19 Courses in Edinburgh

“Any good photography is a successful synthesis of technique and art.” – Andreas Feininger Discover the magic of Black & White Photography and learn some of the secrets the masters use to make stunning photographs. Explore the fundamentals of light and time and no longer be a slave to the Auto setting. Master the manual functions of your 35mm SLR film camera and unlock its true potential. Get to grips with the complete darkroom workflow from processing film to printing your own black & white photographs. Perfect for those with no experience or those looking for a full refresher. If you don’t have a 35mm SLR camera we have a limited number available for use during the course – please make your selection from the dropdown at time of booking. Week 1 Capture, technical notes, discussions, art context Understand the fundamentals of light and time in balancing an accurate exposure; No longer be a slave to the Auto setting! Learn how to utilise the Manual functions of your 35mm SLR camera including aperture, shutter speed, film speed and metering. Understand depth of field, composition and creative photo-making techniques; Appreciate photography within an art context – Begin to look at the work of other photographers Assignment: You will be given one roll of B&W film to be shot for the second week Week 2 Film processing Learn how to process B&W film by hand in Stills’ darkrooms. We will discuss different film types and chemistry, as well as best practice procedures for film handling. Appreciating photography within an art context-Sally Mann. Week 3 Contact Printing Gain an appreciation of general darkroom procedures;understand how to set up your enlarger and make a contact print using the traditional analogue method; learn how to make 8×10″ work prints using the single filter printing method. All paper and chemistry will be provided. Week 4 Darkroom printing This last session will allow participants to keep on printing with some one to one attention. We will also explore some basic dodging and burning and other printing techniques to get the most from your negatives and make a series of final prints.     Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout. Stills uses ILFORD PHOTO chemicals on this course that can potentially pose a risk to pregnant and breast feeding women and asthmatics. We take every care to ensure good working practices and adequate ventilation in our darkrooms. If you feel you may be adversely affected, please visit the Health and Safety section of Ilford’s website for further information.   General Guidance Notes for Pregnant and Breast Feeding Women and Asthmatics: From a risk assessment standpoint, provided all necessary control measures (such as good working practices, adequate ventilation, and the use of appropriate PPE) are in place then pregnant and breastfeeding women should be able to continue to work safely with photochemical products.Inhalation is the main route by which fumes and gases enter the body, making good ventilation a high priority. Exposure to irritant chemicals that would not affect most people may provoke an asthma attack in a person who already has asthma. For example, low levels of the gas sulphur dioxide can be produced by some ILFORD PHOTO processes. Most individuals would be unaffected but asthmatics may suffer adverse affects. ILFORD PHOTO products include no known human carcinogens, and no substances to which phrase R46 (May cause heritable genetic damage) or R64 (May cause harm to breastfed babies) applies. Most ILFORD PHOTO developers use hydroquinone, and their classification therefore includes R40 (Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect) and R68 (Possible risk of irreversible effects). Some ILFORD PHOTO chemicals use boric acid or borates. These substances are classified as toxic for reproduction. As a result, the classification of some of the powder developers includes R60 (May impair fertility) and R61 (May cause harm to the unborn child).

The course will introduce you to some of the most enduring photographic portraits and provide discussion on why they remain so seminal. The course includes an introduction to lighting and composition techniques for portraiture, as well as providing guidance on shutter speed, aperture, lenses, and other visual controls. You will use studio flash lighting to explore basic techniques in formal and informal portrait photography – though all of the techniques taught are transferrable to natural and other lighting media. There will be time for participants to photograph under three standard lighting set-ups. Some digital SLR photography experience is recommended. Morning The morning session centres on discussion of the work of some classic portrait photographers and standard techniques employed. The discussions will include elements of composition, pose, gesture, format and technique. Afternoon The afternoon session will cover practical studio lighting, standard lighting set-ups, direction of sitters, and time permitting also a brief introduction to some of the editing capabilities of Adobe Photoshop. Project Days are designed for those who are already familiar with digital photography processes but who want to pursue a particular aspect or develop more specific skills in one or more areas. This course is the perfect follow-on from our Digital SLR training courses and will support you in building upon your existing knowledge of DSLR camera skills and becoming a better photographer in general. It will help you to work confidently on your own creative projects and develop the artist in you.   Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout.

Edinburgh Photography Tours are ranked as the number one photography tour in Europe. Established in 2010 by local professional photographer James Christie.

Private Photography Workshop Tour

Edinburgh Night Photography Lesson. Join this One-to-One, two hour, night photography lesson in Edinburgh's historic old town!

Learn how to capture stunning outdoor shots like a pro with our hands-on Outdoor Photography Course – join us and unleash your inner shutter Outdoor Photography Course Join us for an exciting Outdoor Photography Course where you can unleash your creativity and capture stunning moments outside your comfort zone! Whether you're a beginner or an experienced photographer, this in-person event is perfect for everyone. I will guide you through various techniques to enhance your skills and make your photos stand out. From composition to lighting, you'll learn how to create captivating images that truly tell a story. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the great outdoors while mastering the art of photography. Grab your camera and get ready to capture the beauty of the world around you! Location: Edinburgh - Scotland. The place to meet: We will confirm a week before the event date. We will learn: Macro Portrait Landscape Candid Indoor

The Firth of Forth is a stunning and diverse location for photography. During this full-day session we will travel across both the North and South banks of the River Forth to capture some amazing locations from characterful old jetties to the Forth Bridges; from the smallest port in Scotland to hidden bays. This is designed for people who know the basics of their camera and want to learn how to take stunning landscape and seascapes images whilst discovering the beautiful scenery around the Forth estuary. Attendees on the session will learn how to create stunning images in-camera through the use of filters and more advanced composition techniques. The full-day session commences from first light and will last until sunset so there are many opportunities to practice your skills. During the day we will also spend some time looking at how we can use editing software to enhance your images. The workshop will have a minimum of two and a maximum of six attendees to ensure that everyone receives individual attention from a professional photographer. About Ideal if you understand how to set the exposure of your camera manually and want to learn how to use filters to improve your photographs. We visit several locations along the banks of the Forth River to capture sunrise and sunset, panoramas and change the way we see movement in water. This is a full-day workshop, picking up from Edinburgh a couple of hours before sunrise and returning about an hour after sunset. Lunch is not included Experience level – intermediate and advanced What to Bring A camera that you can set the exposure manually A good sturdy tripod. It is helpful to have a wide-angle lens and a long zoom, although if you only have a kit-lens then that will still be fine for this workshop. You will need a filter system such as Lee, Nisi or Cokin with ND and ND graduated filters Ensure your camera batteries are fully charged and strongly consider having a spare An empty memory card, we’ll take about 150 photographs during the session. Duration 12 hours 

This group workshop for beginner and professional photographer who like to try different genre photography. Edinburgh Street Photography Course Place to meet? Costa coffee above Waverley mall How long does this course take? 3 hours Can I use my SLR camera for this workshop? Definitely, but I don’t teach in SLR, you have to use your ability in using an SLR camera. What do I get from this course? You will gain confidence taking picture of people in public You will understand from my tips and tricks how this photography works for your self grow You will find a hobby that challenging and more… Your hobby should be fun, in my workshops/courses there aren't any strict rules but please note: You must have the willingness to learn No racism It doesn't matter what camera you have - your best tool is your intuition My workshops are friendly environment - be flexible If you are ready to start a different level of photography, this is FOR YOU! FACE YOUR FEAR AND START MOVING FORWARD IN PHOTOGRAPHY Follow the "I Candid You" WhatsApp Channel for an Update here. Join our group on facebook (private) here. Watch my video "Eye contact from random people on random street" here. Watch my video "Tips for Beginner Street Photography"here. My images were taken with Fuji X30, here.

Tour start from St Giles Cathedral or your hotel and last approx 3 hours ​This photo tour usually starts in Edinb8rgh Old Town but as it is a private tour this can be adjusted to suit your needs. It starts off by instructing you how to get the best out of your camera if you require this (and skipping it if you don't) and then the emphasis is on capturing stunning photographs of Edinburgh rather than the usual tourist snaps that most people will capture. You really get to see Edinburgh in a different way and with the help and advice of Will who has worked as press photographer, covered humanitarian crises in Iraq, shot covers and content for Lonely Planet guidebooks, covered Fashion week for many years but now concentrates on teaching from his vast skill set. ​If you prefer the tour to take place in the New Town, Dean Village etc we can do that too. We want you to see the best of Edinburgh, hear some amazing stories about our city and leave with great photos regardless of your skill level before your tour or the equipment you use. We will teach you how to get the best out of your camera or smart phone, explain everything in easy to understand language and help you "see" how to get a great photo.​ * We welcome people of all levels and have catered for absolute beginners to professionals. * As well as photography, you'll learn the background to the places we visit and the stories behind Edinburgh's colourful characters past and present. * We'll recommend places to eat/drink and other things to do in town to avoid the usual tourist traps. * We don't mind if you use a smart phone, compact camera or DSLR, we'll help you get amazing photos using anything. *We keep it simple, understandable and in no time you'll be getting photos you love. *Why choose us? We have a wealth of professional experience, our photography clients include Lonely Planet, getty images and we have been exhibited globally. We take our experience and break it down to keep it simple, effective and easy for you to pick up and develop your own style on our fun and friendly tour. * We recommend bringing the camera you are most comfortable with, whether it is a DSLR or a smartphone. * For cameras with manual settings, we recommend a wide-medium range zoom (24-105mm range) as being the most useful but anything wider (16-35mm) or longer (70-200mm) as well as prime lenses (50mm fixed lens for example) will also be used on the session. * If you are using a smartphone we recommend you download the "Snapseed" app before the tour. It's free and it an amazing editing tool. * Please make sure your batteries are fully charged and have spare batteries with you. * Please make sure you have space on your memory card/device. ALL OUR PHOTO TOURS ARE PRIVATE TOURS SO WE CAN CONCENTRATE 100% on you: These tours run daily at 9.00am, 1.00pm and 5.00pm subject to availability. Our private tour is tailored to suit your needs, whether you want in depth 1-on-1 instruction with your camera, just want to see the best of the city on your own, or you are already know about your camera functions and just want find the best places off the beaten track to get the best images then this is the tour for you. Where this tour goes does depend on the light, but we can get to areas you might not otherwise get to. What we see and what we can do is decided by you. Private tours are £120 for 1 person and add £30pp thereafter

The Smartphone Only Group Photo Tour