Beginner Photography Course Dublin

BKWDR

Hi all,

I want to buy a friend a course in photography in Dublin. Price range around the 300 mark

Basic level entry i think, he doesn't have any previous experience. Was thinking of non-online if that makes any sense?

Suggestions welcome

I had looked at this one http://iop.ie/courses/shortterm/dpl1.htm and it had been a front runner for me if anyone has any opinion or other recommendations

Tiriel

I'd recommend the Dublin Camera Club - they have a beginner's course that starts in September, cost is €105 if you buy through the website or €100 if you pop in on a Tues. night after a meeting to pay cash. You get membership for just €35 if you do the course which is a bargain, normal price is €100 for the year.

Overall, you learn a lot and there are competitions, judging nights, exhibitions, practical sessions, workshops, outings, guest lecturers etc. Quite a few boards.ie members that post here are members and have done the course!

BKWDR

Tiriel wrote: »

I'd recommend the Dublin Camera Club - they have a beginner's course that starts in September, cost is €105 if you buy through the website or €100 if you pop in on a Tues. night after a meeting to pay cash. You get membership for just €35 if you do the course which is a bargain, normal price is €100 for the year.

Overall, you learn a lot and there are competitions, judging nights, exhibitions, practical sessions, workshops, outings, guest lecturers etc. Quite a few boards.ie members that post here are members and have done the course!

Great thanks

Looks good!

bullpost

Theres also this one at Gallery of Photography in Temple Bar:
http://www.galleryofphotography.ie/introduction-to-digital-photography-absolute-beginners/

Adrian.Sadlier

I would also suggest the Dublin Camera Club (full disclosure, I'm a council member). It's a 10 week course with a couple of "mentored" outings. Plus, people who go on the course get most of the cost back as a discount if they become full members.

I've met a good few people on the outings (I've nothing to do with the course itself but for some silly reason they allowed me act as a "mentor") who had a real "graw" for photography and they told me the course helped develop that. They seemed to love the outings.

A good few who go on the course subsequently joined the club. The big attraction seemed to be the fortnightly Novice workshop (free, as are all club meetings for members).

The biggest pleasure I get from my limited involvement in this is seeing the fantastic development of "newbies" who have joined the club in the last couple of years. The standard of photography they produce must surely make them satisfied. It certainly makes me very happy to be involved in a club that makes it possible, even if it is an a very small way.

End of sales pitch

BKWDR

Adrian.Sadlier wrote: »

I would also suggest the Dublin Camera Club (full disclosure, I'm a council member). It's a 10 week course with a couple of "mentored" outings. Plus, people who go on the course get most of the cost back as a discount if they become full members.

I've met a good few people on the outings (I've nothing to do with the course itself but for some silly reason they allowed me act as a "mentor") who had a real "graw" for photography and they told me the course helped develop that. They seemed to love the outings.

A good few who go on the course subsequently joined the club. The big attraction seemed to be the fortnightly Novice workshop (free, as are all club meetings for members).

The biggest pleasure I get from my limited involvement in this is seeing the fantastic development of "newbies" who have joined the club in the last couple of years. The standard of photography they produce must surely make them satisfied. It certainly makes me very happy to be involved in a club that makes it possible, even if it is an a very small way.

End of sales pitch

Thanks!

I've directed my friend to this course as it seems the best alright. Or at least the most that he will get out of it. His travel time messes with the Sept course and the January course :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I might even take part myself!

uck51js9zml2yt

A timely reminder to join bthe course. Had planned doing it this year but forgot

Does anyone know if the course times are fixed in stone once you register.? Can you swap from eg 630 to 830 if necessary!

CabanSail

It would depend on numbers on each session.

uck51js9zml2yt

CabanSail wrote: »

It would depend on numbers on each session.

Thanks. How does the DCC course compare to the one run by Palmerstown ( 6 weeks)

Tiriel

Leonidas Old-fashioned Shrubbery wrote: »

Thanks. How does the DCC course compare to the one run by Palmerstown ( 6 weeks)

I've no idea to be honest, I'm sure theirs is good too! They offer it for free for anyone who joins as a member which is also a good deal, I'm not sure what membership is. DCC is 100€ for membership normally. Alternatively, the course is 100€ and if you do the course you can become a member for just 35€.. so it's good value.

I'd say try to find someone who has done the Palmerston one but also think about accessibility - none of them are any good to you if you miss them because the location doesn't suit

Adrian.Sadlier

The DCC annual exhibition is currently on in the CHQ. Pop in if ou get a minute and have a look at the photos produced by our Novice division, many of whom went on the beginners course. More importantly, about 25 of them regularly attend he Novice workshops. A course is often only the beginning of your photographic journey.

But most of all,choose what you feel is right for you - if you're not enjoying it it's not working.

Adrian

uck51js9zml2yt

Tiriel wrote: »

I've no idea to be honest, I'm sure theirs is good too! They offer it for free for anyone who joins as a member which is also a good deal, I'm not sure what membership is. DCC is 100€ for membership normally. Alternatively, the course is 100€ and if you do the course you can become a member for just 35€.. so it's good value.

I'd say try to find someone who has done the Palmerston one but also think about accessibility - none of them are any good to you if you miss them because the location doesn't suit

Palmerstown are 100€ for membership.
My problem is, both locations suit me.
Theirs is a 6 week course we smaller numbers which gives room for interaction with the tutor.
The one thing they don't do is dark room stuff.As I can't remember when I last used film, it's not an issue.
Has anyone a curriculum for DCC they could post?

IHPhoto

Leonidas Old-fashioned Shrubbery wrote: »

Thanks. How does the DCC course compare to the one run by Palmerstown ( 6 weeks)

Different location, different evening, both courses are very good.
A beginners course is only an introduction and the start of your photographic journey.
What you do after that is entirely up to yourself.
We recommend joining a club and attending meetings & workshops regularly and participating in as many activities as possible.
It's a life long journey and a very enjoyable one where you will make many new friends, and you will get out of it what you put into it.

mystic86

Leonidas Old-fashioned Shrubbery wrote: »

Palmerstown are 100€ for membership.
My problem is, both locations suit me.
Theirs is a 6 week course we smaller numbers which gives room for interaction with the tutor.
The one thing they don't do is dark room stuff.As I can't remember when I last used film, it's not an issue.
Has anyone a curriculum for DCC they could post?

http://www.dublincameraclub.ie/images/Beginners_App._Sept_2016_Jan_2017.pdf

turniphead

Hi there,

Just a couple of questions if anyone can help.

Would it be alright to purchase the Beginners Course with the Dublin Camera Club as a gift?

While on the topic, could anybody recommend a suitable camera for a beginner?

Thank you:)

uck51js9zml2yt

turniphead wrote: »

Hi there,

Just a couple of questions if anyone can help.

Would it be alright to purchase the Beginners Course with the Dublin Camera Club as a gift?

While on the topic, could anybody recommend a suitable camera for a beginner?

Thank you:)

Canon D1100 would be a good starter.
I'm sure a gift would be fine

Tiriel

turniphead wrote: »

Hi there,

Just a couple of questions if anyone can help.

Would it be alright to purchase the Beginners Course with the Dublin Camera Club as a gift?

While on the topic, could anybody recommend a suitable camera for a beginner?

Thank you:)

The club do gift vouchers and you could also just purchase the course for them - so yeah, that shouldn't be a problem.

A suitable camera depends on budget unfortunately! Don't just look at new, there are great cameras at higher spec to be got in the second hand market where people are upgrading or simply selling off underused equipment etc. Adverts.ie is good for checking these out.

Agree with other poster, the Canon entry level 11ooD I think it is, would be a great start.

pukkad

Hey! I’m also thinking of joining the DCC this September

I did some research online re entry level cameras and I think my preference would be a Nikon but I’m a little confused to be honest.

Do you think Nikon D5500 would be a good choice for a complete beginner?
Is there much difference between Nikon D5500 and Nikon D5300?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Tiriel

Not a notion to be honest, I'm a Canon user

Best to post your question over in the Cameras & Accessories subforum.. there's a thread there called "What Camera" and you might find some questions/answers in there that might be useful but also post your own question.

Good luck!

Adrian.Sadlier

Another option is to pop along to people's photography on Stephen's Green at the weekend. There will be about 100 photographers to talk to,(and boy do we talk) including a good few from DCC.

But be warned, some of them haven't "seen the light" and use Canon 😆

CabanSail

All good advice.

As for the camera for a beginner I would wait until you start the course and get some information first. Then you will be in a position to make a better decision for yourself. There are many options and some will suit different people for various reasons.

Probably the most popular is to buy an entry level DSLR and a Kit Lens (usually from either Cankon or Nianon Canon or Nikon) It's a safe way to go if you have the money. The downside is that you will probably soon be wanting a better lens than the kit offering (Over the years I have found that Nikon kit lenses are ussually a bit better than the Canon offering but not always) You can also explore the various Mirrorless models which are now becoming popular.

Another option is to (shock horror) get an SLR and start by using film. These are available very cheaply and often have some good glass too. Using film will instill some discipline as it costs money for each shot and you tend to think about each exposure. Besides it's mega kool to not have a chimp screen.

Another way is to get a good bridge camera. You will want one with manual controls and RAW capture is an advantage. This will save some money up front and you will have a better idea of what you want when you come to buy a DSLR if you go that way. The bridge will still be useful when you want to travel light. I use a Canon G12 quite often for this purpose and my wife is learning on an Olympus YX1 and getting great results.

Remember that a Camera is just a light proof box with a sensor, shutter, aperture and a lens. Most of the photographers I meet tend to ignore most of the whizz bang stuff that sales people use to sell cameras and try to make out is important. A lot of it is just hype which is aimed at your wallet.

Another thing to remember is that the Post Production of your images is also very important and that requires an adequate computer, monitor and software. Keep this in your calculations.

Augme

Is the novice workshop running for the next while? I was thinking of signing up but beginners doesn't really suit me. For the month of September and beyond there is only 1 novice workshop listed.

Tiriel

Augme wrote: »

Is the novice workshop running for the next while? I was thinking of signing up but beginners doesn't really suit me. For the month of September and beyond there is only 1 novice workshop listed.

It runs every two weeks on Monday nights, on an ongoing basis.

uck51js9zml2yt

Tiriel wrote: »

It runs every two weeks on Monday nights, on an ongoing basis.

What sort of stuff gets covered in the classes?

Tiriel

It is broad and varied but sometimes it's tutorials on processing - using the Nik software for example, I think there's a focus on that at the moment because it's now free to download.

There are challenges, to go out and take a photo along a theme, then bring in images and they are discussed. There are nights explaining how to set up images for printing, how to cut mounts yourself, how to convert to B&W, what photographic distinctions are and how to prepare for one if you are interested - that sort of thing.

uck51js9zml2yt

Tiriel wrote: »

It is broad and varied but sometimes it's tutorials on processing - using the Nik software for example, I think there's a focus on that at the moment because it's now free to download.

There are challenges, to go out and take a photo along a theme, then bring in images and they are discussed. There are nights explaining how to set up images for printing, how to cut mounts yourself, how to convert to B&W, what photographic distinctions are and how to prepare for one if you are interested - that sort of thing.

Sounds good!

Tiriel

Leonidas Old-fashioned Shrubbery wrote: »

Sounds good!

Yeah they put a lot of work into it to be honest, it's all voluntary and I'm not involved but it shows in how much the novices have improved since it started. Great to have!

jaansu

Does anyone have any opinions about the Photography Academy of Ireland?

I was thinking of starting one of their courses next month (probably their post-grad diploma course)

uck51js9zml2yt

jaansu wrote: »

Does anyone have any opinions about the Photography Academy of Ireland?

I was thinking of starting one of their courses next month (probably their post-grad diploma course)

What do you plan on doing with it?
How much experience do you already have?

Seems like a lot of what it covers is covered with a €100 course in the camera clubs