Thank you, Courtney, for giving me the opportunity to tell your audience about a brand new Clickin Moms workshop for beginning DSLR users called First Steps with a DSLR. Instructing new photographers (and hopefully inspiring them along the way!) is a big passion of mine. Like you, photography has brought me so much joy. I can’t wait to share that joy with many budding photographers and see their skills and passion for photography grow throughout the workshop.

When I first got my DSLR camera, I was completely overwhelmed. I’d stare blankly at the manual and look at listings for thousands of online tutorials and get overwhelmed before I even began. I wanted to go beyond shooting in auto mode, but wasn’t quite sure where to start. I remember wishing there was a workshop that would gently ease me into shooting with a DSLR and talk about photography concepts in a way that was easy to understand. Fast forward four years and here we are!

How it works:

The first thing to know about the class is that it will take place online within the Clickin Moms forums. One of the great things about this type of set up is that the learning can take place on one’s own schedule – there is no need to be online at a specific time because all the lessons can be downloaded, read, and practiced when it is convenient. The workshop will be conducted in a supportive learning environment where questions are welcomed and students are encouraged to interact openly. The course consists of one pre-assignment week and three additional weeks of instruction. Assignments are submitted online and critiqued by me and one of our three great teaching assistants: Caroline Jensen, Jennifer Dell, and Melissa Gibson.

What you will learn:

First Steps with a DSLR will introduce students to the fundamentals of lighting and composition, teach them all about aperture and shooting in aperture priority mode, and teach them the importance of shutter speed and how to shoot in shutter priority mode. Throughout the course we will also cover important topics such as achieving focus, interacting with subjects, gaining inspiration, capturing details, and storytelling. In First Steps with a DSLR we will not delve into shooting in full manual mode, but students are encouraged to continue on to Lynne Rigby’s The Best Darn Beginner Course Ever and other Clickin Moms workshops if they wish to expand upon their knowledge.

It is my goal that each student who leaves the workshop will be much more comfortable with their cameras and feel inspired to get the shots they’ve always wanted. They will be able to use good light and rules of composition to improve their photos and will feel confident in shooting in semi-automatic modes.
For more information about First Steps with a DSLR, please visit the course listing here.

Amy Lucy Lockheart is a lifestyle photographer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shooting with a Nikon D4 and a variety of prime lenses, her first priority is capturing the fleeting moments of childhood. Amy is the Product Editor for Click Magazine, a print and digital magazine by Clickin Moms. Amy also instructs First Steps with a DSLR, one of Clickin Moms newest workshops.
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