Skill Level: Beginner
8 LESSONS (7 IN CLASS SESSIONS WITH 1 CLASS ON LOCATION)
DATES FOR 2026
Intro to Photography Intake 1 — Mondays (End Jan → March 2026)
- Lesson 1: Monday 26th January 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 2: Monday 2nd February 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 3: Monday 9th February 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 4: Monday 16th February 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Field Trip: Sunday 22nd February 2026 (time TBC)
- Lesson 5: Monday 23rd February 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 6: Monday 2nd March 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 7: Monday 9th March 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 8: Monday 16th March 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
Intro to Photography Intake 2 — Wednesdays (Mar → Apr 2026)
- Lesson 1: Wednesday 4th March 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 2: Wednesday 11th March 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 3: Wednesday 18th March 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 4: Wednesday 25th March 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Field Trip: Sunday 29th March 2026 (time TBC)
- Lesson 5: Wednesday 1st April 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 6: Wednesday 8th April 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 7: Wednesday 15th April 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 8: Wednesday 22nd April 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
Intro to Photography Intake 3 — Mondays (Apr → Jun 2026)
- Lesson 1: Monday 13th April 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 2: Monday 20th April 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 3: Monday 27th April 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 4: Monday 4th May 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Field Trip: Sunday 10th May 2026 (time TBC)
- Lesson 5: Monday 11th May 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 6: Monday 18th May 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 7: Monday 25th May 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 8: Monday 1st June 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
Intro to Photography Intake 4 — Thursdays (Jun → Jul 2026)
- Lesson 1: Thursday 11th June 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 2: Thursday 18th June 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 3: Thursday 25th June 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 4: Thursday 2nd July 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Field Trip: Sunday 5th July 2026 (time TBC)
- Lesson 5: Thursday 9th July 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 6: Thursday 16th July 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 7: Thursday 23rd July 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 8: Thursday 30th July 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
Intro to Photography Intake 5 — Wednesdays (Sep → Oct 2026)
- Lesson 1: Wednesday 9th September 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 2: Wednesday 16th September 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 3: Wednesday 23rd September 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 4: Wednesday 30th September 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Field Trip: Sunday 4th October 2026 (time TBC)
- Lesson 5: Wednesday 7th October 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 6: Wednesday 14th October 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 7: Wednesday 21st October 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
- Lesson 8: Wednesday 28th October 2026 from 6.30pm–8.30pm
Own a DSLR or Mirrorless camera and want to learn how to use it to its full potential? Learn from industry professionals who are passionate about photography and imparting their practical knowledge to the next generation of digital photographers.
This is a face-to-face beginner’s 101 practical guide to your camera and photography fundamentals. Classes are limited to 12 places, so book your place today! The course takes place in the studio in Paola, with loads of practical exercises, visual aids and a MIPP-designed Photography Handbook for students to progress during and after their course finishes.
What to Bring?
• Your DSLR or Mirrorless Camera Body with as many lenses as you own.
• Relevant accessories including a charged battery and memory card. We recommend a minimum of 16GB of storage.
• Your charger just in case you need to top-up your battery and/or a spare battery.
• Your tripod (if you own one) only for Week 7.
• Any snacks or nourishment you wish to have during the course.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: Photography Equipment Explained!
This week we will start from scratch, introducing you to the equipment on the market but fundamentally acquaint you with what’s in your hands. What do all these numbers mean and what do these buttons and dials do? From your camera body to lenses and relevant accessories and gadgets to consider down the track, we will begin by setting you up for the rest of the course.
Week 2: The Power of 3 – Part 1! – ISO and Aperture
It is this week, we will introduce you to the 3 elements to exposure – the ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. Understanding these elements in vital to taking control over your camera and cannot be understood in one lesson, so we’ve dedicated two weeks to this. What do each of these elements do? What is an ISO and what is an aperture? How can they be used creatively?
Week 3: The Power of 3 – Part 2 – Shutter Speed and Symbiotic Harmony
It is here where you will begin to have several questions, and this week, we will answer a lot of them all while adding a few to the list. This week we will begin to understand the way the camera works from a technical standpoint, and knowledge is power! What is this shutter speed and what role does it play in photography? How do they work together?
Week 4: Lights Camera Action!
Light is the key ingredient in photography. It’s like life; it can be beautiful, or it can be harsh; it can be philosophical, or it can be literal! The key is working with it, understanding it, and moulding it so that we achieve the results we hoped for. This week, we look at the characteristics of light and show how we can use light to fundamentally capture moments, along with using it as a creative tool to compliment and contrast our subject matter.
Week 5 Part A: Colour and Composition 101
This is where the magic is. The topics of colour and composition are worthy of its own independent course, but at least we have two weeks. It is here we will get you thinking about how colour and the way visual hierarchy aids in the way an image is read. Why is it that we look over here and not there? Is there such a thing as balance within an image? Do certain colours have more visual weighting than others?
Week 6: Field Trip
Photography is both practical and theoretical; without practice, what’s the point? It is here, we come together on location to put all of our learnings to date, into practice. We meet, weather dependent (otherwise postponed to a new date), for two hours experiencing lighting situations that mimic basic to intermediate levels of hardship so that once the course is finished, students will be equipped with adequate information to tackle scenes on their own.
Week 7: Painting the Night Away
Photography is one big light show! This week, we show you how to use light as a paintbrush. We will spend most of this week’s lesson outside, capturing light swirls, words and tracing in an experimental 2 hours of learning. So, let’s get sparkling!
Week 8: DAM! Critique
Unfortunately, it is the last week of the course! DAM stands for Digital Asset Management or in other words, “How do we ensure our files are safe and organised in such a way so that they are found easily and protected from becoming lost?” And why are we learning this at the end? Well, it’s because you were too eager to get right into using your camera! If you have a messy desktop, have numerous doubles and triples, we will work together in providing you with a formula to manage your existing and future assets! We will also dedicate time to feedback on student progress.