Photography Fundamentals: Everyone Welcome! (Dallas, TX)

5 week photography 101 class w/ drop-in options if you can’t make all 5
About this Event

Learn photography this summer in a sequence of 5 classes offered in Dallas by Matthew Hine and .

Photography has never in history been more popular than right now – literally everybody now has a camera in their pocket. But learning the fundamental skills of photography has maybe never seemed less relevant. Why mess with all those complicated settings when everybody’s phone makes good pictures automatically, and AI will generate any picture you want?

I’m going to show you how photography really works, and how learning the skills can be a real improvement to both your pictures and your life.

Not convinced yet?

Here’s an article I wrote about .

Who are these classes for?

The classes are designed for just about anybody who has a curiosity about photography and a desire to learn, no matter what kinds of pictures you want to take.

Everybody has a camera in their phone, and if that’s all you’ve got, we’ll get started there and maybe you’ll end up convinced to take the next step with a dedicated camera. If you’ve already got one – from a retro pocket cam to a big pro dSLR – bring that along and you’ll learn how to get the most out of it.

What will the classes cover?

Over the 5 weeks, each 90 minute class will cover one topic.

In each class, I’ll use examples, live demonstration, and clear explanation to show you how cameras really work and the results you can get. You’ll learn what all the confusing photography terms mean and what all of the buttons and controls on your camera (or camera app) do, so they become tools rather than barriers. If you just want to come, listen, and maybe ask a coupe of questions – that’s great. If you want to get out your camera and try some things out without pressure, we’ll do that too. You’ll always leave with some ideas for things to try on your own so you can see for yourself.

My mantra in these classes is going to be “see for yourself”. The best way to learn how to use your camera, and to take pictures that are more meaningful to you, is to experiment, see the results, and repeat. By the end my goal is for you to have an understanding of the tools so you can enjoy experimenting and seeing for yourself rather than getting frustrated and confused.

:: July 23 ::

📷 MAKING CHOICES as a photographer and why they matter. We’ll talk about the surprisingly difficult challenge of capturing “what you experienced” in a little flat rectangle – not just taking good-looking photos but giving them meaning and impact. We’ll also cover the “light budget”, a concept that we’ll be using across each of the next 4 classes about the important choices you make (or don’t make) every time you take a picture...

:: July 30 ::

🖼️ Choosing FRAMING with composition, FOV, zoom, shift, … and your feet.

:: August 6 ::

⏱️ Choosing TIME with movement, shutter speed, and the decisive moment.

:: August 13 ::

👁️ Choosing FOCUS with focal distance, aperture (f-stop), manual/auto focus, and bokeh.

:: August 20 ::

🌇 Choosing BRIGHTNESS with exposure, ISO, EV compensation, and locking.

What will we not cover?

I'm not going to teach you shortcuts to mimic other people's looks, or quick tricks to get clicks on Instagram. I'm going to make the fundamentals of photography understandable so you can make your own choices and make images you actually care about.

Why are you doing this?

I've loved photography my whole life and want to pass that love and the skills I've learned on to others. I spent many years designing optical systems professionally, so I know what actually matters when you're shooting, without the superstition. The combination of art and science makes photography unique and wonderful, and I love demystifying the science so you have the tools to make your own art.