When we talk about learning photography, most of us immediately think of manual mode and mastering the exposure triangle – and it’s true, these are critical skills for any photographer!

But beyond the actual technical skills, there’s another equally critical ingredient for becoming a fabulous photographer and taking those images you’ve always dreamed of. What is it, you ask?

Creativity, of course! And it CAN be learned! Read on to find out how…

Meet Tina!

Mum-of-two Tina, from Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches, first learned manual mode years ago by taking an in-person course. But while it taught her the basics of what aperture is and how to adjust her exposure, the lessons were boring and technical, and she came away feeling like something was missing.

As a graphic designer, she had always been creative-minded, but she struggled to apply that to her photography.

So after having her children, Tina decided she wanted to jump back into photography, to see if she could find that elusive creative spark she was chasing.

And that’s where Click Love Grow comes in!

That Feeling That Something Was Missing

I’ve had an interest in photography since I was teenager, and and after having my children, I knew it was a subject I wanted to explore in more detail. However, handling a camera in manual mode is way more complicated than it seems!

A lot of photographers I know are self-taught, but being a busy working mum, I wanted to get up to speed and get to know my camera as quickly as possible.

A few years earlier, I took a traditional, in-person course that required me to attend weekly classes and submit assessments. I learnt the basics about how to shoot in manual mode and how to handle my aperture and shutter speed and the importance of white balance, but it wasn’t overly creative. In fact, it wasn’t creative at all!

I was left with this overwhelming feeling that something was missing.

Starting Over From Scratch

I first heard of Click Love Grow from a friend who had taken one of their courses. I saw her work and was really impressed with what she had learnt and the quality of her photos after just one course! I instantly knew it was the right path for me to expand my skillset in photography further.

Whilst I did already know the basics of manual mode and the exposure triangle, I decided to go back and start again at the beginning – I upgraded my camera and signed up for the CLG Enthusiast Photography Course.

 

The Creativity I’d Been Craving

From the very first day I logged into my CLG course library, I knew it was the perfect fit!

The Enthusiast Course (and, in fact all CLG courses) is designed using everyday language that simplifies the jargon and makes the photography lingo easy to follow and understand.

It was a much simpler way of looking at things than my previous photography studies, and that made it so much easier to grasp the concepts. Photography can be a rather complicated skill in a constantly evolving, technological environment.

But the CLG approach to learning takes out the overwhelm and makes mastering manual mode achievable – and fun!

I also loved the flexibility the Enthusiast Course offers. I could complete tasks and tutorials in my own time, at my own pace and in the comfort of my own home. As a busy working mum, this was critical to my success.

Most importantly, I was able to focus on topics that I had a true interest in, like how to tackle any lighting situation and capture backlight. That creative spark I’d been chasing was finally ignited!

After finishing the Enthusiast Course, I went on to take CLG’s Beautiful Backlight Creative Workshop, and learning how to shoot during golden hour took my photography to a whole new level. I absolutely love shooting in natural sunlight, and now I have the confidence and skills to nail it every time!

 

Finding Strength In Community

The other huge point of difference between the in-person course I had taken and the CLG Enthusiast Course is the ongoing support and encouragement of the CLG community.

The strength of the CLG community has really ignited my passion for photography.

I feel like every time I pop into the Grads group, I come away with new tips and tricks to try. The learning continues long after the course is finished – you can’t beat that for value!

I’ve been able to connect with other fellow photography hobbyists, and I’ve met some amazing people who are always willing to provide constructive feedback on my work. The CLG instructors are also always around to answer my questions and celebrate my photography achievements in the Grads group.

A Local Connection

After completing the CLG enthusiast course, I was able to reconnect with a friend who is also a hobbiest photographer and CLG enthusiast grad. We’ve been on various landscape and sunrise shoots together, practicing and perfecting our photography skills. Most recently, I had the privilege to take ‘a few shots’ of her newest family addition, which turned out to be an entire session with a beautiful gallery of family and newborn images.

Then And Now

We love a before and after set of images as it’s the best way to show off our student’s transformation!

 

Big thank you to Tina for her time and gorgeous images! If you want to check out more of her work, you can find her on Instagram.

 

If you’re ready to master your camera and the foundations of photography to take photos you LOVE, our Enthusiast Photography Course is for you! Click here for more info and to join our next round…