This photography class was exactly what I've been seeking. I upgraded from my point & shoot a few months ago and needed help figuring out my DSLR. Also wanted to learn how to take photos in low lighting without losing the natural color and how to take those cool out-of-focus shots. Mel taught about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, settings, perspectives and tricks to step up your photos big time. Learned way more than I expected in just 3 hours. The pace and content was perfect. THANKS MEL FOR OFFERING THIS CLASS!! read more

This beginner class what exactly what I was looking for. I have a design background and took a film photography class once. However, the focus was more on the developing process than using the camera. This gap in knowledge has been a blocker for years. My intimidation from manual mode is gone! I never thought I would be comfortable saying that. I am excited to continue to practice and experiment with Photography. Michael was an exceptional teacher! He is entertaining and knew cameras inside and out. Best 3 hours I have ever spent on a class. read more

I took the the 3 hour beginners class last weekend with Michael and learned so much. It was a great experience that I would recommend to anyone looking to learn how to use their DSLR or about photography in general. Thanks! read more

Took this class over the weekend - I definitely recommend it! Our instructor was William and he is great! The class helped answer many of my questions about photography in general as well as how to use my DSLR. He also showed us how to navigate the functions in the cameras. The class flew by so quickly! Now I feel ready and pumped to take my camera around town and start shooting! No more auto mode! :) read more

I purchaced a Living Social deal for this class and attended it in San Francisco on a Friday night. Even with all the traffic coming up from San Jose, Mel made the drive worth the class. He was well orgainzed, clear, and provided great examples. Now I can finally use my camera and understand how to get more than just a boring tourist shot. Very personal and passionate about photography. I can't wait to start experiementing with the new understanding I have. read more

Mel was a great teacher ..... able to relate the photo concepts in a way I could understand easily...... thank you. I have read many photo books and magazines ..... but had that "AHA" moment and came home and starting shooting. I will highly recommend this class. read more

Totally enjoyed and learned from the 3 hour intro class with Isla Studio in SF. William took 3 hours to pack in the essentials of how to "see", pragmatic, clear, the best of what we need, helpful to anyone who asked questions, "pearls" from his seasoned photo experience, and wonderfully humorous and energetic. Loved this class; will take add'l when I can grab the time. read more

My Finace and I got the class on Groupon. We walked in and didn't know what to expect due to the bareness of the room that we were entering. We found the class room and spent 3 hour in the class and learned a TON. We got a DSLR for Christmas and now we can actually start to use it. Lindsay the instructor was great. full of personality, easy to associate stories for concepts, and knowledge. Remember NO FLASH :D Awesome class for beginners. read more

I went in only using Auto mode . . . now I have the confidence to try Manual mode! Very exciting! William was an OUTSTANDING teacher! I can't say enough about what I got out of the beginner class! I am definitely going back for more! read more

If you want to use your camera as it was intended to be used, this class will teach you the in and outs of photography. The teacher Michael Thomas in three hours made it easy and fun to learn a lot of the functions on my camera and how to apply them to taking pictures of family, landscapes, portraits, action events and anything else I could imagine. Shutter speed and aperture are the balancing act of good photography mixed in with a little ISO (sensitivity to light) are some of the tricks taught by Michael Thomas. If you want to be a better photographer I recommend this class, it has made me a better photographer. read more

I bought one of the Groupon for the Beginner Class. I took it because I really need a refresher class given that I had taken many classes throughout the years and have done even more self-teaching, but forgotten somethings. Lindsay, the instructor, is very energetic, inviting, and informative. Even though the basics were already familiar to me, it was a great refresher class and reinvigorated me. I felt that I learned a great deal (also good to hear concepts taught differently or stated differently) and Lindsay was very helpful and answered our billions and millions of questions! Can't wait to take more classes! read more

I took the Beginner's Photography class yesterday with William and was very pleased with the format and amount of information we were able to squeeze into 3 hours. I had taken a digital photography class in high school but needed to re-learn the basics since I had only owned point-and-shoot cameras since then. I recently upgraded to a DSLR and I think this class did a fantastic job making me feel ready to experiment with the manual settings and get the most out of my new camera. William is funny, engaging and a very effective instructor. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to transition from feeling sort of numbed in the brain when they look at their manual settings to being excited to fiddle with them! read more

Great intro photography class! Michael explained everything so clearly and had a great sense of humor. Highly recommend for anyone interested in making their photos more than ordinary. read more

I bought this class on line from Living Social for my daughter, I had questions before I booked the class and Mel was great with gettng back to me with details. My daughter is enrolled in a High School photography class and she really enjoyed Mel's class and the way he presented all the info in a way that it was easy to comprehend..she really enjoyed the class. We drove from San Jose and made a day of it...the location was really easy to get to, in a cool wherehouse building. I would recommend anyone who is thinking of taking up photography or just needs some brushing up! read more

Great class. I bought a deal off of Bloomspot and thought it was well worth the price. William was my instructor and I thought he was great. He explained everything thoroughly and with a great sense of humor. I've had my DSLR camera since last October and gave up taking photos with it because I just didn't know what I was doing at all. Now I"m excited to take the camera out and apply what I learned in class! read more

I took the three-hour class with William at the studio in the AMC theater on Van Ness in San Francisco and it was great; he was a terrific instructor - super-patient with everyone, really engaging, and very knowledgeable. I only wish there were some more advanced classes available! read more

Great class! Was very interesting & full of valuable information for beginner-photographers. Well-worth th regular rate for the course, but if you are lucky enough to get a groupn deal, then go for it. The only downfall was the class was a little large for my liking. In smaller settings you get more interaction with the instructor and would probably have more time for questions, etc. But really, I loved it & highly recommend the course! read more

Just took the 3 hour intro photography class with William. It was definitely worth the money and time. I used to use film SLR's long ago, and I found this class to be a good refresher for me. Great presentation and lots of time for one-on-one questions. read more

Awesome class by Mel tonight. It was full of info that demystified all of those bizarre basic terms we need to know in order to take better photos. I feel much more knowledgable about how I can take better photos and the tools my camera has that can support me. Thanks, Isla and Mel! read more

I took the class with William and he was very knowledgeable and patient with explaining the basics of photography. I have a Canon PowerShot 12 (basically a fancy point-and-shoot) and was looking to get hands-on information on photography tools like shutter speed, aperture and ISO. I was not disappointed! There were about ten people in the class, and their cameras ranged from iPhones to super fancy DLSRs. Despite the wide range, it seemed like everyone got something out of the class. I definitely recommend this class to anyone looking to improve their photography, either professionally or just for personal use. read more

I took the "Photography 101" class here last Sat. afternoon. I really liked the instructor, Mel. He's got a great personality, knows what he's talking about, and genuinely loves photography. This is the first photography class I've ever taken and I'm so glad I did! I love taking pictures but I've never known how to do anything other than point and shoot. Mel explained everything in very simple, easy to understand terms, and I left there feeling really enthusiastic about photography and wanting to learn more. I'm hopeful that this will become my new hobby and that for once in my life, I'll take a decent picture! read more

I took the 3-hour Introduction to Photography Class last night, and I have to say it was fantastic. I have been lugging around a Nikon D300 for years, but never understanding how to take a basic photo with it. It is definitely way more camera than I ever needed - I was lured in by all of the rave reviews it received (mainly from professional photographers!). I have been intimidated and more than a little frustrated by it. Fast forward to last night's class, and, finally, it all "clicks" for me! Wendy did a great job explaining shutter speed, aperture and ISOs for the layman. Highly recommend! read more

Fabulous class with Bill/William on Sunday afternoon! The 3 hr "beginning" class was a great refresher. I have always been intimidated by my DLSR, even though I have a lot of experience with film photography way back when. William made it fun, informative and approachable; he patiently answered every question, from the most basic to a complex question about a specific camera. He was well versed in every camera in the room, and even figured out functions on point and shoot cameras on the fly. AWESOME class and highly recommend! I only wish they offered another level! read more

I purchased a deal through Living Social for a 3-hour class with Mel. A week later, I am still seeing the things he taught us about photography in everyday life. He is a great teacher, very well-organised, and incredibly passionate about what he does. To top it off, he is very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended for photographers of all levels - he will tailor his course to your level. read more

I took Mel's class this weekend and have nothing but terrific things to say. What made it great was was his ability to provide simple, practical advice that gives you several key tips that easily get you going with your DSLR and applies these tips and concepts to situations. The first part is a little basic (why have a DSLR), but it quickly gets to good simple concepts that are easy to remember and put into practice. He was also very helpful in what to buy/not buy for your camera. read more

I'm so glad I went to this class! Mel is hilarious and I learned so much in a short amount of time. If you want to take better photos... Take the class. read more

Did the three hour photography class with William and absolutely enjoyed it. I had been taking pictures on the DSLR for a bit now with no real feel for its true capacity. It was a session that catered very well to decoding your camera! William is very knowledgeable on the subject and with his keen sense of humor made the 3 hrs of technical detail rather fun. Of course, I would like to say I have this thing mastered but not just yet.....the practice part is what is going to be the true test. Highly recommend it for first timer. read more

Took the beginners class with Mel last night. He was awesome! He taught the class in perfect speed, really made sure everyone was understanding the terminology, explained it in laymen's terms so you could better grasp all the "scary" functions and modes of my new DSLR. He was pretty funny and entertaining as well and walked around to assist people (and me) when they had questions. All in all, great class and I would highly recommend it to ANYONE that gets a new DSLR camera to quickly learn how to get out of auto mode. read more

I just took a 3-hour beginning photography class with William and I came home with a reinvigorated interest in photography. William is a great teacher with a sense of humor, welcoming personality and very knowledgeable. The course was a nice survival basics course that gives enough practical info so you can get out there and start taking pictures. While I really appreciated the individual attention William gave to everyone, totally necessary for a room of students with different skill levels and different cameras with a variety of settings, I found it kept the class pace really slow as well - so bring patience and snacks if you are a fast learner or already comfortable with the basics. As an additional note for excellent customer service, I signed up for the same class last week but then ended up with the flu. Mel, the teacher that day, was really understanding about my needing to reschedule last minute. Thanks! All in all, highly recommend the course and the company. read more

I don't usually leave reviews unless something is really good or really bad. Well this class is awesome! I finally get how a camera works. I recently bought a DSLR and I was pretty overwhelmed when trying to use it. I've tried to teach myself the settings and functionality of the camera, but reading a manual is pretty dry and unhelpful. Anyway William is a great teacher, and I recommend this class for anyone who wants to take their camera out of auto mode or learn how to use a dslr. read more

Great class to take to learn the details of your camera. We learned not only about DSLRs but also point-and-shoot, which is also useful. Presentation was simple but very informative! Great for beginners, or if it has been awhile. Instructors are knowledgeable and can easily answer questions. I appreciated the hands on feature. The instructor made sure each person understood how to use the feature that was being discussed. It is worth it and I would recommend this class if you want to take pictures, and ESPECIALLY if you have a nice camera! It is a waste to use the camera's auto feature all the time. read more

I just took the 3-hour class with Lindsay and it was amazing! I've been wanting to buy a DSLR for years but was too intimidated to buy one without knowing how to use it. Now I know how to use it and take great photos. I HIGHLY recommend this class for anyone wanting to learn more about photography or anyone who just wants to know how to use a camera. The class is simple and easy to understand. I brought my laptop to take notes and I was really glad I did because I was able to take down a lot of details that were not in the presentation. Lindsay was awesome and made the class fun, interesting and informative. She made sure we all left with a clear understanding of all the concepts and she answered everyone's questions. Last thing, I got a deal through Living Social and it was a steal for all the information I got. Thanks Isla Studio! read more

The beginner photography class lead by William was really terrific. I received a DSLR camera as a Christmas present and I had no idea how to use it on any other setting but "automatic". William explained all the concepts very clearly. He even took extra time with the "aperture" section because it can be a tricky concept to get your head around and he wanted to make sure everyone understood it. In 3 short hours I now feel confident in taking my camera off of "automatic" mode! read more

I loved this class... I was gifted this class by my kids off Living Social for mother's day and it was everything I thought I needed. I've had my camera for many years....shooting in AUTO mode most of that time and trying to figure out all the dials, settings and buttons to no avail. I started a project at the beginning of the year of taking a Picture of the Day for 365 Days. This has made me aware of things around me and painfully aware that I needed to learn more about my camera. In a matter of minutes this class had us out of AUTO mode and into the workings of our cameras. Bill was pleasant and knowledgeable about the subject and all the different camera's that people brought with them. He taught in a very casual manner which I really appreciated. I would recommend this class to EVERYONE who thinks they want to learn about photography or have a camera sitting around they need to learn how to use. Bill makes you want to get out and take pics! If there is one negative I would say that there wasn't any information about possible future classes or where we could go after leaving this class. A list of resources would have been nice. Thanks for the great class. read more

Mel was my instructor, and the class was time and $ well spent. I learned more in 3 hr. about practical application than I did in a complete course in intro photography. I can't wait to start practicing the techniques I learned! read more

If you are starting out in photography or just need to brush up on the basic technical skills this class definitely gives you the bang for the buck and Mel is very good about covering the ground needed in 3 hours to give you what you need to walk out feeling good about using your camera and having a fairly good understanding of things like shutter speed, aperture, exposure, composition, etc, i'm very pleased with the class and how much money I spent it was totally a fair deal as they come far as i'm concerned. read more

Bought the Groupon for a 3hr intro class and LOVED it. I was given a DSLR which I had NO CLUE how to use; after class with Mel S. I was snapping away, changing all the settings to take pictures like I've never taken pictures before! Mel is pretty hilarious and he makes photography (terminology, managing all the knowledge as you take photos, teaching about composition) really understandable, approachable, and fun! I took the class with my friend who currently just has a point-and-shoot camera. After seeing how fun and easy it can be to take beautiful photos, she is convinced to invest in a DSLR! read more

Our office team just purchased a high end DSLR camera and had no idea how to use it. After attending a three hour instruction class with Mel, we walked away with an excellent understanding of what our camera will do! We can highly recommend this class for any person wanting to learn an artistic approach to photography. We learned the basics from Mel rather than reading the 500 page instruction book that came with the camera!! We got a great deal with Groupon for this class~ read more

Attending this class was very informative. Mel was funny and very knowledgeable. I had a point and shoot G12 camera. Now I know what the icons are. I need on hand-on instruction. Mel will tell you how to shoot great pictures. Time really flies in this class. Yes, definitely attend this class. It is great!!!! People from as far as Sacramento attend this class. Words of mouth. :) read more

I just took the class and William was the instructor. He was excellent. He explained various terms such as aperture in a way that was easy to conceptualize. As noted by other reviewers, the class is geared towards beginners. It is a combination of learning how to manually operate your camera and hints on composition. He took the time to answer general questions, provide tips, and address specific cameras. It is geared towards people with DSLRs; luckily I have a point-n-shoot with manual mode. I wholeheartedly recommend the class. read more