Stop Guessing—and Start Making Intentional Camera Decisions
Automatic settings may produce a usable image, but they leave your most important creative decisions to the camera. This course gives you the understanding and confidence to take control yourself.
Free Tutorials Can Answer a Question.
This Course Gives You the Complete Path.
I believe high-quality filmmaking education should be accessible, which is why I share practical lessons freely on YouTube.
Essential Camera Settings is for filmmakers who want to go beyond collecting isolated tips. It brings the foundational concepts together in a deliberate sequence—so you understand what to change, why it matters, and how each decision affects the image.
You’re not paying for hidden secrets. You’re investing in a structured learning experience designed to eliminate gaps, shorten the learning curve, and help you apply the knowledge with confidence.
Go From Operating Your Camera to Controlling Your Image
Instead of reacting to what your camera gives you, you’ll begin with the image you want and make deliberate decisions to create it.
You won’t simply know what the controls do. You’ll understand why and when to use them.
Why Essential Camera Settings Is Different
A Complete Learning Path—Not Scattered Tips
Learn the concepts in the right order and understand how aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, lenses, and exposure work together.
Creative Decisions—Not Settings to Memorize
Begin with the image you want, then choose the camera settings that support your creative intention.
A Shorter, Real-World Learning Curve
Learn through practical examples and repeatable workflows shaped by more than 20 years of professional cinematography.
Start Learning for Free
Create your free cNOMADIC account and begin Essential Camera Settings with the first three lessons: Welcome, Camera Anatomy, and Mastering the Viewfinder. No credit card required.
The video below is a short sample from later in the complete course.
8 Modules to Build Confident Manual Camera Control
This course brings the foundational camera concepts together in a deliberate sequence. You’ll learn how ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, lenses, and exposure affect one another—so you can move beyond memorized settings and make intentional decisions on any camera with manual controls.
Module 1 — Camera Anatomy & Controls
Understand your camera and operate it with confidence
Module 2 — Mastering the Viewfinder
Read what your camera is telling you
Module 3 — The Science of White Balance
Control color across changing lighting conditions
Module 4 — ISO Explained
Get the best performance from your camera’s sensor
Module 5 — Aperture & Depth of Field
Control focus, light, and visual attention
Module 6 — Understanding Lens Characteristics
Choose the right lens for the image you want to create
Module 7 — Shutter Speed & Motion
Control how movement is represented on screen
Module 8 — Crafting Your Vision
Bring every camera setting together with intention
From Auto to Manual
What people say about the program
Maria
"This course taught me more about film and photography than I learned in two years of film school. Chris goes into detail to not only learn how to create masterful shots, but also why certain settings are important so all the functions of a camera are working together in harmony. The classes are self-paced, fun and engaging. I highly recommend this course!"
Burk
"This was a great way to cut the learning curve. The class not only taught me technical things, but also the reasons behind using certain settings, to get the footage that you want. I learned to go from shooting in automatic to shooting in manual, and that was huge for me. And my images got so much better."
Gene
"I was an absolute beginner so I didn't know how it was going to be, but the experience was great. Chris' presentation is really awesome. He speaks in very easy to understand terms. You can walk away with a lot of knowledge and tools that you can actually use."
Learn from a Working Cinematographer with More Than 20 Years of Experience
I started my video production company in 2004, but didn’t receive my first Emmy nomination until 2013.
Learning on my own took years and many mistakes.
Today my production company works with Fortune 100 companies across the country.
I created cNOMADIC to share high-quality filmmaking education freely and to offer structured learning experiences that shorten the learning curve—so filmmakers can make professional-level camera decisions with greater confidence.
Technical control matters because other people depend on your decisions. On a real production, understanding your camera helps you prepare, communicate clearly, adapt without drama, and protect the image when conditions change. Those habits do more than improve footage—they help you become someone a client and crew can trust.
Choose the Level of Support You Need
Every option includes the complete Essential Camera Settings course. Choose self-paced learning, add personalized feedback, or work directly with Chris.
30-Day Course Guarantee
The self-paced course is covered for 30 days. In packages with personal feedback or coaching, the course portion remains refundable; feedback is non-refundable after submission, and coaching is non-refundable once scheduled or delivered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any prior knowledge?
Do I need professional equipment?
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Take Creative Control
Ready to Take Control of Your Camera?
Stop relying on automatic settings and start making intentional decisions that create the image you envisioned.
Self-paced learning • Plans from $149 • 30-day money-back guarantee
