Introduction to Digital Photography Night Class
Visual Arts
A course by
Otago Polytechnic
Learn the basics of digital photography. Designed for beginners, this night class covers camera functions, exposure, and fundamental image editing.
In-person study
Face-to-face learning in a physical classroom setting
Dunedin School of Art, P Block, Dunedin
It will take a total of 8 weeks
This course requires 2 hours per week
Core skills this course teaches
Understand the basics of exposure
Learn how to control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to achieve desired image results.
Operate key camera settings
Develop skills in adjusting white balance, focus, and shooting in RAW mode.
Perform basic photo editing
Use Adobe Bridge and Photoshop for fundamental editing tasks including black and white conversion and RAW processing.
What You're Signing Up For
This eight-week evening course introduces the technical and creative foundations of digital photography for beginners. Participants will learn how to control key camera settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance, as well as how to manage RAW files and conduct basic photo editing in Adobe Photoshop. The course is practical and includes small homework tasks, and is held at the Dunedin School of Art's Photography Studio. Suitable for those with new digital cameras who want to better understand and use their device.
Course Content
- Exposure (aperture, shutter speed, ISO)
- Camera settings (white balance, focus)
- Adobe Bridge basics
- Photoshop basics (black and white, RAW processing)
- Sorting and filing digital images
- Post-production options
What you need to know first
A digital camera with manual settings
A portable storage device (hard drive or USB thumb drive)
USB card reader
What sort of industry will this job lead to
Visual Arts
Photography
Digital Media
Future employment opportunities might be
Entry-level skills for photographer roles
Further study in photography or visual arts
Otago Polytechnic is known for high quality, hands on learning that leads to strong outcomes. With excellent student satisfaction, high graduate employment rates, and a commitment to sustainability, it’s a place where practical skills meet purpose. Their award winning programmes span design, fashion, creative arts, trades, health, and business, giving you real experience and real confidence for whatever comes next.