for kids aged 10+ who are comfortable with manual mode

Rock Your Light Online Course

Mondays at 5:00 - 6:30 PM MST
Jan 17 - Feb 7, 2022

Light is an integral part of photography.  Actually, it's the reason why an image can even exist!  In this course, kids  develop a deeper understanding of light.  They will learn about light, the characteristics of light, how it works and how they can capture it.  They will mainly be working with natural light, but there will be opportunity to use artificial light sources as well.  We'll find creative ways to photograph light and how it can enhance their images.   By the end of class, kids will be seeing light in a whole different way!!

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Week 1

  • Noticing Light
  • Types of Natural Light
  • Characteristics of Light
  • Planning for Light

Week 2

  • Exploring Side Light
  • Creating Mood 
  • Working with Modifiers

Week 3

  • Exploring Backlight
  • Bokeh
  • Creating Silhouettes
  • Creating Mood with BackLight

Week 4

  • White Balance
  • Different WB Settings
  • Telling your Story

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time will be spent online during the course?

The group will meet via Zoom for 60 -75 minutes each class. Throughout the four classes, we will talk about about light, how to work with light and how to modify light. Kids will have the week to practice, experiment and play with the concepts learned.  

What kind of camera does my child require to take this course?

Kids require a camera with manual mode functionality.  With different lighting situations that will be covered in this course, users need to be in control of the exposure settings, which is not possible if they don't have manual mode functionality.  They will also be learning about white balance so will be require cameras with the ability to change the white balance settings.

Feel free to email me at click@kidsphotographyacademy.com to ask if the camera you have on hand will be appropriate.

Are there are prerequisites for taking this course?

We strongly recommend that kids have taken the ROCK YOUR CAMERA course before taking the ROCK YOUR LIGHT course.   This is because being comfortable with how to change exposures using aperture, shutter speed and ISO is a necessity to work with the different types of light we'll be discussing.   If kids haven't taken the Rock Your Camera course, they will need to be very comfortable working in manual mode.   

What is the ideal age for kids taking this course?

Kids will need to be comfortable with being in a Zoom meeting for 60-75 minutes. An age range of 11-16 is recommended for this camp but of course depends on their focus level.

How will the kids learn in this online photo course?

For each day we are together kids will be taken through a certain concept on light.   They will see lots of different examples that are shown on slides through screen share that reinforce their learning and have opportunities to use their cameras and practice as we go along.  The sessions are kept very interactive.  I am constantly asking what they notice (one of my favourite questions!!), checking they understand the concept and encouraging questions and comments by everyone in the group.   Kahoot games will also be used to review their learning and inject fun into the class.

After each class, the kids have the week to learn, play and experiment with what they learned. They will have a number of challenges to complete before the next class.   The images they complete and submit will be discussed in the following week's class.  They are welcome to email me with questions they may run into throughout the week. They will also have online access to the material covered in class so they can go back and review whenever they need. They are also welcome to post their images to the KPA Community Hub to get feedback.

Are any lights or props required for this course?

We will mostly be working with natural light throughout this course.  However, we recommend having a good desk lamp, ring light or other source of transportable light so it can be moved to where the student requires it.   This is because there will be limited access to natural light during the late afternoon/winter class time.

For the modifiers course, kids will require:
- cardboard or cardstock or poster board to create a modifier   (as opposed to flimsy paper)
          --- both white and dark
- modifiers found in the home, such as colanders, lace,   (something that both blocks and lets light through)
kind words by students

Our students love our
approach to learning

"My 13 year old son really loved participating in the online "Rock your Camera" workshop! He learned so much about his new camera and was super engaged in all the classes. The activities and additional challenges presented really helped to inspire him. He certainly became more confident and creative with his camera throughout the workshop."
JULIE
"Thank you so much for your teaching this week! Our son has always had an eye for detail so it’s great to get proper instruction on the potential of the camera! We appreciate you tackling the whole online piece so beautifully and the upside of the pandemic is being able to work with someone like you from anywhere in the world. I think your platform is great. It’s also very helpful to have some social interaction in the midst of too much isolation. "
DANA
"My daughter loved the the Rock your camera workshop. It is a great introduction to photography for kids. The instruction was great and my daughter loved the picture taking exercises."
JAY
Meet the instructor

Janet Pliszka

Janet is the creator of Kids Photography Academy.   She's been a professional photographer for over 15 years and has specialized in family, school and branding photography.
She's always loved watching kids get curious about her camera and that motivated her to start teaching photography in camps and schools in her city of Calgary. Now, she's thrilled to also offer online experiences for kids everywhere through KPA.  Her students describe her as super encouraging, fun and knowledgeable.
She is all about sparking passion, confidence, and curiosity in kids by teaching them this craft she loves so much.  She looks forward to seeing you soon! 
Patrick Jones - Course author