So what's it like to be a Continuing Studies instructor?

Challenging, but rewarding, says one first-time teacher.

At the ACC Centre for Continuing Studies, we're always finding new instructors.

Sometimes we have students who want to learn something and we'll try to find someone to teach it. Other times, we know of someone who has interesting knowledge to share, and we'll help them find students to teach it to.

Lately, there's been strong interest in photography classes from Brandon and area students. It seems people are hungry to learn just about anything about photography, and they're always wanting to upgrade their skills.

We figured that was at least partly because most people carry a camera with them a whole lot more often than they used to -- they're embedded in every smartphone -- and because sharing photos on social media has become such a huge part of many peoples' lives.

So we thought a course concentrating on Smartphone Photography would be a perfect fit.

It was!

We brought Colin Corneau to teach the class, earlier this month (don't worry if you missed it, there's another one coming up on Aug. 17). Colin's not just a professional photographer with the Brandon Sun, he's also loves the art of photography, and when he's not toting his high-end Canons for work, he's a fan of the unobtrusive form factor of a smartphone camera.

There are advantages and disadvantages to a smartphone camera. It's small, meaning you can easily take it with you wherever you go, but its lens is also small, meaning it may not be great at capturing low-light or fast-action shots.

In his class, Colin addressed some ways to make the most of the smartphone camera's abilities, while minimizing its shortcomings.

But while he knows how to deal with the challenges of a smartphone camera, dealing with the challenge of teaching a class was new.

I found it really hard! he laughs. It's nothing inherent in teaching, but it was challenging to reverse-engineer (what I do) for someone new. Teaching forces you to stop and think about it.

Photography has become such second nature to him, he says it was as if he had been asked to teach a class in walking.

But once he came up with a three-part structure to the three-hour class, he says everything came into place.

It was perfect, he said. It worked out well with the time frame we had, and it helps break it down into manageable chunks.

For the first hour, Colin said, he led students through some of the pros and cons of shooting with a smartphone, and he explored some of the different built-in tools or downloadable apps that can help take a photo to the next level.

In the second hour, he and the students took a mini-recess, wandering around the ACC Victoria Avenue East campus and putting some of the lessons learned into practice.

Then, in the third and final hour, they returned to the classroom for a group sharing session of the images they'd photographed, with Colin available to offer tips on how to further improve the pictures.

Colin noted that breaking the class into thirds mirrors the famous photography rule of thirds for getting more visually interesting photos.

One student, Lani, focused on flower closeups with her smartphone camera. She agreed to share this photo with us:

Colin says it's got good colour and composition, and is quite lovely and well done.

Not only did she make use of an add-on lens adapter, Colin says, she used the rule of thirds to make for a more dynamic composition and lead your eye through the frame on a 'path.'

She also got right up close to her subject -- easier, perhaps, with a flower than a person -- because smartphone cameras don't have a real zoom.

All told, Colin says, it's student success like this that make becoming an instructor such a rewarding choice.

I would recommend it for a couple of reasons, he says. The first is that it helps you focus on what you know. You can deepend and reinforce your own knowledge.

The second is that it's good to give back … you never know, yoiu may spark someone's new hobby, new career. They obviously care enough to take the course. It's really cool to think about that, you could spark a catalyst in someone else's life.

Colin's going to keep sharing his skills. He has several courses coming up this summer, and we may run a few of them another time in the fall or early winter:

• Street/Candid Photography — There's so much going on around you, and you've got a camera in your hand. This course will examine the approaches to candid street photography, helping you capture the essence of everyday life. Learn how to find moments that speak to you, and how to capture them unobtrusively, without interfering. Respecting the ethical boundaries of taking photos of subjects who are unaware will also be covered. Class will include an excursion to a Downtown Cruise Night to practice their skills. Thursday, June 4, from 6-9 p.m.
• Creative Photography — Learn to see the world differently and to find photo possibilities all around you. This class will explore techniques to find new perspectives, whether that’s higher or lower than normal, or sideways, closer or further away, or just off the beaten path. Speed up time or slow it down. See things through your camera you’ve never seen before. Learn with any camera, whether it is an SLR, point-and-shot or smartphone camera. Even film cameras are welcome, although instructor feedback won’t be possible with film. Monday, July 20 from 6-9 p.m.
• Smartphone Photography — So popular we're running it twice! Discover how to capture the best possible images using your smartphone. Learn about the basics of framing, lighting and holding your phone to make the best use of the small lens. Find specific apps for shooting, editing and sharing your photos. Some of the apps discussed in class may be purchased online for a small fee, but they are not required. Class will include a practical component with instructor feedback. Whether you just like to snap pictures with your phone or you’re ready to leave your bulky camera at home, our experienced photographer will teach you to take great photos on-the-go! Monday, Aug. 17 from 6-9 p.m.

Sounds great? Here's how to register.

So now it's your turn! What courses would you like to teach? We're currently looking for instructors to teach Baking, Guitar and Power Engineering, but if you have a skill that you'd like to pass on to others, give us a call! 204-725-8725.