Digital Photography – Essential Techniques (Stage 1)

This introductory photography course explains how your camera works and will teach you all you need to know about using it effectively to help you achieve creative control in your photography.

Your tutors possess many years of experience in both the industry, and as tutors at Arts University Bournemouth. They're professional photographers in their own right and will guide you through this introductory course in easy-to-understand stages.

As your course progresses through a series of lectures, demonstrations, and practical sessions, you'll be guided through the fundamental principles and practices of photography. You'll begin to understand what essential ingredients and components make for captivating images, and will witness your photography improving with your newly acquired knowledge and skills.

You'll learn how to take control of your digital camera and appreciate the full creative potential whilst being introduced to the fascinating world of image capture. You'll explore the work of celebrated photographers and learn how to really ‘see’ as a photographer in order to create more interesting and engaging meaningful photographs.

Throughout the course you'll develop a fundamental understanding of camera functions including shutter speed, aperture, ISO, lens control and image-making components, including composition, framing, subject and lighting.

This course is the first in a series of specialist Photography programmes, and is recommended for anyone requiring a sound fundamental knowledge of the subject.

• History of photography
• Light and colour
• Camera controls
• Shutter, aperture and ISO control and relationship
• The lens, focal lengths and uses
• Depth of field and field of view
• Focusing
• Metering and histograms
• Tones and zones
• Colour temperature and white balance
• Digital Imaging, sensors, workflow and file formats
• Mid-session assignments

The course aims to:

• Provide you with a solid foundation of understanding in camera control
• Develop your appreciation of photography and masters of photography – past and present
• Provide a technical understanding of camera functions
• Develop knowledge and understanding through a series of practical exercises

• Tutorials and ongoing course critique will offer you essential guidance and measure overall performance
• All students with 100% course attendance will be issued with an official AUB Short Course certificate of attendance. To request your certificate get in touch with the course team at shortcourses@aub.ac.uk

No previous knowledge or experience is required, only a passion to learn and develop within the subject. Suitable for budding photographers aged 18+.

• A digital camera (including instruction manual) with access to full manual controls, this could be a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera or a Bridge camera
• A tripod is useful also
• Access to a computer between sessions to upload and save your photographs to USB memory device

All additional course materials provided as part of the course fee.