David - Photography teacher - Grass Valley

1^st lesson free

David

5 (4 reviews)

Rate $35
Response 1h
Students
Number of students David has taught since their arrival at Superprof
31
Number of students David has taught since their arrival at Superprof

5 (4 reviews)

$35/h

1^st lesson free

Photography

Experienced tutor in Photography in Grass Valley, David offers private lessons tailored to your needs.

Photography

Lesson location

- online

About David

Over 30 years experience in video production and photography. Leading photography workshops overseas twice a year with past workshops in China, Italy, France, and Ireland. I am a highly experienced award winning photography teacher that truely loves teaching workshops and classes. Past president of 150 member camera club, exhibiting at local and national galleries, curator at Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in Sacramento, CA. I taught summer intensive photography classes at Vassar College in New York. I can help students with all phases of photography from crafting the story, to camera work and fundamentals, lighting, printing, and exhibiting your art. I have a 900 sq. ft. studio where I hold in person and Zoom classes from. I have large format print capabilities up to 44 inches wide for those that want to learn printing. The studio is equipped with mat cutters and gear to frame as well if you want to learn aspects of framing and finished work.

If you want to learn about lighting, the studio is equipped with studio lights and equipment. To help teach in this day of remote learning, I use video cameras and drones to show you what we can do in the field. We are connected with fiber optic cables so we can connect with everyone easily at the fastest speeds available. In addition, we use other tools like Face Time and iPhones to help us connect with you.

I teach photography with cell phones, dedicated cameras, video cameras, drones, very wide to very long telephoto lenses, and other specalized photography equipment.

My favorite photographic activity is teaching and leading photographers to making artful photography and not just snapshots. I enjoy all types of photography and video while specializing in nature and landscape, portraiture, event, sports, and canine photography.

I displayed my art print photography at a local gallery in Grass Valley and customers started asking me if I could teach them how to do photography. Additionally, as a member of my local camera club and past president, people became interested in how I did my photos when I won awards for them over several years.

I learn as much from teaching others as well and discovered that I had an easy and relaxed way of teaching others.

I have been a photographer since I was 15 but my formal class work has been in workshop and classes with Ted Orland and John Sexton, former assistants to Ansel Adams. I have taken print and photo workshops with Charlie Cramer, one of the most knowledgable photographers and associate of Ansel Adams. Charlie teaches a lot of print classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and Yosemite. Additional classes have been taken from Stephen Johnson, Michael Frye, and Al Weber. College classes in photography were completed at Foothill, Cabrillo, and Sierra College. I completed a model and lighting workshop in Paris, France with Scott Robert Lim, a highly regarded wedding and portrait photographer and teacher.

About the lesson

I always like to start with what the student wants to learn and what they want to do with their photography. Then we talk about the areas they would like to enhance their knowledge in. After we do this, we talk about the types of lessons and activities that we will undertake. After the lessons, which are discussions about the photographic topics and not classroom lectures, we go out and shoot the situations we discussed. We come back in the studio (if we are working live or virtually via Zoom) to review what we have shot. We talk about what worked, what didn't, and build from there.

I use video cameras, drones, and cell phones so the student can see what I am doing but more importantly we use apps like Face Time so I can see what the student is doing and be better able to help them when we are not meeting in person.

I have worked with all ages and levels of experience in photography. My youngest student started with me when he was 12. He is now about to graduate from Yale University and does great photography to this day.

My oldest students are often my overseas photography workshop participants, who are often retired. Some of my students are beginners and some are very advanced that might like to learn specialized techniques in bird photography or studio lighting. Some students want to learn about printing and framing. Still others are interested in flash photography.

Decide what type of photography you want to do and what direction you would like to take with your photography, to enter competitions, to make prints for yourself, to become a professional, or just for fun. Then find someone who best matches the type of photography you like. Have a first interview with that teacher to see what they are like. Some photographers are better teachers and might have a better fit with you than others.

This past November, I was one of six teachers teaching an all day photography workshop for my local camera club, The Nevada County Camera Club. This workshop was a Zoom workshop and attended by about 40 students.

Before that and the pandemic, I took a group of photographers to Paris, Hon Fleur, Giverny, and Normandy. I greatly enjoy not only showing new areas to photographers to photograph but also enjoy introducing many to the great art galleries, to learn more about making great art.

A few things worth thinking about before reaching out
What is it that they would like to learn about photography? What do they want to do with photography after they learn the skills they want? It is always nice to show some photographs that the student has done previously so the teacher can understand a little about where the student is. It is really good if the student knows what they really like to shoot with their photography, what makes them excited?

Review

All of our reviews are collected by us and are 100% reliable. They correspond to a real experience lived by students with David.

5 (4 reviews)

S

Shere
- 5
Perfect! David is wonderful with my kids. They are very excited to to continue!
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S

Shere

Perfect! David is wonderful with my kids. They are very excited to to continue!
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Recommendations

Recommendations come from relatives, friends and acquaintances of the teacher

Ann

David is an excellent photography instructor - very knowledgeable, patient, generous with his time, and fun! He excels at portraits, nature and fine art photography, has won many awards and has had many gallery shows in California and New York. He opened a whole new world of digital photography for me and continues to answer questions or issues that arise. His classes were fun and engaging. Photography is unique in that it requires the artist in us to mix with the geeky gadget guy and the preciseness of the engineer to create good photos. David is an expert in all three arenas and has helped me especially where I am the weakest. In his critiques, he emphasizes the positive and helps his students and colleagues showcase their accomplishments. He not only can produce awe inspiring photographs but is a very effective, kind and personable teacher.
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A
Ann
David is an excellent photography instructor - very knowledgeable, patient, generous with his time, and fun! He excels at portraits, nature and fine art photography, has won many awards and has had many gallery shows in California and New York. He opened a whole new world of digital photography for me and continues to answer questions or issues that arise. His classes were fun and engaging. Photography is unique in that it requires the artist in us to mix with the geeky gadget guy and the preciseness of the engineer to create good photos. David is an expert in all three arenas and has helped me especially where I am the weakest. In his critiques, he emphasizes the positive and helps his students and colleagues showcase their accomplishments. He not only can produce awe inspiring photographs but is a very effective, kind and personable teacher.
Mike

David's observations are detailed and concise. Good information on what makes a photograph work.
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M
Mike
David's observations are detailed and concise. Good information on what makes a photograph work.
Bill

David was very thorough with his teaching of photography. He is very knowledgeable in all aspects of photography. He always made sure you understood what he was teaching. David is very professional and personal. I've learned a lot from David and would highly recommend him.
Read more

B
Bill
David was very thorough with his teaching of photography. He is very knowledgeable in all aspects of photography. He always made sure you understood what he was teaching. David is very professional and personal. I've learned a lot from David and would highly recommend him.
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Pack rates

5h: $175
10h: $350

free lessons

This first lesson offered with David will allow you to get to know each other and clearly specify your needs for your next lessons.

online

$35/h

Details

For remote classes, which are the most common these days. I charge $75 for a block of 3 hours. My initial Zoom meeting with a prospective student is always free so we can meet to see what the student needs and how I might be able to help. In person classes are available here at my studio in Grass Valley, at other locations nearby, or virtually through portals like Zoom. In person one or two day classes by arrangement.

Experienced tutor in Photography in Grass Valley, David offers private lessons tailored to your needs.

Lesson location

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About David

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Recommendations

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free lessons

online

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Experienced tutor in Photography in Grass Valley, David offers private lessons tailored to your needs.

Lesson location

Recommended

About David

About the lesson

Review

Recommendations

Rates

Rate

Pack rates

free lessons

online

Details

Other tutors in Photography

Drew

Olivier

Natalia

Anne

John

Allan

Ella

Rish

Orel

Oliver

Rosalind

Sara

Tonks

Andrea, PhD, CQF

Sara

Cristiano

Nicolas

Pierre

Antoine

Tahir

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