Certificate in Photography in Wellington

Wellington teaches exposure whether you want it to or not. The first assignments ask you to take control of aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and the waterfront between Te Papa and Oriental Bay is the place to do it: the Carter Fountain and the harbour give you a fixed subject, the light shifts by the minute, and on a calm evening you can shoot the same scene at 1/500 and at four seconds and see exactly what shutter speed does to water.

For composition, walk up to the Mount Victoria lookout. The whole city arranges itself below you and the assignment about simplifying a busy frame becomes obvious: the harbour as negative space, Oriental Parade as a leading line, the stadium and the Beehive as focal points. Cuba Street is the colour and street module in one place; Saturdays give you crowds, buskers and the Bucket Fountain.

Wind is Wellington's teacher for the long-exposure work. Shorten the tripod, hang your bag off it, or find the lee side of a building; students who learn that on the waterfront never forget it. For low light, the waterfront's lamps and the Cable Car's climb through the city give you safe, well-lit night subjects within minutes of the CBD.