Photography Lessons
Why doesn’t my picture look like what I see?
Why are my pictures blurry?
How do you create those smooth or dreamy waterfalls?
I would like to take better pictures of my family
I bought a new camera and want to know how to use it
I've been using a DSLR for a few years now and want to learn how to better control my camera
You are Unique
Reading a user manual can be a difficult way to learn without interactive help. Attending a group photography workshop or doing online tutorials is one way to learn, but each person is unique and will absorb material differently. These courses will provide the principles of photography, but will not focus on how to apply these to your actual equipment. Your specific needs and challenges may never be addressed in these types of settings. A private photography lesson may be what you need.
I am a self taught photographer who first picked up a camera in 2011 and have learned through online research, participating in photography groups, help from other photographers, and lots of trial and error. I can help breakdown how your camera works in easy to understand terms or can get as technical as you would like.
Designing Your Private Lessons
Together we will design a private photography lesson focused on accomplishing your photography goals and on your specific equipment. The lesson can cover walking through your camera, which specific settings to use, photography principles, and hands on shooting. I will provide pages from your camera's user manual as well as a take home workbook for you to reference.
Location
Lessons can take place at a prearranged location around Richmond or at our dedicated home studio in Chesterfield. My wife, Anne Weston, is a professional photographer focused on maternity, newborns, and young children. Her website is www.annewestonphotography.com.
Cost
Since a single hour is usually not enough time to go through the information and do hands on practice, the private photography lessons are booked in a 2 hour block minimum or longer. The cost for the two hour session is $180 and additional time can be added for $90 per hour.
Another more affordable option is to take semi-private photography lessons with a friend. Please let me know if this is something you are interested in.
Please note a retainer of $90 is required to book any session. Once that has been paid your appointment time will be locked in. If you need to make a change, it must be requested in advance of 24 hours of your appointment time. This is a refundable retainer if your session is canceled 24 hours before your appointment time.
How Does It Work?
When you are ready to set up a lesson:
Contact me to let me know of your interest via email, phone, or the form on my contact page.
We will discuss your goals, how comfortable you are with your camera, and I can answer any questions you may have.
Once we settle on a date and time I will require an upfront deposit ($90.00) to lock in your appointment.
We will talk further about what equipment you currently have, what you like to shoot, and go deeper into what your current camera experience is. Together, we will craft a private photography lesson around your needs.
Before your lesson I will research your camera's user manual to print out specific pages we can reference and will create the workbook you will bring home after the lesson.
At your appointment we will revisit your goals again, talk through your specific camera, go over basic photography principles, and then spend time practicing with your camera.
The key to any lesson is going to be practice, practice, practice.