Photography I ($350)
Course Description:
This is a comprehensive survey of practically everything a photographer needs to know in order to begin shooting with purpose. Think of this as the gateway to our more advanced classes. Photo1 very carefully lays out all the elemental components of photography, including the logic behind how your equipment and camera settings were designed, the various ways you can capture and manipulate the light within your scene, how to control the spatial relationships within your shot, how to exploit the movement happening within your scene, etc. Photo1 also serves as an introduction to the more aesthetic and ideological aspects of photography, including several discussions on aesthetic theory, different kinds of photographic authorship, as well as some discussion of viewer psychology (ie: the way the viewer is likely to read and understand an image).
Who should take this:
Practically everyone. This class is designed for people with no previous knowledge of photography so beginners should feel entirely welcome. However students with more advanced needs are also encouraged to begin with Photography1 as this course gradually expands to include a lot of intermediate skills, and moreover, we've repeatedly found that we cover the elemental "basics" of photography far more thoroughly than most other programs. *Please note that this course is appropriate for ages 17 and over, only.
Upon completion:
Students should expect to possess a solid understanding of the equipment and terminology involved in photography, as well as how to employ several technical and compositional strategies.
*This is a 12-hour course consisting of one 2-hour session per week for 6 consecutive weeks
Please Note: If a particular date is marked as full, you are welcome to email us at Andrew@ausop.org and request a spot on the waiting list.
Upcoming Start Dates:
Mar 29 (Wednesdays at 6:15pm) *Full*
Apr 2 (Sundays at 1pm) *Full*
Apr 4 (Tuesdays at 6:15pm) *Full*
Apr 5 (Wednesdays at 12pm) *Full*
May 31 (Wednesdays at 6:15pm)
June 4 (Sundays at 1pm)
Photography II ($350)
Course Description:
This more advanced class takes the elemental principles established in Photography1 and applies them toward higher-level creative and professional goals. If Photo1 establishes a familiarity with all of the components of photography - and how each one of those components can be manipulated in various ways - then Photo2 establishes a more fluent and more sophisticated control over how you might want to combine those components, including more complex image structures, understanding the logic and distinctions that make up different photographic styles, and a comprehensive understanding of photography as both a fine art medium as well as an occupational task.
Who should take this:
This course is designed for those who wish to be able to exercise very concise and willful control over their images - both creatively and communicatively. A strong knowledge of photographic theory is required, so if you are still in the intermediate stage we recommend you begin with Photography1.
Upon completion:
Students should be able to control how their images are structured, as well as how a viewer's eyes will respond to their images, and also be able to exercise concise control over what their images communicate. Students will also acquire some substantive knowledge of fine art theory, as well as some understanding of the history and evolution of the medium of photography. And finally, students will also understand the logic behind why the various disciplines of professional and fine art photography are compelled to employ the strateiges that they do.
*This is a 12-hour course consisting of one 2-hour session per week for 6 consecutive weeks.
Upcoming Dates:
Apr 2 (Sundays at 4pm)
Apr 6 (Thursdays at 6:15pm)
Studio Lighting I ($350)
Course Description:
This course teaches photographic strategy within a studio setting, including the use of photographic strobes, lighting accessories, advanced metering strategies, portrait lighting, and how to combine artifical flash with existing ambient light.
Who should take this:
Students wanting to develop an expert level of control over commercial portraits, fashion photography, interiors, and product photography, as well as any artists and hobbyists who wish to expand their knowledge of how light can be manipulated in a controlled environment. A near-expert understanding of photographic theory is required for this course, so if you are not entirely confident in your knowledge of the photographic sciences, we recommend you begin with Photography1. It is also worth noting that those interested in Wedding Photography should be advised that the professional tasks of a wedding photographer are a combination of these skills and the skills addressed in the Editorial Photography class.
Upon completion:
Students will have a solid working knowledge of both the equipment and the strategies involved in commercial and creative studio photography.
*This is a 12-hour course consisting of one 2-hour session per week for 6 consecutive weeks.
Upcoming Dates
June 5 (Mondays at 6:15pm)
Editorial Photography I ($350)
Course Description:
This course addresses expert-level construction of visual narrative. Here our students learn the advanced mechanics - and the syntax - involved in organizing information and context within a narrative photograph. The purpose of this is for students to develop the ability to navigate a viewer, very concisely, through a series of visual cues that will control how that viewer understands a given scene, both in terms of the narrative information as well as in terms of cultural sentiment.
Who should take this:
Students wanting to shoot documentary photography, photojournalism, magazine photography, or wedding photography at a very high level. It should be noted that this is the most rigorous course offered at ASOP, and as such both Photography1 and Photography2 are strict prerequisites. Students are expected to enter the course already having a working understanding of how to utilize the physics of photography in order to: 1) create hierarchies of information within an image, 2) isolate subjects within a scene, 3) suggest movement within an image in multiple different ways, 4) organize an image into "subjects" and "qualifiers," 5) promote more dynamic or more static readings of their images, etc. This course builds upon those skills by teaching students to re-configure those dynamics in various ways and then apply them toward specific editorial tasks. It is also worth noting that those interested in Wedding Photography should be advised that the professional tasks of a wedding photographer are a combination of these skills and the skills addressed in the Studio Lighting class.
Upon Completion:
Students will understand the technical and communicative decisions involved in creating either a single narrative image, or a larger body of narrative images.
This is a 12-hour course consisting of one 2-hour session per week for 6 consecutive weeks.
Upcoming Dates:
Apr 3 (Mondays at 6:15pm)
Gift Certificates
ASOP Gift Certificates can be redeemed for any available 6-week class we offer, and they never expire. To purchase one, simply click any of the registration buttons on this page.
Private Instruction ($250)
ASOP offers private instruction in order to accommodate difficult schedules or unusual needs. The fee is $250 for each 2-hour session. To schedule a private session, please contact the studio directly.