DSLR classes

I am an inactive member of the Long Beach Digital Photograph and photo shop meet-​up. Over the past four years, I’ve had several surgeries, consequent post surgery therapies and a concussion. I did continue following the group’s posts. Finally, I feel physically able to resume my interest in photography including participation in the meet-​up. Unfortunately, I could not recall how to operate my camera and it felt too heavy. Fortunately, a member of the meet-​up posted a positive review for Hector Gonzales. I, immediately, phoned him.
I explained my situation to Hector. He listened and made appropriate recommendations about cameras; provided resources about where to buy at reasonable costs; etc. I purchased a camera that is lighter in weight, easier to learn and a camera that uses the lens I own. Hector was available, by phone, to answer my many questions.
Hector limits his 8 to 9 hour workshop to eight participants. Online, Hector gave us «pre-​workshop homework» that explained and illustrated aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. He was available by phone.
The workshop participants had various cameras and varying levels of experience. Hector knew each camera and through out the day provided individual instructions. He would explain, demonstrate, have us duplicate what he had demonstrated, look at each of our results (and provide feedback and assistance if needed), etc. Hector discussed all the modes, how to hold a camera, positioning your body, lighting, composition, lenses, … and much more.
In sum, Hector taught us using various methods: lecture, demonstration, individual follow up, repetition, reading material, etc. Once a student… always a student. Hector will remain open to assist you in the future.
I owned my camera less than two weeks before the workshop. My rich learning experience has given me a great foundation. At this point, I know that I will master what the workshop covered and I am ready to shoot, shoot and shoot.
I highly recommend Hector Gonzales if you want to learn photography.

I’ve always been interested in taking photography and I received a DSLR camera for my birthday. I’ve been shooting with a point n shoot camera and I knew nothing about DSLR cameras prior to taking this class. I wanted to see what was out there and found his page on Unilocal.So, I chose to take his «Get Out of Auto» class, since that was the perfect beginning point for me.
So here’s what happens. you contact Hector and tell him you’re interested. You secure one of the 8 spots when you pay him through pay pal or send him a check. Then he sends you a homework assignment. He keeps you updated on the weather and any other important information.
So the day of looked like this. show up at 6:45 am. Practice hands on portion with our cameras and shooting based on the lecture. It’s a detailed
time line and he does go by a certain pace. The class mainly focuses on aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
You will learn ALOT from this class. Am I a professional photographer now? NO far from it! Was it overwhelming? Yes. Honestly, I probably don’t even remember half the stuff I learned from the class. It was a lot of info lol. Think of it as a crash course! It’s not some magical one time course that will make you a pro. But, I did get exactly what I wanted to get out of of it… a starting point with my camera. To be a bit more informed and comfortable with playing around with the different modes. Now it’s just about practicing! Oh btw, you will get a notebook with all the topics that was covered in the class. The class has a low student to teacher ratio… so you will get lots of attention and help from Hector. He super nice and very informative. He really wants everyone to learn!
Here’s what you should know before going into the class:
–Study more than you think you should (you’ll thank me later)
–there’s water and chips provided for you
–you will be outside the whole time so dress warm!
— he brings camping chairs and pens for you to write with

This class is truly fantastic!
For years I have been saying I should take a class to learn how to use my Canon Rebel DSLR camera other than in auto mode. My husband signed me up for Hector’s «Get out of auto mode» and it couldn’t have been better.
You will receive some homework before the class that forces you to look at all your camera buttons and play around with them. The class itself is 10+ hours long (so prepare yourself for a long day) and you will get a binder with everything you learned that day.
Hector goes over all the basic photography terms, best practices, equipment and your goals of taking the class.
After reviewing all the physical buttons on your camera he explains each function in detail and makes you practice. The class is very hands on so you can see the effect of different settings on your own camera and learn from it.
You will go through all options of your camera until you «graduate» to shooting in manual.
Hector is amazing and it shows that he loves photography and teaching alike. He has the day perfectly planned out and created a great manual that you get to take home. He also answers any questions that you have and makes sure he has the right props so you can practice!
Don’t waste your time or money on other classes, as tempting as the Groupon photography classes might sound. You will just end up taking Hector’s class anyway!

I highly recommend Hector’s DSLR classes. I already a little bit about shutter speed, aperture and ISO, but I learned so much more and came away with a better understanding. Keep up the great work Hector!

Thank you Hector for an amazing, enjoyable, and informative photography class on Saturday! I would 100% recommend this class to anyone who wants to understand their DSLR for personal or business use.
Before this class I knew nothing about aperture, ISO and shutter speed. The class started at 7am and by our 10am break I knew more about my camera than I could of imagined and it only got better!!! Hector takes that extra time to explain and show you how your camera works. He was very attentive to everyone in the class and helped each of us personally if we were struggling. I left the class feeling like a pro and excited about photography!!!

Hector, Magnifico! If you want to learn how to use a camera Hector is the man. A teacher and a gentelman who takes the time individually on every lesson we are working on. I did not expect how he takes so much time for every person and never misses a name and never misses a beat. He demands you learn or he won’t leave you alone, and he knows when you do not know… I want to take his session on night photography sometime in the future. I wouldn’t consider anyone but Hector. I highly recommend him if you want to learn about your camera. He’s a great resource. Jack Williams

WOW! Where to even begin? I just took Hector’s class this Saturday and was blown away! I did not know what to expect out of a full day photography class, and walked away SO excited and much more knowledgable about my camera! Hector is so passionate about photography, which transfers to his students! He could answer every question about every camera, regardless of the brand. During the wonderful day together, we learned ALL about the best ways to use our cameras, the three most important rules (take the class to learn!), lighting, and other great tips and tricks! Hector is so kind and a great teacher for anyone at any level! I am so grateful to have been able to learn from Hector and look forward to being able to take a class from him soon!

Thank you so much for an amazing class, sir Hector. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot. I know how to work my camera properly and definitely loving the manual along with the Shutter Speed and Aperture mode. I feel very comfortable working with my camera now and know how to fix my pictures in shadows and highlights. Definitely worth the money and would recommend anyone to take the class. You will surely enjoy it. Thank you again sir Hector and looking forward to your next class!!!

Thank you Hector for an amazing photography learning day!!! Even after trying to understand two books and one manual on my camera, and watching online photography classes, I would panic every time I got stuck in M mode. So I’d go back to Auto mode just to get it over.
After taking your Getting Out of Auto Mode class, I learned to pay attention to the environment, to the numbers displayed on the screen, how to balance them, and to listen to the shutter sound which could indicate a blurry picture. I even learned a few tricks I didn’t know about my camera.
Following the class, at home I reviewed the pictures we took in the park, and in many of them I thought, «Aha, no wonder Hector said that…». After a week, I had a chance to go to downtown LA with my husband just to take pictures indoors and outdoors. Taking pictures in M mode was faster, easier, and more enjoyable. No auto mode or flash was required! And… didn’t hear any, «Hurry up!» from my husband. I feel more confident to take out my camera now and take pictures from my family and friends!
I’d certainly encourage whoever has a DSLR or plans to buy one to take this workshop. This is the right place to learn and practice. You can accomplish in one day what could take a very long, long time. I’m very happy I did it and look forward to Hector’s other workshops!!!

After operating in Auto Mode of my DSLR Camera for 6 years, now I know how all the buttons in my camera works… thanks to Hector. He is great instructor. Class seems to be very long but he makes it very enjoyable and challenging and the day goes by fast. He said he is Civil Engineer by profession but knows whole heck of lot about camera than anyone that I have met. He has answers for everything and suggestions regarding different brands of camera. I was thinking it will be «do this/​do that» kind of work shop but he explains «why» we «do this» which makes you remember lot of nitty gritty information. Few tips before you go:
***Please finish the homeworks he gives you. Practice and practice and practice. You will enjoy more if you do the homework.
***Have plenty of sleep the night before.
***Bring your lunch. There are some restaurants but the sandwich will cost your about $ 12.00 a pop.

Hector is an awesome instructor! I left the class with gaining so much information and being confident in utilizing my camera than I ever did in my life. He uses great analogies to explain things to see the overall picture. I needed help in some cases, but he guided me until I understood. I definitely recommend him.

I would 100% recommend Hector and his workshops. I’m a newbie when it comes to photography and knew nothing when I bought my Canon DSLR Rebel camera. It can be intimidating learning something new but Hector not only makes the experience painless but tons of fun! He is extremely knowledgeable in this field so I can assure you that you’ll be happy with your small investment (cost of class) for the wealth of information you will receive during the workshop.
The class I attended was outdoors in Long Beach. A great setting for an all day class but don’t forget to bring a jacket in the morning and sunscreen along with sunglasses for the afternoon. I was so sunburned when I got home because I forgot my sunscreen. Don’t make the same mistake.
If your debating on taking the class, stop! Sign up today. Seriously, you’ll be so happy that you did.

I have had 7 years with a dslr and after this past Saturday I can say, I get it. Finally!
Thanks to Hector I can say that I know how to purposely use my camera. This was done in 1 day. I tried watching videos on line but that only gave me a baseline of what all of the buttons did.
Thank you Hector, I will never forget what you explained so well.

I took a class with Hector a couple weeks ago. I found him through Unilocal,and saw that he had great reviews so I decided to give him a shot. Well I’m very glad I did, because I learned a LOT! There really is a lot to know about how a camera works and how to take good pictures. Hector is very knowledgable and takes the time to explain things clearly. I took the «get out of auto mode» class, and if I decide to take another class I’ll definitely go with Hector. I really liked that he sent us home with a workbook with all the info he discussed in the class so I can go back and reference it. If you are thinking about taking a class go with Hector, you won’t regret it!

I got up at 5am on a Saturday to drive to Long Beach for a class that started at 645am, so I thought «this better be good!»
It was better than good! Hector is an amazing teacher and the hands on approach is the way to learn how to better use your DSLR camera.
Keeping the class intimate also aided in the one-​on-​one attention and Hector brings a great personality and humor to this process.
The day flew by (over 10 hours for the class — but don’t be deterred!) and I can honestly say I learned more in this class than endless hours of poring over my manual.
Thanks to my friend for recommending this and I highly recommend to anyone either just starting out or wanting to get more out of their DSLR.

muy Buena clase de composicion! muy recommendable! hector es muy buen instructor!!! esta es mi segunda clase que tomo con hector y ha valido la pena cada minuto en cada clase!
gracias hector!

Hector’s «Get out of Auto Mode» class was fantastic! I’ve been messing around with manual mode for awhile now and was unsure if the the class would be too basic… well I’m glad I went!
While I understood my light meter I didn’t know the basics of what made up the light meter, composition, hand holding technique, light, depth of field… etc.
Hector was patient, answered all questions, and really took his time to ensure everyone understood the topic he was teaching. I can’t recommend this class enough!
Protip: His class is outside ALL day long with lots of hands on instruction and practice. So you might want to bring a hat/​sunscreen/​jacket or whatever else you think may make you comfortable. He brings snacks, drinks and chairs. OH and of course he tried to keep us in the shade all day long.

Highly recommend the class!!! I came into the 1 day class with literally, I kid you not, ZERO knowledge of using my DSLR camera. I original bought it with the idea that it would take care of everything for me. Just point and shoot. The camera buttons itself resembled the layout of a Boeing cockpit from my perspective. Too complicated to learn.
Taking a DSLR class itself? I thought it would be boring and worried about fighting to stay awake. Wrong! Hector was so passionate about what he was teaching, that time flew by. He was able to convey all the technical aspects of photography in a very easily understood manner.
After taking this class, I can safely say I understand all the ins and outs of my camera. I went from pushing one button and hoping the camera knew best, to knowing how to adjust every setting to achieve what I wanted in a picture.

Thank you Unilocal!!!I found Hector through Unilocal and I can’t thank all the reviewers enough. I took his get out of Auto mode class this past Saturday and learned so much! There was tons of useful information he went over in one day but that’s the goal right. This class is for hands on, intimate, informative and affordable. He provided everyone with a binder with the information but being able to actually do what we learned is what I love. Hector is a great instructor who is very passionate about what he does and wants all his students to take away from the class! I can’t wait to practice what I learned and I will definitely be back!

I’m always a bit skeptical when I see every review on a business having 5 stars, but after taking the class, Hector definitely deserves all of them! He is passionate about photography and it shows in his teaching style. The class was just the right size and he was able to give individualized support when needed.
Auto mode is all about having the camera make every possible decision for you. After taking the class, I have a much better understanding of the «exposure triangle» (Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO) and how to adjust them in order to get the right exposure without my camera being the boss.
I highly recommend this class!
Thanks Hector!

Great class, I HIGHLY recommend for those who want to learn how to actually use their camera. I took the class Saturday… Hector is a natural instructor with a wealth of knowledge… I’ve left the class more than satisfied.
I know it’s hard to believe that a class can be so highly rated… I read the reviews and knew it would/​should be pretty good but you don’t really understand what good is until you take the class. Prior to the class we were provided homework and referred to some youtube sites so I thought to my self «if I watch these videos enough what more can I possible learn.» A LOT is the answer… Since the class I feel so comfortable w/​my camera and actually know what all the buttons are for and how/​why to use them. Great Class with loads of execelent information… Thanks again Hector for doing what you do.