Photography workshop in Medway, MA recap by Shawon Davis, Boston, MA wedding photographer.

My journey to becoming a wedding photographer started as a mom with a camera homeschooling my three kiddos. I had a blog to document our days, my camera broke, and my husband surprised me with a fancy DSLR for my birthday. Determined to learn to use it manual mode, I watched countless Youtube videos, read photography blogs, checked out books from the library, fell asleep many nights reading my camera manual, and took countless photos often bribing my kids to be my subject.

This past Saturday, I hosted my first photography workshop in Medway, MA of more to come at my new photography studio in Medway, MA. I’ve been teaching beginning photography elective classes to middle and high school students over the last two years. Teaching both at a local school and a flourishing non-profit, A Work in Progress Productions (AWIP) in Attleboro, MA has allowed me to hold on to that teacher who forever lives inside of me.

Although this workshop was for Moms with Cameras, I wanted the attendees to leave with the same photography 101 basics that I teach my middle and high school students and knowing how to use their camera in manual mode.

Manual mode means the person taking the pictures tells the camera what to do. In automatic mode, the camera does everything for you, and often that results in a picture that you didn’t want to make. When you set your camera to manual mode, you are in control of the ISO, the aperture, and the shutter to make the photograph that you see in your mind.

Photographing in manual mode sets you on a path to making pictures, and learning about light and composition will lead to great pictures with more and more practice.

I covered the basics of photographing in manual mode, with a lesson on light and composition included as well.

“I left the class with so much more knowledge and comfort to use my new camera, which I love. Shawon explained and simplified many technical aspects of the camera. She even gave us an assignment so we are accountable to practice what we learned…” – Dionne K.

Tonight is our first live Q&A that will be held in our Private Facebook Group.  I’ll get to see pictures they’ve made from our first follow-up assignment, give feedback and answer any questions that they might have.  From my experience, it’s been helpful to be able to follow up with an instructor after a workshop is over and you’ve had time to process and practice what you’ve learned.  I’m excited to chat with them again too!:)

I love teaching, and it was a fun day to spend with some lovely ladies who enjoy taking pictures as much as I do!!

If you’re looking for a photography workshop in Medway, MA in the MetroWest area, join my Newsletter here to be notified when the next class date is announced.  Plans are also underway to host weekly photography classes in the fall for high school students interested in photography.