629

Did you know there are over 2,000 photography courses on the Udemy training platform alone? This is just a portion of the online photography training opportunities available for passionate individuals.

 If you are a beginner or seasoned photographer seeking to grow your passion, the good news is that you don’t have to attend brick-and-mortar schools to sharpen your artistry skills. Traditionally, success in photography was based on pure creativity and talent, but not anymore.

Nowadays, you can effortlessly turn from an amateur photographer into an expert through online photography courses. Whether you’re struggling with lighting, distance, editing software or using your DSLR camera, there’s a course just for you.

This blog provides a comprehensive list of free and paid photography courses for all career levels to save you the hassle of scouring the internet for good courses.

Let’s dive in.

Top 10 Free and Paid Photography Courses

Course	Provider	Cost	Rating
Digital photography for beginners	Udemy	Free	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fundamentals of DSLR Photography	Skillshare	Free	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization	Coursera	Free	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nature and Landscape photography	Alison	Free	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Street Photography: Storytelling & Techniques	Skillshare	Free	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Photography Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Photography	Udemy	$10.99	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Photography Masterclass: Complete Course on Photography	Udemy	$9.99	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Professional Photography for Instagram	Domestika	$9.99	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Creative Photo	Udemy	$9.99	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Ultimate Photography Course for Beginners	Udemy	$12.99	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Countless online courses are teaching about how to become an expert photographer. From how to focus your camera when taking a shot of your dog to editing photos in Photoshop, you can learn these skills from expert photographers in the comfort of your home.

Let’s start with free options before covering paid courses later on.

Best Free Online Photography Courses

While paid photography courses offer more value, they may not suit an aspiring photographer or someone within a tight budget. Some of the best free courses include:

1. Digital Photography for Beginners

This is your best pick if you’re planning to venture into professional digital photography. The course is accessible on the Udemy platform and is taught by a renowned photographer Villiers Steyn.

It covers basics, including mastering your camera features, lighting,  distance and composition. You’ll learn the elements of good photography, and by the end of this training, it’ll be easy for you to use all your camera settings to enhance your photo shoot images like a pro. What’s more, you can learn at your own pace.

The trainers use simplified tutorials, structured lessons and downloadable resources when training to help beginners understand complex concepts easily. The course includes assignments to help you practice. Additionally, you’ll receive constructive feedback from a vibrant community of learners taking the same course.

2. Fundamentals of DSLR Photography

Here’s another free, short, self-paced course any photographer with a DSLR camera can’t afford to miss. The New York-based photographer Justin Bridges offers it on Skillshare to help photographers learn how to capture stunning videos and photos perfectly, especially when using a DSLR camera for the first time.

This course covers various topics, including aperture, shutter speed mechanical operation, ISO and focus modes through short learning modules. The trainers offer interactive sessions and exercises to make learning enjoyable.

Additionally, students receive real-time tips from experts to ensure they master DSLR photography quickly. If you’re taking photography as a course and planning to buy a DSLR camera, this is an effective option.

3. Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization

This course offers techniques, including vintage photography, from basic to advanced levels, whether you’re an aspiring or experienced photographer. Offered on the Coursera training platform, it’s available as a series of courses that favor different career levels, from beginners to intermediate photographers to experts.

With this training, you don’t need to take another iPhone photography course. It covers smartphone photography and helps you master the modern DSLR technology to ensure you deliver high-quality images.

If you want to go beyond the usual fundamentals of photography, this is a top course to study. In addition to the interactive teaching style, the trainers provide a capstone project to help you practice what you’ve learnt. Notably, this course is flexible and self-paced, making it compatible with your schedule.

4. Nature and Landscape photography

This is one of Alison’s most popular online photography courses. While nature and landscapes appear simple, capturing the best shots requires expertise.

This course teaches photographers of all levels how to shoot unique, breathtaking nature images without omitting any detail. From tweaking camera settings to selecting the right location to image composition, you’ll get comprehensive videos here. Trainers also provide step-by-step tutorials to ensure effective learning.

Additionally, students learn how to navigate outdoor photography regardless of environmental conditions. The course takes about 3-5 hours to complete, and it doesn’t have a finish deadline, so you can learn at your convenience.

5. Street Photography: Capturing the Essence of Everyday Life

Are you passionate about street photography but not sure where to start? Relax. Skillshare offers comprehensive, four-week training.

This course requires you to commit at least three hours weekly. It covers the basics of street photography, including how to tell beautiful stories using photos. Students learn in-depth about ethical photography standards and creating narratives from the street.

The lessons are simple and engaging. Further, you’ll learn from your peers and industry experts from special course-specific online forums.

Paid Online Photography Courses

There are various paid options if you’re looking to sharpen your photography skills, and you have a budget for that. Here are the best picks:

6. Photography Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Photography

This is an affordable bestseller course on Udemy taught by expert photographers Sam Shim Jones, Phil Ebiner and William Carnahan. It allows lifetime access and offers a certificate upon completion.

The course includes 26 hours of lecture recordings, 65 articles and over 44 downloadable learning resources. In addition to in-class learning, students access assignments for practice, making mastery of the subject easier.

The masterclass is ideal for those aspiring to launch their photography studio from scratch and those at advanced levels. For starters, you can learn using your smartphone.

7. The Photography Masterclass: Complete Course on Photography

Here’s your ticket to mastering photo editing, shutter speed, ISO lighting and photo editing dynamics. This course is available on Udemy, where photography expert Chris Parker is the instructor.

It includes 17 downloadable learning resources and 28 hours of high-quality recorded videos. Additionally, you’ll access 18 articles about adjusting your camera’s settings to create amazing images. The guide also comes with a workbook and has no finish deadline.

Your trainer will also give you assignments for practicals. Upon completion, you’ll receive a paid certificate.

8. Professional Photography for Instagram

Success on Instagram depends on photo quality. Mina Barrio, a professional photography teacher, offers this course on Domestika to help you capture high-quality shots for personal branding using your smartphone.

The course covers different photography techniques you can use to send messages through Instagram photos. It comes with 16 lessons and 11 additional learning resources.

In addition, it’s available in multiple languages with English and Spanish audio. You can access this course online forever. 

The price is pocket-friendly. You can also access it via their app on your smartphone.

9. Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Creative Photo

Creativity in photography is often inborn. However, photographers need a boost in creativity to stay on top of the game.

This online photography course is the ultimate guide to finding your creative voice in photography. It is offered on Udemy by Charlotte Kim Boed. For in-depth knowledge, you’ll access five hours of training videos and 11 downloadable resources.

You can also access it on your smartphone or TV forever. The price is affordable, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

10.  The Ultimate Photography Course for Beginners

Starting a photography career from scratch isn’t easy without proper guidance. Jess Vaes, a professional photographer, shares her knowledge on Udemy about photography essentials and must-have skills every aspiring photographer should have.

The course features two hours of recorded videos, two articles and eight resources that you can download. Learning sections include 23 lectures, each about two hours and four minutes long. You’ll learn all about photography aspects such as ISO, shutter speed and the exposure triangle.

Fortunately, you can access your mobile phone or TV full-time. The trainer also gives a completion certificate and course workbook.

Ready to Learn?

The photography field is expansive and ever-growing. That said, any serious photographer ought to embrace ongoing learning or training to enhance superior images. There’s always something to learn from photo shooting to editing to lighting.

Fortunately, there are various online photography courses you should consider to perfect your art. Our article explains in detail some of the best free and paid courses for new and experienced photographers.

Depending on your needs, you can pick a course or two from the list to take your career to the next level.