Photography Techniques: Light, Content, and Sharing

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/photography-techniques

Introduction

### Course Review: Photography Techniques: Light, Content, and Sharing **Course Overview:** If you're interested in mastering the art of photography, the Coursera course "Photography Techniques: Light, Content, and Sharing" is a fantastic choice. Positioned as Course FOUR in a broader specialization, this course serves to build upon previous material and prepare you for the capstone project. You'll transition from the fundamentals learned in earlier modules—including smartphone basics and DSLR skills—to the more nuanced aspects of photography: understanding light, crafting compelling content, and sharing your images effectively. **Why You Should Consider This Course:** As photography lovers at any level know, light is an essential element when capturing stunning images. This course is uniquely designed to deepen your understanding of photography techniques and also to enhance your confidence in creating visually captivating projects. With carefully structured modules, students invest time learning how to the interplay of light and subject matter can elevate their work. ### Detailed Syllabus Overview: 1. **The Content of a Photograph** - This module encourages you to explore the thematic and visual content of photography. You’ll engage with the historical context of various photographic styles and understand how to align your personal interests with traditional practices. This foundational knowledge will serve you well as you move forward in your photography journey, particularly when developing your capstone project. 2. **Light Fundamentals 1.0: People, Places, Things under Ambient Light** - Here, you will delve into the nuances of capturing images with ambient light, learning to recognize its characteristics throughout different times of the day. The hands-on approach will help you identify optimal lighting conditions for photographing different subjects, whether it's capturing the vibrancy of a bustling street or the serene calm of a quiet room. 3. **Light Fundamentals 2.0: People, Places, Things under Controlled Light** - In this module, you will shift your focus to controlled lighting techniques. The course covers various lighting tools, from built-in camera flashes to professional strobes, ensuring that you walk away with practical knowledge applicable to both amateur technologies and professional equipment. The guidance offered will empower you with the competence to manipulate light creatively and effectively for your future projects. 4. **Finishing Pictures: Options for Showing and Sharing** - After you capture the perfect shot, what’s next? This module instructs you on how to present your photographs through prints and digital platforms. You’ll learn vital calibration techniques to ensure your images maintain their quality and integrity across different mediums. Additionally, the course imparts crucial knowledge on safely sharing your work on social media and other online platforms, keeping your creative assets protected. ### Recommendation: "Photography Techniques: Light, Content, and Sharing" is a must-enroll course for anyone looking to advance their photographic skills and understanding. Whether you're an enthusiastic beginner or an intermediate photographer seeking to refine your craft, this course offers comprehensive lessons that are both enriching and practical. The expert-led modules are structured in a way that promotes engagement and encourages you to put theory directly into practice through assignments and quizzes. One of the most exciting aspects is the promise of a capstone project where you can apply everything you've learned into a cohesive photographic work of your own. Furthermore, the course also taps into modern sharing practices synchronously with creating compelling images, making it relevant for the world of social media and online photography today. If you want to elevate your photography to new heights and share your unique vision with the world, I highly recommend enrolling in this course on Coursera. Happy shooting!

Syllabus

The Content of a Photograph

What are the broad areas of content that are most closely associated with photography? Why is photography well suited to image-making in these areas, and where do your interests synchronize with those of photographers past and present? You will gain a greater understanding of those and other questions, and knowledge of a range of typical pictures in a variety of categories too, in this set of lessons. Understanding these broad categories will help you to form your own projects, including the Capstone Project in Course 5, with confidence that you are part of a stream of tradition, building on a foundation that you as a photographer are a part of!

In this Module you will begin with an overview of light itself, and learn to recognize the characteristics of typical "ambient," aka continuous light natural to the environment. From photographing early in the morning, through midday to evening, in exterior and interior environments, you will learn to recognize typical light/subject situations and be able to use new tips and techniques on how to get the best results. People, places, and things each require nuanced approaches, even under similar lighting, and you will learn to recognize opportunities in each category.

In this Module you will learn about essential light and exposure principles that are critical to your success in photography that is made with lights that you can control. From continuous-light to built-in-camera flash to auxiliary "hotshoe" strobes, you will establish a solid foundation of light and lighting principles and practices, especially related to the flash. With a built-in flash in most digital cameras, it is essential to have a full understanding of that important device. You will have much better control of the flash with the information you gain in this Module. Rounding out this module are lessons on practical photography activities that you will be able to apply to addressing your own individual needs for specialized picture situations, even with a Smart phone!

In this Module you will survey the ways that you can bring your digital images out of the world of zeros and ones that are stored in your computer, and bring them into the world through various means of sharing. Whether your interests are in producing prints of your photographs or quality web-based displays, you will have the knowledge to control their appearance through calibration that is essential for a professional presentation. You will also learn about the pitfalls and dangers of sharing in social media and other sites, and how to take precautions to protect yourself, your family and friends, and your photographs. You will also gain an understanding of standard options for dissemination of your photos in print form, on sharing sites, and even in your very own website.