I kick started my Canon Academy training schedule for the year on the sunny morning of 25th May 2024 at Tirupati Mazima Mall in Kabalagala. 

The session fully booked out in the first 24 hours of the flier being on the Canon on-line platforms. As a result, the registration forms and application portal were closed. The Academy makes available 50 seats, then selects 25-30 people to attend the training. 

Previously, the advertisement for the training would run for a week or so. It goes to show that there is an avid, growing and undeniable interest for people to explore the world of Photography. It also shows that since the Canon trainings are more scarce now (more far apart), there are too many people waiting to benefit from the rich wealth of knowledge that the trainings come with. 

My beginner class, like the ones before it carried its own uniqueness to personality as it did to professionals in the room. For instance I had a participant who had a very expressive face, it almost felt like you could hear the questions in his head, or the different scenarios making sense to him. 

Then again, I would understand. Front and center to our discussion on photography was foundations being critical to any advancement; be it in terms of knowledge or the availability of skills empowering your creative decisions as a photographer. 

What picture do you want to take? How do you want to take the picture? When do you want to take the picture? Where do you want to take the picture from? Like Benedict Cuberbunch playing the legendary Sherlock Holmes, the who, when, where, what matters. 

These questions, are why the training is important, to equip you with the knowledge enough to know why you’d choose one lens over the other. 

Photography is about being an artist and, as such finding what kind of photography works for you. 

I spoke about the exposure triangle and surnamed it the “Holy Grail” of photography, like I called it the town’s sheriff in last year’s final class. 

Apart from emphasizing what each aspect represents, I pointed out that it allows you to tell a story in ways that are captivating and unique to you. 

I dare say, at the end of the class, the participants were more confident to move from shooting in Auto to manual mode. 

Thank you to Canon for availing learning opportunities and for such a vibrant class. Here’s to sacred inside jokes like “Aperture value”, our hosts at MCI media hub, and overall good health. 

Keep a lookout, I will see you in the intermediary session on the 27th of July 2024. From my class and I.