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Annual Photography Course

Are you ready to take your photography skills to the next level?

If you want to take photos that fill you with pride and that you and others love, whether you have never picked up a camera before or if you have experience but want to improve, this superb and carefully crafted photography course is a must for you.

Bristol Photographic Society welcomes you to our 2025 Annual Photography Course. This established and successful course has been running for over 50 years.

Key Facts:

11 weeks

7:30-9:30pm Tuesday evenings between 2 Sept and 11 Nov 2025.

Practical field trips*

Expert Tutors

Multiple Genres / styles covered

Feedback on your photos

Bristol Photographic Society

Unit 13 Montpelier Central, Station Road, Montpelier, Bristol BS6 5EE

All this and more for £247

12 month Membership included (worth £85)**

We are now closed for new entires for this years’ course

This comprehensive photography course, running from September to November, provides an ideal blend of theory and practical experience, including field trips in a friendly, informative, and social environment. During each session, four or five volunteers will be present to help with practical activities and answer your questions about the topic, providing you with the essential skills to start your photographic journey.

The 2-hour weekly sessions are relaxed and welcoming, with a tea and biscuit break halfway through, providing time to chat with fellow students and tutors. Some of our field trips have even been known to end in the pub.

Classes will take place in the dedicated studio facilities of the Bristol Photographic Society. Additionally, the tuition fees cover a full year’s membership to the Bristol Photographic Society, which will commence in September 2025. 

Photography Lecture Topics;

Practical Sessions & Workshops;

  • Practice Composition & Camera Settings
  • Landscape Photography
  • Night Photography
  • Studio Photography

Plus, regular interactive review sessions.

Download our course programme for 2025.

Meet the Tutors

* with 3 to 4 weekend workshops/trips with information released closer to the time
** Membership starts from September, there maybe some exceptions that may not apply such as no free entry to Bristol Salon and other exceptions which is subject to Chairmans decision

Course testimonials
Really enjoyable course with a great range of photographic subjects covered with something for everyone. The field trips were fun and informative and would recommend the course.
Rhys 2023
I loved this course and looked forward to the sessions each week. I’d previously done a one-to-one photography workshop elsewhere, but three hours just wasn’t enough. This course offered far more time to learn and develop—it’s incredibly comprehensive and excellent value for money, with over 20 hours of tutorials plus at least 8 hours of on-location sessions.
Melissa2023
It’s delivered by a knowledgeable core team, with additional support from other experienced photographers, so there’s as much personal guidance as you need. Sessions on location and in the society’s fully equipped studio were a real highlight. I’d recommend this course to anyone looking to deepen their photography skills and understanding.
Melissa2023
I retired a few ago and decided to take the course, which started in the September. The course was excellent and encompassed everything related to photography. I was concerned that maybe my skills were too weak and that I would need more experience before taking the course, but my worries were put to one side once I experienced the first lecture and the friendly nature of the trainers. Most people on the course had different cameras, and some had an iPhone. The team running the course could not have been more helpful, and step by step, they took us through all of the elements of photography and trained us on how to deal with a broad range of issues. There were also some proficient photographers on the course. They were brushing up their skills, and everyone helped each other out.
Tim2019
I was photographing custom motorcycles as my main interest and just couldn't get to the standard I was seeing in magazines. I also constantly saw photo's of landscapes, wildlife, insects in great detail that were fantastic and wanted to learn how to achieve the same. If they could do it, then so could I, with the right teaching. I attended the course a few years back and learned all aspects of photography in the great settings and friendly atmosphere of the BPS clubhouse. Putting into practice everything I learned about composition, lighting and what makes a good photo in the different genres actually significantly improved my Bike photography, so that a few years down the line, I successfully and regularly get published in top magazines around the world.
Del
I was fortunate enough to complete the BPS photography course in 2023. The course provided an excellent introduction to capturing better images, while also covering all the technical aspects of camera settings and composition. Since then, I have been actively engaged in photographing a variety of subjects, making good use of my membership and entering some of the monthly competitions for digital images and prints, achieving surprising results. The support and encouragement from BPS has been instrumental in my photographic journey, particularly in boosting my confidence and enhancing the quality of my images.
Ibrahim2023

Got an Enquiry about our Photography Course?

Contact Us

Using the Contact Form

If you have any questions please contact us using the form on the right, selecting a recipient from the dropdown menu.

Please Note: If you are contacting the Society with information that you would like circulated to all members, please send your request to the Newsletter Editor ONLY.

By Post

Unit 13
Montpelier Central
Station Rd
Montpelier
Bristol, BS6 5EE

Still Life

Design elements such as composition, symmetry, and the hero object are important in storytelling because they highlight key themes and emotions. You will learn how colour theory plays a role in this by affecting mood and perception. Together, all these elements create a clear visual language that effectively shares ideas and engages the audience.

Portraiture

This session covers techniques for studio photography, emphasising controlled environments with artificial lighting. It addresses camera settings, lighting arrangements, and posing strategies for various subjects, including portraits and products, alongside a practical session.

Creative Editing

Compositing and editing are important in digital media, showing what is creatively possible. Compositing is the process of combining different visual elements into a single picture, while editing involves changing and organising these elements to tell a story or convey a message. Together, they provide a smooth experience for viewers and
expand the possibilities of creativity in visual storytelling.

Travel Photography

Capturing the essence of the people, place, and culture, be it at home or abroad.  Street photography.

Basic Editing

In this session, we’ll explore basic editing techniques such as cropping, straightening, changes to contrast, colour, saturation, conversion to black and white, removal of distractions, etc, using Adobe Lightroom. This will include a live demo on some of your photos.

Natural History Photography

Part 1 – Optimising opportunities to get closer to wildlife subjects, offering hints and Aps for achieving this goal. Providing fieldcraft techniques and practical advice to help create ideal situations for photographing various subjects. The emphasis will be on UK wildlife and subjects that can be more easily observed locally.

Part 2 – Application of technical fundamentals of photography to nature subjects – build on what you have learned so far. Explore what makes a good nature image, and how to achieve that. 

Motion Photography

Key photography techniques such as freezing motion, motion blur, panning, and intentional camera movement play a crucial role in capturing dynamic scenes and enhancing visual storytelling.

Phone Photography

How to Capture Professional-Looking Photos with Your Mobile Phone

In today’s smartphone era, anyone can become a skilled photographer. By incorporating a few simple tips and tricks, you can elevate your mobile photography expertise and produce stunning images that effectively tell your story.

Finding Light 24 hours a day

This session looks at photographic opportunities throughout the day and night. We’ll explore different weather and atmospheric conditions, sunny, cloudy, misty, shadows and shade, interior, early morning, late evening, and into the night finding artificial lighting from buildings, street furniture, adding light with strobes, torches, LEDs, before
rounding up with the night sky, stars, moon, star trails, aurora and ending with a bang capturing fireworks.

Aperture & Depth of Field

To effectively manage depth of field (DoF) and shutter speed, it’s crucial to consider both the subject distance and lens focal length.  Analysing images taken during field trips can provide valuable insights into how these factors influence photo composition and overall quality.

Exposure Triangle

Mastering photography requires understanding the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Knowing camera modes like Program (P), Manual (M), and Aperture/Shutter Priority (Av/Tv) allows for effective manipulation of these settings. Practising these concepts will improve your skills in capturing stunning images under different lighting conditions.

Composition

An awareness of photography concepts, such as the Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, Framing, and symmetry, is essential for creating impactful images. Focusing on your intended subject and leaving out distracting details can dramatically enhance your images. Understanding negative space and balance enhances composition, while Perspective and Viewpoint influence the perception of the subject. Incorporating Depth and Layering adds dimension to photographs. These techniques will be practised in a later session for better understanding. 

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