4th July until 8th August – 6 weeks for £55

(plus booking fee)

Monday evenings – 8.00pm – 10.00pm

After taking a break in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic we returned in 2021 with a very successful course with most members staying on in the club.

It is highly likely to be oversubscribed so if you are interested in attending please sign up as soon as possible.

The course is both practical and theoretical with the simple aim that by the end of the course you will take better photographs.

Over the years hundreds of people have attended, enjoyed, and gained from taking part in the course.

We find that people attend for a whole variety of reasons with common reasons being;

• Stuck in a rut of taking snapshots and wanting to take quality photos instead
• Buying a dSLR and never taking it off the automatic setting
• A rekindling of an interest in photography
• Technique and science of photography
• Photographic outings
• Practical assignments

There will also be one weekend outing in Lloyd Park where attendees can practice techniques and ask tutors questions.

Additionally each week practical assignments will be set which relate to what has been covered that week in the course.

This practical work is optional and whilst reviewed this is done anonymously.  Many people find this the best aspect of the course as it stretches photographic skills into areas they may not previously have taken.

We find that most people tend to own dSLR cameras but bridge or compact cameras are often owned.  In the Society many people use bridge or compact cameras including competition winners.

The price of the course is only £55 

This includes membership of the Society until 31st December 2022 (worth £35)

Outline Timetable

Week 1

Understanding the basics – Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus points and how these all fit together

Practical – out in the garden. Taking photos with a large aperture plus the opportunity to chat to instructors about your camera and its settings (where things are and how to change them).

We’ll also cover focus points and focus modes.

Week 2

Introduction to editing – covering some of the most useful editing practices such as cropping and straightening, shadows and highlights, exposure, black & white conversion etc.

We’ll probably stick to using Windows Photos and Mac Photos but may include Affinity Photo which is currently on sale at half price of approx £25.

Practical – ISO & Shutter speed – back into the garden to play around with these two settings and how they affect your photos.

Again, this gives attendees the chance to chat to instructors and members of the Society about their cameras and settings.

Week 3

How to take photos like these & mistakes to avoid – have you viewed photos and wondered how they were taken? This session will go through a varied selection of photos with explanations of how they were taken and the settings.

We all make mistakes when taking photos so we’ll be covering some things to avoid and how to correct them.

Tabletop photography – another chance to get your camera out for a practical session.

This time it will be tabletop photography. Lighting and objects will be supplied.

Week 4

Composition – there are certain ‘rules’ of photography that can improve your photos. We’ll cover these off, and also when to break these.

Street photography – hints and tips for this ever popular genre.

Week 5

Landscape photography – most people will take landscape photos at some point, even if it isn’t their main focus of photography.

Here we will look at techniques to improve your landscapes and things to avoid doing.

Weekend Travel – how to improve your photography on your city breaks and day trips.

Photographing people – we’ll look at family photography and social photography, including the use of flash.

Week 6

Mobile phone photography – most people will use their mobile for photography to some extent. We’ll explore the best techniques and editing tools for this.

Other photography – a round-up of other techniques and photography not covered in the main sessions. Time-lapse, drone photography, panoramas, 360 photos etc.

Course wrap-up

Students will present (if they want to) their favourite photo they have taken during the course.

A bit about the Society and how it can benefit your photography.

“I did not arrive with any particular preconceptions or specific expectations. Course has been very enjoyable and I am very happy with the content.”

“From my perspective the course has had a nice balance. I have sought to attend on Monday evenings and to participate in the field events.”

“As a novice I have learnt a great deal about photography and camera settings”

“I joined the 2013 Walthamstow Photographic Society Summer School.  Prior to this my photography was limited to trying to get better holiday photos than my friends, and I had never taken the camera off auto.

“At the Summer School I learnt about the different settings on my camera, how to technically take a good photo, how to be creative taking photos, and most importantly from the homework I was encouraged to try photographing a whole range of different subjects pushing me out of my comfort zone.”

“Two years later, thanks to the start given at the Summer School, my photography and confidence has come on in leaps and bounds.”

“I enjoy entering the club competitions and interclub competitions and in 2015 I won the 1 in 100 interclub competition had 6 acceptances for the Southampton International Exhibition.” – Caroline Preece

Previous attendees have come from Walthamstow, Leyton, Leytonstone, South Woodford, Woodford, Wanstead, & Chingford.