Fundamentals of Photography & Capstone

Understanding Your Canon DSLR

Are you intimidated by your Canon digital SLR or mirrorless camera? Don’t settle for photographs that are less than your camera is capable of delivering, and don’t be left in the dark about the vast array of features that you can use to take professional-quality images. Learn to navigate the menus, submenus, options, settings to the best  advantage, gain confidence in the handling of your camera and further one’s photographic skills . Bring your camera and manual to class. 

Equipment Needed: Interchangeable lens camera (DSLR or Mirrorless)

Cost: $235
Ages 17+
Instructor: Chris Bisset

Spring A 2024: Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m., January 9-February 27

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Understanding Your Nikon DSLR

This course is designed to help you understand the available options and unlock the vast potential of your digital Nikon. The course begins with basic camera settings, advances to auto focus, exposure compensation, and flash options, and concludes with customizing your camera for your needs. 

Equipment Required: Nikon DSLR Camera

Cost: $235
Ages 18+
Instructor: Mike Nelson

Spring A 2024: Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., January 10-February 28 *no class February 14

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Photography I

Building on the intro classes, this course is designed to help you take more effective images using the capabilities of your DSLR or mirrorless camera. Increase your understanding of photographic technique and composition. Topics covered include exposure, selecting the appropriate aperture, shutter speed techniques, lighting, basic principles of framing and composition. 

Equipment needed - Interchangeable lens camera (DSLR or Mirrorless)
Prerequisite: Understanding Your Canon, Nikon, or Sony Camera

Instructor: Chris Bisset

Ages 17+

Cost: $235

Spring B 2024: Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m., March 12-April 30 *no class March 26

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Capstone Course

This is the capstone course for those seeking the photography certificate and have completed all the core and elective courses. The course will be run as an independent study. Must be approved by Academy to register for this course. Email us at: academyofthearts@samford.edu for approval.

Cost: $300
Instructor: Mike Nelson

Spring A 2024: Thursday, 6-8 p.m., January 18 
Attendance at first class meeting on January 18 is mandatory. Other meetings will be scheduled by appointment.

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Certificate Electives

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe designed ‘Lightroom specifically for photographers who want to organize and edit digital images quickly and safely. This course is designed to teach photographers how to edit images and to learn a complete start to finish workflow. Adobe Lightroom is the preferred software for creating beautiful images and it integrates with other postprocessing software programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. Lightroom is safe and nondestructive to your original images making it perfect for photographers that are new to editing.

Prerequisite: basic computer skills.

Cost: $235
Ages 18+
Instructor: Instructor: Mike Nelson

Spring B 2024: Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., March 13-April 24

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Looking at Photographs

Class is limited to 6 students. Additional students may be added upon approval by instructor.

This class will be the first offering of a class inspired by the classes at the Maine Media Workshops & College in Rockport, Maine.

One of the challenges of advancing your photography is to become a better judge of your own photographs. It is hard to be objective when you are intimately involved with a photo of your own making.

Rather than taking their own photos, students will collect photographic images under different categories and from various sources like magazines, newspapers, social media, medical journals, great photographers of the past, editorial photography, advertisements, and photographic artists.

The initial meeting will explain the process and offer samples. Subsequent classes will have topics assigned to or chosen by the student. Students will present their collected images during class and discuss composition and what attracted them to the photos. The goal of this class is to sharpen your eye for what makes an effective photo.

Requirements: No previous course requirements in SAOTA. Students need a computer with internet access and jump drive for class.

Instructor: Cliff Brane

Ages 18+

Cost:$165 (5 classes)

Spring B 2024: Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., March 20-April 17

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Outdoor & Landscape Photography

Learn the principles of good outdoor and landscape photography in this class from initial visualization, suggested equipment through editing the photos you have taken. Topics will include composing landscapes, creating panoramas, using multiple exposures, identifying layers of interest, flowing water, photographing in lowlight and harsh light, software demonstrations and suggestions for the best equipment for outdoor photography.

This class meets for 7 weeks including weekly assignments to 3 or 4 in weekend outdoor sessions at locations to be announced at the first class. Efforts will be made to make any outdoor locations and times as convenient as possible for all class members. The instructor encourages frequent contact throughout the weeks of the class through email, phone, or texting.

Prerequisites: Students should have a previous understanding of their camera’s functions. For the first meeting of the class, students are encouraged to submit up to 10 jpeg photo samples of any outdoor photos they have previously taken. No previous SAOTA class requirements, just a working knowledge of your camera’s basics and an interest in learning more about taking better pictures outdoors.

Requirements: DSLR or Mirrorless camera, tripod, computer with internet. .

Cost: $235
Instructor: Cliff Brane

Ages 18+

Spring B 2024: Thursdays, 6-8 p.m., March 14-April 25
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Photographing Creatures: Exotic & Domestic

Learn tips and techniques to photographing domestic and exotic creatures, to include pet portraiture (studio rental approx. $10/student); field trips may include – dog agility event, horse show, a farm, the Birmingham Zoo (admission $19.95 adult), Alabama Safari Park (admission $24.95 adult), a rodeo (admission $15-25). Field trips scheduled at first class.

No tag-along’s permitted, such as family or friends, unless student has a disability and needs assistance, and kindly discuss with instructor prior to field trip.

Prerequisite: Understanding Your Canon/Nikon/Sony; Photography I

Equipment Required: DSLR Camera, tripod

Cost: $235

Ages 18+

Instructor: Meg McKinney

Spring B 2024: Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m., April 2-May 14

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Lighting: Flash, Night, Studio

Studio Lighting

Studio lighting can provide the consistent and predictable high-quality results many photographers require.  From tabletop and product images to portraits, fashion and group photography, this course will examine the concepts, equipment, and techniques for simple, effective, and inspired lighting.  Modern LEDs, ring lights and traditional strobes, lighting modifiers and backdrops will be used during workshop sessions throughout this course.  Photographic planning, composition, and design, as well as posing and props for subjects, will be discussed and demonstrated to achieve the best possible results for each image and subject. 

Prerequisites: Required: Photography I, Photoshop, Lightroom, or permission of the instructor

Requirements: Digital camera with hot shoe, electronic flash unit compatible with camera, tripod

Optional equipment:  Second electronic flash unit; light stands and light modifiers are optional but not required for this course.

Cost: $235
Limited to 10 students
Instructor: Ken Boyd

Spring A 2024: Mondays, 6-8 p.m., January 22-March 4

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Photojournalism - Story Telling in Words & Pictures

Photojournalism - Story Telling in Words & Pictures

Learn to tell stories with images, in package groups with leading, supporting, closing images, accompanied by captions or brief texts. Assignments include events, features, themes, and a project. Discover how photojournalism impacts your life, apply its principles, practices, and cover ethics, responsibilities of photojournalists.

Prerequisites: Beginning Photography I, Understanding Your Canon/Nikon/Mirrorless Camera.

Equipment Needed: thumb drive or internet access to upload assignments to a Google box; DSLR or mirrorless camera; lenses, tripod.

Cost: $235
Ages 18+
Instructor: Meg McKinney

Spring A 2024: Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., January 24-March 13 *no class February 28

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Instructors

Photo of Christopher Bisset
Christopher Bisset
Instructor
Academy of the Arts
Photo of Ken Boyd
Ken Boyd
Instructor
Academy of the Arts
Photo of Cliff Brane
Cliff Brane
Instructor
Academy of the Arts
Photo of Meg McKinney
Meg McKinney
Photography Instructor
Academy of the Arts
Photo of Mike Nelson
Mike Nelson
Instructor
Academy of the Arts