FAQs

Each session combines theory and practice as well as feedback and advice on your photos. Every week you will be assigned a homework  assignment, which then gets uploaded to a secure photo-sharing group and shared with the class and the tutor. At the end of each class you receive a full set of notes covering all that has been introduced in the session so there is no need to distract yourself with taking notes in class.

We run a few varieties of our workshops – the most typical one is our 5 week course which is spread over five 1.5h sessions combining theiry with in-class supervised practice with your baby. However, we understand that it can be difficult for a working parent to free themselves during the week so we also run weekend classes – delivered over 2 half-days, this course covers the same points as our 5 week course. Due to the length of the sessions, children are not invited to the class – instead, to provide you with a practice elements, we invite other children and their parents to model for the session. You still need to practice at home on your own family between the classes though!

To fully benefit from the course you will need a DSLR camera or a good bridge camera ( compact camera with manual controls ). A large part of the course is understanding how to manipulate your camera controls to get a desired effect, and you can only really get that from one that has manual controls – as DSLRs and bridge cameras do.

Yes we can. If your current camera isn’t quite right for the course, or you’re just considering buying a new one, we can rent you a simple DSLR camera for the duration of the course. We will charge you a small deposit that will be fully refunded once the camera is back with us. If you would like to rent a camera, please get in touch

We usually recommend that our students bring DSLR cameras as they offer the best control over their functions. DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex which essentially means a camera that uses mirrors to direct light from the lens to the viewfinder. Usually chunkier than compact digital cameras that use electronics to detect and process light, DSLRs allow you to manually manipulate all the settings and also switch lenses to get the desired result. As the technology moves forward, some high end compact cameras (bridge cameras) are now featuring manual and semi-automatic controls, similar to those on a DSLR, as well as interchangeable lenses. You will know if your digital camera is a bridge camera if amongst its settings you will find one called “aperture priority” – often marked with a letter A and one called “shutter speed priority” often marked with a letter S or Tv. If you are still unsure about your camera, just get in touch – we will be able to help.

We often get asked that question – the answer is: it depends what you need from it. If you are looking to buy your first DSLR and have little experience shooting with one, we would simply advise you to get one of the starter DSLRs either from Canon or Nikon. The choice of a specific brand is often a matter of personal preferences – in terms of results, either of these brands perform very comparatively and are also similarily priced. If you want to save a little money, going for the model released before the latest one may be the way to go as they do go down in price whenever a new one is released (which they tend to be every couple of years these days) – there are almost never huge differences between the succeeding models. We do recommend Canon or Nikon brands, simply because in terms of your future investment, they offer the widest range of lenses and accessories. It is worth knowing that things such as lenses are brand-specific and not interchangeable between brands – so if you buy into canon, you will be buying accessories to go with that brand only. There are third party lens producers ( such as Tamron or Sigma) who produce lenses for both brands, but you will still be buying Sigma for Nikon or Sigma for Canon.

If you are looking to buy your first DSLR we would recommend you read our Guide to buying your first camera – we also have a few selected models in our Amazon Associate shop.

We get a real variety when it comes to our attendees – some have only just bought a DSLR, sone have had it for some time but have never got round to using it. Some still have more knowledge but lack practice and input from a photographer. The course is suitable for all these cases. Our approach is structured and methodical so there is time to learn everything from scratch. For those with a level of knowledge already there, the input form the photographer and necessity to force themselves to take more photos is a real advantage. At nearly every class we have students who have done a photography course before ( usually 1 or 2 day weekend course) and they all say they still benefitted greatly from the course. What sets our course apart is the 5 week progression with access to the photographer – we build the skills up one by one and with each step there is practice and feedback which helps you learn more efficiently, ask questions and resolve any queries. You get tasked with home assignments week on week and take photos in class with your baby as well, which motivates you to challenge yourself and be more creative. If you are not sure if your experience exceeds the level of the course – please get in touch – we’ll talk and advise accordingly. And if you do come to class but decide the level is too low – we’ll be happy to refund your money. 

Pre-walker babies are welcome in class – they are an important part of the class set up, being the ideal models on which to practice your photography. We always have mats, cushions and a selection of toys set out for them and try to flex the session to their needs. We do not have additional children’s entertainers involved in the session so you will have to balance your learning with looking after your child, but in most cases our students assure us it works really well. Yes, all the children can get grumpy or a little loud at times and no, nobody minds. Everyone else in the group is a parent and knows exactly what having kids means.

As a general rule we cut the attendance age at pre-walkers, just because the distraction from energetic toddlers to their parents can just be too great to allow them to fully benefit from the class. However, we have made exceptions for 2 – 3 year olds who are happy to be occupied with some toys or a film so if that’s your case – let us know and we’ll see what we can do. Some of our venues also offer creche facilities – please check on our Locations page if your chosen venue provides this service. The creche service is subject to separate fees set out by the childcare provider.

Yes, you are certainly more welcome to come to class without your child. During the practice we tend to pair up the Mums with kids with those without them, to allow everyone to get adequate practice. The main bulk of your practice time will be at home so as long as you have someone at home to practice on, you will be fine

You can book our courses either through our online booking facility : http://bookwhen.com/timeformums or via some of our venues. Booking online is quick and easy and our payments are processed via Paypal checkout – this means you can book either using your paypal account or simply using a credit or debit card, and since it’s Paypal, your transaction is secure. We do require payment at the point of registration – otherwise we are unable to guarantee your place.

Any cancellations made up to 21 days before the start of the course can be reimbursed in full ( minus 5% payment processing fee). Cancellations up to 10 days before the class can be reimbursed at 50% rate, after that we regret but we are unable to issue further refunds. As an alternative, we can transfer your place onto another person and we can offer you a place at our course at a different date. Of course certain things ( illness etc) cannot be foreseen – if that’s your case, contact us and we’ll try to find a solution.
If we need to cancel a planned course due to external circumstances, we will always offer you a refund or a space at a different location / date.

Yes, we frequently run special offers – including Early bird specials or 24h-only offers. All discount codes issued by us need to be entered at checkout and the discount will be deducted from the total due. You can be alerted to any new offers if you sign up to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter