Preparation

Camera Cleaning
Lens Cleaning
Battery Management
Memory Management for digital cameras
Film Management for film cameras
Sensor Cleaning for digital cameras (discussion only)

Searching Out Great Light

Early Assessment of the impact of weather on photo opportunities
Setting priorities for shooting locations based on light
Understanding the circumstances that make for better light
Preparing for great light - being ready to move fast when it comes
Getting out of bed early
Knowing when to move on to other subject types
Camera positioning to maximise the light
Watching the sun, the clouds, and the shadows near and far
Using diffusing materials

What to shoot when

Viewing photo opportunities through the "camera's capabilities"
Knowing what can be retrieved by Image Editing and what cannot
Understanding impact of subject, wind and leaf motion on shooting possibilities
Thinking through alternative shooting opportunities when conditions are poor

Lens and Equipment Selection

Assessing subject and conditions demands on lenses
Understanding shutter speed considerations
Understanding light sensitivity considerations
Making informed compromises
Maximising sharpness and resolution from lens/camera combinations
Tripod and monopod and tripod head selection and use
Filter choices

Composition

Simplifying composition
Rule of Thirds
Leading Lines
Utilising foreground and background
Isolation using selective light
Isolation using selective focus
Using perspective for effect
Achieving balance
Assessing options and experimenting with different approaches
When to shoot low or get up high

Shooting Technique

Achieving steady shooting
Camera holding technique
Shutter release technique
Understanding camera shake
Effective breathing
Shooting in windy conditions
Appropriate camera settings for brightness, contrast, sharpness etc.
Choice of filters including polarising filters

Exposure

Use of digital camera histograms to prevent overexposure
Exposure compensation in automatic modes
Understanding camera metering
Appreciating camera sensitivities and dynamic range
Utilising camera dynamic range
Automatic mode selection
Assessing and correcting for over or under exposure
Knowing which poor conditions can be overcome with image editing and preparing for that
Using camera AE Lock capabilities
Choosing appropriate image formats

Depth of Field and Focus

Understanding the factors affecting depth of field
Understanding lens/camera combination capabilities
Differentiating focus issues from DOF issues
Maximising or minimising DOF when desirable
Understanding camera autofocus capabilities
Using camera AF Lock capabilities
Choosing appropriate AF modes for subject and conditions

Digital Workflow

Choosing appropriate image formats
Maintaining image integrity
Understanding and minimising noise and grain
Understanding and minimising compression artifacts
Protecting your image assets - file management techniques
Color Management - ICC profiles, Adobe RGB, sRGB and CMYK Color Spaces

Basic Image Editing Workflow

Understanding and correcting levels
Understanding and correcting curves
Understanding and correcting brightness and contrast
Basic Image quality assessment
Assessing appropriate print sizes

Selective Image Editing Workflow

Maximising Dynamic Range through selective editing
How and when to use image editing sharpening
Repairing sensor dust bunnies
Repairing other image problems
Correcting flat skies
Softening harsh lighting effects
Selective levels and curves adjustment techniques
Masking and other layering techniques
Understanding and using options for converting images to black and white

Image Critique and Evaluation

Assessing Composition
Assessing Creativity and Originality
Assessing DOF and Focus including differentiating camera shake from motion blur
Assessing color and tonal range
Assessing noise and grain
Assessing exposure/lighting
Assessing the dramatic effect achieved
Assessing the story told