Beginner's Digital Photography Course in Athlone

Embark on a photographic journey with the Beginner's Digital Photography Course by Liam Kidney Photography. This course is meticulously designed for those starting their exploration into the world of photography, offering a comprehensive and interactive learning experience.

Join us for an exciting journey into photography, designed for those ready to take their skills to the next level. Starting on Thursday 16th of January 2025, this course will be held at the Shannon Academy, 2/3 Garden Vale, Athlone, and promises to get you started in photography. Location: https://goo.gl/maps/rrcB7SnSdt3pyRs86

Beginner's Digital Photography Course Overview:

1. Mastering Camera Basics:

   • Shutter Speed: Learn how fast or slow your camera captures images and how it affects your photos.
   • Aperture: Understand how to control the amount of light entering the camera, impacting the depth and focus of your pictures.
   • ISO Settings: Discover how to adjust your camera's sensitivity to light and how it influences the brightness and quality of your images.
   • Depth of Field: Explore how to make your subject stand out by blurring the background or keeping everything sharp.
   • White Balance: Find out how to capture true colors by adjusting your camera to different lighting conditions.
   • Lenses: Learn about different types of lenses and how they change the look and feel of your photos.

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3. The Art of Composition:

   • Rule of Thirds: Master this basic composition rule to make your photos more balanced and interesting.
   • Perspective: Experiment with different angles and viewpoints to make your images more dynamic.
   • Lens Choice: Discover how choosing the right lens can dramatically change your photo’s story.
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4. Landscape and Wildlife Photography:

   • Capturing Great Shots: Learn techniques for taking breathtaking landscape and wildlife photos.
   • Equipment Essentials: Understand the importance of filters and other tools to enhance your outdoor photography.
   • HDR Photography: Explore High Dynamic Range imaging to create vivid, detailed photos.
   • Smartphone Apps: Discover handy iPhone apps that can assist you in landscape photography.
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5. Portrait Photography: Capturing Stunning Portraits with Natural Light

   1. Mastering Natural Light:

      • Understanding Light Sources: Learn to identify and use natural light sources like the sun, sky, and reflections. Find out how different times of day and weather conditions affect the quality of light.
      • Soft Light vs. Hard Light: Discover the difference between soft light (like on a cloudy day) and hard light (like direct sunlight) and how each can impact the look of your portraits.
      • Positioning Your Subject: Learn simple techniques for positioning people in relation to the light source to enhance their features and avoid unflattering shadows.

   2. Key Portrait Techniques:

      • Framing and Posing: Explore basic framing techniques and how to guide your subjects into natural, comfortable poses that look great in photos.
      • Capturing Expressions: Understand how to create a relaxed environment that helps capture genuine expressions and emotions in your portraits.
      • Background Considerations: Learn how to choose backgrounds that complement your subject without distracting from them.

   3. Working with Available Light:

      • Utilising Shadows: Find out how to use shadows creatively to add depth and drama to your portraits.
      • Maximizing Indoor Light: Get tips on how to make the most of light coming through windows and other indoor light sources for beautiful indoor portraits.

   4. Creating Beautiful Portraits Anywhere:

      • On-the-Go Techniques: Develop skills to quickly assess your surroundings and identify the best spots for portrait photography, whether you’re in a park, at home, or in an urban environment.
      • Adapting to Changing Light: Learn how to adapt to changing light conditions throughout the day, ensuring you can take great portraits no matter the time.

6. This section of the course is designed to empower you with the skills and confidence to use natural light to create beautiful, compelling portraits. Through practical exercises and hands-on practice, you'll learn how to harness the power of natural light to illuminate your subjects in the most flattering way.

7. Introduction to Lightroom Editing: Mastering Basic Edits in Lightroom Classic

   1. Getting Started with Lightroom Classic:

      • Importing Your Photos: Learn how to efficiently import and organize your images in Lightroom. Understand the basics of file management to keep your photos well-organized and easily accessible.
      • Navigating the Interface: Familiarize yourself with the Lightroom workspace. Learn how to navigate through different modules like Library and Develop, and understand their functionalities.

   2. Fundamental Adjustments:

      • Exposure and Contrast: Discover how to adjust the overall brightness and contrast of your images to make them pop.
      • Color Correction: Learn to correct and enhance colors. Understand how to adjust white balance and saturation to make your photos look more natural or artistic.
      • Cropping and Straightening: Find out how to crop your images for better composition and straighten photos that have uneven horizons.

   3. Enhancing Details:

      • Clarity and Sharpness: Enhance the details in your photos by adjusting clarity and sharpness, bringing out textures and fine details.
      • Noise Reduction: Learn techniques to reduce noise in your photos, especially those taken in low light, to improve image quality.

   4. Local Adjustments:

      • Using Adjustment Brushes: Master the use of adjustment brushes to make selective edits to specific parts of your image.
      • Graduated and Radial Filters: Explore how to use graduated and radial filters to apply gradual adjustments, like enhancing skies or highlighting focal points.

   5. Creative Touches:

      • Black and White Conversion: Experiment with converting images to black and white, understanding how tonal values translate from color to grayscale.
      • Adding Vignettes: Learn how to add vignettes to your photos to draw attention to the center or enhance the mood.

   6. Exporting Your Edits:

      • Saving and Exporting: Understand the best practices for saving your edited images and exporting them for print, web, or social media.

8. Hands-On Learning Approach: In this section of the course, you'll work on real-life photo projects to apply the concepts learned. This hands-on approach ensures you not only understand the theory but also gain practical skills in editing your photos with Lightroom Classic.

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9. Sports Photography:

   • Finding the Right Spot: Learn where to position yourself to capture the best sports action.
   • Essential Gear: Understand what equipment you need to effectively photograph fast-moving sports.

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11. Introduction to Flash Photography: Mastering the Art of Using Flash

    1. Understanding Flash Basics:

       • When to Use Flash: Learn to identify scenarios where flash can enhance your photos, such as in low light conditions, to fill shadows on sunny days, or to create certain artistic effects.
       • Types of Flashes: Get familiar with different types of flash units, from the built-in flash on your camera to external flash units and how they vary in effect and control.

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    3. Using Flash Indoors:

       • Balancing Flash with Ambient Light: Discover techniques to balance the flash with the existing indoor light for a natural-looking result.
       • Bouncing Flash: Learn how to bounce flash off ceilings or walls to create softer, more flattering light that eliminates harsh shadows.

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    5. Using Flash Outdoors:

       • Fill Flash Techniques: Understand how to use flash as a fill light to brighten shadows, particularly useful in strong sunlight or backlit situations.
       • Controlling Intensity: Master adjusting the intensity of your flash to ensure your subjects are well-lit without being overexposed.

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    7. Off-Camera Flash:

       • Basics of Off-Camera Flash: Step into the world of off-camera flash to achieve professional, studio-like lighting setups. Understand the equipment needed and basic setup.
       • Wireless Flash Control: Get to grips with wireless triggers and how to control flash remotely for more dynamic and flexible lighting arrangements.

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    9. Practical Applications and Tips:

       • Real-World Practice: Engage in practical exercises to apply your new skills in various scenarios, from portrait to event photography.
       • Troubleshooting Common Issues: Learn to troubleshoot common flash photography issues like red-eye effect, underexposure, and harsh shadows.

12. Through this introduction to flash photography, you will gain the knowledge and skills to use flash effectively, elevating the quality of your photos in a range of lighting conditions. The course emphasises hands-on practice, ensuring you are comfortable and confident in applying these techniques in your photography.

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Course Details:

• Equipment Requirements: A DSLR camera, a tripod (optional), and a computer for editing (preferably a laptop).
• Course Duration: 7 classes, each packed with practical learning and fun assignments and one outside practical shoot to practice techniques you have learned.
• Course Fee: €200.
• Start Date: Thursday 16th of January 2025 , with the first class from 7 PM to 9 PM, and subsequent classes from 7:30 PM to 9 PM. This course will be held at the Shannon Academy, 2/3 Garden Vale, Athlone. Location: https://goo.gl/maps/rrcB7SnSdt3pyRs86

Enroll Now:

Don't miss this opportunity to begin your photography journey under the expert guidance of Liam Kidney. Unleash your creativity and start capturing amazing photos. Contact Liam by filling out the form below or by email at info@liamkidney.com or 087-2227331 for more information to secure your spot in this course.

Hear from Our Alumni: Real Experiences, Real Results

Discover the impact of my photography courses through the voices of those who have embarked on this journey before you. Our alumni testimonials offer a genuine glimpse into the learning experience, outcomes, and transformations achieved by our students. These personal stories and insights reflect the real-world benefits and satisfaction gained from our courses, serving as a testament to the value and effectiveness of our comprehensive photography training. Let their words guide you in making an informed decision about your own photographic journey with us.

Testimonials From Recent Courses:

"I can strongly recommend this tutor to anyone, of any level, who has an interest in photography. He is enthusiastic, gives brilliant presentations, very good explaining new subjects to everyone, covers a multitude, makes sure no one is left behind, he made sure all felt relaxed and comfortable with his wit and funny comments. Went over and aboard, to ensure any particular type of interest in photography a person had, that he covered those, to the highest degree. I can honestly say you will not regret taking his course and you will be astounded at the degree of new things you will learn. A really, really professional guy." Geraldine McArthur

"Highly recommend this course. I really enjoyed this course and learned so many things to improve my photography and understand where going wrong with shots. I went from shooting in automatic/semi-automatic modes to manual shooting understanding what to change and when. Liam catered for all levels of experience in the course tailoring the course to suit the expectations and needs of all students. The course included classroom learning covering technical aspects of photography but also practicalities and etiquette around different types of photography, and practical sessions which were super enjoyable and invaluable learning experience. Liam is very passionate about photography and really wants to make sure all students succeed and was always available to advise and support." Moyra Tangley

"The course helped me apply the theory to the practical aspects in using my camera. Liam gave regular encouragement to to practice with the camera and through repeated exposure I believe my skills increased along with my appetite to learn more. Lots of practical information and links Liam supplied each week to nurture ones photography." Padriac Naughton

Testimonials From September 2019 Course:

“I really enjoyed this course.I found it very beneficial as someone who is totally starting out and learning how to use my camera and the basics of taking a good photo. It was a great place to pick up tips from other people in the class about taking good photos. I found the IT part helpful and learned the bests ways to upload and save photos as well as being introduced to Lightroom editor. Great course to get you going and start your photography journey. Thanks Liam and everyone that did the course with me” - Claire Pillion.

“Having only very recently bought a camera and with no experience at all, I was interested in learning the basics of photography. Liam’s course met this expectation and definitely surpassed them. I’m not put off any more when people start talking about the technical terms to do with cameras, and I can see exactly how one affects the other.

I would highly recommend this course if you are interested in learning more about the basics of how to use your camera, and immediately start taking better photos, while understanding exactly what you are doing.

Thanks again Liam" - Conor Lane”

Testimonials From January 2019 Course:
“For two years I took pictures only using the guide mode on my new camera. I relied solely on my camera to set the correct settings. In January 2019 I took the leap and signed up to Liam Kidneys beginners photography course. After the 8 weeks I only had one question left, why didn’t I sign up sooner? I now think back to all the photos I could have taken while on city breaks. We covered a lot over the eight weeks, but the more I put into the course, the more I got from it. The homework each week really encouraged me to work on my new found photography skills and the facebook group page allows you to learn from others. Liam was very supportive, helpful and encouraging. He really went to great lengths to ensure everyone in the class got value for their money.” - Emer Carty

“This is a great 8 week course teaching all aspects of photography for the beginner. Liam has a very uncomplicated style in getting his message across and I learned so much in a very relaxed but informative class…..There is lots of homework but this enables you to practise what you’re learning along the way. At the end of the course I now understand all the features of my camera and digital photography a lot better….highly recommended. “ Elma Henshaw

“Liam is a very knowledgeable and engaging tutor. I would recommend his course to anyone with an interest in gaining an in depth understanding of digital photography.” - Aisling Kiernan

Testimonials From January 2018 Course:

“I started out with a very basic level of photography skills, mostly on my iPhone and on a fully automatic pocket camera. The course gives a very good foundation in photography with the right amount of theory and practical content. There are lots of links given to material on websites, YouTube etc. After that it’s up to you to practice and learn further.Liam is a very interesting and engaging tutor. You get a good feel for his style of photography, his opinions and his preferences. This all adds greatly to the enjoyment of the course and the time flies by. His passion for photography is very evident. He is honest, sensitive and encouraging in his comments on photos taken by class members.I would highly recommend this course to anybody without any ‘formal’ photography skills who wish to make a really good start in taking better pictures.” - Tom Dennigan Longford

“I would highly recommend this course for anyone who has an interest in taking photos. I went into this a complete beginner and not knowing what to expect. I really enjoyed it and am a lot more confident using my camera. Liam makes it nice and relaxed with laughs along the way and even the homework was enjoyable.” - Orla O Neill Westmeath

“I’ve been taking photos for many years with standard digital camera, and decided to buy a DSLR camera 1-2 years ago, and was only using it with automated modes (like a lot of people…). Taking this course was my best decision this year. It allowed me to learn how to set my camera properly (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, exposure, etc.) from the second course and to learn so much about other photography “basics” (flash, filters, editing software, etc.). The weekly homeworks were also great to practice and experiment. Personally, I think I jumped several miles ahead thanks to the course. Highly recommended if you want to progress in this area.” - Sébastien Rolland

“Thank you Liam for a very enjoyable and informative course. I feel my photographic abilities have improved 100% and my interest in this subject has been revitalized. I would strongly recommend your courses.” - Brendan O’Callaghan

Testimonials From September 2017 Course:

“I signed up for the beginners course as I wanted to know how to use the manual settings on my camera to better my photos. I have always tried to capture family moments on camera, but often I missed the action or they were too bright or blurry. I now understand how to use my camera, understand lighting and lots more that as led to me having many valuable keepsakes for the future. There was also time spent on the more creative side of photography which has allowed me to look differently at what is in front of me before taking a photo, as well as understanding the work of others. The course was very relaxed and enjoyable, and I would recommend to anyone with an interest in improving their photos either technically or creatively!” - Una McLoughlin

Thanks for your input on the course. My results were very hit and miss prior to your course and I didn’t know why. As a result of your photography course I now get better better results through the lens but I have the additional benefit of being able to use the computer to fine tune them.

- Will Crean

Testimonials From September 2015 Course:

“As someone who has been taking photos poorly for 20 years despite completing a number of courses including the FETAC Level 5, I was on the look-out for a different approach to taking my own photography to the next level.

Liam Kidney’s course was recommended and I signed up. I can honestly say i found it to be the most educational while at the same time, enjoyable, course I’d ever undertaken and was actually sorry when it came to an end.

It is immediately clear that Liam is passionate about his profession and has built up a wealth of practical hands-on knowledge and experience which, maybe unusually for some professionals, he is happy to impart, and does so in an easy, relaxed and humorous manner, putting any level of student at ease in an atmosphere where there really is no such thing as a dumb question.

The learning didn’t stop in the classroom though, and Liam went out of his way to prepare and post synopsis for every module, to print and store for reference, aswell as researching topical online articles on any query or subject raised and posting in online forum created for the group, to read, comment, share, discuss. Students were also given assignments and encouraged to post up results in weekly homework folders for invaluable critique. Like anything in life, and more than some, you get out of this course everything you put into it, and more.

I highly recommend this course and if you have either a passing or consuming interest in all things photographic, you won’t spend your hard earned cash in a better way!” - Pauline Brady – Longford

“I have recently completed a course on digital photography for beginners/intermediate run by Liam Kidney. I have always liked taking photographs but only had a film camera. Anyway with reluctance I decided to move with the times and go digital. So being a complete beginner a course was a great idea. I had no idea what to expect as it was all so new to me. Anyway after only one night I was eagerly awaiting each class and was full of enthusiasm. Liam has a lovely relaxed, easy way of imparting his knowledge and always injects some humour into it. He explains everything clearly and is so patient in answering questions no matter how silly they may be!! He also recommends relevant websites etc for further reading. He does give out homework and while he cannot force one do it, it is worth doing. You get out what you put in. I have learnt loads during this course and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in photography -as a hobby or a business. ” - Helen Martin

“I would recommend the course to anyone who is interested in taking up photography. I have learned in the past few weeks that photography is a huge area and also how to use a DSLR camera. I found the course to be well run, enjoyable, interesting, informative and good value for money. I am delighted to now to be able to know what to be aware of when composing a picture and how to take a better photo.” - Peter Dunican

Testimonials From January 2015 Course:

“Anyone with a love of photography should do this course. I recently done this course myself and thoroughly enjoyed it. Liam makes everything so easy to understand and a few laughs along the way. After 8 weeks the difference in my photos was unreal . I’m looking forward to another course. By far the best decision I ever made .” - Denise Hill

Testimonials From 2014's Courses:

“This 8 week course has been excellent. I learned more from Liam than I did in a previous FETAC 25 week course. The value of this course can be demonstrated by the fact that from the first night I felt that I was learning something new that was also practical and could be instantly applied to my photography. This continued throughout the eight weeks.

The course was fun & informative. Liam, has a relaxed easy going manner that is reflected in the atmosphere of each class which helped and encouraged learning. As a result I learned loads and am far more confident with the camera.

I would highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn or to improve their photography and get more out of their camera.” - Alicia Quirke

“Liam Kidney’s Photography course is superb. He helped build our confidence in photography through the eight week course. He made the tough bits, ie aperture, shutter speed and ISO seem so easy, because he explained it in a very accessible way. There was no needless pressure put on students. He gave homework, and you could decide to do it or not if you wanted. However for the eight weeks, you felt like you could contact him at any time, with questions or ideas. I wholeheartedly recommend Liam’s course to photographers of any level. ” - David Flynn

“I attended this course in September 2014. Liam is a really nice guy and a brilliant photographer. I learned so much at the course and with all the excellent literature I will continue learning for a long time. Such a waste to have a good DSLR without doing this course. I am now addicted to photography. Brilliant course Liam, Many thanks!” - Niall Cribbon.

“I done this course in January. As a complete beginner and never owing a DSLR camera before, I thoroughly enjoyed the course. The only thing I knew about photography was I liked taking pictures. Over the duration of the eight weeks I could not believe how much I learned and progressed.

I now have a better understanding of what it is to actually set up a picture and how to use a camera to the best of its abilities. The information covered was relevant and delivered in a manner that even a complete beginner could grasp. You definitely get out of it what you put into it. Liam as a tutor was excellent, his approach made the course fun and created a relaxed atmosphere. His expertise and knowledge meant he could find and source plenty of helpful websites and articles to pass along to us. Recommendations and information were supplied to us in abundance each week and helped greatly in the learning process.

I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who has a genuine interest in photography and is willing to donate the time to learn and practice. This course was the spring board I needed to get started into a hobby that I now love not just like.” - Jennifer McCann

“I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you. The course was fantastic. It has now given me the enthusiasm to move forward with my photography and the fact that the resources are always available will be useful to go back to incase I need to revisit any part.

I would highly recommend this course to any new photographer or any one needing help taking pictures. Your course has really allowed me to enhance my skills, and I’m very happy with it! Thank you very much for this experience!” - Michelle Hughes

“As someone who had owned a DSLR camera for a few years and never actually knew how to use it properly. I always shot in automatic mode, so I decided to take this course to learn how to take better pictures and to learn what all the buttons on the camera were actually for.

After just the first couple of lectures I could see a big improvement in my pictures and realised that I could be in total control of how my pictures turned out. Liam is an excellent communicator and always explains things very clearly. He simplifies everything and doesn’t use technical jargon.

Each week we got a little homework, revolving around a different theme (motion, depth of field, etc.) and we posted our pictures in our group’s facebook page. This is a great way for everyone in the group to follow each other’s progress and offer hints and tips to each other.

Overall I have learned way much more than I had anticipated when I signed up to the course and I would recommend this course for anyone who is interested in learning the basics or looking to improve their photography skills”. - Eamon Walsh

Testimonials from the 2013 Courses:

“I have learned so much from this course, your very good at what you do and the way you explain things your easy to listen too and funny which make it all the more fun, I loved the way you got the rest of the class to chat to each other through Facebook (very helpful) . I enjoyed going every Tuesday evening.”

“I found everything explained throughout the course to be most helpful and done by a presenter who cares a great deal. Photography is his job but also his passion and it’s clear to see. The general idea behind sharing and communicating was spot on, the use of the Facebook group page and the Drop Box was absolutely excellent. It allowed for communication and support from the entire group.”

“I have done a course before , I was bored out of my tree he didn’t make the course fun or easy to take in , and the people were a bit stuck up and didn’t really want to share anything with the rest of the class, I was none the wiser. So when I went into this course I was thinking it could be the same. But how wrong was I , I have learned so much from this course, your very good at what you do and the way you explain things your easy to listen too and funny which make it all the more fun, I loved the way you got the rest of the class to chat to each other through Facebook (very helpful) . I enjoyed going every Tuesday evening. So you ask “How can the course be improved” you could maybe give us free drinks all night and free trips to Vegas with €4,000 spending money and loads of camera equipment . Other than that I thought you’ve done a great job, and if there’s any course in the future (Lightroom) or anything else I hope you could let me know. Thank you so much, it has been fun!"

• Photography Courses Info
• Beginner Digital Photography Course in Athlone
• Advanced Photography Course in Athlone