale studio shooting session with professional models.

With a strong emphasize on practical hands-on shooting exercises, this course will make you feel in complete control over your digital camera equipment. In-depth review and critique sessions are held to give you valuable and encouraging feedback.

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Take a look at this video featuring recent student work from our Intro to Digital Photography 10 week Course:

Session 1 :

Introduction to photography, how digital cameras work, digital technology and workflow basics, auto focus versus manual focus, digital image optimization

Session 2 :

ISO, Digital noise, Understanding image capture modes and exposure controls, EV compensation and intro to using the histogram - demo and workshop.

Session 3 :

Metering methods, reading a histogram, using manual mode, white balance - demo and workshop. Review last weeks images.

Session 4:

Creative uses for aperture and shutter, depth of field and motion, lenses and their characteristics. Selective focus/shallow depth of field workshop. Review of last weeks images.

Session 5 :

Composition guidelines - rule of thirds, texture, color, point of view and seeing in shapes and forms. Review last weeks images

Session 6 (2.5 hour Photo Field Trip, weekend-day, details discussed in class):

Photo Field Trip to Yaletown and the waterfront: Bring your camera. Practical exercises and refining composition and camera control.

Session 7 :

Review field trip images, Low Light Photography Lecture.

Session 8 (2 hour Photo Field Trip - Night Photography):

Photo Field Trip to Granville Island - Night Photography. Please bring your tripod.

Session 9 (2.5 hour Photoshoot in studio):

Photographing people in the studio, using continuous light sources and strobe. Have fun and explore your creativity!

Session 10:

Review and critique of low light and model images. Image processing demonstration.
Final Q & A.

Level:

Beginner/General Interest. No previous photography experience required.

Enrollment:

Maximum 18 participants.

Equipment Needed:

Bring your camera (must have manual controls) and at least 1 lens.
Optional: additional lenses, camera flash and tripod.

PLEASE NOTE: A small portion of the anatomy course material may not apply to students who choose to enter into the course with a compact or semi-DSLR camera.

We Provide:

Detailed Course Notes

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Early-Bird Discount:

Most of our courses and workshops offer a 10% discount is applied automatically if you register before the Early-Bird Discount deadline date listed in the registration table below.

Some courses and workshops offer a discount if you're among the first 3 people who register. This discount will replace the 'standard' Early Bird Discount mentioned above, and will be applied automatically during the online registration process (as long as it is available). Check the course/workshop listing page for more details.

Group Discount:

A 5% discount will be appplied if 3 or more people register at the same time for the same workshop. (All 3 tuitions must be paid for by one credit card to be considered a group registration.) Please follow the instructions on the online registration page.

In order to provide the best learning environment possible VPW keeps class and tour sizes limited to 10-15 people (depending on the workshop). This is but one reason that we count on you to attend your chosen class or tour, once you have registered for it.

If you must withdraw for any reason please be aware of our refund policy as follows:

For our Local Lectures, Seminars, and Workshops valued at or under $100, VPW is unable to provide a cash refund. Transfers are limited to one transfer to either the same event at a later date, or a different event of equal value. VPW requires 48 hours written notice in order to make such a transfer (email notice is acceptable). The event you are transferring to must occur within 6 months of the original event you registered for. A $15 fee will be applied to all transfers.

For our Local Workshops, 1 to 5 days in length and our Local 4 to 10 Week Courses, VPW requires 30 days written notice (before the event start date) of your withdrawal in order to provide a refund. (Email notice is acceptable.)

For our Master Photographer Series workshops, 1 to 5 days in length, VPW requires 60 days written notice (before the workshop start date) of your withdrawal in order to provide a refund. VPW may retain 15% of fees paid or $150 minimum in processing your refund. If the tuition is less than $500 the minimum fee drops to $75.

Within 45 days of the Master Photographer Series workshop date all fees paid are non-refundable.

For our Photo Tours (national and international), the following charges will apply:

• If you cancel up to 3 months before the tour start date and we can fill your space, your reservation (or deposit) fee will be refunded
• There is no additional cancellation fee up to 8 weeks before the start of your tour
• From 8 weeks to 4 weeks before the tour: 25% of your balance
• From 4 weeks to 1 week before the tour: 50% of your balance
• From 1 week to 72 hours before the tour: 75% of your balance
• If you cancel within 72 hours of the start of the trip, no refund can be paid
• Transaction charges incurred on accepting and refunding payments will be deducted from the refund amount
• In the (unlikely) event that we cancel the Photo Tour, all monies paid will be refunded in full

We highly recommend that you take out travel insurance to guard yourself against monies lost due to unavoidable cancellation by either party.

Transfers (for all events over $100): If you wish to transfer to a different workshop date, VPW requires a minimum of 30 days written (email) notice. All transfers are based on availaibility, and subject to approval by VPW staff. For courses/workshops with tuition above $101, the transfer fee is $35.

Transfer Fees as based on event pricing:
Tuition of $100 and below, the transfer fee is $15
Tuition of $101 and above, the transfer fee is $35

VPW can give no refunds:

If you registered for any event valued at or under $100
If you do not show up for your registered course.
If you register for a course beyond or below your skill or ability level.

Refunds for all events valued at $101 and above (excluding Master Series Workshops):
If a student wishes to cancel their registration for any of VPW's events, and has provided written notice within the appropriate timeframe, a refund less a $50 administration fee will be provided.

Course Cancellation:

Occasionally, we may have to cancel a course due to low enrollment. In this case, we will issue a full refund of all monies paid to VPW up to that time.

Instructor Replacement:

In the event that a listed instructor is unable to participate because of a change in his or her professional schedule, we will replace the instructor with someone of equal or similar credentials. If we cannot find a replacement in due time before the course is about to start, a particular class may have to be rescheduled.

Liability

In the event that we cancel your course, for any reason, the extent of VPW's liability is limited to the return of all monies paid. We will do everything we can to register you in another equivalent course. VPW will not be responsible for reimbursement of travel expenses of any kind.

Please note: An administration charge of $50 applies to all refunds

Read complete refund and liability policy

• Instructors who receive the highest student feedback and are all working professionals. Ask anyone who has taken a course or workshop with us and they will tell you that we have the best instructors in town. We are proud of each member of our team. We only hire the best and pay the highest wages, too.

• Price. Our courses and workshop are affordably priced. Go ahead and look around. You won't find a course or workshop of similar quality for a lower price. When comparing prices, take into account the quality of the instructor, the quality (and number) of models, the level and quality of equipment available for your use, the facilities in which you're being taught and the class size.

• Professional Equipment. We use the latest lighting equipment from Profoto, Dynalight, Hensel and Elinchrome. Our computers are latest generation Apple Macintosh Workstations.

• Professional Models: Ever taken a course or workshop elsewhere where models did not show up or have absolutely no experience posing? We belief in hiring top professionals for two reasons. They are on-time, and make for much better pictures. They are fun to work with. Just like our instructors, we pay the highest rates in town for our models. And it shows in the pictures our students get...
  

• Small classes. Unlike the competition that takes up to 20+ students, most VPW classes are significantly smaller, allowing for greater student teacher interaction and one-on-one attention.
  

• We build photographic community. We don't just teach photography, we practice it every day. We blog about it. We have the largest and most active Facebook and Twitter communities of any teaching facility in town. We support and sponsor local non-profit photography groups like meetup.com and the Vancouver Photo Marathon.

• We know what is happening in photography, right now! No darkrooms need apply. We offer training in the latest digital photography trends and techniques. Our courses haven't been written 10 years ago. We know what that button on your new digital camera does!
  

• We offer the greatest variety of courses and workshops in town. From 2 hour evening seminars to our Master Series Workshops, you're sure to find something interesting.

• We are open Sundays! In fact, we belief that's a great day to do (and learn about) photography. But don't worry, we're open the rest of the week, too...

The Introduction to Digital SLR Photography Course is taught by the following instructors:

Kathleen Hinkel

Marc Koegel

Mary Jensen

Katie Huisman

Ross den Otter

Please choose your instructor and workshop date from the registration table below.