All of us have a creativity gene in us. In some, it is relatively dormant, while in others, it just needs the right direction to produce a masterpiece. So, if photography is your calling, and you just need the right direction and adequate knowledge, you should consider taking an online photography class. Here, we have listed down the best 10 online photography courses, which you can try out. We prepared the list of the best online photography courses in collaboration with 27 photography experts and some of the most renowned photographers from around the world. Do check them out to know more.
11 Best Online Photography Courses
- Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization by Michigan State University - Coursera
- Photography Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Photography – Udemy
- Beginner Nikon Digital SLR (DSLR) Photography – Udemy
- Photography Techniques: Light, Content, and Sharing -– Coursera – Offered by Michigan State University
- Cameras, Exposure, and Photography by Michigan State University - Coursera
- Beginner Canon Digital SLR (DSLR) Photography – Udemy
- Photography Composition & Portrait Photography Masterclass – Udemy
- Fundamentals of Photography - Creative Live
- Instagram-Worthy Photography: Shoot, Edit & Share with Brandon Woelfel – Skillshare
- Introduction to Digital Photography - Alison
- Online Photography Course – Shaw Academy – Authorized by Affinity Power
About this course
The Coursera best online photography course offers adequate specialization, which covers a myriad of fundamental principles in photography, right from principles of composition to camera control and creativity. It is ranked at the top of the list of the best online photography classes because, it will build your foundation for growth by helping you produce photographs, which you’ll be proud to share with your audience.
In this photography class online for beginners, you will develop a final project of pictures, which would be developed according to your own needs, and it is your choice how expressive or practical you wish to keep it. With this best online photography class, you’ll get a privilege to share your work with fellow learners and get adequate feedback.
Moreover, every learner who opts for this best online photography course and further completes the entire course including Capstone will be eligible for substantial discounts on accessories, equipment, and membership benefits by industry partners and some of the top manufacturers of photography equipment, such as Fracture, Gary Fong, Gyst, Lensbaby, LensPen, Lume Cube, Photo District News, PhotoVideoEdu.com, Pixsy, and Think Tank.
With a rating of 4.8, it is indeed one of the best online photography classes. The course can be completed in six months, with a dedicated study of 4 hours every week. It is a free certification course, and more than 42,000 students have already enrolled for it. Not many spots are left, so hurry.
Why should you opt for this course?
There is more than one reason why we recommend photography classes online for beginners by Coursera to you. Firstly, the course will help you gain a myriad of skills related to creating a phenomenal art project and then confidently sharing it with your audience. Furthermore, the learner outcomes of this course have been brilliant, and that’s the reason for it being the best online photography class. 61% of learners who completed this course successfully were able to start a new career, get a hike or promotion.
Moreover, on completion of this best online photography class, you’ll be awarded a Shareable Certificate. The great thing about this best online photography class certificate is that it is offered in collaboration with Michigan State University. It is a shareable certificate.
What do you need?
Since it is a photography class online for beginners, you do not need any prior experience for this course.
Reviews by Chelsea R.
“
Coursera gives me the flexibility I need to take courses on my own time.
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About the course
Next, on our list of the best online photography classes is the photography course by Udemy. With this online photography class, you’ll be able to take incredible images and sell them using the strategies taught in the class. Moreover, the entire course has been particularly designed to help you learn and understand the ins and outs of the world of photography, even if you do not have adequate experience with it. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to click profitable images, and that would help you stand out from the crowd.
Though there are a bunch of digital photography online courses, the reason we have included this in our list of the best online photography classes is that it is almost impossible to find a comprehensive course like this one. It targets everyone, from beginners to professionals. This course is meant for every level of photographers who wish to improve their skills, take incredible pictures, and make money via those pictures.
It is a bestseller Udemy photography class with a rating of 4.6. Another reason for it being one of the best online photography courses is that it offers you a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee. So, if you are ever dissatisfied with your purchase, you can seek an immediate no-questions-asked refund. The Udemy photography course comprises 22 hours of on-demand video, 63 articles, and 31 downloadable resources. You get full lifetime access. So, whenever you wish to revise or revisit, you always can. There’ll be assignments given by the tutor after every concept clearance to check how well you are grasping things. It is a digital course, so you can access it both on your phone and TV. After the completion of the course, you’ll be lauded with a certificate.
Some photography styles that this course will teach you to include:
- Portrait photography
- Long exposure photography
- Landscape photography
- Product photography
- Low light photography
- Sports and action photography
- Street photography
- Architecture photography
- Event and wedding photography
- Aerial and drone photography
- Wildlife photography
- Night photography
- DSLR photography
- Mirrorless photography
- Smartphone photography
What will you learn?
As part of this Udemy photography class, you’ll learn a bunch of things. Some of them include:
- The ability to take incredible pictures, which can impress your friends and family. Further, you’ll learn to shoot incredible pictures in real-world scenarios, such as family portraits, landscapes, aerial, product, wildlife, and much more
- the working of the camera to help you take better pictures with some manual settings
- The ability to compose beautiful images by following some basic rules taught in class, such as techniques of lighting the subjects with natural lighting and flash to take good-looking photos
- Learning to edit your pictures just like a professional
- Learn to capitalize your learning to make some money
- Learn to take better pictures with just your smartphone
- Knowing what equipment, you should invest in, irrespective of the budget
What do you need?
For taking up this photography classes online for beginners:
- Since this is only a beginner's class, you do not need a fancy camera. Just having an ordinary camera or even a smartphone will help you practice what’s taught in the class.
- Moreover, no past knowledge of photography is needed.
Who should take up this course?
As we discussed, this is one of the best online photography courses, and is ideal for:
- Anyone who wishes to take better pictures.
- Beginners who aspire to become skilled photographers
- Anyone who wishes to document their lives in a more beautiful manner
- Amateurs who wish to improve their photography skills.
- Photographers who want to earn more money with their skills.
Reviews by Kaushik M.
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This is hands down the best course for mastering the basic concepts of photography and going beyond.I loved each and every second of this masterclass as the lecturers were very professional and brief in explaining difficult concepts,whilst making it a very fun journey for the learners.I'm quite upset that I've completed watching all the videos of this masterclass.I feel motivated more than ever to go out and take pictures and showcase my talent.
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About the course
Number three on our list of the best online photography classes is also a course by Udemy. With this Udemy photography course, you’ll learn how the different buttons and dials work on your Nikon DSLR. Including the video and the exercises, the entire course will take you about 2.5 hours to complete. With these exercises, you’ll be able to do and be thorough with the concepts explained in the class. This is one of the best online photography courses because your tutor, JP, strives to help your students retain the information without actually memorizing it. You get an hour of video lecture that covers topics, such as exposure, aperture, shutter speed, and the mode dial (Auto, P, S, A, and M). Necessary images will be shown as examples. Moreover, the exercises, too, will be explained thoroughly.
It is a bestseller Udemy photography class with a rating of 4.6. Another reason for it being one of the top-rated online photography classes is that it offers you a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee. So, if you are ever dissatisfied with your purchase, you can seek an immediate no-questions-asked refund. The Udemy photography course comprises 1-hour on-demand video and 1 downloadable resource. You get full lifetime access. So, whenever you wish to revise or revisit, you always can. It is a digital course, so you can access it both on your phone and TV. After the completion of the course, you’ll be lauded with a certificate.
What will you learn?
Another course in the list of the best online photography courses is the Udemy photography course, which will teach you a bunch of things. These include:
- Adding exposure to the photographer's tool belt and understanding its impact on the different visual elements of your images.
- Learning to adjust the aperture and the ability to decide why you would prefer a particular aperture over another.
- Learning to adjust the shutter speed and the ability to decide why you would prefer a particular speed over another.
- Working of all the modes (Auto, P, S, A, and M), and knowing, which mode to use when.
- Learning to understand and recognize the difference between motion blur and depth-of-field blur.
Requirements
Well, for this photography class online for beginners, you should either own a Nikon DSLR or have a borrowed camera. It applies to all the cameras, which have model numbers that start with D. Some of the examples include D4, D610, D7100.
Who should take up this course?
This photography class online for beginners is ideal for anyone who considers themselves an amateur with their Nikon DSLR and wants to know more about it.
Reviews by Kat Marvin
“
This was absolutely perfect to get me started with my Nikon DSLR. I love the way JP taught with the intuitive learning...much more effective than memorizing and having to come back and recheck what you learn all the time! I would highly recommend this class
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About this course
At number four on our list ofthebest online photography courses is the Coursera photography course. It is the Course Four, in Course 4 of 5 in the
Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization. This course will take you through the final elements of photography specialization, which are needed to round up this introduction to the fundamentals of Photography. After the completion of this online photography course, you’ll be able to create your projects in the Capstone.
The reason why we included this course in the best online photography classes list is also that this course gives you the ability and opportunity to learn from your fellow photographers' solutions to lighting challenges. It will also help you gather insight into your work and add additional creative approaches to it.
With a rating of 4.8, it is indeed one of the best online photography courses. The course can be completed in 21 hours. It is a free certification course, and more than 37,000 students have already enrolled for it. Not many spots are left, so hurry. This is certainly one of the best online photography classesthat you must check-out.
What will you learn?
In this online photography class, you’ll gather adequate knowledge related to the different contents in the photography, right from fact to fiction, and documentary to purely expressive. You’ll also learn the techniques, principles, and tips to use the vital elements of Light in Natural or Ambient settings.
Why this course?
There is more than one reason why we have included this in the list of the best online photography courses by Coursera. Firstly, the course will help you gain a myriad of skills related to creating a phenomenal art project and then confidently sharing it with your audience. Furthermore, the learner outcomes of this course have been brilliant, and that’s the reason why it is one of the most sought after online photography classes.
50% of learners who completed this course successfully were able to start a new career, 38% of the total learners got a promotion or pay hike, and 17% of the total learners got a tangible benefit from this course
After finishing your photography class online for beginners, you’ll yourself a Shareable Certificate awarded in association with the Michigan State University. You can import and share the certificate on your LinkedIn, or print and include in your CV. This best online photography classis conducted 100% online.
Reviews by AT
“
Great course structure. Great Professors and Mentors. This course has really help me grow a lot as a photographer. I'm so thankful to Coursera & MSU for putting such a great course for learners.
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About the course
Next on our list of the best online photography coursesis again a Coursera course. It is the Course One, in Course 1 of 5 in the Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization. Theseonline photography classeswill help you gain adequate confidence and knowledge that will help you consider the different vitals when you go on to pick a camera of your own. This is one of the best online photography courses that will teach you some of the basic and elementary functions, which are common in most digital cameras.
With a rating of 4.7, it is a deserving entrant in our list of the best online photography classes. The course can be completed in 16 hours. It is a free certification course, and approximately 1,50,000 students have already enrolled for it. Not many spots are left, so hurry.
What will you learn?
This best online photography class drafted by one of the most prolific universities would take you beyond the "technical" matters. Here, you would learn to create exciting pictures by emphasizing the aspects of Frame and Vantage Point. These online photography classes will help you interpret the old subjects in newer ways. It helps you discover the accessories that could be useful for venturing into the field of photography, and the different types of camera bags that you should watch out for.
Why this course?
There is more than one reason why it is a fair inclusion in this best online photography course list. Firstly, the course will help you gain a myriad of skills related to creating a phenomenal art project and then confidently sharing it with your audience. Furthermore, the learner outcomes of theseonline photography classeshave been brilliant, and that’s the reason why it is one of the most sought after and easily the best online photography courses.
61% of learners who completed this course successfully were able to start a new career.
After completing thebest online photography class, you’ll fetch yourself Shareable Certificate. The incredible thing about this certificate offered after the completion of this photography class online for a beginner's is that it is presented in association with Michigan State University. The certificate is shareable. So, you can import it and put it on your LinkedIn. You can also print and include in your CV.
Reviews by RP
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It's a very good course for beginners and I got to learn a lot and improve my photography in every way possible! I recommend it to everyone who's interested in Photography and want to do more with it.
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About this course
Our list of the best online photography courses wouldn’t have been completed without the inclusion of this course. With this canon photography class, you’ll learn how the different buttons and dials work on your Canon DSLR. Including the video and the exercises, the entire canon photography class will take you about 2.5 hours to complete. With the listed exercises, you’ll be able to do and be thorough with the concepts explained in the canon photography class. This is one of the best canon photography classes because your tutor, JP, strives to help you students retain the information without actually memorizing it. You get an hour of video lecture with these canon photography classesthat covers topics, such as exposure, aperture, shutter speed, and the mode dial (Auto, P, S, A, and M). Necessary images will be shown as examples. Moreover, the exercises, too, in these canon photography classeswill be explained thoroughly.
It is a canon photography class with a rating of 4.5. Another reason for it being one of the top-rated canon photography classes is that it offers you a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee. So, if you are ever dissatisfied with your purchase of the canon photography class, you can seek an immediate no-questions-asked refund. The canon photography class comprises a 1-hour on-demand video. You get full lifetime access. So, whenever you wish to revise or revisit, you always can. Theseare digital canon photography classes, so you can access it both on your phone and TV. After the completion of the canon photography class, you’ll be lauded with a certificate, which makes it a deserving entrant in our list of thebest online photography courses.
What will you learn?
Another course in the list of the best online photography classes is the canon photography class, which will teach you a bunch of things. These include:
- Adding exposure to the photographer's tool belt and understanding its impact on the different visual elements of your images.
- Learning to adjust the aperture and the ability to decide why you would prefer a particular aperture over another.
- Learning to adjust the shutter speed and the ability to decide why you would prefer a particular speed over another.
- Working of all the modes (Auto, P, S, A, and M), and knowing, which mode to use when
- Learning to understand and recognize the difference between motion blur and depth-of-field blur.
Hence, there’s a lot to learn with this canon photography class. So, do take up this canon photography class, and learn to do the most with your Canon DSLR.
Requirements
Well, for this canon photography class, you should either own a Canon DSLR or have a borrowed camera. Canon photography class applies to all the Canon EOS cameras.
Who should take up this course?
This canon photography class is ideal for beginners, as well as people who have little or basic knowledge about the working of the camera.
Reviews by Maurice Watton
“
This course is just what i needed to understand my camera better. Exposure was very informative and i have a better understanding.
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About the course
Inside all of us, there’s a hidden photographer that is in constant need to express itself and come out creatively. This Udemy photography coursewill help you discover that hidden photographer and tame it to do better.
It is a bestseller and certainly one of the best online photography courses with a rating of 4.3. Another reason for it being one of the top-rated and best online photography courses is that it offers you a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee. So, if you are ever dissatisfied with your purchase, you can seek an immediate no-questions-asked refund. This best online photography course comprises 11.5-hour on-demand video and 82 downloadable resources. You get full lifetime access. So, whenever you wish to revise or revisit, you always can. It is a digital course, so you can access it both on your phone and TV. After the completion of the course, you’ll be lauded with a certificate, and that makes it a well-deserved inclusion on our list of the best online photography courses.
What will you learn?
With this best online photography course, you will learn to:
- Access your in-built ability to view things more creatively.
- Create simple but powerful compositions.
- Master the visual aspect of photography.
- Master the art of portrait photography.
- Take an impressive picture with any camera
- Understand the importance and working of lighting in photography
- Take up good color images
- Take better black and white images
- Take images using the advanced composition techniques of photography
- Take excellent portraits in natural light
- Understand the ways to set up a home-based portrait studio in budget
- Take phenomenal pictures using strobes and flashes in modern studio light.
- Master the classic lighting techniques, which are used in a studio photography
Who should take up this course?
- This best online photography course is ideal for beginners who wish to master the creative side of photography and portrait photography.
- This is a great course for DSLR Photographers who wish to learn to use the camera well.
- It is also the best online photography course for iPhone and Android photographers who wish to learn to take better pictures.
- It is also a great course for candid photographers - Travel Photographers - Street Photographers - Landscape Photographers Etc.
- This is by far the best online photography course for people who wish to master portrait photography in natural lighting.
- It is also the best online photography course for photographers who would want to build their home-based studio business.
- Lastly, it is the best online photography course for photographers who wish to master portrait photography using strobe and flashes.
What do you need?
- To pursue this online Udemy photography course, you just need to have a passion for learning photography.
- Further, it will help if you have access to a camera. However, initially, a smartphone would be good too.
Reviews by Frederic Hermida
“
Very good class for beginners. A lot of ground is covered from theory to practice. For more seasoned photographers, it's a good way to review in an organized way one knowledge and grab a lot of tips. It's always good to review the basics. Well done!
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About the course
With this best online photography class, you will be able to build a solid foundation for your photography practice. As a photographer, you need to master the technical bits of the camera and form an understanding of the equipment before investing in it. With this photography class online for beginners, you’ll be able to bring your creative vision to fruition.
The class is taken by a seasoned photographer John Greengo and places special emphasis on experiential learning and quality visuals. 102.4k students have already enrolled for this course, which is by far the best online photography class for students. Moreover, each one of them who has taken this course in the past certainly recommends it. The reason for the inclusion of this course in the list of the best online photography courses is its versatility. It comes with 107 Video lessons in HD, 24h 30m of class content, and exclusive bonus content. This isn’t all. This best online photography class also comes with lifetime access. So, you can view and review this course anytime, anywhere, and as many times as desired. Another reason for the rightful inclusion of this course in the best online photography classes list is that you get offline and online access to it on both your mobile and laptop. You can offline sync with your iPad and iPhone applications. Hence, with this best online photography class, satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
What will you learn?
With this best online photography class, you’ll learn:
- To bring together the elements of the manual mode and come up with an evocative image - shutter speed, image composition, and aperture.
- To pick the right gear and achieve an efficient workflow.
- To recognize and take absolute advantage of beautiful natural light
Reviews by Marios Kanellos
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Fantastic course. Extremely plreased with how well and thorough John is with all the basic settings and tools of photography. I shot before but with very little understanding and now I will know how to shoot both technically and aesthetically well.
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About this course
Wish to be able to create shareable and magical pictures? Well, this Skillshare online photography class could be helpful. This class helps you capture one-of-a-kind action shots and portraits. Every video of this best online photography class is packed with necessary tips and hacks that Brandon was able to discover through his journey of photography.
It is a 70-minute online photography course, which breaks down the complex approach of Brandon in the most simplistic manner. In addition to teaching you camera hacks and tips, you’ll also learn some Photoshop techniques that might be helpful for you in the long run. This photography class online for beginners will be helpful for first-time photographers for beginners and also the experienced DSLR photographers who wish to update their style and portfolio. The tutor’s approach will certainly open to you a whole new world of creativity. So, get set and learn to create magic with Brandon via this course.
What will you learn?
With Skillshare’s best online photography classes, you’ll be able to:
- Dream up some creative concepts around you.
- Shoot intuitively
- Learn to chase the light
- Incorporate props in the shoot for extraordinary results
- Use Photoshop and Adobe Camera Raw to get the most vibrant colors
- Build a following for yourself by sharing your pictures with captions that tell aloud a story.
Reviews by Nachi J
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Brandon has very smoothly covered quite a few important elements in his lessons. Highly recommend this class.
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About this course
With this free online photography course, you can learn to perfect your shots. This course will help you unlock everything that you should know about cameras and photography. The tutor will introduce you to the basic features of a digital camera. This will help you understand what the different buttons on the camera are meant to do. The good thing about this online photography class is that the course explains the difference between crop sensors and full frames, and depicts how the digital photos are processed in the file formats, such as jpeg and RAW. Furthermore, this online photography class will also help you identify the important parts of a DSLR, and further make you familiar with the different techniques and styles of photography such as landscape photography, street photography, and wildlife photography. When you experiment with the different styles of photography, it would be helpful for you to understand which of these interests you the most.
Approximately 1,77,000 students have enrolled in this online photography course so far. It has a current rating of 4.2 and is indeed one of the best online photography classes out there. This photography class online for beginners will be a video lecture of about 2 to 3 hours. Following it, you’ll have to undergo assessment tests. This will help the tutor see how well you have learned with this online photography course. By the end of the completion of this online photography course, you’ll also be awarded a certificate. However, please note that to take up this online photography course, you’ll have to start your free trial with Skillshare.
Reviews by Oedson S.
“
Although I've a little experience with photography, the course was very important for I continue my development in the world of photography
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About this course
With this photography class online for beginners and professionals, you’ll be able to get a diploma in photography by the Shaw Academy. The course has already been enrolled by over 1.2 lac students. One of the best things about this online photography class is that it caters to all levels. So, it does not matter if you are a beginner or a trained photographer, be assured that there’s certainly some value addition that you could do with this class. The photography classes online for beginnersis divided into 4 modules, which have to be completed in 16 weeks. There are 32 video lessons spread across these modules for your easy access and quick learning. You must watch the video lessons module by module because the module 1 to 4 takes you from basics to the advanced and then proficient levels of photography.
Since the photography classes online for beginnersis 100% online, you can pause and play according to your convenience. Moreover, you can complete the photography classes online for beginnersas per your flexibility and schedule. After enrolling in the course, you can even download the class videos and watch them later offline. You can click on the link above to know what all is included in this course.
Reviews by Student
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I'm learning so much in the photography course! The lessons are interesting and fun. I love that Tom gives visual examples of the concepts and ideas being taught.
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So, these, according to us and the recognized photographers from around the world, are the top 11 best online photography courses. You can go through this list of the best online photography courses and make your decision. We, at TrumpLearning work as a knowledge resource hub accumulator and only work towards bringing you the best courses in all subjects for you. So, hope you find your best online photography classes. Good Luck.
The points highlighted in same color say the same thing. This can be avoided clubbing similar points in one.