Photography for Beginners: Intensive Workshop

Get to grips with photography with our photography short courses in Sydney.

Join this one-day intensive photography workshop designed for beginners who want to move beyond automatic settings and start taking control of their camera. You will work with DSLR and mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses, learning how to confidently navigate camera menus, select shooting modes, and adjust key settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. The workshop explores how these elements work together to control exposure, depth of field, and image quality across different shooting conditions. You will also learn how to use a range of lenses, including wide-angle, telephoto, and macro, to achieve specific creative outcomes.

Alongside technical skills, you will develop a strong foundation in composition, light, and visual storytelling, including the rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, and the use of natural and artificial light. Through guided shooting exercises, you will practice composing and capturing images for group discussion and feedback.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this photography workshop, you should be able to:

• Set up your camera menu
• Move away from Auto and use advanced camera settings
• Use different lenses and other attachments for specific outcomes
• Understand and apply the depth of field
• Understand white balance and apply appropriate settings
• Apply principles of composition, including the Rule of Thirds

Course content

What will be covered in this one-day photography workshop?

Mastering Camera Settings:

Choosing the right shooting mode

• File format, size, and quality
• White balance and metering modes
• Drive mode – single shot v. multiple shots
• Manual and autofocus modes – which to use when
• Focus points – selecting only one or using them all
• ISO – how to use it to maximum effect and best quality
• Exposure compensation, bracketing, and HDR (high dynamic range)

Aperture and Shutter Speed:

• Understanding depth of field
• Controlling depth of field in aperture priority
• Controlling movement in shutter priority
• Using Auto, Program, and scene selections

Light:

•  What is light? Light intensity and how to control it
• Front light – taking well-lit and colourful pictures
• Sidelight – highlighting texture and emphasising 3D
• Backlight-capturing silhouettes and rim-lit subjects
• Diffused light – exploit overcast conditions
• Artificial light – tungsten and flash (both on and off-camera).

Composition:

•  Principles of composition – rule of thirds
• Use leading lines to direct the eye
• Portrait or landscape format
• Cropping in-camera – leave enough space around your subject
• Portraits that wow – blur the background
• Different angles and focal lengths – distorting reality

Creativity:

• Use natural frames
• Look for reflections
• Play with colour and contrast
• Use repetition
• The power of scale
• Let your picture tell a story

Intended audience

Who is this photography workshop for?

This workshop is designed for beginners who want to learn to use their DSLR or mirrorless camera

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon Street & Victoria Road)

Course materials

What to bring to class

• DSLR Camera and any lenses you own
• Camera Manual
• Fully charged batteries
• Writing materials, paper, etc.