Online Resources for Learning Photography

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By Rilwan Abdullahi

7 Amazingly Free Resources to Learn Photography on the Internet

Break free from the photographer’s block with some of the best and most up-to-date online courses and tutorials.

It can be challenging to learn on your own. To begin with, motivation is difficult to come by. You’ll have to come up with your own ideas if you’re not a member of a photography group. And photography isn’t cheap.

Even a pre-loved camera might set you back a couple of vacations. Photography classes, like photography clubs, are not cheap. So, here are some fantastic free materials you may find on the internet.

1. Marc Levoy’s Free Lectures on Digital Photography

Marc Levoy is a Google researcher who used to be a Stanford lecturer. His Digital Photography courses are structured up exactly how a college class would be. The course does not require any prior understanding of photography.

This course is an excellent resource if you want to shoot photos and develop your photography skills, with assignments to publish to Google Photos and subsequently to the community. Unlike his other Stanford courses, this 11-week course does not have formal evaluations.

2. Introduction to Photography and Related Media

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Courseware (MIT OCW) offers a number of photography-related courses for undergraduate and graduate students. Your go-to reference for the principles of analogue and digital SLR, film exposure and development, black and white darkroom procedures, digital imaging, and studio lighting is Introduction to Photography and Related Media, which was taught in the fall 2007 semester.

Introduction to Photography, an earlier version of this course given by Reiner Leist in the fall 2002 semester, is also available on the MIT OCW website.

3. Canon Australia Explore

Learning photography using Canon Australia’s Canon Explore area of the site will undoubtedly be a memorable experience. You can learn from professional and brand ambassadors’ stories, develop new powerful skills, and participate in global events and world-class ideas.

Canon offers visual discoveries from actual individuals and explains why they exist in Stories. In Learning, you’ll find photography advice categorized by difficulty level, as well as courses and workshops to attend – some of which are free and others which are expensive. Canon Collective Events take place all year, and Challenges provide you the opportunity to participate in a variety of intriguing challenges.

4. Lifehacker Night School’s the Basics of Photography

For total beginners, this is a detailed guide. The course is divided into five sections that will guide you through understanding how your digital camera works, aided and automatic camera settings, composition and technique, and various editing tools for modifying your photographs. It is self-paced and absolutely free, and anyone with an internet connection can participate.

If you have other responsibilities, though, you may require other sources of incentive to stay on track. To connect with other instructional readers and leave a comment, you’ll need to create a Kinja account.

5. Phlearn Photography Section

There are hundreds of free tutorials on the Phlearn website, so it’s easy to get lost if you don’t know where to look. Up to 390 items are listed in their Photography area, which includes interviews with photographers, contests, and inspiration. You’ll have to look over the Photography Basics section to figure out what you need to know, and you’ll have to be specific because they appear to have a lot of recommendations and highly specific how-tos on other areas as well.

6. Udemy Photography: Ditch Auto—Start Shooting in Manual

On Udemy, Jerad Hill offers the ultimate free digital photography education. Jerad will show you how to use your camera in manual mode, how to get the most out of your camera’s capabilities, and how to feel more comfortable shooting with a DSLR. A certificate of completion will be issued, and students will have lifetime access to the learning platform.

7. Photography by Academy of Art University on iTunes U

The Academy of Art University Photography podcast features nine lectures by working photographers. All are free and aimed at teaching university students the technique, aesthetics, and conceptualization abilities they’ll need to develop a body of work that demonstrates their unique style. Alison Wright, Deanne Fitzmaurice, Michael Garlington, Greg Gorman, John Paul Caponigro, and Joyce Tenneson are among the speakers.

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