Tuition

There are many places where photographic tuition and photographic education is available: commercial classes, Photographic History, local colleges, online videos and web sites and web sites (both free Adorama and chargeable Kelby One,  Lynda), private tuition etc. These can usually be found from a Google search.

Also see the Tutorials section on our Resources page

Below is a list of those more relevant to BCC members because of their proximity to Bedford.

Please feel free to submit any others that you feel warrant a special mention. If anyone has attended any of these courses please submit an appraisal

This list does not imply any recommendation of or any connection with these organisations. The list is in no particular order…

 

Beginning Photography

Today it is likely any person over the age of 3 will know what photography is and what a camera does. Due to the amazing advance of mobile phones and their built-in cameras, taking a photo has become, for many, as natural as breathing. The mobile phone camera has now become the normal way people are first introduced to photography.

The phone camera is an amazing tool. 1.8 trillion photos will be taken in 2023, of which 92% will be taken with a camera phone (link). Clearly just about everyone enjoys taking and/or looking at photographs. A large selection of these images will be shared, however briefly, on social media, e.g. Facebook, Instagram and Whats App, and these are greatly enjoyed by their friends and relatives. Very few will have any form of longevity, they will soon be deleted or relegated to the vast bit-dump in the sky.

However, no matter how brilliant your mobile phone is, how automatic or how many apps it has, there are many who find that this is not enough to satisfy their “desire” to apply their own control and artistic interpretation to their pictures. They want more than a point-and-shoot image, they want a picture that says more, and once seen will want to be kept to enjoy time and time again.  They may even wish to print and/or exhibit their pictures for others to enjoy. For this selective, often artistic, group they soon want to know more about how the camera works and how to use this knowledge.

I think it is fair to say we all have an “artistic eye.” Many will say “I have no artistic ability”, yet will always tell you that they “like” or “don’t like” any particular picture, proving they know, for them, what makes an interesting or arresting composition. They may not always yet know why they like or dislike it, but 

If you have this desire to take “better” pictures you can read books, attend courses and read online websites. You will need a camera. This can be a phone camera (a lot of professional photographers do use their camera phones even if only for some aspects of their work) or you may want to buy a “proper”, more versatile, camera. But you may not be sure which one to buy or what the advantages or disadvantages any particular camera will give you for your particular interest.

Taking “better” pictures might just mean how close or at which height or angle to hold the camera. This is instinctively learned when you start using your phone camera. But how do you control the focus and “lead the eye” into your subject, how do you capture the blur of a passing bike, how do you catch the serenity of a beautiful flower, how do you control the light and shade of a portrait, how do you get that elusive picture of a hare, how do you get those dramatic pictures of a sporting event?

Joining a local camera club to meet and talk with like-minded individuals is an excellent way to advance your skills and enjoy your new hobby. You will meet people who will guide you in your quest to “improve” your pictures, ask for help and you won’t be able to stop people giving you their advice, everyone loves to be asked for this. Most clubs have a mid-session tea break when you can seek out someone who looks like they won’t tear you limb from limb, a smile works wonders 🙂

The club will hold talks from visiting, experienced, photographers in various genres, e.g. people, pets, wildlife, botanical, travel, abstract, post-processing (AKA Photoshop) etc. which can open up new avenues of interest. The club will hold competitions and workshops.

Over the months you will make new friends and learn much. You will find that you are applying your own, existing, relatable skill set and contributing to help others; for instance, are you a farmer and have a good knowledge of crops, animals, local areas and the weather, or are you a car mechanic interested in motorsport or are you keen on cookery and are able to advise on shooting food?

Ravinder, from the BCC, has found and recommends a very comprehensive set of articles Photography Basics: The Complete Beginner’s Guide by Spencer Cox.

Spencer covers, piece by piece, the technical information you may need to use a camera as well as some tips on how to take “better” pictures. I would like to add: there is a lot of good, technical information in Spencer’s pages, but I don’t think you need to read and understand it all before you can take “better” pictures. Dip in when needed. My first advice is: just take pictures, use the camera you already have until you find you really need something extra. Should things not work as well as you would like then search and ask for answers to how to improve that aspect, then continue again from there. It will take time, enjoy the journey-with-no-end; softly, softly, catchee monkey.

Ian Whiting, August 2023

PS terms like “better” pictures are entirely subjective, only you can judge when one picture is better than another. Also I am ignoring the dark, often illegal and immoral use of photography. These are topics for another discussion.

 

The Miracle of Photography

The first photograph was by Louis Daguerre in 1838 “More shadows than men, really; just silhouettes.” Or perhaps you champion Fox Talbot around the same date. Yet the history of photography may have started in the 4th century BC. Read this and many other thoughts in “The Miracle of Photography” by Ed Simon.

 

Novice

Taking the first steps to get your compact, mirrorless or DSLR camera out of auto mode and take creative photos?
If you live near London take a look at the School of Photography Microbytes workshops
As of 2019 these are run every 3 or 4 weeks. Starts with a classroom session, a photowalk lead around Soho and a final classroom session.
Free, held at Park Cameras London shop near Oxford Street 11.30am to 15.45 (good for a cheap day train ticket?) What’s not to like?

Ask at other small, local camera shops. They may know of other free or low-cost events in your area more suited to your needs.

A Year With My Camera – A free, year-long beginner’s photography online workshop. Takes you from Auto mode to confident photographer

 

Mentoring

A photographic mentor is a friend who will help you to develop as a photographer.  Typically the mentor is a little more experienced than you in the areas you wish to advance.

Often a mentor can be found or evolves from another camera club member.  There are other places where a mentor can be found. Don Giannatti published a piece on this in May 2023. I have heavily pruned and anglicised it to be more relevant to BCC members

ON FINDING A PHOTOGRAPHIC MENTOR

 

Photographic History

A Tour Through the History of Photography – The Royal Institution, YouTube

 

General Photography

Adobe Lightroom Academy Growing list of tips and ideas for general photography (e.g. Fill the Frame, Compose in Layers) with exercises for you to try. Free. No Adobe account is required

 

EOS Training Academy

Based in Tackley, Oxfordshire. Canon training seminars, all levels, around £100 / day upwards

6th September 2011, Brian Hall, director, of Experience Seminars (as it was originally known when it was in Huntingdon) had offered a discount to club members, up to 25% off DVDs and £35 off training seminars and workshops. Quote CAMERA CLUB OFFER or ask in club for discount vouchers. Please ask at EOS Training Academy if this offer still exists.)

www.eostrainingacademy.co.uk

 

Trade Secrets and Amersham Studios

Video, Zoom and in-person workshops. Street, studio, flower, still life, creative, beginner to advanced. Example teachers (both excellent photographers) Polina Plotnikova and John Humphrey

Most 1-day live Zoom courses are £100, in-person workshops £150, recorded video/digital £27 to £55.

 

PermaJet Academy

Printing, Lightroom and Photoshop courses, many in Stratford-Upon-Avon and some print workshops in Hitchin

www.permajet.com/Academy

 

Aspect2i

Courses in several locations around the UK including the Epson Print Academy, Hemel Hempstead.

Active2i

 

Bedford College

Various courses, full time and part time

http://www.bedford.ac.uk/

 

Luton College

Various courses, full time and part time

Barnfield College

 

Royal Photographic Society

Workshops and talks for members and non-members (the latter are usually charged a little more.) These are usually run by highly qualified photographers and offer good value for money.

RPS 

 

East Anglian Federation

Lists workshops and events run by affiliated organisations

EAF 

 

University of Creative Arts

Offers a broad range of artistic study to degree + level, including Creative Arts and Photography (warning, when tested some pages of their web site did not work in the Chrome browser but were OK in other browsers)

You can study for a BA at campuses in S.E. England or take distance learning, expect this to take 2 or 3 years. English University education is not cheap, the UCA fees are competitive but can still cost a few thousand pounds. Residents (including those retired) may be able to apply for a student loan to cover the course fees. Presumably, this is paid back when your subsequent income exceeds a certain nationally set level, but I expect your study must be taken seriously (not sure, but this loan option may no longer be available to all – Feb 2021)

www.uca.ac.uk/

 

Distance Learning

It is possible to study for diplomas at a number of institutions, some examples of those being offered: London Art College, BIPP, British Academy of Photography

Also search OpenLearn for free courses and articles from the Open University

 

Light Stalking List

A list of free Online Photography Courses (including Stanford, MIT, Alison, Harvard and plenty more) by Light Stalking, August 2020

 

Photo Courses and Photographic Workshops

 

Bedfordshire and hereabouts

Landscape, aviation and various beginner courses, and 1-to-1 with Darren Harbar (Biggleswade) **

Animals, insects,  nature Workshops. Various locations with Bob Brind-Surch (Northamptonshire, UK, Europe and Africa) **

Wildlife, wedding, landscape and others with David Hemmings (Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire areas) 

Ann Miles is a highly qualified and respected photographer offering very attractive one-to-one days for those starting in DSLR, editing or Lightroom. Based near Cambridge, highly recommended **

 

Further afield

Landscape and floral in UK and Europe with Sue Bishop **

Landscape Yorkshire with Oliver Wright

Landscape Yorkshire, Spain, Iceland, Scotland with Lizzie Shepherd

Creative landscape in Wales with Nigel Forster **

Landscape with Light and Land – Tuition with some of the best UK photographers in their field, including Charlie Waite, Sue Bishop, Joe Cornish and Paul Sanders

Creative Nature with Victoria Hillman (www.vikspics.com but be careful, as of August 2023 her website has been hacked, hopefully she will rectify this sometime soon) Mostly one-day or half-day workshops in Somerset, wild orchids, bluebells, butterflies, dragonflies etc.

 

** known to and recommended by BCC members