Course Goal: To teach beginners how to fully control their digital camera through 12 core technical and creative concepts, empowering them to take expressive, high-quality photographs that go far beyond phone photography.
Course Format: Duration: 6–8 weeks (flexible)
Structure: 12 modules (1 per concept), each with:
Short video lesson (10–15 minutes)
Written breakdown
Practice assignment
Creative challenge
Optional feedback/critique
Course Breakdown:
Module 1: Introduction to Digital Photography
How cameras work
Types of digital cameras
Basic camera anatomy
How this course will help you see differently
Module 2: Understanding Exposure
What is exposure?
The Exposure Triangle: Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO
Manual Mode vs Auto
Module 3:Aperture (Depth of Field Mastery)
f-stops explained
Controlling background blur
Creative focus techniques
Module 4: Shutter Speed (Motion Control)
Freezing action vs. motion blur
Light painting
Module 5: ISO (Mastering Light Sensitivity)
Low light photography
Noise vs. image quality
Creative grain
Module 6: Manual Mode Mastery
Putting it all together: Manual exposure
How to meter light
Exposure compensation
Module 7: Focus Control
Auto vs manual focus
Focus points & tracking
Creative blur and selective focus
Module 8: White Balance and Color Control
How lighting affects color
Using white balance creatively
Color temperature and mood
Module 9: Composition Fundamentals
Rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry
Framing and layering
Visual storytelling
Module 10:Light: The Photographer’s Paintbrush
Natural vs artificial light
Golden hour, shadows, and contrast
How to see and shape light
Module 11: Lenses and Perspective
Focal lengths explained
Wide vs telephoto
Choosing the right lens for your vision
Module 12: Creative Control & Final Project
How to develop your creative voice
Create a mini photo series using full manual settings
Critique and reflection
Course Outcome:
By the end of this course, students will:
Know how to use their camera in full manual mode
Understand how to control every creative aspect of image-making
Produce professional-level photographs that go beyond snapshots
Develop a unique visual voice and start building a personal style