Master Your Camera Controls and Composition in the Field - Photo Workshops

The DPA Instructors who lead these workshops are professional photographers

For each Master Your Camera Controls, a maximum of 5 attendees sit for 90 minutes with the instructor who will walk you through the manual camera controls of your specific camera. More than 5 attendees would be too chaotic if each person brings a different camera, with different controls.

After enrollment we procure the exact camera manufacturer and model in advance so the teacher is sure to point out any special features. This allows the photographer the option of overriding the automatic camera controls which sometimes disengage because the mechanics of the camera miscalculate the visual effect you are attempting.

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.

The Master Your Camera Control session is always taught very close to the meeting spot of the Composition in the Field session. Registering for this Eventbrite event means you will be enrolled in both classes (which take place back-to-back, immediately one after the other).

Back in the 15th century and well before the Tempe Beach Park grounds were the locale of an extensive desert valley canal system built by the Hohokam Indians. Today, the scenic destination is 25 acres of winding paths along side the Tempe Town Lake, frequented by dog walkers, skateboarders, couples and other visitors as well as interesting structures in the form of several walking bridges, varying in architectural designs. Your DPA Instructor will advise on composition techniques such as Leading Lines, Rule of Thirds and other easy-to-learn strategies that transform snapshots into compelling images.

The lovely Tempe Town Lake is a tranquil experience alone but there are also photos ops of love you can also photograph colorful kayaks that pepper the expanse as well as sailboats as they peacefully traverse the water.

Whether waterside or landscapes there are loan runners, bikers in solitude, tai-chi practitioners and old-fashions exercisers of every sort, but also there are also groups, performing these activities in unison, neat formations that allow a photographer to create a visual narrative depicting a full variety of environmental portraits.

Recently the city erected the, “Tempe Public Safety Memorial,” also worth seeing to capture with your camera.

700 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85281

There is free parking in lot or on street. Meet your DPA Instructor at the entrance to the Tempe Town Lake pedestrian bridge, which is accessible from the Tempe Center of the Arts parking lot.

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

Tempe Beach Park, 700 West Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, United States