P&P: Getting Started

For the first time since enrolling with OCA, I have spoken with a tutor.  On two previous courses communication was entirely by email. I was expecting the same for People and Place so was a bit surprised when I was asked for a skype call.  It turned out to be a simple meet-and-greet, a chance to to see and hear who we will be working with over the course of the next 12-18 months.  It was actually a welcome change.

DPP Outline and Calendar

The box

My approach in my first OCA course was simply to go to Part One and start working on exercises. There were more than a few times along the way I wish I had previewed content, exercises and assignments. I might have saved myself some work if I had.

So this time around I sat down with the folder and the materials and gave them a thorough once over before beginning any photography or processing. And what I have found is that much of the course is similar to what came before in The Art of Photography.

Part One deals with workflow and is perhaps the one area that isn't covered at all in TOAP. Ironically, it is the one assignment that is not counted toward assessment.

Part Two covers white balance, noise, dynamic range – all covered to some degree in TAOP. The assignment for this part looks most challenging and possibly the most rewarding in terms of learning and outcomes, requiring shooting specific types of scenes in jpg with no post processing. The idea here is to think carefully about lighting and how the camera interprets light to maximize in-camera capture. There is a follow-up task requiring a reflection and reshoot.