Course Details
This is the photography version of any of the "Handler's Choice" classes offered here at FDSA. You choose the topic and we'll work on improving your photography in that area for the next six weeks. There are no set lectures or assignments in this class. There will be a set of guidelines for submitting photos one at a time for feedback. .
Anyone can take this class at Bronze. To take this class at Gold, you must have the following skills at a minimum:
- Understand what aperture, shutter speed, and ISO are and how they each affect the way a photo looks
- Take photos using Manual Exposure
- Be able to do a basic edit on a photo in Lightroom or Photoshop (Camera Raw)
Examples of topics:
- Portfolio review - submit 10-15 images for feedback and then work on revisions to incorporate suggestions for improvement
- Work through course materials from any of my classes that you have taken previously and didn't finish. You must have the class in your FDSA Library to do this.
- Setting up a workflow for running a dog photography business. I will not talk about any of the legal requirements (sales tax, registering a business, etc). This is an opportunity to talk about how to find events/clients, how to set expectations for clients, what to expect at an event, how to take and process images, and how to go about selling photos and fulfilling orders. Keep in mind that I am a dog sports photographer, not a portrait photographer, so my bias is in that model.
- Action photography (beyond what is taught in Chase the Dog)
- Photographing birds and wildlife - how to find subjects, photography techniques for both perched and moving subjects, post-processing techniques
- Other ideas? Message me on Facebook (if we're FB friends) or email me (amy@focusedwild.com) to see if it's a good fit for this class!
One topic that is off limits, because it is not my area of expertise, is studio photography (lighting and posing).
There will be no Silver students in this class. There is no TA for this class.
Teaching Approach
There are no lectures in this class. All discussions are student-initiated and based on their prior photography experience. Instructor feedback will be a combination of written and screenshare videos (with captions).
Amy Johnson (she/her) is the official show photographer for many of the premier agility events in the United States, including the AKC National Agility Championships, AKC Agility Invitational, USDAA Cynosport World Games, UKI US Open, and NADAC Championships, as well as numerous local trials, regional events, and breed national specialties. She has photographed a wide variety of dog sports, including agility, obedience, rally, and conformation. (Click here for full bio and to view Amy's upcoming courses.)