From Auto to Manual: A Guide to Mirrorless Photography with TONY LOPEZ
This class is designed for beginners who own a mirrorless camera—or smartphone photographers who are ready to take the next step and discover the creative possibilities of a dedicated camera.
This classroom-based introduction takes the mystery out of modern mirrorless cameras and teaches you what happens beyond Auto mode. You’ll learn how cameras and lenses work and explore the fundamentals that give photographers creative control, including the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO), metering, exposure compensation, shooting modes, autofocus, white balance, histograms, and RAW vs. JPEG. We’ll also cover essential lens concepts, including focal length, prime vs. zoom lenses, maximum aperture, and full-frame vs. crop-sensor lenses.
No prior photography experience is required, and you don’t need to already own a mirrorless camera. If you’ve been taking photos with your phone and are considering stepping up to a mirrorless camera—or you already own one and want to finally understand what all those settings do—this course is for you.
Participants are welcome to bring their mirrorless cameras; however, because menu systems and controls vary widely among camera brands and models, the course will focus on universal photography concepts rather than step-by-step instructions for making adjustments on individual cameras.
(Re)turning Home: Portraits of Childhood led by FLOR KHAN is a hands-on, reflective workshop that invites participants to look to the past as a way of understanding the present. Rooted in self-reflection, this workshop asks participants to send a portrait of themselves in childhood to the facilitator one week before the workshop date.
Using cyanotype, one of the earliest photographic printing processes, and plants, participants will create botanical prints that function as both image and offering: a way to connect personal memory and the natural world. The process emphasizes slowing down, observing, and allowing meaning to emerge through making.
Reflection Questions:
What stories live in our lineages and landscapes?
How do cycles of nature mirror cycles of personal change?
What does your childhood portrait say to your current ways of being in the world
How does art-making help communicate what cannot otherwise be said through words?
(Re)turning Home: Portraits of Childhood offers an accessible entry point into cyanotype while holding space for reflection, conversation, and intuitive learning.
Please note: This workshop is on the SECOND FLOOR in NoMAA’s STUDIOS
**Ticket sales end Friday, October 9. **
SEEING WITH A CAMERA with Aliza Holtz
An Introduction to How the Camera Sees—and How That Affects Your Photographs
Have you ever taken a photograph that didn’t match what you saw or felt in the moment? This 90-minute experiential workshop introduces a simple but powerful idea: the camera sees differently than you do. By learning to recognize that difference, you can begin to create photographs that more closely reflect your intention. Seeing with a Camera is designed for anyone curious about photography—whether you’ve never picked up a camera or have years of experience. No technical background is required.
- Guided observation exercises that reveal how the camera records the world
- Hands-on practice using your own camera or phone
- A clearer understanding of why photos sometimes “fail”—and how to improve them
- A slower, more attentive way of seeing and photographing
- Greater clarity and confidence when taking photographs
- A deeper awareness of what you’re noticing versus what the camera captures
- Practical insight you can immediately apply to any kind of photographyWhat to Bring: Any digital camera or smartphone
