Intro to Photography

Lesson 1: The Camera. Parts of the camera: the viewfinder, focusing mechanisms, shutter, aperture, lens, body, and film-holding mechanism; how view, viewfinder, twin-lens reflex, and single-lens reflex cameras function; selecting the right camera for the job; how normal, wide angle, telephoto, zoom, auto-focus, and special-purpose lenses work.

Lesson 2: Operating the Camera. Different kinds of film; how to select the right 35mm film for the job; bulk loading film; adjusting the exposure; adjusting the shutter speed to record motion; film speed and ASA/DIN ratings; adjusting depth of field to achieve optimal sharpness; unloading film; using a light meter; exposure meter modes; the twelve steps of basic camera operation; avoiding common mistakes.

Lesson 3: Shooting For Composition. Holding and steadying the camera; working with the subject; focal points; subject-background relationships; achieving symmetry; the �??rule of thirds;�?� a note on timing; taking the picture; avoiding common picture-making mistakes.

Lesson 4: Developing Film. The structure, speed, color sensitivity, and tone gradation of film; chemicals and basic equipment for developing film; the 25-step film development process; push processing; controlling contrast; film development troubleshooting.

Lesson 5: Printmaking. Characteristics of photographic paper; essential chemicals and equipment; the paper developer, stop bath, and fixer; contact sheets: your first view of what you have; how to make contact sheets; creating enlargements: getting the big picture; darkroom safety.

Lesson 6: More About Printmaking. Controlling contrast in printing; cropping prints for subject placement, emphasis, interest, and to salvage damaged negatives; the aesthetic limitations of cropping; manipulating lights and darks in printing; dodging and burning; correcting spots on your prints; darkroom cleanliness; mounting your prints; assembling a portfolio of prints; selling your photography.

Lesson 7: Lighting. Qualities of light: intensity, diffusion, direction, and color; using natural, existing, and artificial light effectively; photographic techniques using continuous light; successful techniques with flash units; correcting what went wrong.

Lesson 8: Filters and Accessories. Types of filters: contrast, ultraviolet, skylight, polarizing, natural density, and correction filters; techniques for using filters; buying and using tripods, cable releases, motor drives, viewfinder attachments, camera cases and straps, and other accessories.

Lesson 9: Fundamentals of Color Photography. Producing color; additive and subtractive primaries; color negatives and positives (transparencies); color formation and reproduction; contrast; achieving color balance; filters for color photography; unconventional color processes.

Lesson 10: Capturing Digital Images. Understanding the electronic image; digital cameras; flatbed, film, and drum scanners; pixels per inch and image size; gray levels; storing image information; estimating computer image file size; file size and scanning; how to scan a negative.

Lesson 11: Digital Color Photography. RGB, CMYK, and HSB color representations explained; color calibration and manipulation; color gamut and lab color; indexed color; common digital photo file formats, including bitmapped and object-oriented graphics, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, PICT, EPS, and Photoshop files; approaches to digital file compression.

Lesson 12: The Digital Darkroom. Processing and manipulating images in the digital darkroom; the halftone process; laser, thermal, and ink jet printers; imagesetters; film recorders; using digital photos in newspapers; digital publishing basics.

Lesson 13: Photography, Ethics and The Law. Knowing the rules; the privacy question; model releases; libel and photography; understanding today's copyright laws; exclusive rights; defining ownership; work-for-hire vs. freelance agreements; a sample licensing agreement; digital dilemmas.