Digital Photography


Beginning Digital Photography
Knowing how your camera works and what is necessary to create a good exposure with correct focusing will ensure that you get the kind of pictures you want. We’ll start with the most basic things, assuming no one knows anything, and when we’re done, you’ll totally get it, including all the mysteries buried in your digital camera’s menus and options. All you’ll need is a camera which allows some kind of manual control over exposure. An SLR is great, but many pocket cameras offer full control as well. Look for controls, usually on a dial on top of the camera, labeled “manual” (M), “aperture priority” (A or Av) or “shutter priority” (S or Tv). Instructor Michael Serao holds a Master of Fine Arts degree and has been a working painter and photographer for over 35 years. He has been teaching Drawing, Painting, Photography, Photoshop and Art History at Ridgefield Continuing Education since 1997, and Design at an area university since 2003.

5 Sessions $ 109 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 87)
Wed., 2/6, 13, 20, 27 & 3/6 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.; East Ridge Middle School
Wed., 5/1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.; East Ridge Middle School


More Photography: The Next Step
We’ll study creative lighting, one of the primary tools of a good photographic image. Methods will include lighting the subject with available light, both indoors and outdoors, sometimes using modifiers such as reflectors, gobos and scrims, as well as various ways of using flash to produce a soft, pleasing quality, rather than the harsh, flat, direct, bleached look that is so common. Studio portrait lighting will be demonstrated, with instructions on how to produce the same results at home, with no investment in any additional equipment. Instructor Michael Serao holds a Master of Fine Arts degree and has been a working painter and photographer for over 35 years. He has been teaching Drawing, Painting, Photography, Photoshop and Art History at Ridgefield Continuing Education since 1997, and Design at an area university since 2003.

3 Sessions $ 87 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 70)
Wed., 3/27; 4/3 & 10 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.; East Ridge Middle School


Photography: Camera Settings and Features - Beyond Auto Mode
Skill Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Camera types: DSLR only (no point and shoot).
This module walks you through the key camera settings so you learn how and when to use them and take the camera off Auto. Skill-building exercises will get you up and off your chair to develop your skills with aperture, shutter speed, ISO, lighting, depth of field and more. Instructor Dan Tual is a portrait and event photographer with over 30 years experience and a past president of the Connecticut Professional Photographers Association. He enjoys sharing his love and knowledge of photography in a fun and informativ

2 sessions $ 49 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 39)
Thur., 4/25 & 5/2 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Veterans Park School


Photography: The Art of Composition
Skill Level: All. Camera types: All. This module will introduce the artistic aspects of photography. Learn how to see a subject in different ways and create better images with confidence and creativity using elements of composition, like symmetry, lines, shapes, perspective, depth and dimension, color and more. Instructor Dan Tual is a portrait and event photographer with over 30 years experience and a past president of the Connecticut Professional Photographers Association. He enjoys sharing his love and knowledge of photography in a fun and informativ

1 Session $ 31 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 24)
Thur., 5/9 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Veterans Park School


People and Places Photography
Learn how to see the world like a professional photographer - the in’s and out’s of how to photograph your family and friends, techniques to capture the beauty and unique aspects of the places in your travels, and how to easily organize and enjoy your amazing images. Instructor Dan Tual is a portrait and event photographer with over 30 years experience and a past president of the Connecticut Professional Photographers Association. He enjoys sharing his love and knowledge of photography in a fun and informative way.
1 Session $ 31 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 24)
Thur., 5/16 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Veterans Park School


Outdoor Photo Safari

Photo Safari - On Location Photography
Skill Level: Beginner and Intermediate. Camera types: DSLR only (no point and shoot). Join your fellow photo enthusiasts for a new learning experience with hands-on teaching and real-world practice. Two professional photographers take you on a series of photo safaris in beautiful outdoor settings to learn and apply various principles, such as composition, lighting, and exposure. Each session includes a brief tutorial (at the Annex), on-location photography, image sharing and discussion. Beautiful settings are the perfect backdrop to improve your photography and inspire creativity. Instructor Dan Tual is a portrait and event photographer with over 30 years experience and a past president of the Connecticut Professional Photographers Association. He enjoys sharing his love and knowledge of photography in a fun and informative way.
3 Sessions $ 87 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 70)
Sat., 6/15, 22 & 29 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.; Town Hall Annex


Photoshop Elements 18

PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS NOTE: You are encouraged to bring your own laptop or Mac to class with a recent version of Photoshop Elements loaded. Instructor projects from an IBM Compatible laptop. Call (203) 431-2812 or email ridgefieldcontinuingeducation@gmail.com if you do not have the software on a laptop to bring. We have computers available for those who don’t.


Introduction to Photoshop Elements 18
We start with an overview of the amazing ways you can completely transform your images using Photoshop. We’ll review all the tools and most importantly, selections, layers and masks. Image size and image, print and screen resolution will be demystified so whether you want to post a small image to the web or make a large print, you’ll know how to save images in the right format. Understanding these fundamentals will let you dive into Photoshop and do whatever you like. And we will dive right in. The work we’ll do on images in class will start with techniques to fix the most common photo problems and then we’ll explore some very cool tricks. Instructor Michael Serao holds a Master of Fine Arts degree and has been a working painter and photographer for over 35 years. He has been teaching Drawing, Painting, Photography, Photoshop and Art History at Ridgefield Continuing Education since 1997, and Design at an area university since 2003.
6 hours $ 119 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 95)
Tue., 2/26; 3/5 & 12 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Town Hall Annex
Tue., 4/30; 5/7 & 14 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Town Hall Annex


Photoshop Elements 18: The Next Step
Prerequisite: Good computer skills. We will explore the more advanced creative capabilities of Photoshop. You can replace the bad expression, closed eyes or pose of a person in a group shot with a better shot of him/her from another photo. Eliminate unwanted objects. Place people on an entirely different background. Improve portraits through skin softening and by removing flaws. Selectively replace colors, colorize an entire image or color a single object in a black and white picture. And a lot more. Instructor Michael Serao holds a Master of Fine Arts degree and has been a working painter and photographer for over 35 years. He has been teaching Drawing, Painting, Photography, Photoshop and Art History at Ridgefield Continuing Education since 1997, and Design at an area university since 2003.
6 hours $ 119 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 95)
Tue., 3/26; 4/2 & 9 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Town Hall Annex