Beginner DSLR / Hybrid Photography Course

Master photo composition and manual settings on your camera



2.5 hours Location The Rocks Class size 1 to 12 (public classes), 5 to 8   $99 - $109 ($109 per guest when you book for 1 guest, $99/guest for 2+ guests. $299 per class surcharge applies for private classes) (Afterpay available)

This is a fun and creative hands-on photography learning experience, in the scenic and iconic surrounds of The Rocks and Sydney Harbour. Perfect for beginners.
You'll learn all about photo composition, controlling ISO, aperture and shutter speed, and put theory into practice in this hands-on photography class. Learn all that your camera's manual mode has to offer!
You'll get photo critiques so that you get the immediate feedback you need to further refine your skills.
You'll focus on travel photography, which includes street portraits, architecture, still life, landscapes, and nature.
You'll get lots of practical "Dos and Don'ts" tips in digital photography, and you'll gain confidence as a photographer.
Your Sydney teacher will be either:
  • Chris L Jones - an advertising, editorial and commercial photographer based in Sydney, Australia. He has worked with a wide range of clients and would describe himself as a lifestyle, people, food, travel and occasional art photographer.
  • Or Alfonso Calero - over the past 30 years, Alfonso has photographed everyone from politicians to artists and everything from exquisite food to amazing landscapes. He has won numerous photography awards, and speaks English, Japanese, Spanish and Tagalog.
If you are booking for a minor (under 16 years of age) to attend, they must be accompanied by a paying adult
If you'd like a private class, please see details and book it here

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Save $20 when you book with a friend

Upcoming dates for Beginner DSLR / Hybrid Photography Course

Times are Sydney time. Dates and prices as of 21 Oct 2026, 3:46am; availability and price are confirmed live when booking on this page.

6 upcoming dates between 24 Oct 2026 and 16 Jan 2027.

  • Sat 24 Oct 2026, 1pm-3:30pm
  • Sat 31 Oct 2026, 1pm-3:30pm
  • Sat 14 Nov 2026, 1pm-3:30pm
  • Sat 21 Nov 2026, 1pm-3:30pm
  • Sat 28 Nov 2026, 1pm-3:30pm
  • Sat 16 Jan 2027, 6pm-8:30pm
Read more details   
Knowledge required
No knowledge required.
What to bring
You'll need a digital camera with manual settings available (not smartphone or Point & Shoot); should be fully charged, with plenty of memory space for new photos. Bring your camera manual too if you have it.
Suitable for

Suitable for adults, and kids (minimum 8 years old).

An adult must accompany any attending kids, and must pay for a separate ticket.

This experience would also be a unique gift for her, gift for mum, Xmas gift or gift for couples.

Location

Cnr Mills And Kendall Lane The Rocks NSW

Beginner DSLR / Hybrid Photography Course location
Verified reviews

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Recent reviews of Beginner DSLR / Hybrid Photography Course

  • 5/5 from Kirubhakaran Chinnadurai, attended Oct 2026: Alfonso was very kind and patient. It was really a good session.
  • 5/5 from John Vrodos, attended May 2026: I loved Alfonso’s course. It was informative, practical and fun. We were encouraged to experiment, learn led how to make use of our cameras and reflect also on our creative perspective. Ill carry these lessons with me!
  • 5/5 from Caitlyn Cox, attended Sep 2025: Really useful, easy to follow and friendly teacher
  • 5/5 from Trinh Phu, attended Aug 2025: Alfonso has a wealth of knowledge and broke down the key settings that make a photo a photo while also getting familiar camera itself - we talking ISO, Aperture, Shutter speed and lenses. It was quite adventurous trying to find key framing photos. It was fun and learnt a lot in a short amount of time. Thanks Alfonso!
  • 5/5 from Viral Jetani, attended May 2025: Had an amazing learning with Alfonso. He has a great knowledge about camera settings and photography technicals. Even though I have been using a DSLR for a few years, it seemed like have it been using it wrong the whole time. I got to know about science behind photography and when to use those different camera modes like AV, TV and P modes which I had never used before. Alfonso was patient, kind and answered all questions as well as helped everyone who may be fiddling with their camera settings. Loved doing those panning shots at the end trying to capture moving bikes and cars! Thanks and I would recommend this to others.
  • 5/5 from Kym Robert Rohrlach, attended Apr 2025: Very informative and any questions answered. Being very uninformed myself about photography, l found the questions l asked were answered quickly and clearly. With the information l have now l can start to try the settings and experiment more. I will probably do another course in the future to learn more
  • 5/5 from Kirsten Locke, attended Mar 2025: I recently attended Alfonso’s photography workshop, and it was an incredible experience! Alfonso is not only a skilled photographer but also a fantastic teacher who explains concepts in an easy-to-understand way. The workshop was well-structured, with plenty of hands-on practice, allowing us to experiment with different techniques like motion blur, composition, and lighting. Alfonso created a relaxed and supportive learning environment, offering valuable feedback and guidance throughout the session. Whether you’re a beginner or more experienced, this workshop is a great way to refine your skills and see Sydney from a fresh perspective. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their photography!
  • 5/5 from Alla Mundraby, attended Feb 2025: Alfonso is an excellent teacher. During a 2.5-hour class, he did his best to explain various aspects of photography. Thank you! I can recommend anybody to take the classes with Alfonso.
  • 5/5 from Jennie Campbell, attended Jan 2025: I was a little apprehensive before I attended as I had only used 'AUTO' or AI to take okay photos. This short course was an excellent way to start using ISO, aperture and speed settings and to learn how changing one setting can enhance the quality of photos. The ingredients of an interesting photo were also discussed. I wasn't made to feel silly, I learnt a lot about taking photos and the company was excellent. Thank you Alfonso.
  • 5/5 from Louise Nelson, attended Oct 2023: Alfonso is friendly and a great teacher. His passion for photography is contagious! I feel confident using my DSLR, now knowing the fundamentals. If you want a great day out and learn to take great photos this is the class for you.
  • 5/5 from Rowyn Pepper, attended Sep 2023: Super helpful, informative and enjoyable, the walk around the area was an added bonus with all the history.
  • 5/5 from Briony Lee, attended Jul 2023: Alfonso was an amazing teacher who taught me a lot about the settings for different types of camera shots. It was a really fun experience that took us to some great locations around the Rocks. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about photography composition and manual settings.
  • 5/5 from Maliha Rahman, attended Jun 2023: Great introduction to some of the technical parts of photography and learning how to use your camera in different circumstances. As a beginner, I learned a lot and felt more confident to test out the functions on my camera. There are also some lovely locations throughout the Rocks.
  • 5/5 from Shen Wong, attended Mar 2023: Terrific course and location - the combination of the photo instruction and history tour was excellent. A great afternoon despite the rain. Recommended.
  • 5/5 from Kelly Peterson, attended Feb 2023: I was expecting to sit in a classroom for this course Nope! We met in The Rocks and immediately started walking around, while learning. We learned technical details of our DSLRs as well as tips for for taking better pictures. Really enjoyed Alfonso (the instructor) and it was fun working with the other people in the class.
  • 5/5 from Barbara Hastings, attended Jan 2023: You literally cannot go wrong with this delightful photography class! Firstly, Alfonso is the most low-key yet knowledgeable instructor. He absolutely knows his stuff, and REALKY knows how to teach in a way that encourages attendees to do their best. Spending the afternoon taking photos around The Rocks was wonderful-much better than in some stuffy studio! The challenges were bite-sized, and as easy or as difficult as you make them for yourself. He gives you soooo many red out ed to take away that it’s almost impossible to go wrong after the class is over. Highly recommend!
  • 5/5 from Jessica Peig, attended Dec 2022: Alfonso provided a great workshop on the basics of photography in manual mode. He gave us mini tasks throughout the course to put what we have learnt into practice. Incredibly approachable with any questions you may have.
  • 5/5 from Stephen Palucci, attended Nov 2022: Chris was very informative and clearly knew his way around the camera. Whilst I feel as though their is so much more to learn about DSLR photography, I feel as though he helped me better understand the essential which I can use as a platform to improving my skills down the road.
  • 5/5 from Nadine Venturato, attended Sep 2022: Had a fantastic day learning and was happy my son came along with me. We both learnt a lot about the basics of the camera and then went on to use that knowledge to take photos of the opera house that evening showing the tribute to Queen Elizabeth. Thanks for the wonderful learning and looking forward to another trip.
  • 5/5 from Nicole Masterson, attended Sep 2022: Very useful information and I learnt a lot in the time frame. I will definitely recommend it.
  • 5/5 from Elizabeth Harding, attended Aug 2022: Great course for beginners, Alfonso introduced us to camera and composition basics with some gentle challenges that got us using our new skills. Group was small enough to ask questions and get feedback, and discovered some great new shooting spots as a bonus
  • 5/5 from Michelle Barraclough, attended Aug 2022: Had a really great time doing this course and learnt a lot. Looking forward to putting it into practice.
  • 5/5 from Kirsten Crosby, attended Aug 2022: I went with my son who is a beginner. I have some experience. We both got a lot out of the class. Alfonso was really great. Covered a lot of topics, and had time for everyone. Highly recommend.
  • 5/5 from Manon Gunderson-Briggs, attended Aug 2022: Excellent course for beginners. Alfonso is very knowledgeable and a really great teacher. Highly recommend.
  • 5/5 from Nicholas Paz, attended Jul 2022: Was awesome, Alfonso was really informative, friendly and catering. The crew in the class were also really friendly, interactive and sweet to deal with!
  • 5/5 from Rebecca Glavan, attended Jul 2022: Alfonso was friendly and very knowledgeable. The Rocks is a beautiful part of Sydney to photograph and the mini assignments that Alfonso sets are a fun way to learn.
  • 4/5 from Monique, attended Jul 2022: The teacher was very knowledgeable and helpful which made the class enjoyable. Lots of tips for beginners.
  • 5/5 from Peter Beveridge, attended Jun 2022: Alfonso (and Chris) provided a great introductory course on how to use your camera and generally improve your photography - in a great setting. Well worthwhile and enjoyable.
  • 5/5 from Christopher Watson, attended Jun 2022: We are all good at setting our cameras on auto to take lots of photographs, but with a little input such as your course, we can improve ourselves and take much better ones, therefore I can say that the course was well worthwhile. Alfonso was very knowledgeable, helpful and easy to talk to. He didn't mind us asking dumb questions which put me in particular at ease in the group. The group was a nice size so that you weren't forgotten about when tasks were set and reviewed afterwards. A postscript: I am very pleased ClassBento supports Dementia Australia. My wife was diagnosed with Alzheimers a while ago and is now in a home. Its terrible. Chris Watson
  • 5/5 from Abigail Bautista, attended May 2022: Small group (5) allowed both group and individualised teaching, Alfonso was so knowledgeable and tailored his communication and teaching to meet all our needs, very happy with this intro course
  • 5/5 from Elizabeth Weiszbach, attended May 2022: Definitely worth doing this class if you are a beginner to the "Manual Modes". Alfonso explained everything clearly and was very patient in answering all questions. His knowledge helped me understand my camera better, how to set up the shots and how to get some great photos in the different modes. We visited some beautiful locations around The Rocks in Sydney which made for stunning photos. I definitely had some "A-Ha" moments and felt I learned a lot in this one class. Would absolutely recommend this class.
  • 5/5 from Vanessa Opazo, attended Mar 2022: This class was so good I had no idea about photography and I feel I got a good understanding on how to use my camera and take some great shots after 2.5h. Alfonso is very knowledgeable, patient and nice. He makes everything sound less intimidating than what it looks like. We were lucky to have a sunny day and were moving around The Rocks area. We discovered some beautiful new spots where we practiced our new skills and spent a lovely afternoon overall. I booked it with my partner. It was a great couple activity. We also got to interact with the rest of the group and learned from them too. Highly recommend it!
  • 5/5 from Kat Krzyslak, attended Nov 2021: The class was great fun, Alfonso explained everything in a way that was easy to understand and made the whole experience very enjoyable! I've learned a lot and got to see Sydney from a different perspective:)
  • 5/5 from Mariah Owen, attended Jun 2021: I thoroughly enjoyed this session! Alfonso was able to explain the technical components in a way that was easy to understand and remember. We walked to different locations around The Rocks to try different styles and techniques. He was very enthusiastic and provided great feedback. I now have a lot more confidence using my camera.
  • 5/5 from Robert Moore, attended May 2021: It was an absolutely amazing experience going through all the functions my camera has to offer.
  • 4/5 from Claire Brooke, attended May 2021: Alfonso was very knowledgeable on all the cameras in our group, I done the class alone and felt welcomed and Alfonso made the group excited about chasing the sun for great light, different creative shots with movement cars challenges throughout. Would recommend!
  • 4/5 from Joan Lee, attended Apr 2021: Alfonso was a lovely teacher - friendly, polite, and easy to talk to and ask questions to. During the class I was able to learn more about the different functions on my camera and experiment with the various settings to understand how they can help you achieve the look you want in your photos. It was a good introductory course, I walked away with loads of information to take away and digest! Thanks for the class Alfonso :)
  • 5/5 from Szandra Bolla, attended Mar 2021: Alfonso was great and answered many of my questions. I really enjoyed that we put theory into practice and received feedback on the spot.
  • 5/5 from Kristoff Clark, attended Sep 2020: Alfonso’s class was great! As a newbie he explained things well, with just the right level of detail (rather than confuse), and also lined up some cool hands-on experience during the class - in particular with an unexpected Indian taxi that we used to practice shutter speed work. His free ebook is a really helpful tool that I’ve continued to use since the class too. I’m planning on joining one of his night lessons soon!
  • 5/5 from Ioulia Stepanova, attended Jan 2020: Great teacher with lots of knowledge and an interactive teaching style. We visited some beautiful places in The Rocks which I didn’t know of and learned a lot in a short time. I liked the challenges and they helped me remember the basics of photography. I enjoyed the tips and tricks about composition. A great course if you want to learn the basics and if you want to have some great pics of Sydney.
  • 5/5 from Sabin Maharjan, attended Dec 2019: Very friendly and good instructor Had great time. Got tips to increase my skills. Thank You Alfanso
  • 5/5 from Lyndal Hayward, attended Nov 2019: My 13 year old son and I loved Alfonso’s class. We both learnt so much and have some beautiful shots of Sydney to take away with us. Thanks Alfonso.
  • 5/5 from Jose Bajonero, attended Nov 2019: Alfonso is an amazing person and photographer, the locations that he chose to teach us were beautiful and the class was really practical and interesting. I hope to see you again. Thanks a lot Alfonso!
  • 5/5 from Vinayak Kallappa, attended Oct 2019: Very nice teaching, knew thoroughly about camara and photography. Though I had the camera for few years, I did not know a thing about different manual settings. With the money. Good that I attended the class.
  • 5/5 from Kyle Leadbeatter, attended Jul 2019: Alfonso was a wonderful teacher and my partner and I thoroughly enjoyed the course. We're already booked in for the night photography course and can't wait to enjoy another of Alfonso's classes. I learnt some really great, simple, and quick tips that improved my photography immediately. I feel like I've got so many more tools to shoot better and do all the things I wanted to do with my camera. I have a Canon 750D so entry level DSLR but I enjoy photography when I travel. Alfonso has given me much more confidence in being able to shoot great holiday pics and use all the functions on my camera. It was also a really great, fun way to spend the afternoon. Would absolutely recommend this to everyone!
  • 5/5 from Pauline Forster, attended Mar 2019: Loved the day even with a few rain showers Alfonso Kept us busy and dry even though we were out doors. He is an expert and taught us how to get the best out of our camera and our shots. Highly recommended for all levels. I am a beginner and I learnt so much. There were 6 of us and he explains everything clearly and helped everyone. Don't miss his classes they are a must. Thank you Alfonso for dropping my friend and I off on your way home, so much appreciated on a rainy evening.
  • 4/5 from Edward Ratanasena, attended Mar 2019: Our Teacher was Chris, not Alfonso. I felt that the lesson could be structured a little better. He started off talking about P mode on the camera, we went off to take some photo's and then only after that did he teach us more fundamentals such as how to hold the camera and to ensure our lens was clean. I learnt a lot about the technical aspects of photography (iso, aperture, shutter speed) but not so much about composition.
  • 5/5 from James Tang, attended Feb 2019: It was a very good course. I learned quite a lot of things from Alfonso. I felt confident controlling the camera after I've been to the course. I'll definitely recommended this course to anyone.
  • 5/5 from Tiana Davies, attended Jan 2019: Fantastic course, Very knowledgeable teacher, useful information explained simply, well worth the money for time
  • 5/5 from Joshua Englund, attended Dec 2018: Very informative and Alfonso structured the course exactly to what my needs were. He talked to through everything and made sure I understood and grasped the concept before putting it into practice which was great. We were fortunate enough to have all kinds of weather which was great for experimenting with different techniques, especially using the manual setting. Great time, very informative, great value for money, I would highly recommend Alfonso to anyone looking to learn about photography.
Your teacher

Alfonso's Photography Tours
Alfonso's Photography Tours

Learning Adventures

4.9 (639)

Alfonso's Photography tours was founded by Alfonso Calero, a multi-award winning photographer with over 20 years' experience. He's recruited some of Australia's best photographers and teachers to provide you with informative, fun and inspiring photography experiences.
Alfonso's team provides regular photography classes where you can gain some new skills and knowledge, discover your artistic style, and also discover (or rediscover) Australia's beautiful cities. They also provide custom photography courses on request.

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