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Capital Photography Center

Capital Photography Center is a photography school founded by Marie Joabar, offering a wide variety of classes taught by skilled and passionate instructors. With single-session classes and small class sizes, the school provides a flexible and enjoyable learning experience for photographers of all skill levels.

Upcoming Classes (35)

All courses are held at Online, Washington, DC unless indicated.

Early Morning Flower and Garden Photography

1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD

Saturday, July 19th
7–10am EDT

$99

Creative Phone Photography in Chinatown/Penn Quarter

8th St NW & F St NW, Washington, DC

Saturday, July 19th
8:30–11:30am EDT

$99

Night Photography on the National Mall

1501 Maine Ave SW, Washington, DC

Friday, July 25th
8–10:30pm EDT

$99

Fieldwork: Photo Basics at Union Station

50 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC

Saturday, July 26th
10am–12:30pm EDT

$84

Exploring the Smithsonian Gardens

1100 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC

Sunday, July 27th
8–10:30am EDT

$99

Abstract Photography: Creating Abstract Images

8130 Porter Rd, Falls Church, VA

Saturday, August 2nd
1:30–5pm EDT

$109

Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

8130 Porter Rd, Falls Church, VA

Sunday, August 3rd
9:30am–1:30pm EDT

$109

Photographic Composition: Essential Techniques

2 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC

Sunday, August 3rd
10am–2pm EDT

$99

Photo Basics Part Two: Practicum

8130 Porter Rd, Falls Church, VA

Sunday, August 3rd
2:30–6pm EDT

$119

Fieldwork: Photo Basics at Sculpture Garden

Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC

Saturday, August 9th
10am–12:30pm EDT

$84

iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

4th & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC

Saturday, August 9th
10:30am–2:30pm EDT

$99

Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

8130 Porter Rd, Falls Church, VA

Saturday, August 16th
9am–1pm EDT

$109

Light Painting as a Photo Art Form

8130 Porter Rd, Falls Church, VA

Saturday, August 16th
2:30–6:30pm EDT

$159

Sunday, August 17th
10am–1pm EDT

$114

Friday, August 29th
5:45–10pm EDT

$299

Creative Phone Photography in Chinatown/Penn Quarter

8th St NW & F St NW, Washington, DC

Saturday, September 6th
8:30–11:30am EDT

$99

Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

1201 K St NW, Washington, DC

Sunday, September 7th
9:30am–1:30pm EDT

$109

DC Skyline and Moonrise Photo Shoot

Details will be in Confirmation email, Arlington, VA

Monday, September 8th
6:30–8:45pm EDT

$99

Night Photography in Georgetown

Water St NW, Washington, DC

Saturday, September 13th
6:45–9:15pm EDT

$99

The Art of Black and White Photography

1201 K St NW, Washington, DC

Sunday, September 14th
9:30am–1:30pm EDT

$109

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Showing 20 of 35 upcoming classes

Provider Description

How We Began

Capital Photography Center was created by Marie Joabar who for more than a decade was the Education Programs Manager and Corporate Trainer at Penn Camera, one of Washington D.C.’s long standing photography retailers. Marie developed that company’s educational program growing it from three topics in 2003 to almost 50 in 2011, and earned it the reputation of having the area’s largest selection of classes with the widest variety of topics.

When Penn Camera closed in January 2012, it was a logical choice to open Capital Photography Center to continue offering amateurs, hobbyists and professionals the opportunity to continue learning and grow their photography.

Who We Are

Our instructor list boasts some of the area’s best instructors; founder of the popular Washington Photo Safari, E. David Luria, renowned photographer and educator, Corey Hilz, the talented travel, landscape and portrait photographer, Roy Sewall, award winning wildlife and bird photographer, Emily Carter Mitchell, pro sports shooter, Mitchell Layton, and the popular food photographer, Renee Comet, just to name a few. All of our instructors are Professional Photographers but more important than that is their skill at communicating and teaching.

Our Classes

With busy schedules and family demands, our classes are the perfect fit! No need to clear the calendar for a 6 week session or commit to a class that runs on 3 different dates. Our classes are single sessions so it’s easy to schedule a single day or an early morning or afternoon class.

Most of our classes are taught on the weekends although from time to time we offer a weekday evening or early morning class.

Our classes are small enough so no matter where you are with your photography or your camera, we can work with each person at their individual level. Most are limited to just 10 to 12 students which allows plenty of individual attention and makes learning an enjoyable experience.

Our instructors are truly passionate about sharing their knowledge but also strive to make learning fun. No matter what your skill level is, you’ll enjoy our classes and find we attract a great group of like-minded people.

Our classroom classes are offered in Falls Church and in DC. Our In-The-Field classes are offered throughout the area from as far away as Waterford, Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland and as near as the U.S. Capitol.

Where To Start

If you are new to photography, we suggest learning exposure basics and getting off of the Auto mode. Our DSLR class is perfect for this and lays a solid foundation in the basics.

If you’re good with the basics there’s no better place to continue learning than an In-The-Field- Shooting class. Just choose the ones that excite you the most or cover the topics you want to learn more about.

For editing skills consider one of the Lightroom or Photoshop classes. From there, the learning continues with our Printing, Digital Art, Seeing in Black and White and other post processing classes.

Lighting can take your photography to new levels and set you apart from the pack. We’ve got that covered in our Flash Photography and Small Studio classes.


Notes: Mailing address:PO Box 855 Alexandria, VA 22313

1616 H St NW, Washington, DC 20006
Capital Photography Center
Downtown, Washington, D.C.
1616 H St NW
Btwn 17th St NW & Jackson Pl NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20006

Reviews of Capital Photography Center

(4.9-star rating across 19 reviews)
  • Fieldwork: Late Afternoon on The Mall

    Dominique P. • May 13, 2025
    Great class with lots of one on one instructions. Lots of great suggestions on composition. Fun class.
  • Light Painting as a Photo Art Form

    Roberto I. • April 8, 2025
    I think everyone that showed to the class can we agree that we loved it. Is such a unique photography class. The instructions were easy to follow. The class was structured as follows: 1.) Instructor had a PowerPoint where you explained the technique, the props that can be used and how to build them. 2.) We took light painting pictures together with her in a big set. 3.) We followed that with pictures in a table top set. 4.) Lastly we were split in groups were we let our imagination run wild.
  • Fieldwork: Photo Basics at American Art Museum

    Dominique P. • March 12, 2025
    I enjoyed this class a lot. I learned some new techniques and got feedback on my photos. It was also great to practice taking photos with others. I recommend this class
  • Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

    Dominique P. • March 2, 2025
    My son and I attended this course. The instructor had a good presentation with lots of examples and best of all, he would stop by every single person each time he taught a camera function on technique. So many times if the instructor stays at the front of the classroom, it’s hard to know if you actually understand what’s being taught. Excellent course for beginners.
  • iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

    Anonymous • February 12, 2025
    The class was terrific — nice balance of didactic and practice. A great deal of information for 4 hours — an additional hour would not have been wasted. I will recommend enthusiastically to friends — and I’ll be back!
  • Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

    Anonymous • February 12, 2025
    This was a very good intro class. Well explained and easy to understand. We got done about 40 minutes only suggestion I can think of is maybe put us through some more exercises if the class gets done early.
  • iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

    Alexandra A. • February 9, 2025
    Learned so many useful tips for taking better photos. Highly Recommend.
  • iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

    Meghan M. • July 29, 2024
  • iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

    Anonymous • July 29, 2024
    I thought the class was wonderful. It was informative, interesting and exactly what I had hoped for. The instructor was great and obviously organized and competent. He used great examples and had a good sense of humor. He took the time to learn and remember names and he kept to a structure and time limits that were impressive. We started and ended on time! I learned so much in a way I understood. It truly was an excellent class. The only thing that I did not like about the class was the student he/you allowed to attend who was an Android user and was new to her phone. She monopolized his time, monopolized the space so it was often hard to take a shot you might want to take, and took time and attention away from the other students. I am curious about why she was allowed to take an I Phone class when she had an Android. I honestly think the instructor should have set some boundaries with her instead of giving her private instruction. This is the only criticism I have and it can be easily addressed by adhering to the class description that this is for IPhone users. Thank you.
  • iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

    Rocio S. • February 4, 2024
  • iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

    Joan R. • October 22, 2023
    Michael presented a great class. Lots of information explained fully and with humor. I've already recommended it to friends.
  • iPhone Photography: Getting Started at the National Gallery of Art

    Anonymous • January 10, 2023
  • National Air & Space Museum Smartphone Photo Walk

    Kathy S. • May 1, 2022
    Excellent instructor and class, I really enjoyed it, learned a lot and plan to check out more classes
  • Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

    David M. • February 28, 2022
    Outstanding! Exactly what I was looking for. Valuable guidance presented in an effective manner.
  • Waterfalls of the Potomac

    Jim Z. • November 16, 2021
    Thus is an excellent class for beginners and medium experienced photographers. Corey did a very thorough job of explaining settings and what to look for. He moved around to give each person in the class some individual attention. He answered questions and gave suggestions. It was a very positive experience.
  • Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

    Jim Z. • November 15, 2021
  • Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

    Chavilah B. • November 15, 2021
  • Photography Basics and Exposure Control

    Graham H. • February 1, 2021
  • Photo Basics: Getting Off Auto

    Anonymous • January 27, 2020
    Great beginner class for anyone looking to get into photography. Helps that it is an in-person class where you get to see hands on what each concept means and as a bonus you get to see various types of cameras - if you haven’t yet decided on buying/upgrading to one.

Review Summary by CourseHorse

The classes at Capital Photography Center have received positive feedback from students, who found them informative, enjoyable, and helpful in improving their photography skills. Students appreciated the instructors' thorough explanations and guidance, as well as their ability to provide individual attention to each participant. The classes were deemed suitable for both beginners and medium-experienced photographers. By attending in-person classes, students had the opportunity to understand concepts hands-on and observe different types of cameras, which was beneficial for those who were considering purchasing or upgrading their equipment. Direct quotes: - "Lots of information explained fully and with humor. I've already recommended it to friends." - "Excellent instructor and class, I really enjoyed it, learned a lot and plan to check out more classes." - "Great beginner class for anyone looking to get into photography. Helps that it is an in-person class where you get to see hands-on what each concept means."

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