Lindsay was great! Due to unbelievable bad traffic, I missed my first class and she let me reschedule last minute and was very understanding. I learned a lot more than I would have ever expected in an intro class. You will walk away with the understanding of how to use most functions on your camera and she teaches it in a very easy way to follow. I will definitely schedule another class with Isla! read more

Attended the beginners course and had a blast!! Michael Thomas taught the class and was amazing. He teaches in a way that is fun and entertaining. He made 3hrs fly by like 30 min. If you want to take your DSLR off AUTO, know what shutter speed, aperture and ISO are- do yourself a favor and take the course. read more

This was such a great class to learn the basics of manual photography. The man who led the class very very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. I also dealt with Lindsay and she was so attentive and helpful. Overall it was an extremely enjoyable experience :) I can't to do the photo walk with them in a couple weeks. read more

I really enjoyed taking Mel's class yesterday. I had no previous experience but a desire to learn and an expensive camera I had no clue how to use. Mel's enthusiasm and the simple way of explaining helped me grasp the seemingly complex world of photography. I look forward to furthering my knowledge and experience and love of photography! read more

Attended a 3 hour workshop that Mel offered through Living Social on how to get my camera out of "auto" mode and to start to learn how to take advantage of my abilities to manually adjust settings. The class was informative and fast; I was amazed that the time went by so quickly! While I feel like this workshop was not a replacement for a full course, it WAS a great intro to what the camera can do... it's perfect for those who want to understand what they're looking at when reading the camera manuals, and certainly empowers those who are interested in making their photographs "better." I highly recommend the workshop to anyone who wants to learn a bit more. read more

I took the 3-hour beginner class yesterday with William and it was fantastic. Just the refresher I needed, all sorts of great tips and shortcuts and he is a ton of fun. In addition to the instruction portion of the class, William takes time during break to answer specific questions and address issues people are having with their particular cameras. With honesty, attention and humor, he gets to the bottom of it, which I REALLY appreciated! Couldn't recommend this class more. read more

Surprised by all the glowing reviews. This class was okay, but moved a little slower than I wanted. The instructor, Mel, could have done a better job surveying the class to figure out their experience level and interests before jumping into the material. I sensed that a lot of people were impatient to get into the meat of the information. Was it really important to spend 15 minutes on the difference between "point and shoot" and "DSLR" when the class is advertised as a primer to get the most from your DSLR? This class would be better if it were a little more hands-on: ie let you practice each bit for a minute or two. Story-telling is important, but it just could have moved a lot faster. What really irritated me was that the instructor promised we'd all get a copy of the slides afterwards, but in order to access them, you had to go to a link on Facebook and "Like" the Isla Studio. When I protested, I was able to get the slides directly, but this manipulation of social media is irritating. It's an easy class to take and a useful skill and worth about what I paid for it with a $49 Yelp deal. read more

Not bad actually. If you are a real beginner, you'd learn quite a lot in that 3 hours. But I'd suggest you not to go into the class like a piece of blank paper. You either read your camera manual or an elementary photography book, got some practices before going in. You don't have to posses a DSLR in order to join this class. All is about to master the M mode of your camera, whatever type you are having. To me, it's a nice revision session and I've learned new things by asking questions n seeking advices on some picture taking diificulties. A morning well spent. read more

I took an "info to photography" class here last weekend and I learned so much!!! Our teacher (Will, I think) was awesome and patient! He taught us the basics with brilliance and ease. He was also extremely patient with everyone! I HIGHLY suggest you take this class to learn what all those buttons and gauges are on your camera- you won't regret it! It has inspired me to keep learning more! read more

William is a wonderful teacher. I took the 3 hour class on Sat and it was excellent. He is a great speaker, keeping it light and informal, but he is organized and hits all the important topics to help you really understand the basics of photography AND your DSLR. I love how he used his SLR lens and camera body to explain shutter speed and aperture. 3 hours flew by. He is open to questions and works with you specifically on understanding the buttons and dials on YOUR camera, including point and shoots. I appreciated the discussion of computer photo editing, RAW images and the gentle reminder not to rely on the computer for making a great picture. I can't wait to explore my manual camera settings. I also appreciate being sent his ppt presentation. I will refer to it, I'm sure. read more

I took the DSLR basics class last night, and it was perfect. Lindsay was really helpful - gave a great general overview for everyone, but took plenty of time to respond to questions, and to help each of us when we needed to find a setting or tool on our cameras. My last camera class was 25 years ago, and it was fun to see how some of the "rules" have stayed the same, but get handled differently with digital SLRs. Great class for a beginner! Thanks, Lindsay! read more

I just recently bought a DSLR camera and was using it like a 'Point n Shoot'. NO MORE! Lindsay moved the class from Auto to Manual within 3 hours! We learned about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, frame, and a bunch more. Her examples and explanations were simple and clear. It definitely helped me experiment more with my new camera and my pics are improving as I do. PLUS, THE EVENING WAS A BLAST! read more

I took the 3hr intro photography class with Lindsay. I know nothing of photography, but figured it would be a fun thing to do and would likely improve my photos. The class is extremely relaxed-- Lindsay creates a very light-hearted atmosphere. It's a lecture format, but everyone was free to interrupt and ask questions or try to figure out the workings of their camera. I'm definitely not a photographer, but I feel that I learned enough to substantially improve my shots and enough to begin dabbling with more advanced shots. As Lindsay encouraged: practice, practice, practice. read more

Loved the course. I've been taking photos for years, always with the AUTO button on. Now, I know that it should always be off. Mel is aoutstanding teacher. Only downside was uncomfortable chairs. read more

First off I want to say that I got a great Groupon Deal of $89 for two for the three hour course. It was a great price because I got exactly what I was looking for. I'm new to DSLR but not film SLR. This re-introduction or refresher course made me feel more comfortable taking manual pictures especially with a new Nikon DSLR. The instructor Mel was very knowledgeable and conveyed all the technical aspects of digital photography. He was very patient and answered all questions. The presentation slides was an absolute plus which btw was sent to us as a pdf attachemt via email. He also knew the aspects of the many different camera brands so it was easy to match every topic to every button/control on my camera. In addition Mel went over composition and color which I wasn't expecting. The three hours went by very fast yet I didn't feel he was rushing. He even stayed after class to answer more questions. For the amount of information received I would have gladly paid the full price. read more

Perfect intro to photography class. Michael, the instructor, makes the class fun and informative. I will never have to use auto again! Not only does Michael do a fantastic job at explaining the camera, he also uses pictures and demonstrations to show you the different settings for composition, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. If you bought a nice DSLR camera but don't know how to properly use it, I would highly recommend this class. read more

I took this 3 hour class today with the only knowledge of using the auto mode. The instructor was great, explained how to use shutter speed and aperture in a way for everyone to understand, had really good analogies, was funny, and took the time to answer all questions and show everyone how to change a setting on their cameras. I now feel comortable changing my setting from auto to manual and I'm excited to make a day out of just taking pictures. read more

I just took a beginner photography class with Michael this past weekend and he's awesome. He's a funny guy and made what could have been a boring intro class entertaining and informative. He interacts with all of his students, making sure they are following on with their own camera and understanding each step of the lesson. If you're looking to learn all the basics of shooting in manual setting on your camera in the span of one day (for an affordable price), this is the class to take! read more

Highly recommend this class for any beginners looking to learn some of the technicalities of photography! While the class is very basic, it's also very intuitive. I've read most of this information in books but to hear a professional talk about it and walk you through the process really brings it all together. I'm looking forward to getting out with my camera and experimenting with some creative techniques more than just changing the image from standard to sepia! Thanks William! read more

Very informative class as you learn the basics of your camera. Technical details such as the mechanical function of the Aperture using an analog camera helped me understand why having a LARGE APERTURE (F22) decreases light and photos are darker and vice versa (F2). The class was fun and I learned a lot on how to compose, techniques on how to use an external flash, when to use the tripod and different settings for different scenarios. read more

Great intro to photography class. Really showed me how to get my DSLR off of auto and take great pictures! I'd recommed them to find out how to understand the basics and take your skills to the next level read more

My husband and I took the intro class with Bill. He did a great job explaining what everything meant and all the functions of a camera. I really liked his analogies, which made everything super easy to understand. I would go back for another class. read more

Just took the 2hr walking tour with Lindsay this weekend and learned so much. It was a hands on class and we took photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. I had taken the basics class a while back and forgot some of the things I learned so I have been taking photos the past couple of months with the wrong settings. Lindsay was so patient and gave me a refresher course on aperture, shutter speed, and auto focus points. It also really helped to shoot on location because you can ask questions as they came up. Highly recommend this class and Lindsay was awesome! read more

I have no prior training in photography. Took Bill's class on July 22, 2012. His method of teaching makes photography so simple. Very patience with questions and willing to help with my new Canon 60D. Excellent course for beginners. Highly recommended. read more

With a new camera to learn (Canon G16), I got a good deal on the beginner's photography class with Groupon, and I was very pleased with the quality of instruction by our teacher Michael. Though my camera is not a full DSLR, all of the instruction was still a direct benefit toward familiarizing the manual settings available on hybrids and point-and-shoots. The class size was pleasant, with enough people for a good variety of camera styles and experience, while still allowing for individual attention with questions and ideas during the instruction. Michael went over the benefits of detaching from the camera Auto mode and exploring the manual settings, and the instruction was excellent, giving us an opportunity to really understand each new concept or setting as he explained it. He also had many helpful tips and was engaging and funny so that our attention didn't drift... no small feat with three hours of mostly technical details on how to use the camera at a higher level. If you're still stuck in Auto mode on your camera, I highly recommend this class. read more

I'm an amateur photographer and took my last photography class 10 years ago before DSLRs were mainstream. I have a Canon Rebel DSLR and most of my photos are of family and friends, so I can't go back and recapture that moment after I realize that the photo was unclear after I get home and see it on my computer screen. I learned with a few tricks how to fix my future photos and I learned more about lenses than I did it my last course. I know what my next purchases will be at the camera store. William was very knowledgeable of the popular cameras, he was an interactive teacher, and had a good sense of humor to keep the relatively large class engaged. I highly recommend this class if you're not quite understanding a few things on your camera, it's time and money well spent. read more

I attended this photography course to try to understand how to successfully use all the bells and whistles on my 'bridge' camera rather than just use auto all the time. Certainly the instructor was very helpful in showing how to do f-stops and shutter speeds and the class was well presented ...I think most of us wanted to understand the technology of our cameras rather than learn what makes a good photo. I would have liked a bit more practice and feedback ..we were not invited to take any photos and then have the instructor tell us where we had gone wrong or right ...it would have been helpful to me to have taken perhaps six or so photos of the same object with different apertures and speeds and seen the diffence ..depth of field is always a minefield. The class ended earlier than expected and perhaps my fault was that I did not stay to ask questions which were pertinent to me..I would recommend you bring a list of questions as I am sure Bill would have been happy to answer them. He certainly took the time to check out everyone's different camera and help out but a bit more actual taking and critiquing of photos and explanations of the differences in various options would have been more helpful to me. I am a proficient photographer and wanted to improve my technique through the manual mode so perhaps this was not the class for me. But if you can't make head nor tale of your camera manual and need someone to physically show you how to use it then this is class for you. Best advice I can give is to bring a list of questions for after the class....how to set the aperture for capture inside a building when you are in the light, how to get good shot of bird or plants against the sun, how to adjust exposure properly when taking a dark and light subject...I am practicing at home now and thus the things I learned have been useful. read more

Outstanding introductory camera class: I now have a more-or-less full understanding of the keys that I was getting close to grasping, but couldn't quite reach. Will gave a fun, comprehensible, class that was full of personalized attention. Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO...it's all a game of tradeoffs! read more

i decided to get my first DSLR camera but I was a bit intimidated with what to look for and how to use it, so I decided to take the 3 hours Beginner's Photography Class with Mel. He was excellent. As it was a beginner's class, the materials were easy enough to understand and I felt motivated and excited to go out there and pick the camera I wanted afterward. After a month of trying out the camera and lenses I wanted, I went back a 2 hr Photo Walk with Mel. He was very patient and helpful in showing you how to compose your picture and how to properly adjust the camera for the right exposure and so on. Since my classes, I have been taking a lot of photos that came out a lot better than before by using the techniques I learned from Mel. (You can look at my photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/caseynguyen/ to see what I learned from owning my first DSLR). Waiting for Mel to have advanced class so I can go back and learn more techniques to process my pictures. Thanks Mel! read more

My husband and I took this class yesterday after seeing a deal for it on Living Social. Our instructor, William, was terrific. It was a very basic class (which is what we needed) and focused mostly on using your camera in the manual settings rather than automatic. We are very excited to start practicing all of the techniques that William presented. read more

Very good, informative class taught by William. The class flowed very well and I feel like all the information I learned will stick with me. I took one other class in the past somewhere else and the teacher was boring and scattered and I forgot everything. This was the opposite of that. I went out the following day and captured some really fun and good quality pictures, so the class really did make a difference. I would definitely recommend this class to someone who is just starting out with a DSLR camera and wants to get out of auto mode. The only downside to the whole thing was that the parking at the garage was $20!! Unfortunately I didn't realize this until it was too late. read more

Mel is a great photography teacher! My husband and I took his class (for beginners) and he broke things down in layman's terms and made learning (and appreciating) photography simple and easy! We loved it! Thanks Mel! read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this class. However, I would only recommend this class for people with a DSLR camera (Nikon or Canon). They don't go over much for standard digital camera's. I was hoping the class wouldn't go over just basics (composition, balance, etc.) and it didn't. Instead, the class went into depth of how to use the functions of a DSLR camera, especially the manual function. I learned a lot and am excited to take pictures on my new camera that I now know how to use. The only negative piece of me was that the class was 3 hours which is pretty lengthy. read more

I would consider myself a beginner/amateur photographer and I thought this class was very useful. It reinforced topics I was already familiar with as well as introduce myself to other very useful concepts. I would highly recommend to anyone who has a DSLR and wants to start using something beyond AUTO. read more

Awesome Class. I just recently got into photography but am very skeptical of taking beginner classes in any subject as I feel that I am a quick learner. However, I am definitely glad I took the introduction class with Mel. He provided a lot of great information that will definitely keep me from using the auto mode on my camera. His style of teaching was engaging and very easy to understand. He answered questions with ease and has a genuine passion for teaching. Definitely recommend this class to anyone who is interested in learning more about photography. read more

The beginners class was awesome! William covered a great overview of the basics - Shutter speed, aperture, composition, lighting, etc.. It was the right amount of information...enough to learn and digest, but not be overwhelmed. Highly recommend it!! read more

I just took this class with my cousin and found it extremely entertaining, easy to understand and very informative. I learnt so much about my camera and photography in general. A great class! Highly recommend it. read more

Excellent introductory class by William. He presented in an extremely easy to understand format with hands-on exercises. I learned so many easy-to-use techniques that will, hopefully, result in truly "dramatic and artistic" snapshots that pause time! read more

I strongly recommend this class for any budding photographer. The class certainly helped in understanding photography.

I just attended the photography class with William. I have been using a DSL for several years and have taken several other courses. This is the first time things have been explained in language I understood. I walked away with a lot more knowledge than when I walked in. Thank You William nice job. read more