A free 3-hour introduction to photography for complete beginners, curious adults, and young people. Less technical, more self-expression.

Photography can feel intimidating before you've started. The cameras, the settings, the terminology - it's a lot.

Photography Zero strips all of that back.

This is a free, three-hour session designed to make photography feel accessible, interesting, and personal. Not a technical course or a lecture, a first look at what photography is, what it has been, and what it could become for you, whoever you are and wherever you're starting from.

Suitable for complete beginners, curious adults, and young people wanting to find out what photography is all about.

What to expect

The session runs for three hours across two parts.

We start indoors at Quad, in Studio Two — up to an hour exploring photography not as a science but as a form of self-expression. Where it came from, where it is now, and the question that matters most: what could it be for you?

No jargon, no pressure, no wrong answers.

Then we head outside into Nottingham city centre for two hours of guided exploration - putting those early ideas into practice, finding out what you naturally gravitate toward, and beginning to develop an eye. If the weather is particularly poor, we'll keep shooting indoors.

The emphasis throughout is on individual exploration rather than rules. Less science, more discovering what you want to say.

About Me

I'm a photographer with over fifteen years of experience across commercial, portrait, and fine art work. My practice spans several photographic registers, I have produe several-self-published photogrpahic zines and books, and my work has been submitted to international publications and shown at gallery level. I try to be a relaxed, patient teacher who believes in learning by doing - the emphasis is always on building genuine understanding rather than following rules.

Practical details

Free to attend

Suitable for adults and young people — all welcome

Bring any camera you have, any make or model. Smartphones are absolutely fine

The session begins at Quad, followed by outdoor locations across Derby City city centre

Dress for the weather

Want to go further?

Photography Zero is the starting point. For those ready to take the next step, two paid workshops are available — full details at nickaarcphoto.com/workshops (http://nickaarcphoto.com/workshops)

Photography Fundamentals takes you from auto to manual in a single intensive day — building practical confidence with your camera through theory and immediate hands-on application.

Photography Discovery is for photographers with a working knowledge of their camera who want to develop their craft, explore their style, and start moving toward a way of seeing that's genuinely their own.

Description supplied by the event organiser.