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Photographyholidays.ie – DPS & TD Active Join Forces Again

Dublin Photography School are delighted to announce their newest addition to the the DPS family www.photographyholidays.ie

Since teaming up with Travel Department in 2013 before switching to their sister brand  TD Active in 2016 , we have seen demand for our Guided Photography Tuition Holidays grow to the to point where we need a dedicated site to showcase them. step onto the stage Photographyholidays.ie.

guided photography tuition holidays

Our new site allows our customers to see the full extent of the tuition for photographers of all levels on our photo trips to destinations such as Montenegro, Italy, India, Morocco, Iceland, Transylvania and so much more. we have also added a testimonial section so that you see exactly how other DPS students found the trip as well as a Equipment explained section which outlines the different equipment  types and considerations when buying it.  We have also added some image showcases that will present to you exactly the images we hope to achieve on every photography holiday with DPS & TD Active.

Our Photography Holidays are aimed at levels from Complete Beginners to Intermediate and Seasoned Photographers. We try to include a wide range of photography genres in each trip to help you get the most out of them – so that you come back with more than just great memories but also great images.

Some of the genres we would frequently cover on most of our holidays would be:

  • Landscape photography
  • Street Photography
  • Reportage Photography
  • Portrait Photography
  • Documentary Photography
  • Travel Photography

Some of the Subjects we would frequently cover on most of our Photography holidays would be:

  • Improving Compositions
  • Mastering Shutters Speeds, Apertures & ISO
  • Semi Automatic Modes
  • When, Where and How to use Filters
  • Long Exposures
  • Focusing Techniques

photography holidays for beginners

We also offer a discounted Travel Photography Workshop to all our TD Active Holiday Clients –  to avail of the discount see the course details  here

 

Picking The Right Photography Course For You

beginners photography course guide ireland

You have a brand new camera, your memory card is empty, your battery is full, and you are burning with enthusiasm and ready to get to grips with all that photography has to offer. You might start by checking out a few YouTube videos, reading a few books and after a couple of blurry shots too many,  you decide to bite the bullet and take up a photography course. So where to start?

Our photography courses, workshops and masterclasses are broken down into the following categories:

beginners photography courses dublin

4-5-7 Week  Photography Courses

These are short photography courses that take place on a week night at DPS HQ in Dublin City Centre. These evening courses are designed to get you up to speed, not just with your camera but with the principals of photography. They cover everything from complete basics, to more advanced concepts. They are ideal for beginners and form the back bone of any future learning in photography. They do this by helping you get the basics in place, by dispelling myths, by busting jargon, and getting you comfortable with your camera. Our aim is to combine classroom based camera and photography techniques, with at least two classes out on location where you will apply what you have learned in theory. As we say here at Dublin Photography School, “you can’t learn to drive just by reading the rules of the road”.

Level: Complete beginners, experienced novices, self taught photographers looking to formalise their photography knowledge and photographers returning after a long break.

Course Frequency : Depending on the time of the year we can have up to 4 start dates a month depending on demand.

Equipment Needed: DSLR Camera, Mirrorless Camera, Tripod, Remote Control.

See Evening Photography Course List Here

1 Day Photography Courses

Our one day photography courses are aimed at anyone looking to make a quick start or for someone who cannot commit to an evening or part time course due to their own commitments. These courses tend to be similar to the 5-7 week courses but with out the on location shoots, however in line with our ethos, we still provide a practical element later in the day.

Level: Complete beginners, experienced novices, self taught photographers looking to formalise their photography knowledge and photographers returning after a long break.

Course Frequency : Depending on the course anywhere from 3 times per month to twice per year.

Equipment Needed: DSLR Camera, Mirrorless Camera

See 1 Day Photography Course List Here

1 Day Photography Workshops

Photography workshops slightly differ from photography courses, in that they tend to be a little shorter in duration. The can run anywhere from 4.5-6.5 hours depending on the workshop. The subject matter tends to be a little more specific to particular types of photography e.g. flash or studio photography, black and white photography, street photography, smartphone photography, travel photography, macro photography and wedding photography.

Level:  Experienced novices, self taught photographers looking to formalise their photography knowledge, photographers returning after a long break and students after completing a 1 day or 7 week course.

Workshop Frequency : This is workshop dependent.

Equipment Needed: This is workshop dependent.

See Photography Workshops List Here

Photography Masterclasses

A photography masterclass is an intensive short class 3-4 hours long that solely focuses on a single topic of photography, from Composition and Lighting to Semiotics and Visual Metaphor.  These classes tend to more lecture based with more of a focus on refining work, showing samples of how, when and where to use techniques, as well as identifying and refining work already produced.

Level: Experienced novices, xxperienced photographers, camera club members, students after completing a 1 day or 7 week course with DPS. All levels above beginner.

Class Frequency : There are 4 masterclasses scheduled for 2020.

Equipment Needed: DSLR Camera, Mirrorless Camera,

See Photography Masterclass List Here

Photography Location Shoots

Photography shoots are a great opportunity to get out and about with the camera and meet other photographers. They are about a social and peer group as much about learning new practical photography techniques. Each of our Photography Shoots has a different theme or techniques depending on the location or time of year and can take the form of a photo walk or Meet up that will visit several locations or be just confined to two or three spots depending on the location and techniques.

Level: All Levels

Location Shoot Frequency : Depending on the time of year we can have location shoots or location workshops happening up to twice a month (depending on demand).

Equipment Needed: DSLR Camera, Mirrorless Camera, various.

See Location Shoot List Here

Photography Excursions

Photography Excursions tend to be day trips or overnight stays in various locations around Ireland, and are all practical based outings. Some examples of the excursions and photography day trips we have run in the past are Copper Coast (Waterford), Hook Head (Wexford), Kilfane Glen and Waterfall,(Kilkenny) and  White Coast, Co Antrim to name a few.

Level: All Levels

Excursion Frequency : Photography day trips and excursions tend to run 1-2 times per year.

Equipment Needed: DSLR Camera, Mirrorless Camera, Tripod, Remote Control.

See Excursion List Here

iceland photography tour

Photography Holiday

In 2013 we teamed up with Travel Department & TDactive to bring you a series of photography holidays to some of the most stunning photographic locations in the world. These 3-5 Day trips are designed for all levels and are an outdoor classroom that bring you to handpicked locations by the DPS team and show you how to get picture perfect images that you would see in any travel book or brochure. Its a great experience with photographers of all levels catered for, thanks to the fact that there are 2 DPS trainers on every holiday allowing us to focus on all levels from COMPLETE beginners to ADVANCED veterans. The DPS crew pride themselves on creating a warm, fun and inclusive atmosphere where photographers of all levels can flourish and take advantage of the outdoor classroom. With Destinations including Romania, Italy, Croatia, Iceland, Morocco and India, There is something for everyone.

Level: All Levels

Course Frequency : We run up to 5 photography holidays a year depending on demand and locations available.

Equipment Needed: DSLR Camera, Mirrorless Camera, Tripod, Remote Control.

See Photography Holiday List Here

Photography Talks

DPS run a series of FREE photography lectures during the year called “Thursday Talks” With a mix of in house and guest speakers on a wide variety of subjects in and around photography. These talks have proven to be very popular over the years and tend to be a full house everytime.

Level: All Levels

Photography Talk Frequency : Up To 4 Times Per Year

Equipment Needed: None

Keep an eye on our photography Blog here or DPS  Facebook Group Page Here for upcoming Talks in 2018.

Online Photography Courses

At Present Dublin Photography School do not run any online photography courses. We feel that photography is a hands on practical subject that requires a “look and feel” approach to learning. The art of photography has always been more than just dry technical specs, no matter how import technics are in photography, they are just one important thread in a very rich tapestry of learning  photography. With that said DPS has plans for an “Online Campus” that will supplement the classroom based learning process and not replace it.

Keep an eye on our photography Blog here for upcoming future developments.

DPS Bites: Black & White Photography

5 Tips For Better Black & White Photography

black and white photography courses ireland

Black & white photography is an art form in itself, it can be considered by many to be the pinnacle of photography, as often you have to do so much more with less. Aside from it’s own unique aesthetic, black & white, depending on how it is used, can make an image striking & hard hitting & can also be used to romanticize images, while allowing the photographer to experiment with moods & feels that are easy to communicate as they are not watered down or obstructed with colour.

Know When To Shoot Black & White:

improve your black and white photography

This is one of the more simple considerations & one that is often over-looked. Ask yourself what makes a good black & white image? A technical breakdown would see the image broken into shape, form, texture, tone, contrast & pattern,  but this can be answered very easily by any photographer looking at a scene. Next time when looking through your viewfinder & wondering if this image would look good in black &  white, ask yourself , what is the most striking thing about this view? If colour is the first word that pops into your head, then more that likely it is a black & white image.

Texture Is King:

texture in black and white photography

Have you ever noticed how anything old tends to look great in black & white? This is mainly for two reasons, the first one is, this is a stylistic choice, old things look “authentic” in an old fashioned medium, however also things that are old tend to have some city miles on them & are often covered in scratches & dust. These objects or scenes look great in black & white becuase there are ‘textures’ in the absence of colour. A strong texture will add a striking tactile quality to your image. Have a look at some black & white images online & you will see strong textures in a lot of them.

Toning:

toning in black and white photography

Very few images are what we call ‘true black & white images’. Even in the days of printing in a darkroom, there was no such thing as a truly neutral print, as the age of the paper & chemical would cause a slight colour cast. With that in mind a lot of impact can be added using toning. Adding a single colour to your image to warm or cool it, can have a dramatic impact with it’s mood and feeling. So, experiment away in lightroom, aperture,  photoshop or whatever editing software you use.

Shoot in Colour & then Convert:

black and white conversion techniques

A lot of people think they are being purists by photographing black & white in camera, however in reality they are doing themselves a terrible dis-service. This setting on your camera only records the the luminosity information & uses 256,000 shades of grey to render the image. While this sounds like a lot, it is actually a tiny amount of information, which means your black & white image with will come out more grey, dull or muddy. Shoot in color & convert in a program like photoshop or silver efex for maximum tonal range.


Shoot in RAW:

adobe camera raw photography course

This is not just a Black & white tip, but a photography tip in general. Every image can benefit from being shot in Raw format. There is a host of technical reasons as to why, however suffice to say it makes a massive difference to the contrast & tonal range of the image, as well as allowing maximum flexibility in processing & printing the image. You will need to have a program to convert your raw images to JPEG’s before you can print them.

Bonus Tip:

travel photography courses dublin

Why not come along to a Black & White Photography Workshop  with DPS. While it is not exactly a tip, it will teach you all the skills you need to know to kick your black & white photography to the next level!

 

DPS Bites: 5 Tips For Better Wedding Photography

5 Tips For Better Wedding Photography

wedding photography course ireland

With the summer months upon us & the wedding season fast approaching, many of you out there may have been asked to photograph a family member or friend’s wedding. Saying ‘no thanks’ may not be an option, even though this may not be an area of photography that you are used to & you don’t really know where to start.

Wedding images should reflect the atmosphere, spirit & beauty of the occasion & as either a newbee wedding photographer or someone who has been asked to do a ‘favour’ for  a  family member or friend, these tips should get you going in the right direction.  Each wedding is unique & different in it’s own way, so for each one  go above & beyond & capture the warmth, emotion, beauty & romance of the day.

Create Your Shot List:wedding shot list - dublin photography school

 

Get  the  bride  &  groom to have a good think about the type of shots they want on their big day. Create a comprehensive shot list with everything included, from the preparations, through the wedding ceremony & onwards throughout the rest of the day.

Details, Details, Details:

wedding details - dublin photography school

Many couples will want everything photographed throughout the wedding day, a story from start to finish. Details make up this story. The dress, shoes, veil, button holes, mass booklets, flowers, menus, table settings & so on.

Shoot In Burst/Continuous Mode:

burst mode - dublin photography school

When it comes to those reportage/candid style shots you will need to think & act fast. If shooting with two cameras, switch one to continuous shooting mode so no opportunity is missed. Sometimes it’s the shot after the shot you meant to take that captures the moment beautifully.

Add Some Variety:

It is not always about showing the newly married couple kissing or in a loving embrace. Sometimes just connecting to each other by chatting, laughing or walking in the distance can itself be enough & can create a beautiful image.

Stay Out Of The Pros Way:

wedding photographer training ireland

It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of the day, however with that in mind if you are not the official or designated photographer on the day, try to stay out of the way. The main photographer has been hired for a reason & should have priority. If you want to give the couple a fantastic array of images, let the professionals do their job & you can present a collection of images from different subjects & angles, documenting the day from a whole new perspective.

Bonus tip:

wedding photography training ireland

Why not come along to our  Wedding photography workshop on the stunning grounds of Russbourgh House. Although it’s not exactly a tip, it will teach you all the skills to start capturing the big day like a pro!

 

DPS Bites: 5 Tips For Better Travel Photography

5 Tips For Better Travel Photography

stewart kenny

When we think of travel photography we often think of the famous landmarks, monuments & attractions of the city or country we plan to visit. However for many people these famous sites are just the tip of the iceberg when visiting a new destination. To us here at DPS travel photography is so much more than just landmarks. To us it is a sub-genre of documentary & reportage photography that involves looking at landscapes, cultures, customs, people & their history. It conveys in an image a feeling that expresses the feeling of a particular time and place.
When we return from a holiday often it’s not the big things e.g. the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa that stick out in our mind but the smaller things. Details & quirks of the trip that spring to mind are e.g. small coffee shops, local markets or the artisans that ply their trade on the roadside. Food & art are things that make a culture unique. When we go away what we are looking to find is not what is similar to our own culture, but what is different. With all of this in mind, here are a few simple tips on what to look for when photographing on your adventures & travels.

Plan Your Kit:

travel photography tips for beginners

This is one of the most important considerations and one of the first things we teach on our travel photography workshop. Think about what kind of shots you want & make a list. If it’s mostly scenic landscapes then pack a wide angle lens, if it’s people a 50mm fixed or if it’s a mix of both, consider a zoom lens. Remember that it’s not always about what is in your kit bag!, a good compostiion can be achieved on a camera phone or a compact camera, will still look great on a web album or e.g. Instragram.

Be Prepared For Low Light:

DPS

A lot of the action takes place in the evening, especially in hotter climates where the heat of the day can be a little over whelming. Be prepared for shooting in low light & carry something portable that you can use as a tripod to create slow exposure effects. A mini gorilla pod or a table top tripod are small & portable & they will fold up neatly into your kit bag. They are ideal for use anywhere. However if you are stuck, then you can use a bean bag, a wall or a rolled up t-shirt.

The 1/640th Rule:

travel photography tips for beginners

When travelling we are often looking for a shutter speed that will freeze about 90% of everyday action. Try setting your camera to 1/640th of a second, while this will not freeze every scene, it will freeze most day to day scenes that you will come across where people & moving subjects are part of it.
Start walking around with your camera in TV or S mode. This will allow you to focus on framing & composing your image.

Buy Something For A Portrait:

travel photography courses ireland

A great way to break the ice with a local trader for example is to buy something small from them, then ask if you can take their portrait! Get chatting to them. Even if language is a barrier they will see from your body language that you have no alterior motive & they will often allow you to take their photograph. Stall holders, shop keepers & street musicians are often asked by travellers for photographs & will generally be willing to have their portrait taken. If fact many of them often play up for the camera.

Get Up High:

stewart kenny

High vantage points can be found almost everywhere. Even if your only photographing down-hill, it will make a massive difference to your images.
Get great scenes by getting up high, this can be as simple as photographing from your hotel window or by hiking up a hill, or even taking a drive into the mountains. Try to a have a point of interest in the foreground as a focus point so as to make the shot more interesting.

Bonus Tip:

travel photography courses dublin

Why not Take a travel photography workshop or photography holiday with DPS. While it is  not exactly a tip, it will teach you all the skills you need to know to capture that trip of a lifetime!