Practical Guide to Using your Digital Camera from Scratch
A course by Antonio Garci, Photographer
Master the basic parameters of any digital camera and improve your creativity through photography
The first step to becoming a great photographer is to thoroughly understand how your camera works. Having the skills to escape auto mode can give you the freedom to let your imagination run wild and get your best shots.
In this online course, learn to get the most out of your digital camera with Antonio Garci—acclaimed photographer and teacher based in Spain—who can help you lay the foundations for photography as a career or just a hobby. Whether you have an SLR camera, a compact camera, or even just your mobile.
This course is aimed at photography beginners and can work as an introduction to Antonio Garci's other two Domestika courses: Introduction to Photographic Lighting with Hand Flash and Studio Photography: Lighting as a Creative Resource.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 12 downloads
What's included in this course?
Start by meeting Antonio, who tells you about his experience as a photographer and teacher. He also shows you some of the artists who inspire him and encourage him to continue taking pictures.
Study in a summarized and didactic way the most important parts of a camera: sensor, lens, diaphragm, trigger, and shutter. Antonio introduces you to the concept of the exhibition.
Take a tour of the different types of cameras on the market, looking at the differences between each of them. Then you learn about the shooting modes: automatic, scene modes, semi-automatic, and manual mode.
Continue browsing the menu of your camera, studying the different shooting modes, size, and format, white balance, etc.
Learn the types of focus that you can apply to your photos and how you can control the exposure.
Now it's time to take photos! Start by taking a group photo with a series of figures in a row, which helps you understand the concepts of depth of field, focus and exposure.
Learn how to take timed shots by taking a self-portrait, which Antonio uses to help you better understand focus, black and white settings, and high- and low-key in your photos.
Use your camera's macro mode with an action figure to illustrate the concept of macro shooting. Also, see how you can achieve satisfactory results with a compact camera.
Antonio incorporates warm tones and moving dolls into his photos, to explain freezing, bursts, and custom white balance.
Finally, explore different camera lenses by way of a scene with action figures facing each other, which helps you understand how a wide lens works, a telephoto lens, their perspectives, and depths of field.
- 97% positive reviews (491)
- 14,562 students
- 13 lessons (1h 42m)
- 12 additional resources (7 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Take a series of photographs that tell a story using all you have learned.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
For beginners with an interest in photography and who want to express themselves through images.
Requirements and materials
You only need a digital camera. It doesn't matter if it's old, cheap, compact, or professional. Even with your mobile phone you will be able to follow the course.
Reviews
Antonio Garci
A course by Antonio Garci
Antonio Garci is a professional photographer based in Madrid, specialized in studio, fashion, and nude photography. With specialist studies in photography at the EFTI school, and a career spanning more than six years, his main dedication is studio photography: books and personal sessions, catalogs and fashion editorials, as well as promotional photography, always with a focus on lighting to offer a personal, original, and unique vision.
His work has been published in various digital and print media, although what he is passionate about is personal photography. His mission in every job he does is always to get a unique photograph, using the tools at his disposal and giving his portraits their own personality. As a result of his dedication and passion for photography, he currently combines his work as a photographer with teaching.
He is an expert in lighting and has created his own YouTube channel where he offers advice on photography and lighting. He has the vision, technique, and ability to master light and transmit it to students and for this reason he works as a teacher, holding workshops and as part of the Too Many Flash photography school template.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
Lesson 1: Presentation
-
Lesson 2: Speak through our photos
-
-
U2
Knowing our camera
-
Lesson 1: Where does the light go?
-
Lesson 2: Different ways of taking pictures
-
Lesson 3: From the automatic to the manual
-
Lesson 4: Navigating the menu
-
Lesson 5: Focus and exposure
-
-
U3
Let's take pictures!
-
Lesson 1: Group photo
-
Lesson 2: Kinetic effect
-
Lesson 3: Self-portrait
-
Lesson 4: Macro photography
-
Lesson 5: Summer photos
-
Lesson 6: The battlefield
-
-
FP
Final project
-
Practical guide to learn how to manage your digital camera from scratch
-
What to expect from a Domestika course
-
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
-
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
-
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
-
Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
-
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
-
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
-
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
-
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
This course is aimed at people with basic knowledge but is ideal if you already have a fundamental understanding of camera operation. Advanced experience isn’t required, but a genuine interest in learning both the technical and creative aspects of photography is essential.
You only need a digital camera (compact, bridge, DSLR, or mirrorless). Having access to a computer for editing images is helpful but not mandatory. No professional accessories are needed to get started.
You’ll learn how to set up your camera, control exposure, focus, and shooting modes, master portrait and studio photography techniques, experiment with creative styles, and develop your own photographic vision.
The course covers camera handling, exposure, lighting, portraiture, studio photography, promotional photography, creative techniques, composition, and social photography. It includes theory, practical exercises, and analysis of historical influences.
Yes, the course teaches how to use and customize manual, semi-automatic, automatic, and scene modes so you can adapt to any photographic situation and improve your technical control.
Yes, you’ll learn professional portrait techniques, studio lighting, directing models, and how to convey emotions through photography.
The course includes modules dedicated to promotional photography for musicians and catalog photography, with practical examples tailored to these creative fields.
Un buon corso...
Lo consiglio!!!
100%Increíble. Todo súper claro El profesor es super bueno en las explicaciones
Hello! I really enjoyed the course. Very direct, educational, and above all, simple. It's highly recommended for those new to photography.
muy bueno
Muy bueno y practico para los que estamos iniciando