Testimonials
 

Regarding the How to Shoot in Full Manual online course:

I took an on-line course last year [not by Nick Carver] which cost me a fortune and did nothing but make me angry! It was frustrating, pompous and I learned very little! For each chapter, I had to go out and buy books to try to understand what they were trying to say!

So, I decided to try Nick Carver's method, and I felt that my "photo eyes" had been opened for the first time! “Is that how you meter - how simple, and why didn't anybody tell me!?” I was so fascinated that I read all the material and watched the videos in one day. Everything was explained in a manner that I could immediately grasp. I literally began shooting in Manual and metering as per Nick’s instructions within minutes. I have not become Ansel Adams overnight, but I do shoot in manual 90% of the time and it has become very second nature.

Nick is very professional, a great teacher and it does not hurt that he is very helpful and pleasant to work with. I have already started his course on Filters and plan on signing up for the course on Composition. I would recommend his courses in a heartbeat!

Click here to view an image taken by this student in full manual mode after completing the course.


  L. Jorgensen
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Regarding the Introduction to DSLR Photography online course:

This is the most informative and user friendly photography course that I have ever taken. Thank you again!!

  A. Macy
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My experience with Nick has helped me to believe in my skills and has in a short period of time given me the confidence to experiment and trust myself. He is such a gentle teacher and has instilled in me the belief I can take good shots. I have taken 2 on-line courses (Introduction to DSLR Photography and Compositon for Dramatic Landscapes) and only wish I lived in California where I could study with him more closely. He is a superb teacher!

Dr. Levine went on to complete the How to Shoot in Full Manual course and the Filters for Nature Photography course. He had the following to say about those 2 courses. You can also view a sample of Dr. Levine's images after completing the online courses here.

How to Shoot in Full Manual
Nick provided me with the confidence and technical skills to advance in my photography. He is an amazing teacher and my skills have advanced to the point that others have requested the pictures that I have taken. I only wish there were more courses for me to take.

Filters for Nature Photography
The quality of my pictures has improved significantly with the skills learned in this course. The technical knowledge and application of how to use filters has helped me create dramatic photographs. The course has been extremely influential in being able to take great landscape photographs!

  Dr. J. Levine
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Being a beginner photographer, taking the Introduction to DSLR Photography course by Nick Carver was beneficial. He always gave good and honest constructive critism to further advance my photography knowledge.

This was an Amazing course. I have gained so much experience about photography and understanding my camera as well. This was explained into words that were very understandable and easy to follow. The examples and diagrams were very helpful. It was nice to see a before and after example of each type of photograph.

  C. Garrett
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Regarding the Introduction to DSLR Photography, How to Shoot in Full Manual and Filters for Nature Photography courses:

The material is presented in a format that is easy to understand. I was able to quickly apply what I learned and enjoyed immediate improvement.

  T. Kuh
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I took classes for 35mm photography years ago. Picking up the hobby again with digital equipment was proving to be somewhat familiar but with plenty of challenges. Nick's Composition for Dramatic Landscapes online course was an excellent refresher of some of some of the basic concepts I remember, but offered much more detailed instruction, explanation, and practice material than I'd had before. The combination of technical instruction along with the artistic concepts was exactly what I needed to take my renewed interest in photography back out into the world again, and to get really excited about shooting again. I still refer to my notes from this course, and I'm getting some shots I'm really happy with!
  H. Edgar
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When I first started photography, I was very overwhelmed with all the information in the web, blogs, etc. They give you a lot of information that's very complex and sometimes not easy to understand. After a lot research, I still had a lot of questions in my head, but finally I found Nick's website by accident and I was fascinated with the wonderful pictures of the oceans, mountains, hills, etc. To be honest, I viewed the photos again and again. I also found his helpful tips and finally I decided to take the Introduction to DSLR Photography online course. Now I can see a huge difference in my photos from looking very simple and dark before to now looking more interesting and dramatic. There is so much to learn, but I feel proud of myself for what I had done and also lucky to have found Nick Carver's website. I highly recommend this course.
  I. Hernandez
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My friend Joe and I have taken 2 different classes from Nick - a Sunset in Crystal Cove Workshop and most recently one of his new online courses - Introduction to DSLR Photography. Nick is friendly, talented, and down to earth. His online course included not only written information, but videos as well that were quite informative. The information provided is helpful during the courses and even years after a course. I can't speak highly enough of his teaching abilities - you'd be missing out if you didn't sign up for one of his courses! Looking forward to the Landscape class in Irvine starting at the end of the month!!
  J. Travis
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Last year I took Nick Carver's Manual Exposure Class at Shutterstories in Riverside. While just a three hour class, I learned so much about manual exposure and filtration that I have definitely improved the quality of my photos. I did get a modest set of filters, using Nick's suggestions for doing it inexpensively, and have solved one of my problems in shooting. Namely, getting the proper exposure for low light and highlight areas together. Before, I was either blown out or black on portions of the image. Using Nick's techniques for manual exposure will dramatically improve your pictures. I am now taking his online course for composition and enjoying that also.
  Nick Vanmatre
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I first took Nick's Landscape Photography class which is jam packed full of information. Soon after that I started taking private lessons to learn to gain control of my camera. In a short period of time, with Nick's help, I went from auto to full manual control. My snapshots became photographs that actually resembled the landscape that I was seeing. From that moment on, I was hooked! Nick awakened in me a passion for landscape photography. I absolutely love it! Nick has taught me everything from manual exposure to setting up Lightroom. Nick is an excellent teacher. He is very laid back and not intimidating. He has an abundance of knowledge and experience which he is very gracious in sharing. I feel very fortunate to be a student of Nick's. He is an amazing talent and person. I have two of his fine art pieces in my home...they and he inspire me.

See a sample of Kim's work here. View her website at www.kimmurphyphoto.com.

  Kim Murphy
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Nick's workshops are awesome! He has a true gift for teaching the photographer how to see the world from a different, more powerful perspective. Nick is fun, laid-back and incredibly gifted in both technical proficiency and creative composition.
  Jennifer Imus
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I’m very pleased with the Composition for Dramatic Landscapes online course. Can't beat the quality of instructional materials as well as expertise provided for the price. The class materials were thorough, the abundant examples spot on, video reinforcement was perfect for us visual folks. Individual feedback was very helpful with improving my composition and technique. AND, the ability to work at my own pace was icing on the cake!

See a sample of Dottie's work here.

  Dottie Davis
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Nick has a vast knowledge of photography techniques. More importantly, he has the ability to communicate those ideas to others. His workshops have totally changed the way I approach photography...for the better. Anyone who is seriously interested in improving the quality of their photographs should sign up now.
  C.L.
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Nick,
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You are an amazing teacher, photographer and person! I am so lucky to have found you, your teaching made it possible for me to live my dream as a glamour photographer. I am so grateful to know you.
  Keesha Langdon
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Less than a year ago I came to Nick with a vision and a question:
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I want to become a youth sports photographer, how do I do it? 2 weeks ago I had my first big “sell day”. It was very successful and parents were delighted with my photographs of their children. Again this was accomplished in under one year. Prior to meeting Nick I had signed up for an eight-week workshop with a local pro photographer and for an intro class at my community college. Both classes had 2 things in common:

1. They were terribly boring.

2. Even though I (and everyone else in the class) had signed up for an intro class, the teacher did not start with the basics, practical definitions of aperture, shutter speed, iso, exposure, white balance, etc… Without knowing how these work in relation to each other first it’s pointless to talk about anything else in photography.

Nick took me from lucky shots taken with my camera dialed onto the little sports guy to using pro equipment with settings manipulated by me with a specific purpose in mind, and actually knowing what and how I’m doing it. It doesn’t matter what area of photography you have a question in, he’s got the answer and in the off chance he doesn’t, he’ll find out and let you know next time. It’s difficult to describe how much I’ve learned from our sessions, it may sound corny but what I’ve learned from Nick has actually changed my life. I can earn a living from what I absolutely love to do. Thanks Nick!

  Shelley Schaffer

 

 
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