Photography

Becoming a better photographer by teaching

I set up this demo as a way to illustrate how to do a group with 2 Speedlites and a very different look. There is one light behind Asia tall young lady on the left) and another Speedlite just off the camera's left.
I set up this demo as a way to illustrate how to do a group with 2 Speedlites and a very different look. There is one light behind Asia tall young lady on the left) and another Speedlite just off the camera’s left.

I’ve been teaching photography part-time now for about 7 years.

I hope I’m improving as a teacher.

If I’m not, at least I know my photography has improved.

It was the last thing I would expect to happen.

My M.O

Whether it's teaching adults or children, I have to break down technque into simpler parts. There is reason to use big fancy terms if I can show the effects apertures and depth-of-field by taking 2 pictures and showing the effects instantly.
Whether it’s teaching adults or children, I have to break down technque into simpler parts. There is reason to use big fancy terms if I can show the effects apertures and depth-of-field by taking 2 pictures and showing the effects instantly.

Whenever I have a lesson in mind, I go over my image archives to find examples to illustrate concepts.

Then it occurred to me if I could setup a demo, wouldn’t that be much better?

It’s a lot more work because I have to get everything together from the props, models, the lighting equipment and possibly the backgrounds.

Then I have bring everything to class.

I know for a fact a lesson like that is far more engaging than me show ing a finished image and then talking about it afterwards.

There’s nothing quite like failing miserably in front of your students while trying to demonstrate a technique.

But failing in itself is a good lesson.

It’s great to be all slick and polished, but that requires a lot of practise and even rehearsing.

I trust in my skill enough these days and I’m confident I can quickly recover to show how it’s supposed to work.

If every demo worked perfectly each time, then  students would never learn how to troubleshoot and fix the problem when they encounter it themselves.

Then there is the other issue, they need to see that even after supposedly years of experience, I still make mistakes.


Powerpoints presentations have their place but to subject students in a photography class to my monotone voice is cruel and unusual punishment.

The time always goes by faster for me when I do a demo.

Mind you, it’s not because I make the students wait while I set up.

It’s not about showing off either. Well, maybe it is a smidgeon.

Tracy

But live demos keep me on my toes as  it forces me to deconstruct my techniques  into small bite size chunks that I can spoon feed to my students.

 As I write this, I’m feeling hungry. Can you tell?

I’ve  always believed a good picture seldom needs explaining because we are visual creatures.

But to teach someone how to make a good picture requires a lot of thought into technique.

Do you agree?

By the way, I’ll be teaching 2 photography classes at the Riverside Art Museum in about 3 weeks.

Peter Phun Photography

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