📸 *Click, Click, Click*

You take a picture, then immediately check the back of your camera’s LCD. 

What you see is a rather … disappointing … photograph:  

So. Much. Blur.

Let’s try again, you think to yourself, adjusting the myriad dials and buttons on your camera.

And for the next 20 minutes, you continue to wrestle with the settings.

ISO up, ISO down. Shutter speed up, shutter speed down. Aperture. White balance. Picture profile. But nothing you do seems to matter — the photos just won’t come out the way you want them to!

Eventually, you walk away from the shoot with only a handful of photographs you’re *mildly* pleased with, wondering to yourself if they’re even good enough to share on social media.

👉 If you’ve been in this sort of dreadful situation before, then you know exactly how frustrating it can be. 

Click, capture, fail, repeat. The problem never seems to go away.

Your photos keep coming out blurry … or grainy … too dark … or too bright. For whatever reason, you just can’t seem to get the photos you want — the photos you’re usually able to create with ease on AUTO mode.

But still, in the back of your mind, you know that the best photographers — the “real” photographers you look up to — all shoot on manual mode.

It’s how they’re able to create stunning images like this:

Or this ...

Or even this ...

Manual mode, baby.

Thing is … you just can’t seem to figure it out yourself!

The problem begs the question:

What is everyone else doing with manual mode on THEIR cameras … that you just can’t seem to get “right” on yours?

And WHY does it feel so daunting to learn? 

✨ The good news: Shooting in manual mode is NOT as difficult as you might think.

Look …

AUTO mode is certainly not a bad thing.

But if you want to push the limits of your creativity and start capturing photos you’re actually proud of, you’re gonna have to make the switch to manual eventually.

If you think that’s scary, you’re totally right.

There are about a million and one settings and buttons and dials and modes on modern digital cameras. It makes it downright terrifying to make the leap away from the safety and simplicity of AUTO. 

They really made this thing difficult to use, didn't they ...

What if you miss a moment? What if you get something wrong?

The thing is … shooting in manual mode is actually much easier than you might think. You just need the right framework to understand it.

A framework with both depth and simplicity, that makes the entire process of shooting on manual mode not only a breeze, but a joyful experience in and of itself.

That’s exactly why we created our new online course: 


Intro to Manual Exposure 🥳 


Intro to Manual Exposure is the most comprehensive online course we’ve ever created on understanding how to use your camera settings — in manual mode! — to create proper exposure ...

Without the aid of AUTO!

It’s taught by amazing photographer and RMSP Instructor, Rob Gappert. Rob loves to photograph nature, search for leaves, and if you caught him in person … well, you’d probably hear him talking about hyperfocal focusing or something cool like that. 

Woah! That's him! 😲

(Seriously. This guy is like an encyclopedia of knowledge about camera settings and techniques, and he’s the perfect instructor to teach you about this.) 

During the course, Rob will teach you the exact skills, settings, and most importantly, core fundamental concepts you need to go from shooting in AUTO mode to shooting in manual mode with confidence.

That’s because this course is built on a simple — but powerful — idea (coined by Rob himself and based on the RMSP philosophy) ... 

“Technical knowledge = creative freedom.”

This concept goes way back to when our co-founder, Neil Chaput de Saintonge, studied with Ansel Adams.

Yes, THE Ansel Adams! 🤯

Working under Ansel taught Neil that if you can get the technical piece right, everything else kind of falls into place.

In other words, if you can master the controls and settings of ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed, an entirely NEW world of creative possibilities will open for you.

You’ll be able to capture the images you want in nearly any natural light setting. (Even darkness.)

You’ll be able to freeze, stop, blur, and “visualize” motion.

You’ll be able to capture images that make your friends — and even yourself — beam in awe at your photographic genius.

When you do it right, it’s kind of like falling in love with the magic of photography all over again.

But why learn from RMSP in the first place? 

Because We've been teaching  photography for over 35 years!

Thoughtful course design: Our programs and courses are designed and taught in-part by working professionals with real industry experience.

Find us on social: We’re active on YouTube (100k subs!), through our email list, and here on Instagram. Hundreds of thousands of hotographers and other industry leaders know who we are and LOVE what we do!

Over 27,000 students: Between our multiple in-person programs, workshops, and online courses, we've helped educate and train over 27,000 photographers!

We're partners with major photography brands: It's true! We work with 27 industry-leading educational partners like B&H, Canon, Adobe, Sony, Sigma, and more. If they trust us, so can you. 

We’ve been in business for 35 years: Countless RMSP graduates of our flagship programs are now working as professional photographers and videographers. (Woohoo, it works!) 

We care about YOU: We're a family business — owned and operated. So you can trust us when we say we actually care (and pay attention to) the success of everyone who takes our courses.

Plus, we're educational partners with these amazing brands:


For this course, we pulled out aaall  the stops.

Here's a bit of what you'll learn ... 

  • The trick behind capturing the perfect photo every time. It’s so simple, you’ve probably overlooked it a hundred times. Lesson 3, at 2:05. 

 

  • What proper exposure really means. Hint: It’s not always about capturing an image that is “technically” perfect. This is probably the most important foundational lesson of the course, and will likely change your entire mindset around what a good photograph looks like. Lesson 3, at 4:35. 

 

  • What to do to avoid disgusting, grainy camera noise that destroys your images, and how to identify it in your images. Plus, the setting on your camera to help you avoid it in the future! Lesson 7, at 4:58.

 

  • How to get the perfect starting point for exposing your photo in nearly ANY natural light setting. Your camera does this for you intuitively — you just need to know where it is and how to use it to your advantage. Lesson 8, at 1:30. 

 

  • The single metering mode you should start with to keep things simple. In many ways, knowing how this one metering mode works is the key to understanding the rest of them! Lesson 9, at 4:30. 

 

  • The #1 fastest way to quickly “zero out” your meter so you can get a properly-exposed image — plus hypothetical scenarios to help you understand this concept. Lesson 10, at 1:40. 

 

  • One HUGE mistake many photographers make when adjusting exposure. Do NOT do this. It’ll frustrate you to no end! Lesson 10, at 3:50. 

👉 And this:

You may have heard of the “exposure triangle” before. It’s a good way to describe how different settings work together to help create proper exposure. BUT … There’s another way to look at this concept.

It’s called the “exposure pie,” and it’s a lot more helpful … 

This is one of the most important concepts of this course, and understanding it can help you navigate nearly any lighting situation! Lesson 10, at 10:15.

^ From the course. It's one of the many"mindset shifts" you'll have!

Moving on ... 

  • You have an LCD screen to review your images, so you should use it, right? WRONG! Your screen can be a major LIAR! Here’s why. Lesson 11, at 1:15.

  • How to stop, freeze, blur, and “visualize” motion with only ONE camera setting. This one is super fun, and it’s one of the longest lessons in the course. Buckle up! All of lesson 18. 

  • How to instantly eliminate unwanted motion blur from basically any photograph you take, as you take it. This is perfect for sports, wildlife, events, portraits, and more. Lesson 18, at 2:25.

  • A quick and handy general cheat sheet for different scenarios where you might want to stop motion … including exact shutter speed settings for portraits, landscapes, people, bikes and people running, sports, birds in flight, fast cars, very fast sports, running animals and more. Lesson 18, at 6:50.

  • How to make waterfalls, rivers, and even the ocean look silky and smokey. This technique also works for blurring the head/tail lights of cars and other moving light sources, and can be used in bustling, chaotic metropolises … lone, expansive desert roads … and even out in the middle of nowhere. You’ll love this one. Lesson 18, at 9:11.

Like, come on. As if you DON'T want to recreate a photo like this!
  • “Sunglasses for your lens”: Learn about a simple, affordable tool you can use when it’s too bright to use a slow shutter speed … but you still want to capture motion blur. You’ll be surprised at how beautiful the images you produce with it can be! Lesson 18, at 18:44.

  • Learn about a highly addictive form of photography you should definitely try. Warning: This breaks all the rules, but it might be some of the most fun you EVER have with your camera! It can even help you break out of a photography funk! Lesson 18, at 23:35.

  • How to use your camera’s lens to almost magically “declutter” the background of an image. Lesson 19, at 4:51.

  • How to isolate and bring focus to your subject — while simultaneously creating a beautiful, blurred background in nearly any image you make. Lesson 19, at 5:50.

  • Composition aside, photographs are essentially built around one very specific aspect of an image. Knowing this aspect is crucial to boosting your creativity and skyrocketing the quality and intentionality of your photos. This is where the creative element of photography really comes from! Lesson 19, at 7:20.

  • There are plenty of tricky lighting situations that your camera might have difficulty metering. Here’s exactly how — and more importantly, when — to outsmart your camera’s meter so you can create an image that is properly exposed. All of lesson 22.

  • A special override setting that you can punch into your camera when you’re using an automatic exposure mode. Lesson 23, at 4:35.

  • The only automatic exposure mode you should ever really consider using. This mode still allows you to retain significant creative freedom, while freeing up some of the other decision-making around exposure. Lesson 23, at 6:00.

  • And so, so much more … 

So ... what does it all cost? 

👉 Right now, you can get the entire course for just $95

(one time fee)

Here’s what you'll find inside: 

  • 4+ hours of instructional video over 26 powerful lessons. 
  • “Knowledge check” quizzes to test yourself throughout the course. 
  • Lifetime access to the course and training materials.
  • A dedicated sidebar area where you can ask any question you want and get an answer from a real instructor. 
  • Monthly live sessions that you can attend any time for as long as we do them. 
  • The ability to chat with other class participants and the instructor, Rob Gappert.
  • Plus … ALL ONLINE COURSE ALUMNI RECEIVE ACCESS TO FREE GROUP CRITIQUES! (These are live online image critiques open to all RMSP alumni, including Online Course alums.) All you have to do is complete the course material to get access.

 

If you’re ready to finally master your camera settings and feel like a “real” photographer, this course is for you. Order now at the form below: 

FAQ

What is this course about

If you skipped this entire page and just scrolled down to find the price … well … this FAQ is for you. While we do recommend you go back up and read the entire thing to decide if this course is right for you, the short answer is this: Intro to Manual Exposure is designed for photographers who already have a DSLR or mirrorless camera and want to move beyond the AUTO mode. We’ll show you how to shoot in manual and break into a new mastery of your camera and creativity. 

Is this course good for a beginner

This course is designed for beginner photographers who are looking to take their photography to the next level — both creatively and technically. You’ll walk away with a deep and thorough understanding of how you can use your camera settings and features to create images you’re incredibly proud of. 

What makes this better than a free YouTube video

Intro to Manual Exposure is designed by professional photography educators. There’s no other resource we’ve ever seen that goes deeper on this topic than this one. Seriously. It’s a lot … in the best way. Plus, you get free lifetime access to the course, our live sessions, Q&A with instructors, group critiques and more. A YouTube video doesn’t even come close.

Who’s Rob Gappert

Rob is an amazing photographer, one of the core instructors at RMSP, and the teacher of this course! He teaches a variety of programs and online courses, loves to photograph nature and search for leaves, and if you catch him in person, he’s probably talking about hyperfocal focusing. 

Where and how do I access this course

Learn online from anywhere: Our Online Courses give you the opportunity to experience RMSP's unique style of photo education, without a real-life visit to Montana! You can log in anytime, from any device. Our online course platform allows for easy access to your course and resources from any device of any size.

Do I get lifetime access to the course

Yep, you do! At least, as long as these courses are around. You can always log back into your course anytime to reference class materials, handouts, and educational content.

I already paid for this course. How can I access it

Check your email with your purchase confirmation, or, login to the RMSP Community Dashboard. You can access your course on the left hand sidebar once you’re logged in. It’s near the bottom. Just look for the green dot that says “Course Lessons” under the Intro to Manual Exposure heading.

What equipment is needed for this class?

While no equipment is officially required, we highly recommend having a camera with adjustable ISO, aperture, and shutter speed to follow along with the course material. While a smartphone, action camera, or point and shoot can technically have these controls, a mirrorless or DSLR camera will give you the most room to learn.

Do you have any other online courses coming up

We sure do! New online courses will be coming soon. Stay tuned!

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