Photo I TAC HP: A Seven Week Class

Photo I is a comprehensive class about the fundamentals of photography conducted at The Art Center of Highland Park (TAC HP), located at 1957 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035.  The Photo I Class will meet at The Art Center once a week for lecture and online for lab 5 times throughout the term of the class.

In Photo I, you will learn about correct exposure, what makes the “right exposure” and why. You’ll discover the meaning of shutter speeds and f-stops and how to stop motion or let a “subject’s motion” blur in just the right way. You will also learn about depth of field: how much of the picture you should have in focus and how to use “out of focus” in just the right way.
In the Online Lab, you will learn the right way to organize and save your images. You will learn how to convert your color images to black & white and how to share images. The software we use to catalog and edit photographs is called Adobe Lightroom. It is an affordable program, and it is much less complicated than Photoshop.
In Photo I, you will also learn about composition for photography and ways to approach the “critique” of photographs – your own and the work of others.
Each week, you’ll get an assignment, and in each Lab, you will edit the assignments.
After completing Photo I, each student who attended all of the classes and Labs should be able to reliably photograph and share images with success and confidence.
Photo I lays the proper foundation for the more technical Photo II and Photo III classes.
If you are able to, please attend one of the Intro to Photography Classes (available In-Studio & Online) prior to beginning your Photo I class.  Doing so will introduce you to the basics of camera operation and a number of shooting basics, including f-stops and shutter speed.  You’ll also have a chance to meet our instructors and ask questions about your camera.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long are the classes?
Typically classes are about 2 hours in length (with breaks) each week.
I have taken classes at other schools, do I need to begin with Photo I?
No, if you have prior experience with photography, contact Nick Sinnott (nick@chicagophotoclasses.com) and you can have a discussion on the most appropriate class to begin with based on your experience.
Can I go to classes at the Chicago Campus?
Yes, we try to keep the same weekly schedule at all of our locations so that you can attend any class at any location.
Will I get assignments?
Yes, every week, you will receive and assignment which will strengthen your knowledge of the lecture.
About how many hours outside of class will be needed?
About 2-3 hours outside of class each week is suggested.
Are the classes recorded?
All of our online classes are recorded and can be available upon request.