The Basic Photographic Skills Course is open to members of the public who wish to understand their cameras better and improve their general photographic skills.

The club organises a course like this every two to three years and each time it has proven popular with participants.

The course will cover not only getting to know your camera, but some of the more technical aspects of photography that are essential to creating great shots.

It will run for five weeks, including the Camera Club meeting night, so the dates will be July 23 and 30, and August 6, 13, 20 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Session one will involve getting to know your camera and the advantages and disadvantages of different types of cameras.

It is hoped participants will become more familiar with the settings and buttons on their camera, learn about controlling white balance and how to upload images to the computer.

Session two will focus on exposure (aperture, shutter speed and ISO), sharpness, blur, depth of field and composition.

In the third session attention will turn to lenses and filters, why use RAW files, blemishes, cleaning and adjusting the image, evaluation of images, using levels controls to improve an image, converting images to black and white or toned images.

Session four will be the Stawell Camera Club's August Meeting - a practical night with questions and answers plus show and tell.

To round out the course, session five will provide people with information about file types - JPEG, TIF, PSD, time lapse, night photography, and specialist equipment, for example macro lenses for close up nature.

In addition to the main presenters, members of the club will be in attendance to help participants on a one to one basis.

Stawell Camera Club meets in the Lutheran Sunday School Hall (opposite the Woolworths loading bay) 27 Scallan Street. This will also be the venue for the course.

The cost of the course is $45. This includes Stawell Camera Club membership until the end of the year, along with the course. It will also cover the cost of handouts, hire of the venue and a cup of coffee each night. (Financial club members will not have to pay the $15 membership fee).

Please register for the course by sending an email to johnsimpkin@bigpond.com or lyn@netconnect.com.au or jbtiddy@tpg.com.au.

Further enquiries can be made to the club secretary, John Tiddy, on 5358 2297.