Method Photo

It was my first time taking pictures with an film camera since I was a kid so I knew I had a lot to learn. Alex, our instructor was very friendly and patient and did a really good job explaining the details of how our cameras, and photography in general, work. It was a good balance of enough information to let us take interesting and artistic photographs but not so much that it was over our heads. That said one member of the group had more experienced than the rest of us and Alex had the expertise to give him some pro tips beyond the beginner instructions we needed.
What I didn’t realize when I first booked the lesson was the great tour of the city that comes with it. You’re learning to shoot great pictures as you walk through some of San Francisco most beautiful neighborhoods and the teacher makes a point to lead you to interesting landmarks and views of the city.
All in all my fiancé and I had a great time and have recommended the class to a few friends. It was fun to learn to use the film camera and a lot of the skills we learned have actually really helped us understand how to get the most out of our digital camera at home. The walk through the city was also memorable and fun. A nice walk and some helpful guidance in a very relaxing low key setting.

I’ve always wanted to learn how to use a real camera, and this was an amazing way to scratch that itch.
Alex was friendly, informative and knowledgable. Despite having lived in San Francisco for the past 7 years, I learned a lot about my city and seeing it through a camera’s viewfinder lent a new perspective.
If I were visiting this city for the first time, it would have been even more fun and revealing. Highly recommend!

I saved tons of money by taking this one day class from Alex than buying a full college course on photography. He breaks down each element of photography and the camera as well as the necessary terms to know. I was unsure of what I would be getting out of a one day class, but I learn a lot more than expected. Alex was a humorous guy who really knew what he was doing and knew how to answer each question with a very informative answer that will help you not only to take better photos using traditional film but on your digital camera outside of the class.
The views were fantastic and I sure got a good workout. He really gives you leeway when you are ahead of schedule to what exactly you want to see in each of the four big places that we go. He really knows his stuff when it comes to photography and the history of each of the four landmarks that we go to. Alex compliments as a wonderful tour guide who happens to teach you a lot about photography.
Overall, I don’t think anyone could teach half of the photography technicalities so well in just a day and provide a wonderful tour to go along with it. Alex well-​earned his five stars from me.

Fantastic afternoon spent in North Beach. An ideal way for visitors to see some of San Francisco without just aimlessly wandering around — you learn about photography at the same time! As a complete rookie it was great to have all the basics clearly explained and demonstrated in a relaxed atmosphere, and then straight away have the chance to put some of that knowledge into practice. Definitely recommended.
Tip: Make sure to leave enough time in SF to get your photos back!

If you’ve ever considered taking a class in photography, Alex is type of teacher you want. He clearly and simply describes each element of the shot (shutter speed, types of film, aperture, etc) and the tradeoffs/​adjustments of the camera.
During the beautiful walking tour of North Beach, he answers all of your questions no matter how rudimentary or technical.
Highly recommended. I can’t wait to see how my photos of the parrots at telegraph hill came out.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I signed up for this but I thought it would be worth a try for the price. It certainly was and then some! I had no knowledge of shutter speed or aperture, being wholly point and click previously. I thought I would be slowing everyone down, but Alex explained everything really clearly and gave great examples all in the beautiful setting of a North Beach park. Then we got to run around to Coit Tower and that crazy windy part of Lombard street. I got really into it and it was such a blast! Now I have some cool artsy photos to send back home to the parents.

I knew some camera words, but never knew what they meant. Alex does a great job of breaking everything down and explaining camera techniques to beginners through visual aid and patience. I never felt like I was asking a dumb question. We walked around San Francisco and took some really cool pictures of North Beach. If someone hands me a manual camera I would be able to hold my own and take reasonable good pictures. I have a long way to go, but Alex gave me a great start!

I hadn’t taken a photography class before but have always wanted to. Alex really went into detail about how a photo is actually taken and instead of describing an action as wrong or right, opted to explain the result of each adjustment we make on the camera and how it affects the photo. In addition we were treated to an awesome walking tour around the City. Def worth it and was already thinking of taking another class!