Increase your confidence behind the lens by improving your digital camera skills and picture composition techniques.
5,763 enrolled on this course

Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
2 hours100% online
How it works
Introduction to Photography Basics
Develop your skills as an amateur photographer
Whether you want to brush up on your digital camera basics or are entirely new to taking digital photographs, this four-week course from the British Academy of Photography will introduce you to the essential skills needed to take stunning photos.
Learn how to use camera settings to enhance your photography skills
With a foundational understanding of camera settings, you’ll be able to set up and capture your envisaged image with ease.
You’ll examine common photography terminology and learn how to adjust the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings and be able to identify the best combination of settings, using the exposure triangle.
You’ll then delve into the applications of metering modes, selective focus, and white balance, giving you the confidence to experiment with a range of effects.
Explore the rules of composition in photography
Using the key principles of composition is one of the easiest methods of elevating your photographs to a professional standard.
You’ll use artistic theories including the rule of thirds, filling the frame, and leading lines, learning how to create focal points in your pictures and convey feeling and meaning in your photographs.
Produce your own photography portfolio to showcase your creative ideas
Using the skills learned in previous weeks, you’ll begin to plan and execute a photography project and build a diverse and exciting photography portfolio.
You’ll explore storytelling through pictures and practice using the principles of idea generation to create a cohesive narrative to your work.
By the end of this course, you’ll have the confidence to begin your creative journey in photography. Using your understanding of camera settings and artistic principles, you’ll have the skills to create eye-catching photographs that tell a story.
Syllabus
Week 1
Camera settings explained and applied
The British Academy of Photography
Get to know the British Academy of Photography
Welcome to the course
Welcome to the course! This course was designed to develop your knowledge and skills as an amateur photographer, supporting you to become camera confident and capture pictures that could potentially match that of a professional.
Exposure triangle
The Exposure Triangle is the relationship between shutter speed, aperture and ISO. These are the factors that will work together to control the amount of light that enters your camera.
ISO, a useful tool
The last setting we will approach is ISO, and we will now explain how and in what circumstances this setting can be used.
Wrap up - end of week 1 - summary of learning
This week we have covered the main settings of a camera. The combination of these settings is called exposure triangle. By adjusting the settings, you will be able to create well-exposed photos.
Week 2
Camera modes explained and applied
Welcome to week 2
Welcome to the second week! This week we will focus on different modes and understand how these can be used to take your creativity to the top!
The metering modes
Most cameras will offer you a range of metering modes and when used correctly, they can be very helpful with metering accuracy.
White Balance
White Balance will help you control the colours cast produced by the different light sources.
Wrap up End of week 2 – summary of learning
Take a look at what you have learned this week with a quick recap on metering modes, selective focus ad white balance.
Week 3
Composition Rules explained and applied
Welcome to week 3
After we have covered some technical aspects of photography, we will now move on to learn how we can create more appealing compositions.
Getting to know some photographic composition rules
• Rule of Thirds • Filling the Frame
Get to know Leading Lines and Symmetry/Asymmetry
There are several composition rules, but we will now focus on two more composition rules that you might consider helpful when photographing.
Wrap up End of week 3 – summary of learning
This week, we have looked at different Composition Rules that can guide you in creating better images.
Week 4
Photography project
Welcome to week 4
This week, you will put everything you discovered over the last three weeks into practice by developing your own photography project and learning how to present it as a portfolio.
How to create a photography project
There are different theories on what defines a photography project. But all these theories have one thing in common: a photography project is about telling stories.
Practice using idea generation principles to create a photography project
Having a solid sense of what you want to achieve is the best way to begin a project; this will be your starting point. But you will also have to look at planning, execution and close-out.
Wrap up End of week 4 – summary of learning from both courses and how this can impact on design practice going forward
You have reached the end of this course; congratulations! Here is a quick recap of what you have learned in the last four weeks.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explore the exposure triangle and the effects of different settings
- Apply and combine the different camera modes such as metering, selective focus and white balance
- Apply and evaluate the effectiveness of different composition rules
- Identify the key phases of a photography project
- Create a photography project
- Explore the different camera settings such as aperture, shutter speed and ISO
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for anyone with an interest in digital photography wanting to improve their knowledge of basic camera functions and photograph composition.
Who will you learn with?
Gabriela is an experienced event and lifestyle photographer. She owns a degree in Drawing, a bachelor’s degree in Photography and a master’s degree in Visual Arts Education.
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
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Choose the best way to learn for you! | $134/one-off payment | $27.99 For the first two months. Automatically renews | Free |
Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 25 Apr 2024 |
Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$27.99
For the first two months. Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$134/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 25 Apr 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) |
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
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