(Charlotte actually completed the course from start to finish over the course of 1 year)
"It is easy to just snap a photo, but to create
a beautiful image you need an understanding of your camera, balance and light.
And in this comprehensive course, Ms. Storkel covers all of this and much more.
The course is an all inclusive, beginner
photography course. The materials included are the course textbook, test book
and answer key, a grey card, exposure journal and a 2-in-1 reflector/diffuser.
This is a self taught course that can be done at any pace. There are 15 lessons
in the course which begins with photography fundamentals, then moves onto
light, composition, portraiture, motion, landscape and more.
The lessons are easy to read and have many color
photos and illustrations. There is a written test for each lesson which is self
given but is closed book. It is not required to send in the tests or results;
they are simply a way to see if the student has grasped the materials in the
lesson. It is recommended though, that the student not progress to the next
lesson unless they have scored 90% or higher. At the end of each chapter there
are photography assignments. These are very appropriate to the lessons and
truly expand what is being taught. For example in the chapter on portraits, the
assignments include taking a photograph of someone in motion; another photo
taken in a studio setting; and another with a 3:1 lighting ratio.
All of the assignments are explained in detail in
the lesson and do cause the student to practice what they are being taught in
the textbook. Beginning in lesson 8, it is required that some of the photo
assignments in each lesson be sent to Ms. Storkel. Students will send in an
8x10 or 8x12 print of the assignment that varies from 2 to 6 images per lesson.
Along with the photos, the student is also required to write an accompanying
essay that describes the camera settings used and the style of the photo. This
entire course takes 30 weeks to complete if done at the suggested pace of 1
lesson every 2 weeks. At the end of the course your student will know how to choose
the correct lens, freeze motion, take photos in macro and black and white
settings, and much more.
In my family I have an interest in photography so I
was the one who took the entire course. I learned so much! The book moved along
at a comfortable pace and I found the example photos and illustrations very
helpful. They were appropriate and not offensive, as some photography books can
be. The text was written in an engaging style and the test booklet was
beneficial in helping me understand the material.
The most important and helpful part of the course
was the send-in assignments. Ms. Storkel reviews the images that are sent in
and then critiques and send them back to the student with her comments. This
invaluable evaluation and the tips that she sent back were most helpful for me
as a photographer. She was encouraging in her critiquing, but yet saw the many
places where the images could be improved upon and gave helpful suggestions.
Also as part of the course, the student joins a private online forum, where Ms.
Storkel gives advice and holds occasional photo contests. This is a great
resource where students can interact and ask photography questions. I took 30
weeks to finish the class. This was an excellent pace and gave me enough time
to do the photo assignments.
The cost of $495 for the entire course is
reasonable, especially when you think of the materials included, plus the
one-on-one tutorial type of interaction the course offers. There is the extra
cost of developing the images and the postage for the send-in assignments. It
is also helpful for the student, while taking the course, to have access to an
SLR camera. There is no age limit for this course but I would suggest this for
the high school/college age student who is interested in learning more about
photography.
Summary - In taking this course, I really improved my
photography skills as I learned about the many features on my camera and how to
shoot in all the different modes. I really enjoyed learning about more advanced
photography, light and composition. And I benefited from the relationship with
the teacher and the advice and helpful tips she gave.
I highly recommend this
photography course for anyone who wants to learn more about taking great
pictures. "
WHY DELAY! Order your course TODAY! Begin the first step to becoming a better photographic artist!
