Welcome to a creative journey
 

This photography course is not technical. It is a course that teaches you how to see. A photograph is not born from the camera – it is born from an idea, from a way of looking at the world. Photography is a pause, a small quiet moment when something around you says: here is light, here is emotion, here is a story. The course is designed so that you can participate without any technical background. A phone is enough – as long as its settings are correct.
 

Set up your phone
Before you continue, make sure your camera is set to the best possible quality. Choose the highest resolution and the best available image quality. If you are not sure how to do this, you can ask, for example, ChatGPT: How do I set my phone camera to the highest quality?
 

Light is the language of photography
It is not just bright or dim – light is direction, shape, and mood. When light comes from the side, it draws shapes on the face and softens expressions. Side light highlights cheekbones and contours. When light comes from behind, a silhouette is created, full of quiet beauty. When light comes from above, shadows fall into the eyes and the image becomes more dramatic. Light is not just a technical element – it creates the atmosphere of the image. It is essential to learn to see where the light falls and where it does not.
 

Shadow is the photographer’s second language
Shadow is not a mistake, but a constructive force. In black and white photography, the role of shadows becomes even more important. When color is removed, what remains is light, shadow, and the human being. Background tones become neutral, and only what is essential stays in the image. A black and white photograph is full of choices. You can create a strong, high-contrast image where black and white interact rhythmically. Or you can choose a soft tonal image where greys flow into each other. The most important thing is to understand that black and white is not an accident – it is a decision.
 

Editing is part of the process
Images are not taken directly in black and white. First, a color image is captured, and then it is edited into black and white using phone tools. You can adjust contrast, exposure, and shadows exactly as you wish. Editing does not make an image inauthentic – it is part of the history of photography and an essential part of the creative process. I encourage you to look at black and white photographs taken by others. Ask yourself: why does this image work? Where is the light? What does the shadow hide?
 

Cropping is a key skill
A good image is built from what you include – and what you leave out. That is why cropping is important. I recommend using the 3:4 aspect ratio and learning to see directly in that format. Do not take overly wide images with the idea of “we’ll crop it later,” but train yourself to see what is essential at the moment of shooting. You can crop afterwards, of course, but it should be finishing, not cutting half the image away.
 

What does a good competition photograph require?
A good image is not perfect – it is authentic. It breathes. It communicates emotion, not technical performance. In the Smiling Oulu 26 theme, you have free hands: you can photograph a face close-up, two people side by side, or an intimate moment where a smile appears almost by accident. Black and white emphasizes expression, and even a small curve of a smile can become meaningful. A good image always also tells something about the photographer – about how you see a person.
 

Choose light, shape the story
Always start with light. From which direction does it come? Is it soft or hard? Is it natural light or artificial? Side light shapes facial structure. Backlight brings softness. Light from above adds drama. Shadow is not random – it is a visual language that tells form and creates depth.
 

Edit on your phone like in the darkroom
Before the digital era, photographs were taken on film and developed in a darkroom. There, contrast, highlights, and shadows were adjusted by hand. Now the same happens on your phone. When you remove color and begin adjusting tones, you see the structure of the image clearly. Try different options. Increase or reduce contrast. Deepen shadows, soften tones. Listen to the image – it will tell you what it needs.
 

Inspiration comes from seeing
Look at good photographs. Search online for black and white portraits that stop you. Ask: why does this work? Why does this feel alive? When you begin to recognize these elements in others’ images, you will start to see them in your own.
 

Finally
Thank you for being part of this course. Now your task is simple but important: find the light, find the person, find the smile – and let the image be born.