Composition in the Field - Photography Workshop

Each Composition in the Field class begins with a talk with one of our experienced instructors, and then you and your fellow students take a stroll through one of a variety of photogenic locales (in any of the 20+ cities the DPA encapsulates). There is street photography, magnificent interiors, farmers markets, zoos, landscapes, and more, photos of which are included within. These photos are a mix of student and instructor images in many different venues and cities across the United States and Canada.

You will have fun in the three hour session, learn to shoot strategically, get more interesting photos of the event, and walk away with a foundation to improve your photographs in the future, whether you’re traveling, or at a birthday party and everywhere in between.

Discovery Green is a new public park in downtown Houston at 1500 McKinney St. at Avenida de las Americas across from the George R. Brown Convention Center. It was opened in 2008 to provide a performance and recreation area on the east side of downtown and an attractive entrance to the Convention Center. In addition to a small performing stage, it features Kinder Lake for rowing and kayaking, several venues for food and drink, and a field of fountains which in the winter doubles as an ice skating rink. In addition to concerts and movies on the stage, most weekends it hosts festivals of varying sizes. Unlike much of downtown which is quiet on the weekends, Discover Green is always abuzz with families and singles enjoying this green oasis. Closest to I-59, the Green is accessible from all major freeways. There is ample paid parking underground and on the surrounding streets for drivers and a short walk for passengers of the Metro Light Rail Red Line — get off at the McKinney stop and walk east. For bus riders there are two stops directly in front of the Convention Center as well as many others in the vicinity. Classes usually meet at the White Promenade bridge over Kinder Lake, near the Lake House.

Bordered by the Delaware River over to 7th Street and between Vine Street and Lombard Street, your DPA Instructor knows this community like the back of his hand. Besides river front photo ops you will be making photos of colonial era buildings, some as restored museums, others as converted homes that have maintained their facades as the first American City selected by the members of the Organization of World Heritage Cities, (OWHC).

You can probably envision it and already have some thoughts in your mind’s eye as to how you will capture it with your camera.

Your instructor, again after hundreds of photo shoots there, will discuss a dozen or so different composition strategies and supervise your efforts in all of them. Try using a Leading Lines approach to pull the viewer of your images deep within the frame or a worm’s eye angle of statues that date back to the 1700. Create an abstraction of cobble stone streets or use some fall leaves to frame a vintage structure to create a, “Once upon a time long ago,” feeling for your viewer.

In addition to historic scenes there is also the contrast of contemporary cafes tucked away for charming and quirky street portraiture.

A symmetrical shot might strike you but don’t forget to include a Rule of Thirds composition technique so you can compare the pair of visual options and add the composition option to your signature style of making photos.

Your instructor will discuss Aperture Priority as a means of capturing a crisp focus on a single element within the frame highlighted by an impressionistic blur of colors surrounding the main subject. Shutter Speed Priority allows you to render an impressionistic and velvety flow of a fountain spout or the opposite, a crystal clear depiction of the water at a “Stop Dead” moment in time.

The workshop covers endless photo angles and composition choices which can be referred to forever after at any photo op of family, travels, sports, architecture and whatever else lies in your future as a photographer.

Meet at the Independence Visitor Center at 599 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA.

Please note – if a class must be cancelled due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control we will be happy to work with you to reschedule or provide a refund. However, if you should need to cancel or require a new class date, contact us. A $25 transfer fee will be imposed without a 3 day notice before the scheduled class.

Call Digital Photo Academy at 1 877 372 2231 or a field agent at 917 597 7053. Lots of people seem to hang up if our welcome recording comes on instead of a live voice, but we promise to return your message within a day or two if you leave one with your name and number. It would be even better if you included your email address as well as the date and city of the class you are considering. If leaving a voice mail message is not your thing, please email us at and include the date and city of the class you are considering, as well as your phone number.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Philadelphia Historic District, 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, United States