Creative image techniques in Photoshop and Lightroom with Nigel French

Photography and digital image manipulation

Ref: SLW31782

Location: West Dean
£438
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2 places available

About this course

In an age when Instagram and camera phones have made everyone into a photographer, how do you differentiate your work? In this course, you'll learn how to make your images stand out from the crowd.

Course Description

In an age when Instagram and camera phones have made everyone into a photographer, the need to create truly exceptional images has become more important, and more challenging, than ever. As photographers, we need to up our game.

In this course, Nigel will demonstrate a range of easy, yet effective, Photoshop and Lightroom techniques to help you improve your image making. We will go beyond the intended uses of commonly used features to discover their sometimes unintended and hidden potential. From subtle adjustments to dramatic transformations, you will gain an insight into how to leverage Photoshop and Lightroom’s capabilities to make your images stand out from the crowd.

Through a series of mini projects, where you will work with images provided as well as on your own images, the course aims to provide you with an understanding of the creative potential for using Photoshop and Lightroom, separately and in combination, to elevate your imagery, while still retaining its authenticity. From a technical perspective, Nigel will also provide a solid grounding in a workflow that goes beyond obvious, hackneyed solutions, while being efficient and non-destructive, so maintaining image quality and leaving a clear path to future edits.

In this course, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand and effectively use blend modes to create mood, add texture or suggest motion

• Use Lightroom and Photoshop in combination, playing to the strengths of both applications

• Combine multiple frames of a subject to create a final image that is more than the sum of its parts

By the end of the course, as well as some beautiful images, you will have a new perspective that informs how you capture future images – seeing ahead in your mind’s eye to how they can be combined, enhanced and transformed in their editing software.

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Course Materials

Included

  • On this course, the tutor will supply some notes and practice images.

What students need to bring

  • Camera (preferably a DSLR or Mirrorless, but camera phones also welcome)
  • Spare camera batteries
  • Spare SD cards/storage for camera
  • Cable for downloading images from camera
  • Laptop (if you prefer to work on your own machine), with current or recent versions of Photoshop and Lightroom installed
  • Bring a note of your own Adobe ID login. If you don’t already have one, please register for a free account at www.adobe.com prior to the course, and remember to bring the details with you.

Additional information

Wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear i.e. no open-toes or sandals. Safety boots, if specified.

Tutors

Nigel French

Nigel is a photographer, graphic designer, and design teacher, based in Lewes.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

Courses of interest

Further study options

Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study. 

Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.