Syllabus

Syllabus

Curriculum

A place to start, an exercise to try, and a photograph to bring home.

  1. Work with the last light

    Learn to make a sharp, balanced frame while the sky still holds a little color.

    • Scout a familiar corner
    • Set exposure without guessing
    • Read the histogram
    • Review sharpness at full size
    Preview a lesson

    Before changing ISO, look at what moved. A blurred leaf and a blurred building are different problems. Keep the camera fixed, make one test frame, and inspect the edges of something that cannot move.

    Open module

  2. Find focus in the dark

    Practice a repeatable focus check when autofocus begins to hunt.

    • Choose a distant reference
    • Use magnified live view
    • Check corner sharpness
    • Keep a field notebook
    Preview a lesson

    The infinity symbol is a reference, not a guarantee. Magnify a distant light, adjust until its edge is clear, and verify the photograph at full size.

    Open module

  3. Photograph the first stars

    Balance a dark sky and a grounded foreground without turning the night into daylight.

    • Plan around cloud and moonlight
    • Compose before darkness
    • Choose a starting shutter time
    • Recognize movement and noise
    Preview a lesson

    A brighter sky is not always a better sky. Start with the shape of the foreground, then decide how much detail the photograph needs.

    Open module

  4. Edit a small set

    Select and finish four photographs that belong together.

    • Select at a consistent size
    • Set a believable white balance
    • Control bright lamps
    • Export for screen and print
    Preview a lesson

    Choose the frame for its light and composition before adjusting it. A brighter edit can distract from a weaker photograph.

    Open module