Our beginner photography course will help you understand the basics of light and how your eye fixes lighting. How to get your camera to catch what your eye sees to produce better pictures. The tutorials will also help you understand your camera and how to take pictures with it. If you would like to go a step further, our best recommendation is to take our 365 Days of Photography Course.
Listed below are lessons hand-picked to help you get started. Make a goal for yourself of when you will finish all the photography lessons.
Lesson: 1
Getting Started in Photography – 17 Things to Consider
Getting started in photography doesn’t have to be challenging or intimidating. Persistence, a few creative projects, and networking can all help you thrive as a beginner. The Essentials of Getting Started In Photography Photography is a rewarding and satisfying hobby for millions of enthusiasts worldwide.
Lesson 2:
Basic Camera Settings
Did you recently purchase a new camera but are not sure which camera settings to use? You’re not alone. Most beginner photographers are initially overwhelmed
Lesson: 3
Understanding the Exposure Triangle
If you want to take great photos, you need to understand exposure, and the Exposure Triangle is the foundation of photography. If you’re new to photography, you can get away with taking respectable pictures right out of the box using automatic settings. However, if you want to produce quality images, you need to have a solid grasp of this basic
Lesson: 4
What is Aperture? Introduction Lesson
Aperture in photography is a diaphragm in lenses that controls the amount of light that can enter the camera. This function works in a similar way to how the iris in the human eye opens and closes to let more or less light in. A basic explanation is that as the aperture size increases, the amount of light let in increases, and as the aperture size decreases, the
Lesson: 5
What is Shutter Speed in Photography? Basic Guide for Beginners
What is shutter speed in photography? This is a great question because understanding what shutter speed is in photography is fundamental. Shutter speed is the amount of time the shutter is open when you take a photograph. The shutter speed is basically the timer for light coming into the camera. The shutter speed is one part of the exposure triangle. These are
Lesson: 6
What is ISO?
The acronym ISO refers to International Standards Organization. This gives us absolutely no clues as to how it is relevant in photography. The ISO setting on a camera controls how responsive the camera’s sensor is to light. This is universal across all brands and types of cameras. ISO settings are the same on phone cameras and on all types of film
Lesson: 7
Depth of Field: What Is It and How To Best Control It?
The term depth of field is common photography jargon. It refers to the part of a photo that is in acceptably sharp focus. The range of how much is in focus varies depending on the settings you choose and the camera and lens you use. One of the first things
Lesson: 8
Understanding White Balance in Photography
Why it’s Important to Control the White Balance Settings on Your Camera When the white balance is correct in a digital photograph, white will appear white and all colors in the photo will look as they do naturally. If the white balance is not set correctly, your photos will have an unusual color cast across them. A white object will not look white.
Lesson: 9
Understanding Color in Photography
Color in Photography The definition of color is a component of light that is separated when it is reflected off of an object. Color begins with light. The color we see is influenced by the characteristics of the source and what it reflects off. Wavelengths of reflected light determine what color
Lesson: 10
Contrast in Photography – How to Make the Best Use of It
The contrast in photography comes in a few different forms. How you make use of it is well worth considering. Contrast, or lack of it, can make or break a photograph. Making the best choices about how you manage contrast is one of the photography fundamentals. In this article,
Lesson: 11
Understanding Digital Camera Modes
With your first entry-level DSLR or mirrorless camera in hand, you may be wondering what all the letters and symbols on the mode dial mean. These are settings for various ways you can control how your camera makes an exposure. They range from Program Mode (P mode) to Manual Mode (M mode). In Program Mode the camera chooses the exposure settings. In Manual Mode, you
Lesson: 12
Camera Metering Modes: What You Need to Know About
Every modern camera has an exposure meter and you have options for which metering mode to use. Knowing which light metering mode is best to use can be a bit confusing at first. In this article, I’ll introduce you to each metering mode and explain how they are different. I’ll also share with you which ones I prefer to use and in what situations I
Lesson: 13
Shooting in Manual Mode
Manual camera settings may be challenging to beginner photographers. In my opinion, shooting in manual mode with your camera is a great way to learn photography. If you already have some experience and are not interested in manual camera settings, this article may not be for you. Or you might learn an
Lesson: 14
How Do You Know if You Have a Correct Exposure?
Setting a correct exposure is foundational to good photography. But what is a correct exposure? A correct exposure is one that you are happy with. It means you have set the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO controls well. The result is that not too much light or too little
Lesson: 15
Exposure Compensation: How to Use it Correctly
Pick up a digital camera nowadays and one of the things you’ll instantly notice is the Exposure Compensation on the menu screen. It’s the strange-looking scale with a + and – sign on opposite ends, with numbers labeled along the scale. You may have noticed this countless
Lesson: 16
5 Basic Compositional Rules in Photography
Compositional Rules As a beginner photographer, you must surely be looking at the images made by other photographers, people whose work you admire. Among the many things that you may undoubtedly notice, you may also have noticed that somehow the compositions of these photographers tend to be a lot more eye-catching. Have you ever wondered what the difference
Lesson: 17
Introduction to the Rule of Thirds
What is the Rule of Thirds in Photography? The rule of thirds is a composition technique. It divides the frame into a grid with two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. The method is to align the subject or main elements of your image on the 4 intersecting points, or along the vertical
Lesson: 18
How To Use Negative Space to Make Your Photos More Powerful
Carefully thought-out photography compositions often incorporate negative space in their design. Photographers who make use of negative space add power and meaning to subjects that may otherwise be bland. Negative space in photography composition is all the area around the subject. Positive space is your subject. It’s not a matter of one being good and the other bad. Positive
Lesson: 19
How To Use Leading Lines in Composition
Knowing how to use leading lines in photography is one of the key composition skills beginner photographers can acquire. Learning composition starts with an understanding of how we look at things and how we see things. When you look at an image, your eyes dart around
Lesson: 20
How to Use Strong Lines in Photography Composition
Making use of strong lines in photography compositions creates strength, adds peace, guides a viewer’s eye, and much more. You have to be aware of the lines, either real or implied, so you can include them most relevantly in your images. Good photography composition has many guidelines. Sometimes these are called rules. However, I don’t believe
Lesson: 21
8 Reasons Why Your Photos Are Blurry
No photographer likes to see that their photos are blurred. Wondering ‘why are my pictures blurry’ is the cause of much frustration. The good thing is that there’s always a reason an image turns out blurry. In this article, I’ll teach what causes blurry photos and what
Lesson: 22
10 Common Beginner Photography Mistakes and How to Fix Them
As a new photographer, it’s inevitable that you’re going to make mistakes. Some of the most common photography mistakes beginners make are also the easiest to fix. When you first start taking photos, your images may be: underexposed, overexposed, out of focus, poorly composed, or just plain old dull and boring. Don’t let it get
Lesson: 23
RAW vs JPEG – Which Image File Format is Better?
RAW and JPEG Files RAW format and jpg (or jpeg) format are two distinctly different files types produced by your digital camera. When you set up your camera you can choose to save your photos are either of these formats or save them as both simultaneously. The main differences between
Lesson: 24
10 Different Types of Cameras
From DSLRs, mirrorless cameras to the iPhone, it’s easier than ever to find a digital camera and start taking great photos. We’ve compiled a list of the ten different types of cameras most photographers use. [toc] This article applies to all types of photographers – beginner, casual, or professional. We hope this article inspires you
Lesson: 25
9 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Camera
I’m often asked for advice by people who are in the process of choosing a camera. Which is the best camera? Should I get one with interchangeable lenses? Is it worth buying a point and shoot? My response to their questions are a few questions of my own.
Lesson: 26
How to Use a DSLR Camera: Basic Guide for Beginners
Using Your DSLR Camera How to use a DSLR camera is on the mind of every new photographer that has one. These cameras are complicated pieces of technological equipment. If you own a new DSLR camera, you don’t want to be stuck using it on auto mode. This is what you use your phone for,
Lesson: 27
How to Hold a Camera Steady to Take Sharper Photos: 6 Pro Tips
So learning how to hold a camera may sound a bit silly at first. But think about it, have you ever considered if you are holding your camera the correct way? Typically we are so excited when our new camera arrives we rarely think about the correct way
Lesson: 28
6 Types of Camera Lenses & What to Do With Them
Basic Types of Camera Lenses Do you have a camera lens FOMO? We’ll break down the types of camera lenses out there and how can you use each of them to shoot better photos. Let us know your thoughts and how you can use each lens in your own photography!
Lesson: 29
How to Use These 11 Types of Lighting in Photography
Lighting is the most important consideration in photography. It’s what makes the photograph possible. So, let’s get a better understanding of what we are talking about when we are discussing the types of light. What is Light in Photography? Light is the fundamental element in photography.
Lesson: 30
How to Avoid Making Bad Lighting Mistakes
Good lighting is essential to good photography. Bad lighting mistakes can ruin an otherwise fabulous photograph. This is frustrating for any photographer. Learning how to manage bad lighting is challenging. When the light is not to your liking, sometimes it’s not possible to change. So what can you
Lesson: 31
13 Most Popular Types of Photography Genres
There are approximately 152,000 people employed as photographers in the United States. People choose this career for a variety of reasons. Some like the idea of self-employment as a photographer, while others are looking to make a living from traveling or doing something else they love
Lesson: 32
How To Make Extraordinary Photography from Ordinary Subjects
A good subject does not make a good photograph. Nor does a good camera. Good photographers make good photographs. Ordinary subjects and ordinary cameras can make extraordinary photography. It’s up to the photographer. These days it’s super easy to grab your phone or camera and take
Lesson: 33
Personal Photography Projects: 13 of the Best Ideas
Personal photography projects are one of the best ways to help you improve your photography. Being focused on a particular topic you will develop more than if you photograph random subjects. Learning as you regularly take photos for your project will accelerate your progress even more.
Lesson: 34
A Glossary of 251 Most Essential Photography Terms
Photography terms are numerous and can be super confusing for new photographers to get their heads around. But having a good understanding of the photography terms used to describe essential processes will help you enjoy photography a lot more. Some of the technical jargon is just
If you’re new and just starting out with photography, or an amateur photographer looking to improve your photography skills or learn the basics of digital photography, try a premium beginner photography class.
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Check out these Beginner Photography Classes today!
Dive deep into photography and understand good workflow, photography tips, and much more in this in-depth digital photography course for beginners! Designed for those who want to get serious about photography, learn the photography basics such as setting up your camera, the philosophy of photography and post-processing.
Learning photography for the beginner can be overwhelming at first, but this exciting and easy-to-grasp online course will teach you 13, hands-on lessons to develop your camera skills. Learn top notch photography basics and photography tips, like learning to pre-visualize your images for enhanced creativity.
For the beginner Canon camera user, this course provides all the essential photography basics and photography tips you need to improve your skills. Through a series of easy-to-understand videos and lessons, you’ll be able to master using all the buttons and dials on your Canon camera!
For the beginner Nikon user, this course provides all the essential photography basics and photography tips you need to improve your skills. Through a series of easy-to-understand videos and lessons, you’ll be able to master using all the buttons and dials on your Nikon camera!
