Improving and Learning Photography and Style

Get hands-on with your camera! Learn the fundamentals of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and how to use them to achieve the perfect exposure. By the end of this module, you’ll feel confident navigating manual mode and capturing photos that match your creative vision.

This comprehensive guide provides all the theoretical and practical lessons for Module 2, including an introduction to exposure settings, camera modes, and hands-on exercises to master camera control.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ In-depth explanations of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.

✔ Step-by-step practical activities to reinforce learning.

✔ Overview of manual and semi-automatic camera modes.

✔ Key takeaways & next steps for continued learning.

This hands-on worksheet helps students practice adjusting ISO, aperture, and shutter speed in different lighting conditions. By completing real-world exercises, students will gain confidence in switching out of auto mode and using manual settings.

 
✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Step-by-step guided camera exercises

✔ Space to record settings & compare results

✔ Helps reinforce learning through practical application

A quick-reference guide explaining how ISO, aperture, and shutter speed work together to control exposure. This cheat sheet is designed to help students visualize exposure settings and adjust them in real time.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Understand the relationship between ISO, aperture, and shutter speed

✔ Learn how to brighten or darken images correctly

✔ Includes illustrations for quick learning

This guide provides an in-depth explanation of Aperture Priority (A) and Shutter Priority (S) modes, which allow photographers to maintain creative control while letting the camera assist with exposure. Students will learn when and how to use these semi-automatic modes for different photography situations.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Aperture Priority Mode (A/Av): Best for controlling depth of field while letting the camera adjust shutter speed.

✔ Shutter Priority Mode (S/Tv): Best for controlling motion blur or freezing action while the camera adjusts aperture.

✔ When to Use Each Mode: Practical tips for portraits, landscapes, sports, and low-light situations.

✔ How to Transition to Full Manual Mode: Step-by-step guide to using semi-automatic modes as a bridge to manual shooting.

This chart explains different camera modes (Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, etc.) and when to use them. Students will quickly learn which settings work best for various shooting scenarios.

 
✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Overview of all major shooting modes

✔ Helps choose the right mode for different situations

✔ Easy comparison between automatic & manual settings

This comprehensive guide helps students understand the three key elements of exposure: ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture. The document provides detailed explanations, real-world examples, and exercises to reinforce manual photography techniques.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ ISO: How to adjust light sensitivity for different shooting conditions.

✔ Shutter Speed: Controlling motion blur and freezing action.

✔ Aperture: Understanding depth of field and creating background blur (bokeh).

✔ Practical Exercises: Step-by-step challenges to master manual settings.

✔ Visual Aids: Example images showing the impact of different settings.

📌 Who This Is For:

✔ Beginners transitioning from Auto mode who want full creative control.

✔ Aspiring professionals looking to master light and exposure.

✔ Anyone struggling with getting the right brightness in photos.

This quick-reference cheat sheet provides an easy-to-follow breakdown of exposure settings including shutter speed, the exposure triangle, metering modes, and histograms. It helps students understand how each setting influences the brightness and clarity of an image.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Shutter Speed Guide: When to use fast vs. slow shutter speeds.

✔ Exposure Triangle Overview: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed working together.

✔ Metering Modes Explained: Evaluative, spot, and center-weighted metering.

✔ Histograms in Photography: How to read exposure levels in an image.

📌 Who This Is For:

✔ Beginners who struggle with exposure settings.

✔ Photographers who want to improve consistency in different lighting conditions.

✔ Anyone learning how to properly expose images without relying on auto mode.

This in-depth guide explains how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO affect exposure in greater detail. With real-world examples and visual illustrations, students will gain a deeper understanding of how to manipulate light in photography.

 
✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Detailed explanations of exposure settings

✔ Visual examples of depth of field and motion blur

✔ Tips for troubleshooting common exposure problems

This set of mini cheat sheets helps students understand key camera settings beyond exposure. It covers file formats, color accuracy, focus types, and flash techniques to improve image quality.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ RAW vs. JPEG – Pros & cons of shooting in different formats

✔ White Balance – How to adjust colors for natural-looking images

✔ Focus Modes – Choosing the right focus setting for sharp photos

✔ Flash Settings – Basics of built-in and external flash use

A structured challenge tracker encouraging students to experiment with different exposure settings to improve their skills. Each challenge builds upon the last, helping students gain mastery over manual settings.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ 7-Day exposure practice challenges

✔ Encourages hands-on learning through real-world scenarios

✔ Helps students track their improvements over time

Dive into the heart of photography: light. This module teaches you to see, shape, and control natural and artificial light for stunning effects.

This comprehensive guide provides all the theoretical and practical lessons for Module 3, including an introduction to lighting techniques, how to manipulate light, and hands-on exercises to master different lighting conditions.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Understand the different types of light (natural, artificial, and ambient).

✔ Learn how to use lighting tools like reflectors and diffusers.

✔ Experiment with creative lighting techniques for stunning effects.

✔ Complete structured activities that reinforce lighting concepts.

This guide provides a detailed breakdown of different types of light and their effects on photography. Students will learn how to recognize and manipulate different lighting conditions to enhance their photos.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Ambient Light: Understanding how to work with available light.

✔ Direct vs. Diffused Light: Learning how light spreads and affects subjects.

✔ Natural vs. Artificial Light: Knowing when to use which type of lighting.

✔ Low Light & Hard Light Techniques: Managing challenging lighting situations.

📌 Bonus Resource:

🔗 Find more photography lighting tools at:

👉 https://www.matthewrobrown.com/recommended-products

This set of quick-reference tip cards helps students understand the differences between posed and candid photography, as well as how to capture great night photos, golden hour portraits, and more.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Candid vs. Posed Photography: When and how to use each style.

✔ Night Photography Basics: How to adjust ISO, shutter speed, and white balance for low-light shooting.

✔ Golden Hour Photography Tips: Making the most of soft, warm lighting.

This planner helps photographers schedule their outdoor shoots during the most visually stunning times of the day: Golden Hour and Blue Hour. These times offer soft, flattering light that enhances landscapes, portraits, and cityscapes.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Golden Hour (Shortly after sunrise and before sunset): Best for portraits, landscapes, cityscapes, and golden reflections.

✔ Blue Hour (Before sunrise and after sunset): Best for cityscapes, reflections, silhouettes, and astrophotography.

✔ How to plan your shoot effectively using timing apps and location scouting.

📌 Bonus Tip:

✅ Checklist for Golden & Blue Hour Shooting: Includes best lighting adjustments and composition tips for each scenario.

This 7-day structured challenge encourages students to experiment with different exposure and lighting techniques to develop a deeper understanding of camera settings and light control.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Day 1: Freeze Motion – Using fast shutter speeds for sharp images.

✔ Day 2: Motion Blur – Mastering slow shutter speeds for creative effects.

✔ Day 3: Low Light Challenge – Adjusting ISO and aperture for dim conditions.

✔ Day 4: Shallow Depth of Field – Creating soft, blurred backgrounds.

✔ Day 5: High Depth of Field – Keeping everything sharp and in focus.

✔ Day 6: Overexposure & Underexposure – Learning to adjust exposure settings.

✔ Day 7: HDR & Bracketing – Capturing multiple exposures for high-dynamic range images.

📌 Bonus Feature:

✅ Printable Exposure Log to track camera settings and analyze improvements.

Your Color Temperature Chart.

Your Guide to understanding Histograms.

Your Shooting in Various Lighting Conditions Cards.

Your Tips and How To Cards for various conditions.

Elevate your images by mastering composition techniques like the Rule of Thirds, leading lines, and framing. Create compelling stories through thoughtful arrangement.

This comprehensive guide introduces students to composition as a storytelling tool and includes explanations of different techniques, examples, and exercises for hands-on practice.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Learn how to arrange elements in your frame to guide the viewer’s eye.

✔ Master the Rule of Thirds, leading lines, and framing for stronger compositions.

✔ Complete structured composition challenges and real-world exercises.

A detailed reference guide outlining the fundamental rules of composition in photography, helping students create visually appealing and impactful images.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Learn the core principles of composition and how to apply them.

✔ Understand how balance, framing, and perspective influence storytelling.

✔ Develop skills in layering elements and organizing a scene for maximum impact.

This one-page, easy-to-follow cheat sheet summarizes composition techniques and provides quick reminders for photographers while shooting in the field.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Rule of Thirds: Placing subjects along a 3x3 grid for better balance.

✔ Leading Lines: Using roads, fences, and paths to draw attention.

✔ Framing: Surrounding subjects with natural frames like doorways or trees.

✔ Negative Space: Emphasizing a subject by using empty space.

✔ Depth & Layers: Creating dynamic compositions with multiple layers.

📌 Bonus Resource:

🔗 Find more composition tools at:

👉 https://www.matthewrobrown.com/recommended-products

A detailed breakdown of advanced composition techniques with step-by-step examples and practical applications. This guide helps students refine their visual storytelling by applying patterns, symmetry, and unique perspectives.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Framing & Perspective: How angles influence storytelling.

✔ Patterns & Symmetry: Using repetition to create balance.

✔ Depth & Layering: How to create a three-dimensional effect in photos.

✔ Negative Space & Minimalism: Simplifying compositions for greater impact.

This worksheet helps students experiment with different camera angles and perspectives, guiding them through structured activities that enhance their composition skills.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Eye-Level Perspective: Capturing subjects naturally.

✔ High & Low Angles: Changing the storytelling effect of an image.

✔ Bird’s Eye & Worm’s Eye View: Experimenting with extreme angles.

✔ Hands-on exercises to analyze how perspective impacts composition.

A 7-day structured challenge designed to help students apply key composition techniques in real-world shooting scenarios.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Day 1: Rule of Thirds – Aligning subjects for balanced compositions.

✔ Day 2: Leading Lines – Directing the viewer’s eye with strong visual cues.

✔ Day 3: Framing – Using objects in the environment to create natural frames.

✔ Day 4: Symmetry & Patterns – Creating striking visuals through repetition.

✔ Day 5: Negative Space – Simplifying an image for stronger subject emphasis.

✔ Day 6: Perspective & Angles – Experimenting with different viewpoints.

✔ Day 7: Storytelling Composition – Bringing all elements together for a powerful image.

📌 Bonus Feature:

✅ Reflection Questions to analyze what techniques worked best and how to improve.

In this module, students will learn essential post-processing techniques that enhance their photos and bring their creative vision to life. Post-production is not about “fixing” images but refining, enhancing, and adding artistic style to photography. This module introduces fundamental editing workflows, color correction, exposure adjustments, and retouching techniques that photographers use to make their work stand out.

✅ Key Learning Objectives:

✔ Understand why post-processing is essential to refining and enhancing images.

✔ Learn key editing tools such as exposure, contrast, color correction, cropping, and sharpening.

✔ Gain confidence in using software like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and free alternatives.

✔ Apply structured exercises to practice editing workflows and track progress.

This comprehensive guide introduces students to post-processing techniques and provides step-by-step guidance on adjusting exposure, enhancing colors, cropping images, and retouching distractions.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Learn how to brighten or darken images, adjust contrast, and correct color tones.

✔ Discover best practices for cropping and sharpening to improve composition.

✔ Experiment with healing and cloning tools for retouching and object removal.

✔ Complete practical exercises to enhance post-processing skills.

A quick-reference guide to essential editing tools used in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and free alternatives. This cheat sheet helps students understand and navigate key functions such as exposure, color adjustments, and sharpening tools.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Exposure & Contrast: Adjust brightness, shadows, and highlights for balanced images.

✔ White Balance & Color Correction: Remove color casts and enhance vibrancy.

✔ Cropping & Straightening: Improve framing and alignment for better compositions.

✔ Healing & Cloning Tools: Remove distractions or blemishes in portraits and landscapes.

✔ Noise Reduction & Sharpening: Clean up grainy images and enhance fine details.

📌 Bonus Tip:

✅ Includes step-by-step workflow for a structured editing process.

🔗 Find recommended editing software at:

👉 https://www.matthewrobrown.com/recommended-products

This interactive log allows students to track their editing process, document changes, and analyze their improvement over time. By comparing “before” and “after” versions of their images, students can refine their post-processing techniques.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Step-by-step editing workflow to organize and refine images.

✔ Checklist for common adjustments such as exposure, contrast, and sharpness.

✔ Space to record original and edited settings for comparison.

✔ Reflection questions to assess what worked and what could be improved.

📌 Bonus Feature:

✅ Worksheet to document multiple edits over time and track personal editing style.

Your RAW vs. JPEG Cheat Sheet.

Your File Management, tips and How-To cards.

📚 Showcasing Your Best Work with Confidence

In this module, students will learn how to curate a strong photography portfolio, ensuring it effectively showcases their best work, creativity, and technical skills. A well-structured portfolio is a visual resume that speaks to potential clients, employers, or galleries. This module provides step-by-step guidance on selecting images, sequencing for impact, and presenting work professionally across different platforms.

✅ Key Learning Objectives:

✔ Understand how to select the best images for a portfolio.

✔ Learn how sequencing and storytelling impact portfolio effectiveness.

✔ Discover online platforms and print options for showcasing work.

✔ Complete structured exercises to build and refine a personal portfolio.

This comprehensive guide walks students through the process of creating a photography portfolio, covering image selection, storytelling, layout, and presentation formats for online and print.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ How to choose, organize, and sequence the best work for a portfolio.

✔ Learn different portfolio formats (digital vs. print) and which is best for your needs.

✔ Strategies for building a cohesive and impactful photography portfolio.

📌 Bonus Resource:

🔗 Recommended portfolio hosting platforms:

👉 Zenfolio

👉 Squarespace

👉 Adobe Portfolio

This structured worksheet helps students define their photography style, select their best work, and set portfolio goals. It guides them through the decision-making process of curating a strong, impactful body of work.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Identify photography specialization (portrait, landscape, street, etc.).

✔ Determine portfolio goals—client work, competitions, social media presence, or exhibitions.

✔ Assess personal style and storytelling approach through reflection questions.

✔ Plan the presentation format—online, printed, or social media-based portfolios.

📌 Bonus Feature:

✅ Checklist to ensure diversity, consistency, and technical excellence in portfolio selection.

A step-by-step checklist to critique, refine, and finalize a photography portfolio before sharing it with potential clients, galleries, or employers. This ensures that the portfolio is cohesive, technically strong, and effectively tells a story.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Quality Control: Ensuring every image is technically strong and professionally edited.

✔ Cohesion & Flow: Checking if images work together as a series rather than random selections.

✔ Impact & Emotion: Making sure the portfolio tells a compelling story.

✔ Final Review Process: Steps to remove weak images, refine editing consistency, and optimize presentation.

📌 Bonus Feature:

✅ Final self-assessment checklist to ensure the portfolio is polished before submission.

Your Photography Inspiration Journal.

🚀 Building Momentum and Growing as a Photographer

In this final module, students will learn how to maintain motivation, set long-term goals, and build a sustainable photography career or passion project. Photography is a lifelong journey, and staying inspired while consistently improving is key to long-term success.

✅ Key Learning Objectives:

✔ Develop a consistent photography routine to keep growing.

✔ Learn how to set realistic and achievable photography goals.

✔ Gain confidence in sharing work, networking, and marketing photography skills.

✔ Build connections with fellow photographers and potential clients.

This comprehensive guide walks students through the process of building sustainable photography habits, setting SMART goals, and developing strategies to stay engaged with their craft over time.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ How to set weekly and monthly photography challenges for continued improvement.

✔ Creating a photography calendar to schedule shoots and creative projects.

✔ How to track progress over time and evaluate personal growth.

✔ Steps to get involved in photography communities for support and networking.

📌 Bonus Tip:

✔ Join “The Joyful Photographer” Facebook group for ongoing mentorship and feedback.

🔗 Exclusive Course Community:

👉 The Joyful Photographer: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1BEtEMsgUA/

This structured worksheet helps students define their long-term photography goals, track progress, and outline actionable steps to achieve them. It provides clear prompts for self-reflection and helps photographers stay focused on improvement.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ Define your primary photography goals—technical skills, portfolio building, business growth, or creative projects.

✔ Break down goals into smaller, achievable milestones for steady progress.

✔ Create a roadmap for continuous learning and experimentation.

✔ Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to stay motivated.

📌 Bonus Resource:

✅ Checklist for portfolio development, technical skill-building, and social media presence growth.

A comprehensive guide to networking, marketing, and business-building strategies for photographers who want to grow professionally. Whether students are pursuing photography as a side passion or a full-time career, this cheat sheet provides essential tips for success.

✅ Key Takeaways:

✔ How to network with fellow photographers, models, and potential clients.

✔ Tips for building an online presence through social media, websites, and portfolios.

✔ Finding and retaining clients through strong branding and professional engagement.

✔ Strategies for pricing photography services and positioning yourself in the industry.

📌 Bonus Tip:

✔ Includes direct links to recommended professional networking platforms and business resources.