CAMERA LESSONS

Tampa and Sarasota Photography Education

Starting in mid-February we will be offering Photography Education in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas. Mike Zawadzki has teamed up with fellow Sarasota Wedding Photographer Tara Tomlinson to launch a comprehensive photography education and mentoring program. Mike Zawadzki is a seasoned photography instructor who has helped numerous photographers learn how to use their cameras, lenses, and lights. From first-time camera users to experienced amateurs looking to take their technical proficiency to the next level, Mike is eager to help.

Tara is available for business and style mentoring. Her valuable knowledge as one of the top portrait photographers in Sarasota will help you change your current photography from snapshots into a unique brand. Click here for more details on her mentoring sessions.

Featured

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Personal Camera Instruction for Beginners

150.00 250.00

This introductory 2 hour 1-on-1 lesson with Mike Zawadzki at our Sarasota Studio covers the basics of photography and camera operation. Students will gain a better understanding of how cameras see light, which is a critical aspect of photography. The curriculum is designed for those who have just purchased or received their first camera. Those who have only used their cameras on AUTO mode will also benefit from this basic lesson. There are no dumb questions, and the information is presented at an appropriate pace for beginners. While there are many voluminous resources online, we believe interactive training is the best way to learn how to use your camera.

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

How your camera sees, and measures light
Adjusting your camera to make images darker or lighter based on your subject matter
Taking better portrait photos with blurred backgrounds and understanding “Depth of Field”
Freezing motion for better action shots, and overall sharper images.
Adjusting settings for better indoor/low-light photos, and how to avoid blurry indoor shots.
A “homework” assignment that will be beneficial to all students, and can be reviewed/graded in a follow-up lesson
Addition to our exclusive “Camera & Photography Tips” group where you can ask questions and network with other photographers.

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Introduction to Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop

150.00 200.00

This introductory 2 hour 1-on-1 lesson with Mike Zawadzki at our Sarasota Studio covers the basics of photo editing in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Students will learn how to adjust settings such as: brightness, white balance, contrast, style, custom B/W conversions, lens distortion, perspective control, local adjustments, and making level horizons. The lesson plan is designed for students who have not used professional image editing software before. While you may have some experience using consumer software like iPhoto, Adobe software has a steeper learning curve, so Mike will make sure to guide you along at an appropriate pace for your skill level. While there are many editing tutorials and resources online, we believe live training is the best way to learn how to use Adobe editing software.

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

How to make full image adjustments in Adobe Lightroom, and exporting images for printing and/or web publishing
Adjusting a group of photos so they match stylistically
Saving your adjustments as “presets” to be used on future photos
Sharpening images and removing noise/grain from low light photos
How Adobe Lightroom and Camera RAW work as cataloging systems for rating your photos and recording every single step of adjustments made to your RAW images
Correcting converging lines/perspective for perfectly aligned images
How to use Lightroom and Photoshop as integrated pieces of software
A “homework” assignment that will be beneficial to all students, and can be reviewed/graded in a follow-up lesson
Addition to our exclusive “Camera & Photography Tips” group where you can ask questions and network with other photographers.

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Basics of Flash for Events & Portraiture

150.00 200.00

This is a 2 hour 1-on-1 lesson with Mike Zawadzki at our Sarasota Studio covers the basics of on-camera flash photography for portrait and event photography. Students will learn the basics of flash exposure compensation, TTL vs. Manual metering, bounce flash, modifiers, and color correction gels. Basic of Flash is designed for students who have not used a professional quality speedlight before. It does however require a strong understanding of camera exposure, ideally in Manual mode. Many photographers (even experienced shooters) have a bad impression of flash, but students will leave this workshop with the knowledge of how to take beautifully lit natural looking portraits using an on-camera flash. During the lesson you will get to experiment with different modifiers, gels, and techniques for improving your flash photography. If you are a fast learner, you may even be able to experiment with using a flash off-camera.

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

How to adjust flash power in TTL and Manual modes, and the pros/cons of each
Adjusting direction of light for more flattering portraits
How to get your flash to recycle faster
Figuring out the best flash modifiers for a number of different situations
How to balance flash and ambient exposures for natural looking images
Correcting the color of flash using gels to match ambient light
A “homework” assignment that will be beneficial to all students, and can be reviewed/graded in a follow-up lesson
Addition to our exclusive “Camera & Photography Tips” group where you can ask questions and network with other photographers.

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Mastering Landscape Photography

150.00 200.00

Mastering Landscape Photography is a 2 hour 1-on-1 lesson with Mike Zawadzki at a scenic spot that Mike will help you pick out. You will learn how to adjust camera settings Students should have some basic camera skills, but Mike will help guide you along no matter your current ability. A tripod is required, but if you do not have one, we will lend you one of ours. Mike will ensure that you leave this lesson knowing exactly how to set your camera for stunning landscape photography. You will be able to use Mike’s collection of landscape photography filters, and a discount will also be offered (through Unique Photo) for students who wish to purchase their own set for up to 30 days after the lesson.

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

How to use a tripod for making better composition and exposure choices for landscape photography
How to use all different types of lenses for interesting landscape images
Using Neutral Density filters for dramatic long exposures during daytime/sunset
Using Polarizing filters for more intense color and contrast in your images
Understanding the best times of day for visually powerful light, with movement in water and clouds
How to quickly adjust settings during the waning hours of daylight, and how to transition to making interesting photographs at night
Each student will be added to our exclusive Facebook group where you can ask questions and network with other photographers
Students who purchase this class are encouraged to schedule a follow up editing lesson if they are unfamiliar with professional image editing software. (If you take this lesson followed up by an editing lesson you will receive a bonus pack of 5 custom Lightroom presets made by Mike Zawadzki and 3 editing brushes for editing)

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Customized 1-ON-1 Lesson

250.00 300.00

This customized 2 hour 1-on-1 lesson with Mike Zawadzki at our Sarasota Studio covers any photographic topic of your choice. The lesson plan is designed to match exactly what you need to learn. While we offer a broad variety of popular topics, sometimes you need to know very specific things about your camera, or a particular topic in photography. The following are suggestions for custom lessons, but we are not limited to only these topics!

mike zawadzki photography

is a New Jersey Wedding Photography Studio based out of Livingston, NJ.

take a select number of winter weddings on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and are available for travel world-wide!
info@mikezawadzki.com | 973-941-2940

is a New Jersey Wedding Photography Studio based out of Livingston, NJ. take a select number of winter weddings on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and are available for travel world-wide!
info@mikezawadzki.com | 973-941-2940

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CAMERA LESSONS

Tampa and Sarasota Photography Education

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

Core Concepts Covered/Skills Attained

Suggested Topics for 1-on-1 Custom Lessons

mike zawadzki photography

@mikezawadzkiphotography