Photography Experts will hold an introductory event to give all subscribers a comprehensive introduction to how the Masterclass course will work. This will include a full tour of your subscriber features, your document and recording repository, and use of the forum features. There will also be tips on how to make the most of Zoom to fully participate in the live sessions, and engage with David and your fellow course members. Access to technical support be Photography Experts will continue through the duration of the entire course.

Composition is a broad subject within photography so we will look specifically at how it affects bird photography. While we often strive simply to get a good sharp image of a bird, when the opportunity arises or when we can manipulate a situation such as at a garden feeding station, then we can be more adventurous with our composition. We look at how to structure our composition to improve the picture, where to place the bird, when to shoot in landscape or portrait format, framing the subject using various rules of composition and creatively breaking them.

The camera records everything it sees whereas we use our eyes selectively when viewing a scene. We discuss learning to look and think about what to include within the frame of the image. Eliminating clutter and assessing backgrounds is discussed and how to use depth of field to control this.
The second part of the session deals with how to read the light, when to shoot using front lighting, back lighting, creating pleasing silhouettes and how to use colour when the opportunity exists.
You will be also receiving feedback through the forum on the topics covered so far.

There are a number of creative options that can be achieved through shutter speed and aperture. We look at, and give all the technical know-how to create pleasing motion blur images, creating abstracts and using the medium of black and white.
We then look at a variety of field techniques such as setting up perches, how to photograph garden birds in flight, stalking techniques and operating a camera remotely in a way that is creative and unique.

In the final session, David pulls everything together, we work through in-depth a number of case studies at a professional level showing how the same subjects can be photographed in very different ways using the techniques discussed.
You will of course have been practicing the ideas imparted on the course so far so this final session will really be a boost for you to start you off, with confidence, working on your own projects.

Throughout the course, you will have hopefully had the opportunity to practice the skills and techniques David has shown you. In the final live review session you are invited to submit images for a review and critique evening. This is an incredibly beneficial part of the whole process and everyone taking part greatly learns from it - a real confidence booster.