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CoursesRoll 02 · A system for consistent images

The language of image creation

Mastering Exposure

Learn to read exposure as a set of ratios, and you can predict how a frame will look before you roll, then decide how it should feel.

A repeatable system for measuring light on set and off, with a light meter and false colour. It took me years to develop.

Lessons
48
Runtime
5:04h
Access
Lifetime
Pace
Yours
$399one-time
Enroll for $399▶ Watch the intro · 5:39
30-day money-back guaranteeCard or PayPalSecure checkout on Teachable

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Mastering Exposure course thumbnail
Why this course exists

Exposure is the missing ingredient.

The concepts in this course changed the direction of my career. It took me years to find them.

I didn’t go to film school and I didn’t work my way up the camera department ladder. I wanted to be the one behind the camera, so I always felt I had to catch up with my peers. I spent years scouring the internet for tips and techniques that might help.

Results came once I understood exposure at a foundational level and built a technique for taking in every detail that goes into exposing an image. This course is that technique, so you can skip the years I spent working out what other DPs knew that I didn’t.

What you’ll learn · and where the course covers it
  • What is exposure, beyond the textbook definition?
    2.3 The Traditional Definition · 2.4 The Six Elements · 2.5 Ratios
  • How do I measure values on set?
    4.2 The Light Meter · 4.4 False Color · 4.6–4.7 FC Technique · 5.1 Light Meter Essentials
  • How do I build pattern recognition?
    5.3–5.4 Finding Patterns · 5.5 Scene Work
  • How does the system become a workflow on a job?
    6.1 The Measuring Stick · 6.2 Point of Control · 6.6 Keep It Simple
Reading a frame

Every frame is a set of ratios.

The course gives you a language for exposure, so you can stop thinking about the technicalities and put your attention on the creative choices.

Here’s a day exterior from one of my own jobs, broken down on the podcast, with a false colour read over it. Section 4 covers the light meter and false colour, and section 5 puts the system to work on real scenes. The course also covers how to keep practising off set, without a crew or a camera.

Finished frame: a young man with curly red hair in a cardigan, standing in a suburban street in late sun, looking out of frame The same frame in false colour: the face reads green and pink around mid grey and a stop over, the dark cardigan reads blue and purple FALSE COLOURFRAME
Drag to compare. The false colour was read from the web image of the frame. Treat it as a guide; it isn’t camera data.Episode #263, Location, Location, Location →
Who it’s for

Cinematographers who want consistent results.

Built for anyone who wants to close the gap between what they want and what they get. You don’t need years of experience, and you don’t need to be working as a DP to use it.

Take it if

  • Your images don’t reliably come out the way you pictured them.
  • You want to predict exposure ratios before you roll and choose how the image should feel.
  • You want a repeatable way to read light that works on set and that you can practise off set.
  • You’re starting out, or you’re already working and want a system that keeps getting stronger with use.

Start elsewhere if

  • You want to know how commercial jobs are found, booked and prepped. That’s The Foundation.
  • You want blocking and coverage for scenes. That’s The Playbook Approach.
  • You need live, one-to-one coaching. This is a self-paced video course.
Curriculum

Every lesson, in order.

From what exposure actually is, through building the system and learning it with a meter and false colour, to using it on scenes and in the workflow on a job.

Two lessons are free previews on Teachable, so you can see the course before you buy.

01Introduction2 lessons · 4 min
  1. 1.1 Introduction2:43
  2. 1.2 Teachable Platform1:14
02What is Exposure?FREE PREVIEW7 lessons · 27 min
  1. 2.1 A Positive Note3:55
  2. 2.2 Seeing the MatrixFREE PREVIEW ↗3:45
  3. 2.3 The Traditional Definition2:26
  4. 2.4 The Six Elements4:46
  5. 2.5 Ratios3:36
  6. 2.6 A Thought Experiment5:28
  7. 2.7 The Road Ahead3:08
03Developing a SystemFREE PREVIEW8 lessons · 55 min
  1. 3.1 Removing Variables5:24
  2. 3.2 Old vs. NewFREE PREVIEW ↗5:56
  3. 3.3 4 Key Components4:14
  4. 3.4 Setting the Stage5:55
  5. 3.5 The Exposure Tree (Part #1)8:28
  6. 3.6 The Exposure Tree (Part #2)7:28
  7. 3.7 A Deeper Dive10:44
  8. 3.8 The Flow Chart6:29
04The Learning Process11 lessons · 1h 09m
  1. 4.1 The Techniques4:45
  2. 4.2 The Light Meter1:25
  3. 4.3 My Approach8:21
  4. 4.4 False Color7:30
  5. 4.5 Positives & Negatives11:07
  6. 4.6 FC Technique (Part #1)7:34
  7. 4.7 FC Technique (Part #2)6:28
  8. 4.8 WYSIWIG7:07
  9. 4.9 The False Meter5:11
  10. 4.10 The Clamp4:43
  11. 4.11 The Alternative Approach5:01
05Using the System7 lessons · 54 min
  1. 5.1 Light Meter Essentials14:40
  2. 5.2 The Set Up3:04
  3. 5.3 Finding Patterns (Part #1)9:58
  4. 5.4 Finding Patterns (Part #2)9:04
  5. 5.5 Scene Work12:05
  6. 5.6 Never Finished4:01
  7. 5.7 Going to Work1:15
06The Workflow6 lessons · 51 min
  1. 6.1 The Measuring Stick10:50
  2. 6.2 Point of Control5:46
  3. 6.3 Sky Plus (Part #1)10:12
  4. 6.4 Sky Plus (Part #2)9:53
  5. 6.5 Studio Plus9:51
  6. 6.6 Keep It Simple4:18
07Post Exposure4 lessons · 31 min
  1. 7.1 The Extra Effort6:06
  2. 7.2 Squeeze and Drop13:52
  3. 7.3 The Studio Squeeze7:34
  4. 7.4 The Fast Track3:30
08Conclusion3 lessons · 14 min
  1. 8.1 Closing the Loop7:26
  2. 8.2 One Last Tip5:35
  3. 8.3 Go Forth0:56
Times from the course player
Patrick O'Sullivan seated at a desk in a dim room lit by a practical lamp, wearing a black cap and black T-shirt.
Your instructor

Patrick O’Sullivan, working DP.

I’ve been a cinematographer for more than a decade and have shot hundreds of commercial projects. Landing, prepping and shooting those jobs taught me a lot about the different ways a DP can approach the role.

Since 2014 I’ve shared that on The Wandering DP Podcast, breaking down real jobs with the frames, diagrams and decisions behind them. Mastering Exposure teaches the system underneath those breakdowns: how I read and predict exposure so the image comes out the way I intended.

10+
Years of experience
500+
Podcast episodes
132K
YouTube subscribers
3,100+
Patreon members
Enroll

Everything in Mastering Exposure.

One payment, then it’s yours for life, on any device you own.

What’s included
  • The course48 video lessons, about 5h 04m in total, from what exposure is to using the system on a job.
  • AccessLifetime access on any device, so you can come back to a lesson before the job that needs it.
  • Guarantee30 days. If the course isn’t right for you, let us know within 30 days for a full refund.
One-time payment
$399USD
Enroll for $399

30-day money-back guarantee. If it isn’t right for you, email within 30 days of enrolling for a full refund.

Card or PayPalInstant accessCheckout on Teachable
Questions

Before you enroll.

How is this different from the podcast and Patreon breakdowns?
The breakdowns show how individual jobs were lit and shot. Mastering Exposure teaches the system I use underneath all of them: how to measure light, read the ratios in a frame and predict how an image will look, so you can apply it on any job.
Which course should I take first?
If you want your images to look the way you intend, start here. If you’re building a commercial career and want to know how jobs are found, booked and prepped, start with The Foundation. The Playbook series comes after either one.
Do I need years of experience?
No. The system works whether you’re just starting out or already a seasoned DP, and it’s designed to get stronger over time.
Do I need to be a working cinematographer?
No. The course teaches what determines the overall look of an image and how to control those variables. Any image maker can use it to get closer to the image they had in mind.
How long do I have access?
For life. Work at your own pace and go back over the material as often as you like.
What if the course isn’t right for me?
There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. Let us know within 30 days of enrolling and we’ll refund your payment.
When does it start and finish?
It starts the moment you enroll and finishes when you do. There’s no cohort and no schedule.
Can I pay with PayPal?
Yes. On the Teachable checkout page, switch from the Credit Card tab to the PayPal tab under Billing Information, choose your country and enroll.
Where do I watch the lessons?
In the Teachable course player, on desktop or the Teachable mobile app. You’ll get your login details by email straight after checkout.
The missing ingredient

Either you got the shot you wanted or you didn’t.

That’s what I like about cinematography: it’s objective. This course closes the gap by showing how experienced DPs account for every variable. Understanding exposure this way changed how I work, and the sooner it clicks for you, the sooner your images start looking the way you’ve always wanted.

$399one-time
Enroll for $399See the curriculum
Other courses

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The Foundation course thumbnail
Roll 01 · Commercial CinematographyThe Foundation$499 one-time →
The Playbook Approach course thumbnail
Roll 03 · A Cinematography SystemThe Playbook Approach$399 one-time →