FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I know very little about my camera, are your courses suitable for a beginner?

Absolutely, you do not need any prior camera knowledge to book into either our beginners photography workshop or Simply SLR course as we will explain the camera features to you and guide you on how and when to use them for best results. For the Practical, Night Photography and Advanced workshop (Beyond the Basics) however it is recommended that you first attend either our Beginners day workshop or SLR course.



Which course is right for me?

If you are a complete novice or are unfamiliar with your camera then the Beginners photography workshop is our most popular course and includes a morning of essential camera theory followed by an afternoon of practical photo taking around the Southbank Parklands in Brisbane. Alternativley the Simply SLR course is short four hour theory only course and is also a great place to start understanding your camera with the optional Practical course (SLR pt2) also available as a follow-on course. Our Beyond the basics workshop is for anyone who has either attended our Simply SLR course or beginners workshop and has a good understanding of the basics of exposure. Finally we also offer One-to-One private tuition at South bank (Brisbane), your home, place of business or a location of your choosing.



Is my camera suitable?

Our courses are designed for users of DSLR (digital slr) cameras and ‘Mirrorless cameras’ (sometimes called ‘micro four thirds’ or ‘hybrid’ cameras). If your camera allows the lens to be removed then your camera is suitable. If you have a ‘bridge camera’ then you are also very welcome to join us on any of the courses but we recommend that you contact us first as there may well be some topics covered that will not apply to your camera type. If you are still unsure if your camera is suitable please do not hesitate to email or call us anytime.

Loan cameras (Nikon and Canon) availble upon request.
Sorry but our courses or workshops are not suitable for compact digital cameras.



How many people do you have in a group course or workshop.

We limit the number of participants so everyone receives plenty of help and assistance from the tutor and the opportunity to ask those all important questions. A sold out photography course or workshop has just SIX participants. The iPhone course can have up to eight participants.



How do I book into a course?

Booking a place on a Photo Genius course or workshop couldn’t be easier. Simply visit the 'Course dates' page to see all our courses listed in date order - click on the book button to be taken to the bookings page where you can add to cart and book online. Payment can then be made via credit card with transactions handled via PayPal which protects your financial information with industry-leading security and fraud prevention systems. Once your payment is complete, you will be emailed a receipt for this transaction and we will also be in touch via email or phone to confirm the booking. You DO NOT have to be have a PayPal account to make payment.



Tell me more about the tutors.

We have two experienced tutors with extensive camera and photography knowledge, for more details on Photo Genius tutors please visit the about page.



I have been given a gift voucher, how do I book a course?

Visit the MyVoucher page for details on how to book using a gift voucher.



Can I purchase a gift voucher?

Yes, we offer gift vouchers that start from juat $75 and are redemable against any of our courses or workshops (including private One-to-One tuition). Visit the gift voucher page for more details and to purchase online.



Do you offer help with Lightroom or Photoshop?

We can provide tuition and help with Lightroom and all your editing requirements on a One-to-One basis. At present we do not offer Photoshop tuition or group courses.



What should I bring with me to the course?

Your camera with a fully charged battery + spare battery (if you have one), lenses, memory card plus your camera manual is also sometimes handy for quick reference (not essential so don't worry of you cannot find it). For practical courses and workshops please also bring a tripod, if you do not have one just let us know in advance and we will provide one for you (this is a free service, we do not charge for loan tripods).

We also have Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras available to use if you wish.



What if it rains on the day of the course?

Despite living in the ‘sunshine state’ it does of course sometimes rain. If a practical course or workshop has to be cancelled due to bad weather then participants may choose to attend another course/workshop at a later date as listed on our website. Sorry but we are unable to offer refunds on courses re-scheduled due to bad weather.



What if I have to cancel my course?

If you have to cancel then we will be happy to offer a place on another course providing we are given at least 6 days notice. Sorry but we are unable to offer refunds or re-bookings on cancellations made within 6 days of the course date or for no-shows.



I have made a booking but not received any confirmation or details.

Once you have made a booking we will email you confirmatiom plus details including where to go, what to bring and parking recommendations. This usually takes 24 hours but may take longer if your booking was made on a weekend or bank holidays. If you did not receive an email please check your junk folder as Hotmail accounts often mistake our emails for junk. Please contact us prior to the course date if you have still not received any correspondence so we can resend.



What are your booking terms and conditions?

For our full terms and conditions please visit our t&c page using the following link > Terms and conditions.



I have another question not listed here....

If you have any questions or concerns please email or call anytime so we can assist you.