A Digital Photography

Course in France

Explore the ins and outs of digital photography in SW France...

Discover the intricacies of digital photography while soaking up the French life in the exquisitely photogenic Dordogne region of south west France.

On your hands-on digital photography course we'll show you how to take great photos and teach you how to take advantage of your camera's best features.

Novice or experienced, we have the right course for you...

Are you a novice snapper eager to take those first steps in digital photography? Or maybe you're a more experienced photographer wanting to jump to the next level...

Well, our experienced friendly tutor will take you from whatever level you are at the moment and boost your skills and confidence with patient hands-on guidance.

Your tutor, David Quinn...

David Quinn is a professional photographer who is passionate about his work. As patient as he is skilled, he imparts his knowledge with a minimum of fuss and pretension.

Under his gentle guidance you'll learn about your digital camera and what it will do as you go along, developing your own skills in a natural and progressive way.

Specialising in portraiture, David is adept in whatever subject he focuses on and will teach you:

• Landscapes - how to frame a scene and which camera settings to use

• Portraiture - how to light and position your subject

• Still life - how to set up a convincing arrangement and how to light it

• Food photography - how the pros get those mouthwatering shots

• Action shots - using shutter speed, aperture priority and ISO settings to capture that fleeting moment

• Nature - the Dordogne is home to an abundance of flora and fauna just ripe for snapping

• P, TV, AV, M & B. What's all that about?! - those mysterious camera settings explained and explored

• The 'SCN' and 'AUTO PICT' setting - use your cameras' built-in SCENE and AUTO PICTURE settings for spontaneous on-the-hoof shooting

Together, you'll cover many practical and technical elements of the digital photography genre on your course...

Digital cameras are now the way to go for amateur and professional photographers alike. And, with pixels increasing and prices tumbling, there has never been a better time to buy, but, with literally hundreds to choose from, where do you start?

You obviously need to decide what you want a camera for and what you want it to do, and we can help you do just that...

• Thinking of buying a camera? - advice on the best for you and your budget

• Which lens? - fixed focal length, zoom, tele? We'll navigate the minefield with you

• Camera know-how - a look under the hood to see what makes it click

• Camera care - learn how to treat it right!

So, you've got your perfect camera, now what..?

Well, once you've decided on your weapon of choice, what are you going to do with it? Again, this is where we come in...

• The digital darkroom - shed light on this complex subject with Photoshop

• Take great photos for the web - learn how to take great images that entice your site visitors and download fast

• Holiday snaps - take great photos that don't bore your friends! ;-)

After a few days with us you'll be snapping away like a pro...

If you'd love to photograph like the professionals, enhance your image manipulation skills, find out what your camera will do and have a great time, come and join us on our digital photography course in the wonderful Dordogne, France.

What's included on our range of digital photography courses...

Join us on our premier Five Day/Six Night all-inclusive residential digital photography holiday or our One, Two, Three or Four-day variable multi-day courses.

• Expert friendly tuition with professional photographer, David Quinn

• Accommodation on-site in single, twin or double en suite centrally heated room

• Continental breakfast every day

• Lunch and evening meal, either at the venue or en plein air, cooked by your chef and host, Jim Fisher

• Transportation and entrance fees to all venues visited as part of the course

• Take-home study pack including articles, advice, tips and tricks

• Take-home portfolio - all your images copied to a presentation CD (or your own memory-stick or laptop)

• Use of our super fast HP PAVILION PC - Windows Vista, twin 19" flat panel screens, Photoshop image manipulation software

• The latest PENTAX K100D SUPER (18-200mm F3.5-6.3) digital SLR camera at your disposal with tutored guidance

Don't have your own digital camera? Then use ours...

Maybe you're new to photography or are 'between cameras' and thinking of upgrading? Before you take the plunge with your hard earned cash, use our mid-range Samsung Digimax compact or our Pentax K100D Super digital SLR and see which format suits you best.

Learn with our mid-level SAMSUNG DIGIMAX CYBER 530 compact (5.1 MP / optical & digital zoom)	Or our full-featured PENTAX K100D SUPER digital SLR (6.1 MP / 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 zoom lens)

The Samsung has 5.1 mega pixels, optical and digital zoom and a good range of shooting modes.

Our Pentax is a feature-rich digital single lens reflex with an 18-200mm zoom lens. It has just about every pre-set shooting mode you can think of, as well as a plethora of manual settings. It was PCAdvisor's Best Buy camera in September 2007.

Accommodation...

While you learn with us, you'll be staying in our superb centrally-heated en-suite accommodation. 

Or, if you are staying in a holiday cottage nearby, just come and learn digital photography for a day or three and come and go as you please.

Hey, stay for a week if you want to!

Residential or non-residential...

Depending on your accommodation requirements i.e. if you wish to stay with us or if you have your own holiday accommodation nearby, our courses can be residential or non-residential (see 'Prices' page).

Don't worry, it's not all pixels and lenses...

You'll have a great time here at DordogneBreaks. When not focusing on all things digital you'll be visiting some of our beautiful tourist sites, doing some shopping, going out for great value meals or just lounging around by the pool soaking up the sun.

There'll be organised visits to bustling open-air markets, a walnut oil mill and, of course, the ancient honey-coloured towns and villages of this perfect region.

Want to bring a friend or partner?

Do you have a non-snapping friend or partner who would like to come along? No problem - non-participating guests are very welcome and, what's more, the price is about half that of the participant's rate and they'll get to taste all the lovely food!

Booking...

Booking is easy, and only an email or phone call away, so why wait?  Strike while the iron's hot - book a digital photography course in France now and share an experience you'll never forget!