Since November 2026
Instructor since November 2026
Photography for Beginners - Learn How to Take Your Camera From Auto to Awesome
From 84 C$ /h
Stop letting your camera make all the decisions for you! This introductory course is designed to take you from "Auto" mode to total control. We will break down the complex settings of your digital camera into simple, actionable steps. You will learn how to balance the exposure triangle, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to capture the images you have always imagined. Whether you want to blur the background for a portrait or freeze fast-moving action, this class provides the practical foundation you need to start your photography journey with confidence.
Extra information
Camera with adjustable settings. DSLR or Mirrorless.
Location
Online from Germany
About Me
Hello! My name is Kelsey. I am a published author, educator, and book designer with over fifteen years of experience bringing print and digital volumes to life. Since 2008, Adobe InDesign has been my primary creative workspace. Over that time, I have designed and published fifteen complete books of my own and mentored fellow creators whose finished works went on to earn national book awards.
Learning design software can feel overwhelming when you are staring at blank toolbars and endless menus. That is why my teaching philosophy centers entirely on your specific project. Rather than teaching dry theory, we dive straight into real world book layout. We tackle everything from master pages, grid systems, and typography hierarchy to paragraph styles, bleed settings, and print ready file export for platforms like IngramSpark or Amazon KDP.
As a mentor, I am calm, patient, and highly encouraging. I love working with passionate writers, poets, photographers, and independent creators who have a vision and want complete creative control over their finished book. Whether you are opening InDesign for the very first time or refining an advanced interior layout, I adapt every lesson to your pace and goals.
If you have a manuscript ready and want to turn it into a beautifully typeset, professional volume, send me a message. I would love to help you bring your book to life!
Learning design software can feel overwhelming when you are staring at blank toolbars and endless menus. That is why my teaching philosophy centers entirely on your specific project. Rather than teaching dry theory, we dive straight into real world book layout. We tackle everything from master pages, grid systems, and typography hierarchy to paragraph styles, bleed settings, and print ready file export for platforms like IngramSpark or Amazon KDP.
As a mentor, I am calm, patient, and highly encouraging. I love working with passionate writers, poets, photographers, and independent creators who have a vision and want complete creative control over their finished book. Whether you are opening InDesign for the very first time or refining an advanced interior layout, I adapt every lesson to your pace and goals.
If you have a manuscript ready and want to turn it into a beautifully typeset, professional volume, send me a message. I would love to help you bring your book to life!
Education
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Art / Art Education (2018)
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Fine Arts / Studio Arts (2014)
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in General Studies (2013)
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Fine Arts / Studio Arts (2014)
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in General Studies (2013)
Experience / Qualifications
• Over 15 years using Adobe InDesign professionally (since 2008).
• Author and book designer of 15 fully published print and digital volumes.
• Design mentor for authors whose publications have earned national book awards.
• Master of Education in Art Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
• Bachelor of Arts in Fine and Studio Arts from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
• Former university adjunct instructor with extensive curriculum and mentorship experience.
• Deep technical knowledge of commercial print preparation, typography, text styling, and self publishing distribution platforms such as IngramSpark and Amazon KDP.
• Author and book designer of 15 fully published print and digital volumes.
• Design mentor for authors whose publications have earned national book awards.
• Master of Education in Art Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
• Bachelor of Arts in Fine and Studio Arts from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
• Former university adjunct instructor with extensive curriculum and mentorship experience.
• Deep technical knowledge of commercial print preparation, typography, text styling, and self publishing distribution platforms such as IngramSpark and Amazon KDP.
Age
Teenagers (13-17 years old)
Adults (18-64 years old)
Seniors (65+ years old)
Student level
Beginner
Intermediate
Duration
60 minutes
90 minutes
120 minutes
The class is taught in
English
Availability of a typical week
(GMT -05:00)
New York
Online via webcam
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
00-04
04-08
08-12
12-16
16-20
20-24
Have you always dreamed of seeing your name on a book cover but don't know where to start? This class is designed to take you from a blank page to a structured path toward self-publishing. We will bridge the gap between your initial idea and a professional physical product.
In this introductory course, we cover the three essential pillars of starting your publishing journey:
Foundations of Writing and Content: How to organize your information, manage research, and structure your manuscript before you even open a design program.
InDesign Essentials for Authors: A beginner friendly introduction to setting up your book file correctly. You will learn about page sizes, margins, and the basic layout tools needed to make your text look professional.
The Roadmap to Publishing: Once the file is ready, what comes next? We will discuss the next steps in the self-publishing process, including preparing for platforms like Amazon or IngramSpark and finding the right printers.
Whether you have a half finished manuscript or just a spark of an idea, this class provides the technical skills and the strategic roadmap to help you navigate the world of self-publishing with confidence.
In this introductory course, we cover the three essential pillars of starting your publishing journey:
Foundations of Writing and Content: How to organize your information, manage research, and structure your manuscript before you even open a design program.
InDesign Essentials for Authors: A beginner friendly introduction to setting up your book file correctly. You will learn about page sizes, margins, and the basic layout tools needed to make your text look professional.
The Roadmap to Publishing: Once the file is ready, what comes next? We will discuss the next steps in the self-publishing process, including preparing for platforms like Amazon or IngramSpark and finding the right printers.
Whether you have a half finished manuscript or just a spark of an idea, this class provides the technical skills and the strategic roadmap to help you navigate the world of self-publishing with confidence.
Are you ready to turn your book idea or raw manuscript into a stunning, professionally designed book ready for print? Whether you are starting completely from scratch or looking to polish and fix an existing file, this class gives you the practical skills and guidance to create industry standard publications.
In our lessons, we focus primarily on Adobe InDesign, the premier professional tool for interior layout and book production. You will learn:
• Master pages, margins, grids, and professional document setup
• Advanced typesetting, paragraph and character styles, and typographic hierarchy
• Handling complex layouts, image placement, tables, and book organization
• Integrating Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator seamlessly for covers, figures, and spot graphics
• Troubleshooting common layout mistakes, reflowing text, and cleaning up legacy files
In addition to design mechanics, I guide you through the technical self publishing process. We will cover preparing pre press, print ready PDF files specifically formatted for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or independent commercial offset printers. We will address bleed, color spaces (CMYK vs RGB), spine width calculations, and barcode placement so your book prints cleanly without rejection.
Every session is personalized to your individual project, whether you are publishing fiction, non fiction, photography monographs, poetry, or children's books. Beginners learning InDesign for the first time and experienced creators looking for advanced book techniques are both welcome.
In our lessons, we focus primarily on Adobe InDesign, the premier professional tool for interior layout and book production. You will learn:
• Master pages, margins, grids, and professional document setup
• Advanced typesetting, paragraph and character styles, and typographic hierarchy
• Handling complex layouts, image placement, tables, and book organization
• Integrating Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator seamlessly for covers, figures, and spot graphics
• Troubleshooting common layout mistakes, reflowing text, and cleaning up legacy files
In addition to design mechanics, I guide you through the technical self publishing process. We will cover preparing pre press, print ready PDF files specifically formatted for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or independent commercial offset printers. We will address bleed, color spaces (CMYK vs RGB), spine width calculations, and barcode placement so your book prints cleanly without rejection.
Every session is personalized to your individual project, whether you are publishing fiction, non fiction, photography monographs, poetry, or children's books. Beginners learning InDesign for the first time and experienced creators looking for advanced book techniques are both welcome.
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