What a great class! Hector is a experienced photographer, a truly amazing instructor! I have always been interested in photography and now with two little young ones I just want to capture all those special moments. I have spent countless hours on you tube but I felt I just wasn't learning. I was stuck on auto mode... I stumbled upon Hector's classes and saw the best reviews. Let me tell you that if you are looking to get out of auto mode on your camera in one day, DO IT! Take his class and I promise you won't be disappointed. I really enjoyed the one on one instruction, it's what I needed to really learn how to understand my camera. I'm looking forward to use all this new knowledge and taking some incredible photos! read more

Hector was such an amazing teacher. He taught us step-by-step details and buttons on my Mirrorless camera. Highly recommend him as. Teacher! so many amazing things from his workshop read more

DSLRclasses.com - Event Photography Near Me - Coronado, California

When I signed up and saw how long the class was, I wasn't sure I could make it through the day. Hector made it fun, educational. I know things about my camera I never knew before! And the day seemed to fly by!!! He is truly a patient teacher. An amazing photographer. He made me realize I can use my camera and not be in auto mode, I can take beautiful, thoughtful pictures and not just "tourist shots". Take his class, You'll be so happy you did. And he'll let you in on the secret of the "gift". read more

Where to begin? The class started promptly at 7am. We held class in a corner of a park on Coronado Island. I was expecting we would be walking around the park shooting different subjects. I was wrong, not only did we stay in our corner of the park, our instructor Hector taught us to see photo opportunities exist even in confined spaces. Hector did an amazing job at teaching us to get the most from our cameras as well as ourselves, after an 11hour day, we all wanted more! We learned so many techniques but for me the best part was seeing the result of when Hector got behind the camera, the students all had subtle variations on our shot, Hector showed us his visions and they were remarkable. That lesson left a huge impact on all of us. In my opinion, this class was worth the cost, the time and for me, the 2 hour drive to get there. I may repeat this class as I want more time. read more

DSLRclasses.com - Our class - Event Photography Near Me - Coronado, California

Just finished this class in Las Vegas and it was wonderful. Hector explained things in a way that everything finally made sense. He took the time to ensure everyone understood, had great examples and just did a wonderful job. Highly recommend this class for anyone interested in learning about their camera and how to get off auto mode! read more

Great course!! I was very intimidated with jumping into any other mode other than Auto, and Hector really helped us navigate every setting and button. I learned so much in just one day. As he says, it is information overload, but he takes it one step at a time and really helps you understand each step before moving on to the next. Definitely take the course, you will not regret it! read more

Hector is a great teacher. He was very patient with everyone and he put a lot of effort and time into organizing no more auto mode class. We did many exercises. Be prepared to change your lenses many times. The day goes fast so enjoy it and pay attention. read more

Great workshop! I recently gifted my wife with a new Canon DSLR for her birthday. It is a great camera but I knew she was going to be intimidated by the features and capabilities. So I found Hector's class online and we took the No More Automode class together. It worked out great! Hector is very knowledgeable, the class is content rich and well-structured, and Hector was responsive and patient with everyone from the complete newbie to the more advanced in our group. We especially liked the single, all-day format. Other classes that were "every Tues from 6-730 for 4 weeks" would have never worked. One and done - start shooting! Great price as well. read more

During the pandemic, I was trying to learn as much as I could about photography using online videos and courses, but something was still missing. I signed up for Hector's class and even though I was already shooting in manual mode, for the most part, I learned so much and immediately put my new knowledge into play. Within the week following his class, I took photos of two puppy litters and a couple of rescue dogs. They were my best photos yet. Hector is very kind, gentle, and he has a lot of patience. I highly recommend taking his class. read more

DSLRclasses.com - Event Photography Near Me - Coronado, California

I had SO much fun taking the Get Out of Auto workshop with Hector. Went into the class not knowing anything about cameras, it was basically the first time I used the camera I had all day, and left feeling so much more confident with what I was doing. Looking forward to using the information I learned that day, and I think I found myself a new hobby. Also, the homework before the class was intimidating, but just give it a shot, it made the class much more enjoyable. I didn't spend much time on it unfortunately, and I still didn't know what the homework was taking about when I started the class, but I picked it all up after the first hour. read more

Hector's Get out of Auto Mode workshop is a fantastic way to dive into the world of photography. This is class is very well organized into sections so you learn as you go in a way that makes sense and doesn't feel like information overload. You'll cover the basics of pretty much every type of shooting from portraits with blurred backgrounds to high-speed action shots. Prior to this workshop, I was someone who didn't use his camera much (because I could do better with my iPhone). I now understand how much more powerful a good camera (than a mobile phone) can be when in the hands of someone who understands it. 10/10 would recommend. read more

I have been what some may call a semi-professional iPhone photographer for a few years now....which means not much of a photographer at all. lol. I travel a lot and love taking pictures of landscapes during my travels. I have long thought about getting my feet wet in the real world of photography. It was an intimidating thought but I was honestly tired with the limitations of a phone camera, so I finally bit the bullet. A friend of my husband's suggested purchasing a Sony Alpha 6000 as a good "starter" camera, so I did. Only problem was, I had no freaking clue how to use it. Cue Hector and his class. I did some research and found Hector. I live in Ontario, so I was hoping to attend a class closer to home (he offers classes in Redlands and Temecula) but it was difficult getting the required amount of attendees to commit. I was tired of waiting, so I went to the San Pedro class. From start to finish, Hector was incredibly professional and responsible. His frequent communication will put the most anxious person's mind at ease. I let him know the equipment I was working with and he told me what I would need for the class. He didn't take payment from us until he received confirmation from the minimum amount of students (I believe it's five) - and he confirms and reconfirms just to be sure. Yes, there's homework. And if you want to get the most out of the class, you will do it and take it seriously. Hector does his best to cover just about everything under the sun regarding your new camera. You will come out learning so much information, and if you haven't done your homework, you may feel a little lost. Plus, you'll hold everybody else back, so don't be that guy. I had a basic knowledge of the things Hector went over because I taught some of it myself by watching youtube videos and practicing. He does provide you with videos to watch on your own prior to to the class. Watch them! They really help you get a better understanding of how to work your camera. The class itself was jam packed with information. He provided us each with our very own binder with all the information we covered. A great reference tool for later when you find yourself forgetting some things. We did countless exercises and Hector was great at checking in with us to make sure we were getting it all. I really had such a great time learning about my camera and really feel like my understanding of photography has increased a great deal. You certainly get more than your money's worth for this course. The day is long, so make sure to get some good rest the night before and come prepared. Be ready to have your mind blown with what your camera can do! Hector truly was an awesome teacher, and I couldn't have been happier with this workshop! read more

I had the privilege of taking Hector's No More Auto class yesterday in San Diego and it far exceeded my expectations. Hector is an outstanding teacher who was able to break down a lot of information to digestible segments with exercises to help each student truly understand the concepts. He is such a dedicated professional that he stayed with us for a full hour past our class time to ensure that he covered all important topics. While it is a very long day and you have homework before you even arrive, the value that I received from the class far exceeded the price I paid. If I could give Hector 6 or 7 stars, I would happily do so. Thank you Hector! read more

I had the opportunity to have a private lesson with Hector yesterday. I was fairly new to DSLR photography....having dabbled back in high school with film and dark rooms and so forth....but really wanted to learn how to use my new digital camera. Prior to the session with Hector, I had been using it in the automatic mode, but wasn't satisfied with my ability to control what I wanted to see as the final product. So I found Hector on Yelp, after reviewing his outstanding ratings. The session with Hector was beyond my expectations. He is thoroughly knowledgeable and his method of teaching is very hands-on, professional, yet very approachable. Even though the content can be complicated, he made it easy to understand and apply. There were excellent exercises he provided in advance of the session, which significantly contributed to the quality of the training. I highly and unequivocally recommend Hector for any of your DSLR training needs! read more

When my family and friends looked at my photographs, they could not believe that I really was the one who took them. I told them that after the Saturday DSLR Bootcamp for beginners with LearnDSLR.net I learned how to properly use my DSLR in Manual mode (NO MORE AUTO) The class was pretty intensive, but the class was small and the teacher spend time with each of us individually one on one. The class was very fun and the students were from interesting professions and from all over Southern California. If you own a DSLR & use it in AUTO, you should take this class , or return your camera and buy a 100 dollar point and shoot!!! read more

DSLRclasses.com - www.learndslr.net - Event Photography Near Me - Coronado, California

If you have a DSLR camera and are not using it to it's full potential, still using Auto Mode... then Hector's class is for you!! Hector was an exceptional teacher, he took the time to explain things step by step, watched for facial cues and if you appeared confused, he took the time to address it. He really seems like he loves and enjoys photography and teaching people, wanting to see them get better. I highly recommend Hectors get out of Auto Mode photography class!! read more

After reading all the positive reviews about Hector's classes, I decided to sign up and boy, am I so glad I did! It was a long day out in the sun (bring your sunscreen!) but it allowed us plenty of time to understand manual settings and grasp how our cameras and lenses really work, learn a great deal of techniques and tips (there were many "ah-ha!" moments) and practice our newfound knowledge with hands-on shooting. I was a little nervous and intimidated at first, but there was no reason to be. Not only were all of us students beginners, Hector is also a super friendly, very knowledgeable instructor who repeated information for us and took the time to answer all of our questions. You can tell he has a genuine, deep passion for photography, and that is definitely what I want in an instructor. The day was exhausting- but that's a good thing. Hector was very thorough and kept us learning and shooting through different exposure and image quality settings all day. (Don't worry, there are plenty of bathroom breaks and a lunch break.) Whether you want to do this as a hobby or take the workshop as a first step in a photography career, you will be happy with the results. I went in there knowing next to nothing about my camera and came out feeling much more confident! After a little more practice on my own, I will definitely be ready to take more advanced classes in the future. read more

This was the first time I took a photography class. I bought a Canon T6 Rebel and had zero clue how to use it. Hector did a great job in teaching this workshop and yes, the hours are from 7am-5pm and it may seem long, but time flows because it is a very thorough class. I felt so much accomplished after this class that I finally understood my camera and all the information I learned from Hector was awesome. Great class and teacher! Well worth the time and money spent! Thanks for your patience Hector! read more

My wife bought me a one day 'Get Out of Auto' class, she is the queen of research and once again her due diligence paid off in selecting Hector's class. His class is well structured, with useful handouts, and Hector takes his time to explain the important functions, which has allowed me to get creative with my camera. I'll never use 'auto' again! One note, Hector does hammer home the importance of doing some pre-class homework. It isn't difficult, but it really helps you get the most out of his class...make sure you do your homework! read more

just took Hector's class over this past weekend. The best investment I ever made taking it. I just finished an event photo shoot and purely did it in manual mode. I met some other amazing and brilliant woman in the class. Hector answered everyone's questions. every. single. questions. which is awesome! Yeah, i'll admit it was a long day (7:00 AM - 5:00 PM), but It was worth it. He gives you this 50+ page work out explaining and breaking down each mode and settings. bottom line. take his class. I can't be more grateful, for the confidence i've been given to shoot. read more

Hector Gonzalez's class, No more Auto Mode, packs a LOT of information and some great hands on practice with the different modes of shooting, different light situations, and we used two different lenses. He was patient with my questions and helpful when I got a confused. Now I need to practice what I learned. read more

Couldn't be happier with this workshop and highly recommended. I got a mirror-less camera about two months beforehand and had some time to read about Exposure and familiarise myself with the different settings. However, this workshop really took it to the next level in terms of understanding the different modes (Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual) and when/how to best use them. Hector is also super fun and patient to explain everything in detail and answer any possible questions. I first thought the workshop was a little long for a beginner class, but honestly, time went by super quickly since it was so much fun to learn and practice the new stuff right away. read more

Wow, where do I begin. This class is amazing, especially for individuals who are serious about photography. My wife and I took this class together in Redlands in 35 degree weather and it was more then worth it. The class is hands on, which means 1. You get a notebook that explains everything. 2. Hectors goes over the material, you complete it, and he gives you feedback and answers questions. Before learning to shoot in manual model, Hectors teaches you how to use your cameras (what all the buttons do, modes etc). I consider myself a beginning photographer who mostly shoots family and friends. With the knowledge i gained from Hector, I am more then confident shooting anyone. If you own a camera, please do yourself or others a favor and take this course, it will be worth your time read more

Hector is just an amazing guy - knowledgeable, patient, and a terrific teacher. His beginning all day class is well structured. You get to know your camera better and then you start understanding the important factors of picture taking - exposure, shadows, proper technique, etc. Then the fun begins w/ the second part of the day where you start learning how to get creative with you camera by learning compositions and lighting. Also having a group of aspiring photographers is a great learning environment as everyone is supportive and have various experience w/ photography which further enriches your learning and joy of photography. I've taken another class here in SD so don't make the same mistake I did - just take Hector's class and you'll be well on your way to capturing your memories w/ some great shots. I can't wait to take Hector's lighting class next! - Dave read more

This is a great one-day crash course in how to use your dSLR in manual mode. If you have a fancy camera and you're shooting in Auto, it's time to use the features you paid all that money for! Hector's class is really fun and takes place on beautiful Coronado island. You spend the day learning each setting (shutter speed, aperture, ISO) and applying what you learned to different mini photo projects. You'll end the class learning how to get great shots of the San Diego skyline at night. It's a long day but totally worth it. There's 12-14 people in the class, and we had a really fun group with all types of interests and backgrounds. Makes for an exciting, interactive day. Hector takes the time to answer your questions and address any specific questions you may have regarding problems or photo situations. read more

I drove down from the L.A. area with a friend to participate in Hector's Digital SLR photography class part 1&2. The idea of spending a whole, long day getting to know the features of our brand new cameras while taking various different pictures in a beautiful place like Coronado seemed much more inviting than participating in an evening class after work at a local community college. The bottom line, we absolutely LOVED it, got a lot out of this class and would recommend it to anyone interested! Hector is great, knows a lot, and answers any question you may have. The group size is small enough - we were about 10 or 12 - to have a personalized learning experience. A great value for the money spent! Now we're planning to take part 3 next, after practicing for a little while with our cameras of course. ;) read more

I have been thinking of getting into photography for years, and finally took the plunge and bought a DSLR camera. I was trying to do reading and research on how to use it, and was getting more and more confused. I wanted a class where I could have the functions clearly explained to me, and Hector delivered! A very informative and interactive class, the perfect mixture of lecture and practice (I say this as a high school teacher). Hector is very knowledgable and helpful, and helps to put the use of the camera in easy to understand lessons. read more

If you are looking to take advantage and get the most out of your fancy camera you need to learn how to get out of Auto mode. Anyone can put their camera in Auto but if you want to take amazing photos learn how to shoot in Manual mode. Here in a one day class you will learn about how to use the light in a given day or night and learn how to shoot, aim, freeze moving objects, what subjects to shoot and enjoy the time learning. Considering what photography classes cost Hector Gonzalez (DSLRclasses.com) offers a wonderful class(es) and it is very reasonable. You will definitely get your moneys worth. He has classes in Long Beach, San Diego, Riverside and Las Vegas so he is very accessible. Be creative...Learn how to shoot in Manual! read more

I took the "Get out of Auto Mode" Workshop yesterday in San Pedro and it was an amazing experience! A very professional workshop by Hector and a fun experience. The location was great, the weather was perfect and the group was fun to work with. After this 10 hours workshop that went by very quickly, I know my camera much better and feel confident to take picture in manual mode. I highly recommend it Thank you Hector for an amazing day! read more

So thankful for Hector and his workshop. I highly recommend taking his course if you are interested in learning more about your camera and photography. As someone who knew nothing about photography and camera functions, I learned so much about the my camera and photography in general. With the homework Hector assigns before the class and all the all day workshop I learned a great deal. I'm now really excited to continue my photography learning journey and I'm extremely motivated to keep digging in. Thank you Hector for being such a great instructor. I highly recommend his courses. read more

Great opportunity to learn more about my mirrorless camera. I have a better understanding of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Very informative, active learning. I walked away from the class with a wealth of knowledge. You will receive homework the week before the class. The homework helps set the learning in motion, you won't regret it! Get Out of Auto, you will be happy you did! read more

Took this course in Long Beach this past weekend (3/11/17) and it was fantastic! I was hoping to learn a few things. However, I went home with SO much more knowledge and I can confidently go out and shoot in manual and get the photos that I want. It's amazing! What a gift. Do yourself a favor and book a course with Hector, you won't regret it! read more

I have been shooting for a long time but without any form of training. A day-long class with Hector helped me organize my understandings of digital camera photography into a structured knowledge that provides me the fundamentals to build by photography skills. He is pleasant in his teaching method and seems to know how to teach the basics of digital photography effectively. I recommend his classes. read more

I have some introduction to photography and after recently buying a Nikon DSLR, looked for a class to shooting in Manual mode. Hector is not only a great photographer, but also a teacher wanting to share his knowledge and passion for photography with his students. He strives hard to continuously adapt his methods to keep up with popular cameras. He makes it (different settings of ISO/Aperture/Shutter Speed/White Balance/Exposure Compensation) look simple and how different combinations affect the resulting picture, by taking us through several practical sessions, all through the 10 hour day (yes on the same day!). This method helps immensely, to ingrain what we learned in the class. His teaching style is intuitive, simple to follow for everyoe, hands-on & the most friendly. Thank you, Hector for demystifying this whole ISO/Aperture/Shutterspeed for me! Note: Try to spend at least a couple of hours on the homework that Hector emails about, prior to the class. At the end of the class, you will feel you far more capable and confident of using your camera! In this class you definitely get a lot more than what you paid for. I highly recommend it! Happy DSLR photographing! read more

My 14 year old daughter and I took the get out of auto class together. Hector is a great teacher. He gave us some work before class so we could maximize our learning during the actual class. This was very helpful. Throughout the day, he patiently explained techniques as many times as we needed to understand and he gave us multiple opportunities to practice. We can't wait to practice what we learned. We feel so much more comfortable in using our camera! read more

I hesitated to commit to this class as 8am - 8pm seemed an overwhelming idea. Truth be told, it was a long day, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I learned sooooooo much. At about 7:30pm I had my lightbulb moment. The concepts that we practiced all day somehow converged and I came away feeling like I have all the tools I need to take a giant leap forward in my photography. Thank you Hector! read more

The Part I class was exactly what I needed to really grasp the concepts behind good photography. I read a ton about aperture, ISO and sutter speed, etc. Got advice from friends, shot a bunch in different modes but wasn't confident that what I was doing was right. Hector changed that. He is an excellent teacher. He's patient and thorough, has a ton of technical knowledge but isn't a know it all. Some people shy a away from an 8am-5pm session, but I prefer it over a series of shorter classes spread out over time. Hector structures the class well so by the end all the concepts you learn mesh and make sense. The hands-on immersive style is the best way for me to learn and I'll be taking the Part II session very soon. In addition to the class content, Hector was great about discussing anyone's individual photogpraphy questions...how to expose for certain styles, lighting, etc. He's not an evangelist for any particular brand and isn't trying to sell you anything. Plus you're outside the whole time and in SD you can't beat that. I gotta give Hector extra credit for our class...our fourth person flaked out last minute and he was pretty miserable sick. He pulled through and gave a great class even though he should've cancelled. Now I feel confident that I can use my camera and lenses to create the images I want more easily and with a real understanding of how I'm doing it. To me that's what its all about. I reccomend this class to new DSLR owners and anyone who has a DSLR and isn't quite sure how push the settings around to get more from it. read more

If you spend the money to invest in a camera then why not invest in a practical hands on class to learn how to use it! Get out of auto mode!!!! Hectors lessons not only help you learn the functions of the camera but how to use them in real life applications. You sit down discuss a function then get up as a group and try it out, compare images find the pros and cons and adjust your settings until it's just right! No more guessing for 10 minutes in front of a group of strangers then jumping back to auto because your scared lol. Hector helps give you the confidence to be behind the lens in manual mode without hesitation! Thank you for an amazing class Hector! read more

I am now so much more excited and confident to take photos. I took this class, not really knowing very much as I am a beginning photographer, and left feeling like I learned a lot!! The only thing I wish he offered was a follow up class or 2. I am definitely interested in taking another class from Hector. He was patient and helpful. :-) read more

Hector is a very giving photography instructor. He holds no secrets, he shares all the knowledge he has about the cameras you bring and the science of taking a good photo . After a day of Hector's instruction, you go home with more information than you know what to do with. It takes practicing what he shared through the day. Thank you Hector. read more