Photography Course
When and where
The Society’s 2011 course will run on Tuesday evenings, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., for 10 weeks from 13th September until 15th November. The course is held in the Society’s meeting rooms at 12 West Mall, Clifton, Bristol.
What
The course is an introduction to photography for those who have little or no experience or technical knowledge, or who are looking for a refresher programme. You do not have to be a member of the Society to sign up for the course. Our approach is practical, and we aim to help you start taking photographs and improving your photography immediately. As well as teaching the basic technical information you need to get going, we cover a wide range of types of photography –- landscape, natural history, portrait, travel – to show you how to apply this knowledge in different settings.
How
Our Tuesday classes consist of a varied mix of lectures, practical sessions and competitions. The practical sessions include a studio portrait session and a very popular night photography field trip when we venture into Clifton village to take photos using only the available light. We also set enjoyable and interesting projects every fortnight to develop your skills, and review the resulting photos in small groups of students, led by a tutor. These small-group sessions provide helpful and detailed feedback and advice from both the tutor and the other students, and help to develop your own skills in appreciating what makes a good photo. The discussion sessions are very relaxed, and always supportive and constructive. Most evenings include a break for refreshments which gives students a chance to chat with other course members and tutors.
As part of the course, we run a Saturday morning field trip in Bristol in late September to quickly put into practice the lessons on composition and the technical aspects of using a camera, with tutors available to offer advice and guidance. We provide a second field trip in October in picturesque Lacock, further developing your skills. At the end of the year, we invite you to enter your best photos taken during the course into our “grande finale” competition. The winning photos will appear on our website.
Who we are
About a dozen members of the Society are involved in teaching on the course. Each lecture is given by a tutor with a special interest and expertise in that topic, and other tutors act as facilitators for the group discussions of project work or to support the field trips and practical workshops. All of us are experienced amateur photographers. Most of us have published or exhibited our work, and hold qualifications from the Royal Photographic Society or similar bodies. We are lucky to have several tutors who have won awards in international photography exhibitions and who will teach in their specialist subject. We are all volunteers, and run the course because we enjoy it so much!
How much
The course costs £100.
How to enrol on the course
Places are limited and the course is extremely popular. Last year the course and its waiting list was full within a few days of booking opening so we strongly advise enrolling as soon as booking opens. Booking opens on 1st July 2011 and it is not possible to reserve a place beforehand. On 1st July, this section here will be edited and a web link will appear to an application form. Bookings will only be accepted on this booking form and if accompanied by full payment. When the course is full, it will be announced on the website.
If you want to join the course but will be away on 1st July, we suggest that you arrange for someone to complete and mail the form on your behalf. They will need to provide your name, address, email address, and a cheque or postal order for £100 payable to Bristol Photographic Society. They need not answer any questions about your camera type or your photographic interests that we may also ask about on the form.
Sometimes people would like to buy membership of the course for someone as a gift for an occasion such as a birthday or wedding that falls before enrolment begins. In fairness to others who want to join the course, we regret that we can’t make exceptions in these cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter whether I have a digital or film camera?
No. These days, most of our students have digital cameras but a few have film, and we ensure that our teaching of the course is appropriate for either type of camera.
Do I have to have an SLR camera to benefit from the course?
Not necessarily, although you will need a camera that, like an SLR, allows you to control important elements; see the answer to the next question for more detail.
Do I need to have a camera before I come on the course?
No. To get the most out of the course, though, it would be best to obtain by the third week or so a camera that allows you to control its shutter speed and aperture, and that either has a zoom lens (ideally) or has several fixed lenses so that you can use different focal lengths. Cameras like this can be bought cheaply second hand. We can advise you on what to buy at the beginning of the course.
Does it matter if I can’t come every evening?
No. However, the first two evenings are particularly important because they concern composition and how to control the technical aspects of your camera. These two topics underlie all types of photography and should not be missed if possible. In general, of course, the more you attend the more you will get out of the course but we provide lecture notes to remind you of what has been taught and in case you miss any lectures.
Does it matter if I miss doing one of the projects?
Somewhat. The projects all have learning value and are timed and chosen to get you to put into practice what you have learned in the lectures. We recognise that people have other commitments and can’t always get out in good weather and good light in the autumn, but we strongly encourage students to do the projects if possible, to enable them to fully participate in the group discussions of students’ work.
Does the course count towards a qualification?
No. The course is not accredited and is run by volunteers, so doesn’t lead to a recognised qualification. It does improve your photography, though!
Does the course run at other times of the year?
No, only in the autumn.
Why do I have to wait until July to enrol?
Once our autumn course finishes, we need time to review the course and ensure that its coverage keeps up with current developments in photography. We need to book lecturers before we can confirm our course dates and have to have our fees for the year ratified by the Society’s council. All of this takes time and has to be resolved before we can open for booking.
Who do I contact for more information?
E-mail the course coordinator, Millie Spaven photocourse@bristolphoto.org.uk or write to her at the Bristol Photographic Society, 12 West Mall, Bristol BS8 4BH.
