Photography Courses
Our photography courses have a duration ranging from only a few hours during a morning, afternoon or evening, to a whole day. For excursions longer than a day, see our 'workshops & expeditions'. That said, our courses can run a over a period of a couple of weeks, with one lesson per week. Please note that the dates and times below are somewhat flexible, especially if you book with at least two people together. We are happy to see if we can fit in with your schedule. Drop us an email to find out what options there are.
All courses have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 participants. Private tuition, for those who prefer complete personal attention or who cannot make the class times, is charged at an hourly rate of R580. Each private course will be tailored to the needs of the individual student.
Please note: Bookings are essential for all courses, and if it is the first time you do a course with us, we require pre-payment of a deposit to ensure that you will actually come to the course.
All courses have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 participants. Private tuition, for those who prefer complete personal attention or who cannot make the class times, is charged at an hourly rate of R580. Each private course will be tailored to the needs of the individual student.
Please note: Bookings are essential for all courses, and if it is the first time you do a course with us, we require pre-payment of a deposit to ensure that you will actually come to the course.
NEW! 2 Day Film Development Workshop
Film Today - Development and Digitizing
A Technique and Praxis class with Emil von Maltitz in association with Vega School Durban
There is something magical about working with the tangible results of analogue, or film, photographs. Handling a negative and subsequent print seems magical in comparison to the almost sterile cleanliness of digital imagery. A growing nostalgia as well as a realisation of the inherent strengths of traditional film has meant that in the last few years there has been a resurgence of interest in the techniques and skills of film photography.
The problem is that there are very few independent photo labs that are still prepared to develop and print traditional 35mm films and even fewer who are prepared to handle the larger format films like 120 and even 4x5 inch sheet film.
Yet, it is actually relatively simple to do one’s black and white negative development at home. All it requires is a development tank, a few plastic beakers, a thermometer and some patience. Once the negatives are developed it is also relatively simple to get the images into a computer and finish the ‘printing’ process digitally.
The combination of traditional darkroom techniques and digital manipulation means that analogue photography can continue to be relevant into the future. It also gives photographers new creative opportunities and means to further express their imaging ideas.
Teaching in a small home space isn’t necessarily the easiest way to get the principles of negative development across to students. Instead Emil and Nature’s Light have teamed up with the Vega School in Durban to offer a weekend workshop in black and white film photography, development and subsequent digitization of the imagery. As a bonafide cheapskate, Emil also makes sure to teach techniques that do not break the bank, ensuring that you can get into film photography affordably!
A Technique and Praxis class with Emil von Maltitz in association with Vega School Durban
There is something magical about working with the tangible results of analogue, or film, photographs. Handling a negative and subsequent print seems magical in comparison to the almost sterile cleanliness of digital imagery. A growing nostalgia as well as a realisation of the inherent strengths of traditional film has meant that in the last few years there has been a resurgence of interest in the techniques and skills of film photography.
The problem is that there are very few independent photo labs that are still prepared to develop and print traditional 35mm films and even fewer who are prepared to handle the larger format films like 120 and even 4x5 inch sheet film.
Yet, it is actually relatively simple to do one’s black and white negative development at home. All it requires is a development tank, a few plastic beakers, a thermometer and some patience. Once the negatives are developed it is also relatively simple to get the images into a computer and finish the ‘printing’ process digitally.
The combination of traditional darkroom techniques and digital manipulation means that analogue photography can continue to be relevant into the future. It also gives photographers new creative opportunities and means to further express their imaging ideas.
Teaching in a small home space isn’t necessarily the easiest way to get the principles of negative development across to students. Instead Emil and Nature’s Light have teamed up with the Vega School in Durban to offer a weekend workshop in black and white film photography, development and subsequent digitization of the imagery. As a bonafide cheapskate, Emil also makes sure to teach techniques that do not break the bank, ensuring that you can get into film photography affordably!
You will learn about mixing of Darkroom Chemistry, handling Film (in the dark) as well basic development of Black and White Negatives. You will also learn how to digitize negatives of any size using a conventional digital camera and then finish off with your digital workflow to convert negatives into positive images using Lightroom, PhotoShop or similar bitmap editors.
Itinerary:
Friday – Theory - Shooting and Development
Photographers meet at the Vega School in Umhlanga. After a brief meet and greet we sit down to discuss analogue photography and some of the techniques to be aware of when switching from digital to film.
We start by learning about mixing chemistry from dry, thereby preparing the development stock for later in the afternoon.
Each participant will get a black and white roll of film which we then shoot with over a portrait shoot and then a photowalk at nearby Umhlanga Rocks. We break for lunch and then head back to Vega.
Back at Vega we load films into development tanks and develop all of the films using the chemistry that was mixed in the morning. We leave them to dry overnight.
Saturday – Digitizing and Post-Production
Photographers will all meet again at Vega. We then use simple equipment to photograph the negatives and ingest them into our computers.
Once everyone has their negatives digitized, we head to a lecture room to go over the basics of post-production and converting the files into final polished images. We finish off after a light snack.
Price:
The fee is R1950 for the two day Workshop. Group size is limited to 6 guest photographers to ensure that there is one-on-one instruction and that all negatives can be developed and digitized.
Date: Flexible dates, email us if interested
Download the Brochure to find out what you what is included and what you need to bring
Itinerary:
Friday – Theory - Shooting and Development
Photographers meet at the Vega School in Umhlanga. After a brief meet and greet we sit down to discuss analogue photography and some of the techniques to be aware of when switching from digital to film.
We start by learning about mixing chemistry from dry, thereby preparing the development stock for later in the afternoon.
Each participant will get a black and white roll of film which we then shoot with over a portrait shoot and then a photowalk at nearby Umhlanga Rocks. We break for lunch and then head back to Vega.
Back at Vega we load films into development tanks and develop all of the films using the chemistry that was mixed in the morning. We leave them to dry overnight.
Saturday – Digitizing and Post-Production
Photographers will all meet again at Vega. We then use simple equipment to photograph the negatives and ingest them into our computers.
Once everyone has their negatives digitized, we head to a lecture room to go over the basics of post-production and converting the files into final polished images. We finish off after a light snack.
Price:
The fee is R1950 for the two day Workshop. Group size is limited to 6 guest photographers to ensure that there is one-on-one instruction and that all negatives can be developed and digitized.
Date: Flexible dates, email us if interested
Download the Brochure to find out what you what is included and what you need to bring
4 day The Photoshop Essentials Workshop
The Photoshop Essentials workshop is an intensive four day workshop held at Colour Chrome in Durban. The goal behind the workshop is to set out the most important post-production tools in Adobe Photoshop for photographers. As such it follows a ‘photography-centric’ workflow. It aims to equip photographers with the necessary tools and knowledge of Photoshop so as to better finesse their images. The workshop concentrates on the tools required by photographers, not graphic artists.
The workshop takes place over four days and consists of 15 modules. Sessions are separated by a tea or lunch break. Photographers are expected to bring their own laptops or computers with a copy of Adobe Photoshop already loaded. Any Creative Suite or Creative Cloud version will be suitable but NOT Adobe Photoshop Elements!
The fee includes lunches and teas that will be provided during the workshop. Attendance is limited to four photographers in order to keep the instructor:photographer ratio as high as feasibly possible. Handouts will be given as well as PDF documents with more complete text.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Dates: T.B.A
Cost: R5800 per photographer (includes all workshop fees, lunches, teas and printed handouts)
Early bird booking discount: Book before (date to be announced) and receive a 15% discount, making it R4930!
Venue: Colour Chrome in Durban
Click here to download the brochure
The workshop takes place over four days and consists of 15 modules. Sessions are separated by a tea or lunch break. Photographers are expected to bring their own laptops or computers with a copy of Adobe Photoshop already loaded. Any Creative Suite or Creative Cloud version will be suitable but NOT Adobe Photoshop Elements!
The fee includes lunches and teas that will be provided during the workshop. Attendance is limited to four photographers in order to keep the instructor:photographer ratio as high as feasibly possible. Handouts will be given as well as PDF documents with more complete text.
Day 1:
- Introduction to Photoshop | Understanding tools, palettes and general setup
- Basic shortcuts | Getting Around Photoshop and Understanding Links to Lightroom and Bridge
- Adjustments - Levels, Curves, Exposure and more | Adjustment Layers
- Adjustments continued
Day 2:
- Introduction to Layers and Working with Multiple Adjustment Layers
- Introduction to Selections | Selection Tools and How To Use Them
- Blending Techniques Using Layers | Basic Manual HDR Multiple RAW Development
- Blending Techniques Continued
Day 3:
- Local Contrast Enhancement | Orton Effect | Re-colouring | Monochrome Layers | Dodge and Burn
- Theory of Luminosity Masking | Building Luminosity Masks
- Local Adjustments Using Luminosity Masks
- Blending and Full Workflow Using Luminosity Masks
Day 4:
- Creating Panoramics | Advanced Watermarks
- Manipulating The Image | Warp, Stretch and Liquify
- Sharpening | Advanced Sharpening Using Masks | Full Workflow Example
Dates: T.B.A
Cost: R5800 per photographer (includes all workshop fees, lunches, teas and printed handouts)
Early bird booking discount: Book before (date to be announced) and receive a 15% discount, making it R4930!
Venue: Colour Chrome in Durban
Click here to download the brochure
1 morning: Photography Basics Workshop
Photography Basics:
This single morning workshop session is designed for the entry-level photographer who is trying to make sense of the camera they have just bought. The goal of the workshop is allow photographers to break away from the fully automated settings and feel more comfortable in exploring the capabilities of a DSLR, interchangeable lens mirrorless camera, advanced compact or bridge camera. The workshop covers the basics of controls such as White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Image Quality and generally getting better control over the camera. The workshop is the perfect introduction to going further through either the IDP course or self-learning.
The Photography Basics session takes place on the last Saturday of every month at Gillitts at Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary. Bookings are essential.
Time: Tuesdays 9:00-13:00, and on the last Saturday of every month.
Cost: R950 per photographer (limited to 4 photographers - Discounts available for couples. Photographers going on to the IDP course also receive a discount if they have attended the Photography Basics Session).
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
This single morning workshop session is designed for the entry-level photographer who is trying to make sense of the camera they have just bought. The goal of the workshop is allow photographers to break away from the fully automated settings and feel more comfortable in exploring the capabilities of a DSLR, interchangeable lens mirrorless camera, advanced compact or bridge camera. The workshop covers the basics of controls such as White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Image Quality and generally getting better control over the camera. The workshop is the perfect introduction to going further through either the IDP course or self-learning.
The Photography Basics session takes place on the last Saturday of every month at Gillitts at Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary. Bookings are essential.
Time: Tuesdays 9:00-13:00, and on the last Saturday of every month.
Cost: R950 per photographer (limited to 4 photographers - Discounts available for couples. Photographers going on to the IDP course also receive a discount if they have attended the Photography Basics Session).
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
2-4 hour sessions: Digital Photography workshop
We teach you all you need to know about your Camera.
Introduction to Digital Photography (IDP):
This is an intensive 4 session introduction to the camera and the principles of photography. Classes are limited to 4 students and will take place in Gillitts at Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary. Students are expected to have their own DSLR for the course. The course covers basic to advanced camera control, understanding the sensor itself, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, metering, focus and a basic session on composition. After this course students should be able to approach digital photography with confidence and with a sufficient foundation to either teach themselves further, or understand more advanced workshops. Lessons take place on four consecutive Tuesday afternoons between 16:00 to 18:00. Homework and readings are given out.
Time: 16:00 - 18:00 starting each month
Date: T.B.A
Cost: R2950 per photographer (limited to 4 photographers - Discounts available for couples)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
This is an intensive 4 session introduction to the camera and the principles of photography. Classes are limited to 4 students and will take place in Gillitts at Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary. Students are expected to have their own DSLR for the course. The course covers basic to advanced camera control, understanding the sensor itself, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, metering, focus and a basic session on composition. After this course students should be able to approach digital photography with confidence and with a sufficient foundation to either teach themselves further, or understand more advanced workshops. Lessons take place on four consecutive Tuesday afternoons between 16:00 to 18:00. Homework and readings are given out.
Time: 16:00 - 18:00 starting each month
Date: T.B.A
Cost: R2950 per photographer (limited to 4 photographers - Discounts available for couples)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
Add-on Digital Photography Courses:
For those who wish to further their learning after the IDP course, we can offer the following modules as separate add on's. They will be done at the same venue as the IDP course, have a duration of about 1-2 hours of theory, and then about 2 hours of practical outside, so about 4 hours in total. Exact dates & times are flexible to some extent. Speak to us for details.
Time: Upon request
Cost: R850 per photographer (Limited to 4 photographers - Discounts available for couples.)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
Available modules:
IDP 5: Wildlife Photography
IDP 6: Bird Photography
IDP 7: Landscape Photography
IDP 8: Macro Photography
IDP 9: Nightime and AstroPhotography
IDP 10: Black & White Photography
IDP 11: Handy tips to get better! (Bonus module, free for those who have completed the Full 1o IDP modules)
For those who wish to further their learning after the IDP course, we can offer the following modules as separate add on's. They will be done at the same venue as the IDP course, have a duration of about 1-2 hours of theory, and then about 2 hours of practical outside, so about 4 hours in total. Exact dates & times are flexible to some extent. Speak to us for details.
Time: Upon request
Cost: R850 per photographer (Limited to 4 photographers - Discounts available for couples.)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
Available modules:
IDP 5: Wildlife Photography
IDP 6: Bird Photography
IDP 7: Landscape Photography
IDP 8: Macro Photography
IDP 9: Nightime and AstroPhotography
IDP 10: Black & White Photography
IDP 11: Handy tips to get better! (Bonus module, free for those who have completed the Full 1o IDP modules)
Lightroom or NIK software workshops
Lightroom Bootcamp:
One of the most popular courses: The Lightroom workshop is an intensive one day course on how to use Adobe Lightroom. We concentrate on the Library and Develop Modes so that digital asset management and RAW conversion can be effectively utilised. The workshop will take place at Iphiti College in Gillitts (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary. Students are required to bring a laptop with Lightroom so that they can follow along with hands-on examples. Please also bring a packed lunch.
Time: 8:30 - 17:30 (subsequent dates will be communicated on this website as they become available)
Cost: R1200 per photographer (limited to 6 photographers)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
One of the most popular courses: The Lightroom workshop is an intensive one day course on how to use Adobe Lightroom. We concentrate on the Library and Develop Modes so that digital asset management and RAW conversion can be effectively utilised. The workshop will take place at Iphiti College in Gillitts (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary. Students are required to bring a laptop with Lightroom so that they can follow along with hands-on examples. Please also bring a packed lunch.
Time: 8:30 - 17:30 (subsequent dates will be communicated on this website as they become available)
Cost: R1200 per photographer (limited to 6 photographers)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
Nik Software Bootcamp:
Nik Software is one of the most easy to use yet powerful tools available nowadays for advanced photo editing, and as a result is a firm favourite of many! However, it does take some time to get used to how it works, and this workshop does exactly that: Teaching you the basics of the Nik Software 'Control Points', and then going through all available modules such as Silver Efex Pro, Dfine, Color Efex Pro, Sharpener Pro etc. This course is definitely going to give your photo editing a huge boost, and consequently the quality of your images will likely improve!
Time: 8:30 - 17:30 (subsequent dates will be communicated on this website as they become available)
Cost: R1200 per photographer (limited to 6 photographers)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
Nik Software is one of the most easy to use yet powerful tools available nowadays for advanced photo editing, and as a result is a firm favourite of many! However, it does take some time to get used to how it works, and this workshop does exactly that: Teaching you the basics of the Nik Software 'Control Points', and then going through all available modules such as Silver Efex Pro, Dfine, Color Efex Pro, Sharpener Pro etc. This course is definitely going to give your photo editing a huge boost, and consequently the quality of your images will likely improve!
Time: 8:30 - 17:30 (subsequent dates will be communicated on this website as they become available)
Cost: R1200 per photographer (limited to 6 photographers)
Venue: Iphiti College (close to Durban) or at the Tailor Made Safaris Head Office in St. Lucia Estuary.
Flash Photography workshops
Learning to Light: Hot-shoe Flash 101:
A photographic crash-course on using the humble hot-shoe flashgun aka Speedlight. This workshop is an intensive day of instruction and shooting geared around understanding and using the flashgun. We look at the different modes, how they operate, how to best position the flash, as well as triggering the flash using infra-red and wireless. There will be two instructors to help iron out kinks in the flash system as we look through the different menus and pin down how to get the best light from a single flashgun.
Time: 8:30 - 15:30
Date: T.B.A
Cost: R1100 per photographer limited to 6 photographers
Venue: To be confirmed (Durban)
A photographic crash-course on using the humble hot-shoe flashgun aka Speedlight. This workshop is an intensive day of instruction and shooting geared around understanding and using the flashgun. We look at the different modes, how they operate, how to best position the flash, as well as triggering the flash using infra-red and wireless. There will be two instructors to help iron out kinks in the flash system as we look through the different menus and pin down how to get the best light from a single flashgun.
Time: 8:30 - 15:30
Date: T.B.A
Cost: R1100 per photographer limited to 6 photographers
Venue: To be confirmed (Durban)
Learning To Light: Modifying The Flash:
In a continuation of the Learning to Light series of workshops, this workshop is all about understanding how to modify the flash’s output. We spend the day going over different modifiers and put them to use in a studio location. After shooting with a model, students will process images and be able to print out their best work on an A3+ print.
Time: 8:30am - 16:00
Date: T.B.A
Cost: R1200 for the day
Venue: To be confirmed (Durban)
In a continuation of the Learning to Light series of workshops, this workshop is all about understanding how to modify the flash’s output. We spend the day going over different modifiers and put them to use in a studio location. After shooting with a model, students will process images and be able to print out their best work on an A3+ print.
Time: 8:30am - 16:00
Date: T.B.A
Cost: R1200 for the day
Venue: To be confirmed (Durban)
Interested in participating in any of our short courses? Send us an email on info@natureslight.co.za!
Students during a IDP7: Landscape Photography session
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