Session Start Dates

  • September 15th 2008
  • November 3rd 2008
  • January 5th 2009
  • February 23rd 2009
  • April 13th 2009
  • June 1st 2009

Beginning and Basic Classes

CPC offers classes to suit many levels of photography experience, from the absolute beginner to accomplished photographers who are seeking new learning avenues.

Class sessions begin every seven weeks. The next session begins Monday September 15th

For the beginner, Digital Photo I and Film Photo I are offered in the evenings on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The first class of Photo I is free of charge. Photo I introduces you to the basic operation of a 35mm single lens reflex (SLR) camera. You’ll learn the principles and the subtleties of exposure and the elements of good composition.

If this is your first visit to CPC and you’ve already taken a class similar to Photo I, you may want to consider the Fundamentals of Lighting (Lighting I) class. This class is offered on Tuesday evenings and is teach students to take complete control of lighting to create traditional, practical lighting scenarios in a studio environment.

If you’re thinking about taking up digital photography, sign up for our one-day Digital Boot Camp, which runs on the first Saturday of every month from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. Digital Boot Camp introduces students to the basic operation of a digital camera (DSLR). It’s not even necessary for you to own a digital camera yet — we’ll provide you with one for the workshop.

Advanced Classes

Digital Photo II and Film Photo II are available to graduates of Photo I. Digital Photo II is a highly technical, detailed class that delves into the specifics of how a digital camera works and how to obtain precise exposure and color rendition when printing. Film Photo II further explores the subtleties of correct exposure and introduces paper grades and filters. Photo II is offered on Wednesday evenings.

Portraiture and Lighting (Lighting II) intended for students with some previous experience in photography. Concepts of aperture, shutter speed and other basics should be mastered prior to enrolling. Lighting is only aspect of creating portraits. Students are given weekly shooting assignments addressing different technical variables. Class time is used to examine the details in all aspects of portraiture, and we ask questions that go beyond just the technical factors.

Specialty Classes

We also offer several specialty classes at various times throughout the year, including Close-Up (exploring the use of micro lenses, close up filter kits and other close up equipment), Introduction to Flash (covering the history of flash, proper film exposure, pop-up flash, and the use of flash with natural and artificial light), Polaroid Transfer (including emulsion transfers onto a variety of different media, including handmade paper, canvas and wood) and Matting (covering the basics of how to mat and display your artwork).

Free Basic Camera Workshops

If you have a new camera, need a refresher, or have never attended a photography class, and would like to learn how your camera works, FREE Basic Camera Operation workshops are offered on select Sundays, from noon to 1:30 pm.