Home›Photography courses›Photography›Digital Photography for Beginners Courses Digital Photography for Beginners Courses BOOK NOW Details Booking & timetable Venues Tutors Discover how to get the most out of your camera and start creating images you’re proud of. In this hands-on beginner-friendly course, you’ll learn the technical essentials of digital photography while exploring the creative choices that bring pictures to life. Guided by expert photographers, you’ll master manual controls, experiment with composition techniques, and develop your own photographic style through both studio learning and location shoots around London. Whether you’re looking to document your travels, capture portraits, or explore artistic photography, you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence to take control of your camera and produce striking images. Do I need my own camera? Please bring a mirrorless camera, a DSLR camera or a compact camera with full manual controls. If you don’t have one, you can borrow a camera for use during class time. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Over the duration of this course you will: Master the exposure triangle: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed Confidently handle a mirrorless or DSLR camera Choose the right focal length and lens for different subjects Work with manual and semi-automatic modes (M, A/Av, S/Tv, P) Control depth of field and f-stops for creative focus Capture motion — freeze the action or create movement effects Use autofocus modes and focus points effectively Apply composition techniques for balanced, engaging images Understand JPEG vs RAW and choose the right file format Set white balance for accurate colour in changing light BENEFITS OF TAKING THIS COURSE Learn the skills that turn snapshots into stand-out shots. This course gives you the confidence, control, and creative tools to capture images that truly reflect your vision. Shoot with confidence: Understand exactly which settings to use and why Unlock creativity: Use light, lens choice, and framing to tell stronger visual stories Hands-on practice: Apply new techniques immediately in real-world scenarios Personalised feedback: Receive supportive, constructive advice from your tutor Solid foundation: Prepare for more advanced or specialist photography courses Efficient workflow: Simple habits to improve consistency and results ✏️ Master Your Camera Take full manual control and move beyond automatic mode 🔀 Light Like a Pro Read natural light and set white balance for perfect colour 🙂 Pin-Sharp Focus Select autofocus modes and points for precise results ⚙️ Compose with Purpose Apply framing and visual balance to guide the eye 🎵 Sound & Vision Capture clear audio and compelling visuals. 🎓 Motion Mastery Freeze or blur movement for impact USEFUL INFORMATION 1 Who is this course for? Complete beginners or those with basic photography knowledge who want clear, practical instruction and guided practice. 2 Do I need my own camera? Please bring a DSLR camera with full manual controls. If you don’t have one, you can borrow a DSLR for use during class time. 3 What else should I bring? Your camera’s manual, fully charged battery, an empty memory card, comfortable shoes, and a light bag. A lightweight tripod and external flash are useful if you own them. 4 Will we be shooting outdoors? Yes. The course combines classroom sessions with location shoots at London landmarks (locations may vary). 5 What will I be able to do by the end? Manually set your camera for any scene, use lenses effectively, control focus and exposure, compose creatively, and work confidently in different shooting environments. 6 Do I need my own camera? Please bring a mirrorless camera, a DSLR camera or a compact camera with full manual controls. If you don’t have one, you can borrow a camera for use during class time. STUDENTS ON THIS COURSE MOVE ONTO Many students use this course as a springboard to explore more specialised areas of photography. Whether developing a professional portfolio or simply refining your creative style, moving on to advanced classes allows you to deepen your technical skills, experiment with new genres, and produce work with even greater impact. Portrait Photography Courses Fashion Photography Digital Photography Level 2 ALL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMER SCHOOLS Take your pictures to the next level with our five-day Photography Summer School. Gaining a further understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography. FIND OUT MORE FILMMAKING SUMMER SCHOOLS Use state of the art filmmaking and post-production equipment to write, direct and edit a short film in the Adult Filmmaking Summer School FIND OUT MORE Browse Courses You can filter Courses by month and tutor Month All Months Tutor All Tutors James RossHolly Falconer Date Day Time (BST) Duration Tutor Venue Price Booking 11 Jun 2026 - 16 Jul 2026 Thu 18:30-20:30 6 weeks James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £256.50 10% OFF Book Now 27 Jun 2026 - 28 Jun 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 08 Jul 2026 - 12 Aug 2026 Wed 18:30-20:30 6 weeks James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 18 Jul 2026 - 19 Jul 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 08 Aug 2026 - 09 Aug 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Holly Falconer Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 15 Aug 2026 - 16 Aug 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 25 Aug 2026 - 29 Sep 2026 Tue 18:30-20:30 6 weeks Holly Falconer Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 05 Sep 2026 - 06 Sep 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 19 Sep 2026 - 20 Sep 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Holly Falconer Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 10 Oct 2026 - 11 Oct 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 17 Oct 2026 - 18 Oct 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 07 Nov 2026 - 08 Nov 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) James Ross Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 21 Nov 2026 - 22 Nov 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Holly Falconer Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 05 Dec 2026 - 06 Dec 2026 Sat 10:00-16:00 2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Holly Falconer Photoion Studio, Waterloo £285.00 Book Now 11 Jun 11 Jun 2026 - 16 Jul 2026 £256.50 Day:Thu Time:18:30-20:30 Duration:6 weeks Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo Offer:10% OFF BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 27 Jun 27 Jun 2026 - 28 Jun 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 08 Jul 08 Jul 2026 - 12 Aug 2026 £285.00 Day:Wed Time:18:30-20:30 Duration:6 weeks Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 18 Jul 18 Jul 2026 - 19 Jul 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 08 Aug 08 Aug 2026 - 09 Aug 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: Holly Falconer Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 15 Aug 15 Aug 2026 - 16 Aug 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 25 Aug 25 Aug 2026 - 29 Sep 2026 £285.00 Day:Tue Time:18:30-20:30 Duration:6 weeks Tutor: Holly Falconer Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 05 Sep 05 Sep 2026 - 06 Sep 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 19 Sep 19 Sep 2026 - 20 Sep 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: Holly Falconer Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 10 Oct 10 Oct 2026 - 11 Oct 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 17 Oct 17 Oct 2026 - 18 Oct 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 07 Nov 07 Nov 2026 - 08 Nov 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: James Ross Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 21 Nov 21 Nov 2026 - 22 Nov 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: Holly Falconer Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE 05 Dec 05 Dec 2026 - 06 Dec 2026 £285.00 Day:Sat Time:10:00-16:00 Duration:2 days (Saturday and Sunday) Tutor: Holly Falconer Venue: Photoion Studio, Waterloo BOOK NOW GIFT THIS COURSE × Select your Entry Level: -Select- Leader Follower Book Now Close ADD ME TO THE WAITING LIST If you'd like to be added to the waiting list for 'Digital Photography for Beginners Courses' fill in the form below and we will contact you if a space becomes available. First Name * Last Name * Email * Phone Number * PAYMENT OPTIONS You are welcome to join the course up to the second class. ONLINE & PHONE PAYMENTS Online – To book your selected class/course online, just click Book Now next to your chosen class/course. Phone – We would be happy to take your booking over the phone, just call us on 020 7042 8833 . CASH & CHEQUE PAYMENTS Cash - You are welcome to pay cash, just come and see us at our office: City Academy, 10 Herbal Hill, London EC1R 5EG. If you book 2 or more different classes/courses at a time we can offer you a 10% discount. If you wish to take advantage of this offer please enter 2ORMORE in the promotional code box when booking online or quote code when booking over the phone. Please note that this offer cannot be applied when you are booking two or more of the same class/course. INDUSTRY TUTORS City Academy tutors are experienced artists and performers that work in the industry. If your tutor's availability changes at short notice, our team will arrange for a suitable replacement and notify you in advance. CANCELLATIONS POLICY We offer a full refund or full credit of your original course if you cancel at least 72 hours before the start of your booking. We cannot offer any refund if you cancel less than 72 hours before the start of your booking, or if you do not attend. (For more information please see our terms and conditions) PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMER SCHOOLS Take your pictures to the next level with our five-day Photography Summer School. Gaining a further understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography. FIND OUT MORE FILMMAKING SUMMER SCHOOLS Use state of the art filmmaking and post-production equipment to write, direct and edit a short film in the Adult Filmmaking Summer School FIND OUT MORE Photoion Studio, Waterloo Closest Station: Waterloo Closest Bus Stop: Imperial War Museum / Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway View Details Get Directions PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMER SCHOOLS Take your pictures to the next level with our five-day Photography Summer School. Gaining a further understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography. FIND OUT MORE FILMMAKING SUMMER SCHOOLS Use state of the art filmmaking and post-production equipment to write, direct and edit a short film in the Adult Filmmaking Summer School FIND OUT MORE All City Academy tutors are experienced professionals from theatre, film/TV and performance industries. So whilst they're training you they may also be rehearsing for a West End show or working on a movie. We like that and we do believe it makes a difference in class. James Ross View Profile Holly Falconer View Profile PHOTOGRAPHY SUMMER SCHOOLS Take your pictures to the next level with our five-day Photography Summer School. Gaining a further understanding of the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography. FIND OUT MORE FILMMAKING SUMMER SCHOOLS Use state of the art filmmaking and post-production equipment to write, direct and edit a short film in the Adult Filmmaking Summer School FIND OUT MORE