Private Photography Coaching

PRIVATE, ONE-ON-ONE PHOTOGRAPHY COACHING

Have you recently purchased an SLR camera that you don’t know how to fully use?  Whatever your photography interests (people, nature, landscapes, architecture, etc.), I can help you!

I offer private one-on-one photography coaching in Germantown, Maryland (or your choice of location) and practice field sessions in the Washington, DC area to build your knowledge of photography and photography skills, as well as digital post-processing with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. The photography sessions are designed for SLR users, since we will discuss camera operations that may not be available on point-and-shoot cameras. Because the sessions focus on how to use YOUR specific camera, whether Canon, Nikon, or other brand, you will learn in a very practical and hands-on manner.

Coaching sessions can either be structured or used to answer specific questions you already have. Field trips allow practice of the techniques learned and opportunity for practical guidance. Topics may include:

Basic Photography Concept: The Exposure Triangle

• Using aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to control exposure
• Three secrets to controlling depth-of-field
• Using shutter speed to freeze/blur movement
• Using the histogram to monitor exposure (for digital SLR users)
• Examining various photos and discussing how the combination of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO gave the resulting image
• Field practice

Camera Controls

• Aperture priority
• Shutter priority
• Manual
• ISO
• Focusing
• Single vs. continuous shooting mode
• Color temperature
• Image quality
• Exposure compensation
• Field practice

Equipment: Camera, Lenses & Filters

• Camera body options
• Prime lenses
• Zoom lenses
• Wide angle lenses
• Fisheye lenses
• Macro lenses
• Tilt-shift lenses
• Polarizing filters
• Neutral density filters
• UV filters
• Other specialty filters
• Field practice

Composition

• Discussion of various compositional “rules” and techniques
• Examining various photos and impact of their composition
• Field practice

Flash

• Fill flash
• Bounce flash
• Flash at night
• Flash diffusers
• Flash exposure compensation
• Field practice

Digital Post-Processing

• Digital Workflow
• Lightroom: Library Module (importing, renaming, cataloguing and keywording files)
• Lightroom: Develop Module (color, tint, exposure, tonality, vibrancy, saturation, healing, etc.)
• Lightroom: Slideshow Module
• Lightroom: Print Module
• Lightroom: Web Module
• Photoshop or Photoshop Elements: Retouching and Advanced Editing Techniques (interface, selections, layers, retouching, color correcting, masks, adding text, etc.)
• High Dynamic Range Imaging
• Editing images from a previous field practice session

Field Practice Locations

Field practice locations can range from photographing in a local park, which can take place anytime, to photographing a once-a-year area event, such as a local fair, parade, fireworks, marathon, or other event. The best location/event and time of day/night will depend on the topics you are interested in learning about and practicing.

Business of Photography

Portrait/Wedding/Event Photography

• Image post-processing for the portrait/wedding/event photography market
• Marketing for portrait/wedding/event photographers
• Product options
• Pricing
• Sales
• Client relations

Stock Photography

• Licensing models
• Working with a stock agency
• Image preparation for stock
• Marketing for stock photographers

Fine Art Photography

• Image preparation
• Matting/framing
• Fine art exhibitions
• Marketing for fine art photographers
• Sales channels
• Pricing

COST:

Each two-hour “sit-down” photography coaching session in Germantown, Maryland costs $190 for two hours.  Sessions can also be held at a location of your choice (with travel fee).

Are there two of you at the same level? Share a lesson between two people, and the total cost is only $260 ($130/person), a substantial per person discount.

Field practice sessions may have a higher cost depending on location/distance and entry fees.

Invest in a package of three coaching sessions and receive a 10% discount.

If you would like to schedule a photography coaching session, please download this coaching questionnaire here, then e-mail it to me at irene@ireneabdouphotography.com with a few dates/times that you are available for your first lesson.

GROUP PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

More interested in group photography workshops?  Irene leads group photography field trips, ranging from architectural to landscape to people/event and night photography, and photographic storytelling.  View the group photography workshop calendar here.

MORE ABOUT ME

• View my portrait-wedding-event photography portfolio.
• View my cultural, humanitarian, and NGO photography portfolio.
• View my image archive & fine art photography site.
• Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Irene-Abdou-Photography/129355490429907?ref=ts.