Has anyone taken a beginning digital photography class?

I've signed up for this class at the local Adult Education Center and am pretty excited about it. It starts tomorrow night. It's Tuesday nights from 6:30 to 9:30. But three hours once a week for three months sounds like a pretty long time to just be talking about ISO and aperture and composition and whatnot.

I know I'll find out soon enough, but I was just wondering if anyone can give me an idea on what to expect.

The first class was okay, very informal. The instructor mainly talked about herself and all her previous photography jobs - photojournalist, wedding, medical, how she's crazy and bold, blah, blah, blah, blah. I tend to be weary of immodest people.

The class was small, only 9 students, and unfortunately I was the only one who knew anything about photography in terms of the basics technicalities. These two little old ladies didn't even know how to use their digital point and shoots, bless their hearts.

About halfway into the class, after some students got to introduce themselves, on a whim the instructor made everyone go outside to take pictures of the moon. WTH? Night photography? Moon pictures? During the very first class? I took several pictures and then went to go talk to one of the old ladies. I asked her if she got any pictures and she said that she did but didn't know how to review it. I fiddled with her camera and showed her how to review her pictures. There were no pictures! Poor little thing. So I showed her how to set her camera to go back to picture-taking mode. And then I showed her how she had to push the button down half-way to focus, and then all the way down to take the picture. Meanwhile, our instructor was going around telling everyone to bump up their ISO. Again, I was annoyed. These folks had trouble just taking a picture with their cameras. How were they supposed to know what ISO is, or better yet, how to bump it up in their cameras?

When we got back into the classroom, the instructor gave a 5 minute speech on apertures, shutter speed and depth of field. She didn't mention how they were related, nor did she include ISO in the equation. She basically drew different sized circles on the board and wrote the f stops in them. I wanted to grab the marker from her hand and explain it all to the class myself. Maybe the next class will be better.

Oh, and during the class I saw one man blow into the front of his lens and then wipe it with his tee shirt. I wanted to yell, "NOOOOOOO!!!!" But I didn't have my cleaning stuff to offer him, nor was I sure if it was my place.

In mine, we had a lot of "homework" assignments and spent much of the time discussing what we liked or didn't like about each other's work and why.

Sounds like you should just teach your own class. Someone can know everything about something but suck at teaching it. In this case that person seems to be your teacher.
I took my beginning digital photography class here at POTN University.
I think some of the people here should really consider opening up an actual online school. I think it would be really successful.

crazyskillz07 wrote in post #3828814
Sounds like you should just teach your own class. Someone can know everything about something but suck at teaching it. In this case that person seems to be your teacher.
I took my beginning digital photography class here at POTN University.
I think some of the people here should really consider opening up an actual online school. I think it would be really successful.

I actually found my class very helpful. It gave me an excuse to take pictures and forced me to really think about what I was doing. It also helped when I heard the comments from others and saw my images in print (I never do that at home). I have, no doubt, received a boatload of help from this forum, but I think the class really helped me launch into digital after coming from a history of film.

I took a digital photography class after taking an intro bw film class learned much more on my own before the digital class but both helped me refine my knowledge. Anyways the digital class was during the summer it was mon-thurs it was at a community college and was amazing the instructor was great we learned more about what styles of photography were out there and how to use our own cameras so he didnt say bump up the iso he would show how do it on his camera and then go around to everyone individually and show them on their own camera.....it was a great class....awesome teacher.

kevie wrote in post #3828872
I took a digital photography class after taking an intro bw film class learned much more on my own before the digital class but both helped me refine my knowledge. Anyways the digital class was during the summer it was mon-thurs it was at a community college and was amazing the instructor was great we learned more about what styles of photography were out there and how to use our own cameras so he didnt say bump up the iso he would show how do it on his camera and then go around to everyone individually and show them on their own camera.....it was a great class....awesome teacher.

My instructor did this too. It was very helpful b/c, at the time, I'd just bought an XT. Maybe I should take another course for the 30D, but then if I go full frame... wonder if they offer discounts for graduates, lol.

It's the "Peter Principle" in action.

DAMphyne wrote in post #3829045
It's the "Peter Principle" in action.

Darn you! <shakes fist> I just spent the last 15 minutes googling and trying to wrap my mind around this theory. I don't know why it didn't click right away. I guess I'm headed towards that level of incompetence.

"In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence."

I goodled my instructor's name today and actually found this she is quite an accomplished photographer. And now, the Peter Principle applies...

The book made me look for hair on my knuckles.
Maybe she'll get the hang of it next time. You can help her by asking questions.

Yes, I took a beginner's course. But it was so long ago my instructor's name was Louis Daguerre.

(I think Belmondo was a classmate...)

I just started my beginner class at the local community college. I get the impression that besides being one of the older students (at 30! gag) I'm also one of the few who know much more than the basics of the camera. We've only had one class so far (school just started), but judging from the handouts and assignment sheets, it looks promising. Can't wait to get to some of the more advanced classes, though, like the lighting class.

Although how you sign up for a photography class and not actually own a camera is beyond me. And there were several that were grumbling about having to buy one.

Dawn U wrote in post #3832555
I just started my beginner class at the local community college. I get the impression that besides being one of the older students (at 30! gag) I'm also one of the few who know much more than the basics of the camera. We've only had one class so far (school just started), but judging from the handouts and assignment sheets, it looks promising. Can't wait to get to some of the more advanced classes, though, like the lighting class.

Although how you sign up for a photography class and not actually own a camera is beyond me. And there were several that were grumbling about having to buy one.

That's like signing up for an adult reading class and complaining because you need glasses.

Ain't the human species amazing!

[QUOTE=Dawn U;3832555]I just started my beginner class at the local community college. I get the impression that besides being one of the older students (at 30! gag) I'm also one of the few who know much more than the basics of the camera. We've only had one class so far (school just started), but judging from the handouts and assignment sheets, it looks promising. Can't wait to get to some of the more advanced classes, though, like the lighting class.

Although how you sign up for a photography class and not actually own a camera is beyond me. And there were several that were grumbling about having to buy one.[/quote]

Sounds like they were real serious about learning photography.