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Online Photography Course
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| Benefits: You get direct feedback on your photos from world-acclaimed, professional photographers. You can learn photography in this way from anywhere in the world. |
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Kerry DragerKerry's Pro BetterPholio Web site offers an assortment of galleries and illustrated how-to articles on photography. In addition, kerrydrager.com was featured in Shutterbug magazine.
His work has appeared in Outdoor Photographer and other major magazines; Hallmark cards and Sierra Club Calendars; and in advertising campaigns for American Express and Sinar Bron Imaging. He is also the photographer of the photo-essay books The Golden Dream: California from Gold Rush to Statehood and California Desert, and is a contributing photographer for the books Daybreak 2000 and Portrait of California.
He lives with his wife, Mary, in the country near Sacramento, California, with their six Newfoundland dogs, six cats, two horses, and a mixed terrier.
![]() © Kerry Drager | ![]() © Kerry Drager |
Week 1: Developing an Eye for Details
Introduction: Why a photogenic part sometimes is stronger than the whole. How to find eye-catching subjects. The art and technique of exploring and experimenting. Sidebar #1: Tripods and other camera supports. Sidebar #2: Macro equipment: A rundown (again, macro gear is optional in this course).
Assignment: Isolate the small view within the big scene - close-up or macro.
Week 2: Compositional Choices
Lens focal length options - moving physically closer vs. zooming in tighter. Zeroing in as tight as possible with standard lenses or with macro equipment. Positioning the subject. Simplifying a scene (by eliminating distracting elements). Sidebar: Depth of Field.
Assignment: Shoot the same subject with different compositions (close-up or macro).
Week 3: Light: Mastering It and Fixing It
How light can impact a photo: late/early day for warm light and striking shadows for small scenes; soft overcast light for close-ups and macro shots; sidelight vs. backlight; etc. Working in challenging conditions (light-vs.-dark contrast): “fixing” things with fill flash, a reflector, or diffusion disc, or by shifting the camera to eliminate a distracting bright “hot” spot, etc. Also: Using a polarizing filter.
Assignment: Shoot the same subject in different light - close-up or macro.
Week 4: Going to the Extremes - Close-ups and Macro
An introduction to extreme close-up and macro photography: Shooting survival strategies: i.e., dealing with a razor-thin depth of field, paying attention to backgrounds, etc. More tips, tricks, and techniques for successful macro photography.
Assignment: Experiment with viewpoint and sharpness – via close-focusing with a standard lens or moving in tight with macro gear.
![]() © Kerry Drager | ![]() © Kerry Drager |
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Recommended Gear:
Tripod (strongly urged). Macro lens, mode, or accessory (optional). Polarizing filter (suggested).
Optional: Macro gear (i.e., a macro function on camera, a macro lens, close-up filters, or extension tubes), a tripod, and a portable reflector.
If you shoot film, you will also need a way to digitize your images. You can use your own scanner to do this or you might try using a scanning service at your local photo lab or copy shop.
![]() © Kerry Drager | ![]() © Kerry Drager |
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