Courses & Learning
We offer a wide range of high-quality, subsidised training in all areas of photography and digital media. Everyone enjoys individual attention in our small classes and benefits from an informal, hands-on creative learning environment.
Stills’ tutors are experienced professionals from a variety of fields of photography, digital media and lens based arts. Our courses include all materials in the price so there are no hidden costs — just great opportunities to learn.
Showing all 25 results
Digital Inkjet Printing
*New Dates Coming Soon*
Sunday, 11am—5pm
This Project Day will help you take your images from the screen to final professional-quality prints. We will walk through the processes and techniques needed to take the mystery out of this often daunting and overlooked part of the creative process.
Out from the Darkcloth: Intro to Large Format Photography
15 & 16 October
Saturday & Sunday, 11am—5pm
This weekend course will introduce you to the large format 5×4″ view camera using our range of Intrepid MK3 cameras. Large format refers to film size; the negatives produced in this class are 5×4 inches, which lends itself to unrivalled image detail and quality compared to medium format and 35mm.
Image composition and focus take place underneath a dark cloth, just as victorian photographers would have done. Large format photography encourages us to slow down and carefully consider our image-making decisions and choices, allowing us to build a different relationship with image-making.
This format also produces images that are the perfect size for contact-printing alternative and historical processes such as cyanotype, salt prints, or platinum. 5×4 tends to be the entry format size for budding wet and dry plate photographers, and the negatives enlarge with incredible detail.
By the end of the course, you will have experience and an understanding of:
- Loading darkslides
- Using a 5×4 view camera with movements
- Exposing
- Processing both paper and film negatives
- Contact printing for evaluation.
- ISO exposure values for different materials
Day 1
We will explore the different parts of the large format camera and how they work, differences in shutters and lens lengths, and loading dark slides with paper. We will make some initial exposures inside as still lives, grasping an understanding of proper exposure, metering, focus, and movements. As a group, we will process these negatives in the darkroom. Later in the day, we will take the cameras outside to photograph, with an option to do landscape/cityscape, portraits, or other opportunities with guidance along the way.
Day 2
After learning how to load 5×4″ film using dark slides and how to set up for our first exposures with paper negatives today, we will work with film negatives—loading in a different environment and expanding from the day before exercises. Participants will be able to make several exposures, and we will cover large format film processing options before processing our film negatives as a group.
We will contact print both paper and film negatives for participants to evaluate their progress and take home.
We will also look at some examples of different prominent Large Format photographers, negatives, contacts, and prints and discuss resolution and enlargement.
Project Day: Scanning and Editing
06 November 2022
Sunday, 11am—5pm
This course will equip you with the skills to digitally archive your collection of negatives and prints. Taking you through the scanning process, you will be shown how to edit, restore and export files ready for digital printing as well as for sharing online!
Digital SLR Photography
26 October – 16 November 2022
Wednesday evenings, 6 – 9pm
Master the camera and post processing skills required to produce an end result that matches your creative vision and expectations. This practical and fun course enables participants to fully explore the essential camera and Photoshop skills you need to produce stunning digital photographs.
Digital Workflow (with Adobe Lightroom CC Classic)
*New Dates Coming Soon*
Sunday, 11am-5pm
This short practical course will introduce you to the principles of file organisation and image-editing, giving you the knowledge and confidence to choose when to work with this convenient and flexible programme.
Video Compositing with Adobe After Effects CC (Online)
1 November- 6 December 2022
Tuesday Evenings, 6—8pm
After Effects is the industry leader in video compositing software; on this course you will learn a range of visual effects and animation techniques, working between Photoshop and After Effects.
Handmade Photography – An Introduction to Alternative Process
08 September – 13 October
Thursday evenings, 6—9pm
This course provides an introduction to alternative photographic processes, and will enable you to grasp the basics of hand-mixed and hand-coated emulsions and chemistry techniques, with an emphasis on developing your skills of perception application and craft.
Digital SLR Camera Training
03 & 04 September 2022
Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 5pm
This course is about learning to use your digital SLR camera with confidence and skill. Explore aperture, shutter speed and megapixels through to white balance, ISO ratings, histograms and much more!
Other dates available, please use drop-down to select.
Liquid Silver: Paper, Objects and Dry Plate
19 & 20 November 2022
Saturday & Sunday, 11am-5pm
This course will introduce you to the magic (and basics) of hand applied silver gelatin. You will learn to use light sensitive liquid emulsion that can be applied to different surfaces and exposed to produce a photographic image.
Photographic Image Editing (with Adobe Photoshop CC)
**New Dates Coming Soon**
Saturday, 11am—5pm