Photographers swiftly capture what sluggish painters cannot, such as the sparkle of a fleeting smile, the identity of a media-shy superhero, or the split-second a peregrine falcon breaks the sound barrier. Attain photographic know-how with today's Groupon: for $49, you get a three-hour Composition in the Field workshop from Digital Photo Academy (a $99 value). Workshops are held on Saturdays and Sundays at various times and locations.

A crew of four professional photographers teaches shutterbugs of all skill levels how to creatively ensnare memories in Digital Photo Academy's array of informative classes. The Composition in the Field class fans artistic flames and helps cameras to break a sweat during three-hour on-location workshops with an intimate group of 10 or fewer people. During each open-air outing, an instructor guides lenses toward flawless lighting, thoughtful framing, and stealthy snapshots of bald eagles not wearing their hairpieces.

Students choose from various class times and locations, including a sightseeing snapfest through the 19th-century architectural labyrinth of Lower Downtown Historic District, a stroll through City Park, and a road gig at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Participants should plan to schlep their own digital camera and any other equipment, such as a tripod or an anti-redeye spell book, to the site of their picturesque adventure.