Visions of Hope

It took me a little longer than expected, but I am FINALLY ready to release the details of the first photography class that will be offered as part of the Half The Sky project.
{If you missed my post a few weeks ago explaining what I am doing and why, you can click HERE to get the full story and see what inspired me to go down this path}


Through this project "Visions of Hope" my passion for photography and adoption will be brought together. I will teach others about photography and how to use their cameras to capture those special moments and then donate a portion of the proceeds from these classes to Half The Sky which will ultimately benefit the children that are still residing in orphanages throughout China.

I am super excited to officially open enrollment today for the first online course "Get Out of the Auto Zone".
You can read all the details below.
I tried to include answers to most of the questions that I thought you would ask.
If by chance I missed something, don't hesitate to reach out to me.

“Get Out of the Auto Zone”
This is a beginner’s class that will be focused on the basics of photography. It will be a four week course that will move you past the automatic mode or the little green box as some people like to refer to it.

Week 1: Understanding Camera Functions - Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed, Focus, Etc.
Week 2: Exposure and Tackling the Manual Mode
Week 3: Finding the Light and Metering
Week 4: Composing the Shot

I will hold an online lesson each week via “Go To Meeting”. You will receive an outline containing the lesson through email the night before class and we will go through the entire lesson together as a group. With each lesson, I am going to give you things to work on or little assignments to make sure you are grasping what we are covering each week. Everyone participating in the class will be given an invitation to on online chat forum where you will be able to ask me questions or post pictures that you have taken throughout the 4 week course.

“The Art of Editing” - Adobe Photoshop Class (Week 5: Optional)
This is a comprehensive two hour class on editing and enhancing your photos using Adobe Photoshop. I will be sharing with you the way I edit my photos and my workflow from camera to blog. Each participant will receive an outline of everything that is covered in class so that they will have a guide to work from after the class is over.

Cost
Option 1 – “Get Out of the Auto Zone” (4 Week Course) - $250
Option 2 – “Get Out of the Auto Zone” and “The Art of Editing” (5 Week Course) - $300
Option 3 – “The Art of Editing” (Week 5 ONLY) - $100

When
Classes will start the week of March 29. You will have your choice of Tuesday or Thursday evening. All classes will begin promptly at 8:30pm Eastern Time each week. They will run 4 consecutive weeks or 5 if you are doing The Art of Editing as well.

What do I need to participate?
For the “Get Out of the Auto Zone” class you will need a DSLR camera, your camera manual (see my disclaimer below***), and your lens of choice (if you have a prime or fixed lens like a 50mm or an 85mm that would be best, but if you don’t we can work with what you already have) and a high-speed internet connection to attend the online class.

For “The Art of Editing” class you need a high-speed internet connection to attend the online class and Adobe Photoshop CS3/4/or5. Even if you don’t own the software now, you can download a trial version for the class so you can see and understand what I am doing.

***Disclaimer*** You may need to reference your manual from time to time to find something we are discussing. I will be here to help you through it if need be, but I need you to understand that I am not an expert in all camera makes and models. I am here to teach you photography basics. Most DSLR cameras have the same basic functions; you just need to push different buttons on each specific camera to achieve them. If you have any questions regarding this, please feel free to email me.

How do I sign up?
To sign up you MUST email me and tell me if you want Option 1, 2, or 3 and then request Tuesday or Thursday nights. Classes will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.
I am limiting each class to 10 participants, so that means I only have 20 seats available for this round of classes. I will start a wait list and if the demand is great enough, I hope to repeat this class again in May.

Payment
Once I notify you that you have secured a seat for the class, I will invoice you through Paypal.

References Available Upon Request
Last year I had the privilege of teaching many wonderful women online and in person and they are willing to share their experiences with you. I will happily provide you with email addresses and websites so you can contact them directly.


There is nothing I want more than to have "Visions of Hope" turn out to be a huge success, so I am going to throw in a little GIVEAWAY to encourage others to help me spread the word!

I will be giving two lucky winners a chance to take the 4 week class for FREE!!

You just need to do a few things in order to enter.

First, leave me a comment to let me know you are entering.


Then grab this new beautiful button created by my very talented and fabulous friend Marla. To do this scroll all the way down to the very bottom of my blog and you will see the blog button and the code.

After that you need to post the button somewhere on your own blog and if you happen to mention it in one of your posts this week, that would be great too! You have until next Friday, Feb 18th at 9pm Eastern Time to enter and the winner will be announced on Monday, Feb 21st.

If you already have a handle on the basics of photography or if you don't have an interest in photography yourself, but might know someone who does, you can enter to win and should your name be drawn, you can pass the class to the person of your choice.

Good luck, I can't wait to see who will win!


Thank you to everyone that has shown an interest in this project and has offered support and encouragement along the way. The journey to my daughter Reagan has opened my eyes and my heart to many special children in China who continue to wait to be matched with a forever family. My hope is that in some way these donations will make a difference while they wait.

To learn more about Half The Sky and see how they benefit the children in orphanages throughout China, you can visit them by clicking HERE.

UPDATE: ALL CLASSES ARE OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT! If you wish to be put on a wait list, please contact me by email. I am thrilled with the response that I received today and can't think of a better way to start the weekend. Thanks so much.

A few of you asked about entering the giveaway if you don't have a blog. I am now going to open this up to anyone that wants to enter. The only thing you have to do is leave me a comment telling me you would like a chance to win. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you leave me your email address so I can contact you should you win..