If you’ve been looking to learn photography in Batavia, Geneva, and Saint Charles area, Creative Eye Workshops™ offers a photography curriculum that support the needs of photographers of all levels, with a focus on the fundamentals and building confidence. Our goal is to prepare our students so they can confidently take pictures without hesitation, to think on their feet in the real world, and to have fun! Once a student learns that basics, then we take it a step further. Like our name suggests, we help you discover and express your creative eye.
At Creative Eye Workshops™, while teaching you photography fundamentals, we also work on building your confidence with your camera, so you can have fun and take pictures with concern or hesitation. And, as our name suggests, we help you discover and express your creative eye.
“For someone like me, who previously used my digital camera on all automatic settings and was fearful of the ‘unknowns’ my camera had to offer (always afraid I might touch some mysterious button by mistake), I find myself now in this wonderful place…feeling totally at ease with my camera and having the time of my life exploring and finding my own personal style.”—Sarah G.
Creative Eye Workshops™ features a variety of classes that cater to all levels of photographers and all kinds of subject matter. Both amateur and advanced photographers will be profit from our courses by improving their technical and creative skills. Our offerings range from classes in photographic composition and learning your DSLR camera to landscape photography and Photoshop Elements. Private photography lessons are available along with class combos that save you money.
We are primarily focused on teaching the fundamentals so that our students can photograph whatever they want, empowering them to think on their feet and make pictures under “real world” conditions. In our classes, you will learn technical and artistic aspects of photography, including many advanced photographic techniques. And, after completing our courses you’ll be ready to photograph anything you want: nature photography, your kid’s soccer games, maybe even start your own baby photography business.
For the more advanced photographer, we feature more advanced classes, like courses in exposure, Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, digital darkroom techniques, and landscape and nature photography.
Building confidence is a primary concern, especially for the beginning photographer. Our goal is to help beginners to fearlessly use their digital cameras. For starters, we suggest that new photographers take our confidence-building digital camera class that teaches students how to use their DSLRs in manual mode, freeing them from the erratic and unpredictable automatic and point-and-shoot modes. You’ll also want to learn the artistic side of things with our fun and inspirational class in photo composition. See our class suggestions.
Once our core set of classes is completed, students should have the confidence and know-how to enjoy photography without all of the worry and confusion.
Michele wrote after starting her dance photography business, “I tried two other photography courses before I found Mike; his approach to teaching is unique, but amazing. Concepts are presented in a manner that is easy to understand and helps the student learn quickly. I originally planned to just take an introductory course, but learned so much I ended up signing up for nearly every class he offered. Thanks to Mike I now have my own photography business, specializing in dance photography.”
Our classes feature a combination of visual presentations and hands-on exercises. We’ve created custom animations and insightful computer graphics so students can visualize and absorb the ideas. Comprehensive class notes are also provided, helping students revisit and reinforce the material between sessions. Furthermore, we send out supplementary emails during each class, to help support and solidify the information you just learned.
Umesh Sharma, M.D. from Burr Ridge writes, “I want you to know that it was quite a learning experience for me in your photography classes. Like many people, I have been doing travel photography and have taken good pictures. But, from you, I learned how to make good pictures great. Overall it was a great experience and I loved your personal email guidance to the questions as they came up.” &Umesh Sharma, M.D. from Burr Ridge writes,
We help busy people learn photography by thoughtfully creating practical and efficient classes that don’t require extended time commitments. For example, instead of holding long classes, we’ve broken them down into a series of shorter ones to accommodate people with busy schedules. Learn which classes are right for you.
Joe writes, “I have been taking DSLR pictures of birds, nature, and landscapes for many years and occasionally came up with a few really good ones. I took a few classes with Mike and now I now am using my camera to take nature photographs and not just pictures. The classes provided very valuable and practical advice with immediate results.”
Our practical classes also created to save you time. That’s because we concentrate on teaching you what you need to know, when you need to know it, rather than bogging you down with loads of irrelevant tools that you’re not yet ready to use.
Instructor and the founder of Creative Eye Workshops™, Mike MacDonald learned photography all by himself and, like most people, took it up as a hobby. However, he quickly established himself as a nationally published photographer when, just a year-and-a-half later, his article about how to photography ice was featured in Outdoor Photographer Magazine. His photographs of Chicago nature have also been featured in the world-famous Sierra Club Wilderness Wall Calendar. Watch an interview with Mike on WTTW Chicago Tonight.
“Mike was personable and easy-going, and made everyone feel good about their level of knowledge and ability to learn the techniques. Great and energetic instructor.”—Nicole D.
Mike has degrees in physics and mathematics, with careers in professional comedy as well as scientific computer programming. As an instructor, Mike uses his communication skills as a comedian and writer, and his organizational and analytical skills as a programmer and mathematician, to simply present and poignantly convey even the most difficult technical and creative ideas. He is also an inspirational figure, bursting with passion, inspiring students to take their love of photography to the next level.
From Peotone and Monee, take I-57 north to I-55 south to the I-355 Tollway North. Exit at 63rd Street/Hobson Road (no toll). At the top of the ramp, turn right and go about a half-mile until you reach Belmont Road (Walgreen’s, Mobil Station on the corner). Turn left (north) and quickly get into the left lane because, in just a few seconds, you’ll see us on the left in the middle of the block. Our address is 6200 Belmont Road.
If you have questions about our classes, let us know. Just email or phone us at 630-852-8448.