Welcome to Photography

This is the introduction to the Photography unit of Explorer University! I’m going to give you an overview of the tutorials to come. 

Prefer to watch this in video format?😏

Unit Layout

The Photography unit contains 51 tutorials, each marked by (1) in front of a (.) followed by a (#). This tutorial, for example, is labeled (1.1). The next tutorial, Philosophy, is labeled (1.2). And so on and so forth. This indicates the order in which to follow the tutorials, if you are starting from scratch. If you’re already well versed in certain subjects, feel free to jump around. 

Unit Summary

Starting off, I’m going to give you an overview of my adventure photography philosophy, so you can take a step into my mind and understand how I think in the field.

Then, I am going to move into camera gear. Specifically, I am going to explain in detail what to look for in bodies, lenses, filters, drones and accessories. This will ensure that you know exactly what you are getting when you’re out shopping for your first setup. I’ll also be covering how to care for these devices, to maintain their longevity in harsh conditions.

From there, I am going to dive into the basics of shooting. Arguably the most important part of this course, I’ll be explaining how to maximize the quality of your images. I’ll be covering what dynamic range is, how to focus and expose properly, and what all those extra little settings in your camera are. This will create a solid foundation for everything you do, and eventually become muscle memory. 

Next, I’m going to move into location scouting. AKA- how can we find interesting places to shoot? You’ll learn what times of day to shoot, how to use Google Maps/Earth to your advantage, how to find hidden gems through the dark corners of the internet, and how to talk your way into places that might otherwise be off-limits to the general public. We’ll also cover the importance of warming up, and how to effectively get into the right mindset.

Then, we’re going to move into my favorite part of the course- composition. How can we make a any scene look exciting? I got an entire arsenal of tricks for you, and you’re going to learn about techniques you didn’t even know existed. We’ll start with a deep dive into each of the Seven Elements of Design, which are Lines, Shapes, Form, Color, Texture, Value, and Space. Then, we’ll explore the Seven Principles of Art- Balance, Contrast, Pattern, Patterns, Movement, Proportions, Variety, and Harmony. Finally, we’ll learn how to combine all these techniques to make something truly special. By the end of this section, your artistic eye is going to be sharp as a knife.

Finally, we’re going to wrap up the Photography unit with specific scenarios you might find yourself in out in the field. This means detailed tutorials for aerial, astro, desert, portraits, forests, freshwater, frozen, mountain, rural, seascape, urban, and wildlife photography. Each of these environments have their own techniques and nuances, so I will break them down accordingly.

And last but not least, I’m going to cover some popular photography slang, and give some tips on landscape preservation.

With all that being said, let’s jump into the first tutorial- the Philosophy of Adventure Photography!