Eden Prairie Community Education

*This class can be taken by itself, but it is a part of a 4-part series. Class 4 has two sessions: presentation and critiquing. Throughout the course, various assignments will be assigned, collected, and critiqued in class. These tasks aim to refine your photographic eye by exploring compositional rules and guidelines, the elements of art, principles of design, and an understanding of lighting. Additionally, you will experiment with different photographic genres and styles. The goal is to help you see, comprehend, and create purposeful, intentional, and personal images. Lessons are organized by simple basic themes based on areas of discussion, starting with elements of art and principles of design which both influence and create good composition. Then moving on, lessons include the exploration of lighting, exposure, and motion, all of which exist due to the basic camera functions of Aperture and Shutter. Next mood and visual interest are introduced, and the lessons go from photographing things to places, then people, then ending on intent, message, voice and communication. Assignments are then critiqued in class using a rubric scale of identifiable criteria and subjective based dialogue. Each session, with the goal of opening our eyes, our minds, learning to make the next image even better. Course Materials: Preferred: Everyone has a digital camera (10 plus Megapixels minimum). That said, I am used to accommodating a wide range of cameras from simple point-and-shoot, DSLR’s, and how to simulate basic camera operations using smartphone cameras. Prerequisites: Though not necessary, enrolling in or understanding the content of The Photographic Eye (Class II), is suggested. Having that knowledge is the easiest way to make better photographs