Everything you need to know

The DSLR & Mirrorless Express Photography Course is a 3-hour in-person photography workshop held in Melbourne CBD, taught by National Geographic-featured photographer Daniel Bilsborough. You learn full manual mode on your camera, covering shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, while walking the streets of Melbourne. Classes are capped at a maximum of 2 students, so you get proper attention the whole time.

The course costs $499 AUD per student. That gets you three hours of one-on-one instruction with a professional photographer in Melbourne CBD. No hidden costs or extras.

The course takes place in Melbourne CBD, with the meeting point near RMIT. The exact location and directions are sent to you upon enrolment. From there, you walk through Melbourne's laneways, streets, and riverside areas while learning to shoot in manual mode.

The course runs for three hours, typically from 9am to 12pm on Saturdays. That is enough time to cover shutter speed, aperture, and ISO in depth, with plenty of hands-on practice between each concept.

No prior experience is required. The DSLR & Mirrorless Express Photography Course is designed specifically for complete beginners. Whether you have never touched a camera or have been shooting on auto mode for years, the course starts from scratch either way.

You need any DSLR or mirrorless camera that has a manual mode. Brand does not matter. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Olympus, or any other make will work. No tripod is required. If you are unsure whether your camera has manual mode, feel free to contact us before booking.

Each class has a maximum of 2 students. Most sessions end up being one-on-one, meaning you get the full attention of the instructor for the entire three hours. This small class size is deliberate and ensures you receive personalised feedback and guidance.

If rain is forecast, the session is rescheduled. You will be notified approximately one hour before the start time. We reschedule to the next available date that works for you, so you never lose your booking.

Yes. Over 400 students have completed the course and walked away shooting in full manual mode. The course is structured so you build each skill progressively. You start with shutter speed, then move to aperture, then ISO. You practise each concept until it clicks before moving to the next. By the end of three hours, you will be controlling all three settings yourself.

You leave shooting full manual mode with confidence. Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO stop being confusing and start making sense together. Different lighting conditions, from bright sun to deep shade, stop being a problem because you know how to adjust. Most students never go back to auto mode.

You can book the course through WeTeachMe. Simply visit the booking page, select your preferred date, and complete the enrolment. You will receive a confirmation email with all the details you need, including the meeting point location.

Yes. Gift vouchers are available for $499 AUD and can be purchased online at the gift vouchers page. Afterpay is available on gift voucher purchases through Stripe, so you can split the payment into four interest-free instalments.

Yes, Afterpay is available on gift voucher purchases through Stripe. This allows you to split the $499 payment into four interest-free instalments. Afterpay is processed at checkout when purchasing a gift voucher.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, contact us and we will work with you to find a new date. We are flexible and understand that plans change. The goal is to make sure you get to do the course at a time that works for you.

Yes. The course accommodates a maximum of 2 students per session, making it a great activity for couples, friends, or family members. Both participants need to bring their own DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual mode.

Daniel Bilsborough is a photographer and educator whose work has been featured by National Geographic. He founded DJB Photography School in 2011 and has personally taught over 1,500 students across Australia. He runs every session of the DSLR & Mirrorless Express Photography Course himself.

DJB Photography School has been running since 2011, making it over 14 years of continuous photography education in Melbourne. The school has changed over the years but the goal hasn't: teach beginners how to shoot in full manual mode through hands-on, practical instruction.

The school has a 4.9 out of 5 star rating across 413+ reviews on Google, TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and WeTeachMe. Students consistently highlight the hands-on teaching style, Daniel's patience, and how quickly they learn manual mode during the three-hour session.

DJB Photography School previously operated photography courses in 5 cities across Australia and internationally. The school is currently focused exclusively on Melbourne, delivering the DSLR & Mirrorless Express Photography Course in Melbourne CBD every week.

No. The course is designed specifically for DSLR and mirrorless cameras with manual mode controls. Phone cameras do not have the manual exposure controls needed for the course. If you do not yet own a camera, we recommend purchasing one before enrolling, or contact us for advice on what to buy.

Absolutely. This is the single most common reason people book the course. If you have just bought a DSLR or mirrorless camera and it feels overwhelming, this course will have you shooting confidently in manual mode within three hours. You will go from not knowing what the buttons do to understanding exactly how to control your exposure.

The in-person DSLR & Mirrorless Express Photography Course focuses entirely on shooting. You will learn how to get the shot right in-camera using manual mode. For editing and post-production, there is a separate Adobe Lightroom Beginners Masterclass available as an online course, which covers importing, organising, and editing your photos.

Manual mode gives you full control over your camera's exposure settings: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Instead of letting the camera decide how to expose a photo, you choose the settings based on your creative intent and the available light. This gives you control over motion blur, depth of field, and image brightness. Learning manual mode is the single most important step in becoming a confident photographer.

Both DSLR and mirrorless cameras use interchangeable lenses and have full manual mode controls. The main difference is that DSLRs use a physical mirror and optical viewfinder to show you the scene, while mirrorless cameras are typically lighter and use an electronic viewfinder or rear screen. The DSLR & Mirrorless Express Photography Course works equally well with both types of camera.

Contact us to discuss follow-up sessions. The DSLR & Mirrorless Express Photography Course is designed as a single, comprehensive three-hour session that gives you everything you need to shoot in manual mode. Most students find that one session is sufficient, but additional sessions can be arranged if you want to go deeper.

Practice. The most important thing you can do after the course is shoot in manual mode every single time you pick up your camera. The more you practise, the more intuitive the settings become. For learning post-production, the Lightroom Masterclass is a good next step. It covers everything from importing and organising your photos to editing and exporting them.