When I started out in photography, the challenge of making a photo that was interesting to me was one of the things that kept me going. What’s more, I was inspired by the ease and frequency with which other accomplished photographers were able to produce stunning images.
Eventually, I did figure out the secrets to achieving great photography shots. First, you must examine your own character in order to learn both the skill of photography and what it truly means to produce high-quality images.
Understanding all the photography-related jargon and concepts is difficult without some basic knowledge. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been taking photos for a while and want to hone your photography skills, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the best websites, paid and free, to learn photography to ensure you’re producing your best work in no time.
The Best Photography Learning Websites
| Website | Cost | Features |
| Digital Photography School | $59 – $99 | Numerous courses featuring written materials, practical assignments, professional lecturers, etc. Information for photographers ranging from beginner to intermediate Topics ranging from overall photography tips and tricks to lightroom mastery to nature photography |
| The Photo Argus | $29 – $49 | 14-day money-back guarantee Lightroom presets Creative photography course featuring videos and image exercise files For beginner and intermediate learners |
| Photography Concentrate | $67 – $97 per tutorial | Tutorials for photography fundamentals, advanced techniques, and editing Ideal for beginners, intermediates, and professionals |
| Photofocus | Free | Blog articles Podcasts Webinars |
| Popular Photography | Free | Newsletter ‘How-to’ guides for photography tips and photo editing Great for beginners and intermediates |
| Geoff Lawrence | Free | Beginner-friendly Covers all aspects of photography Video tutorials |
| Digital Photo Mentor | $29 – $197 | 30-day money-back guarantee Courses featuring video training, downloadable content, challenges, FaceBook groups, etc. Wide range of photography categories Good for all experience level |
| Udemy | Range of prices | Photography courses 30-day money-back guarantee on all courses |
| Reddit Photography Class | Free | 30 accessible lessons Assignments on most lessons Reddit live classes |
| Photo.net | Free | Blog featuring how-to articles Inspirational posts Accessory reviews Community discussion forum |
| Tutsplus | Free & paid | Courses featuring photoshoot demonstrations and live-streams Free study resources |
| Fstoppers | $79 – $299 | Guide articles Offered by professional instructors Covers various topics such as editing, wedding photography, photography business, etc. |
| Creativelive | Wide range of prices | Classes that let you learn at your own pace Stream classes anywhere, anytime |
| Coursera | Free; pay for certification | Free courses audit Courses offered by various accredited universities Specialized tutors |
| Skillshare | Wide range of prices | Numerous courses broken down into short lessons Wide range of course presenters Lessons run between 25 minutes to 2 hours |
1. Digital Photography School
Digital Photography School is an online school that teaches learners how to photograph weddings, portraits, and landscapes.
The blog contains informative articles on various elements of photography and a community forum where visitors may post their photographs and ask questions. There is even a podcast in which some of the top photographers in the field are interviewed.
This website provides classes for students at all levels, from beginner to expert. They have a newsletter in which they share additional advice that can’t necessarily be found on their blog.
The price of each of the available classes is $99. They currently offer 24 photography e-books for readers interested in diving deeper into their interests.
2. The Photo Argus
This website is easy to navigate and provides inspiration by displaying some of the most breathtaking photos while also providing photography skills, ideas, and strategies.
You may improve your photography skills by reading their articles containing all of the most recent photography advice, news, and information. If you ever get the hankering to pick up a camera and unleash the artist residing deep within, take a stroll around this blog.
It is a valuable resource for people of all experience levels.
The Photo Argus provides two different paid courses.
3. Photography Concentrate
Photography Concentrate is here to provide you with the necessary photography resources, whether you are looking for information, support, inspiration, or encouragement.
Although the website provides paid classes, all of the free content on their site has the potential to educate you on the fundamentals of photography. In addition, they give customers a complete refund for up to sixty days after making a purchase, so you have plenty of time to decide whether or not the courses are right for you.
By signing up for their email list, you’ll receive various free tools that will assist you in capturing better photographs quickly and simply.
4. Photofocus
Photofocus is a photography teaching blog featuring a considerable amount of information, reviews, and podcasts that go beyond just capturing good photos.
This site teaches free Photoshop, Lightroom, and a wealth of other professional tools. Furthermore, it covers everything from batteries to shades, so you can pick up a few pointers to help you increase your expertise.
There’s also a forum where users can ask questions and share their content but the best thing about Photofocus is their fantastic blog section where you can find some great photography articles.
If you’re seeking some extra inspiration and assistance, visit the blog section where they post their photography and connections to other photographers’ blogs for additional information!
5. Popular Photography
For those just getting started, Popular Photography is an excellent resource. It provides many articles and lessons that address all aspects of photography, such as lighting, composition, and other fundamental skills. You can also increase your knowledge of the art form by taking the site’s informative quizzes, which are included on the website.
This website will provide plenty of helpful information on how to take better pictures with your smartphone or point-and-shoot camera using minimal effort. If you are new to the world of photography but want some essential tips on taking better pictures, this website will help you kickstart your journey.
6. Geoff Lawrence
Geoff Lawrence is an experienced commercial photographer as well as an instructor. His career spans more than 20 years. He offers instruction on photography and editing through his website, his YouTube channel, and even an app he has developed.
Geoff’s website is a fantastic destination to learn how to take better photographs. Geoff’s YouTube videos are worth watching if you want additional knowledge on specific topics like lighting or composition. The best part is you can get all these resources for free.
7. Digital Photo Mentor
Digital Photo Mentor is an excellent learning resource for photographers. It offers a vast selection of tutorials, forums, and resources. The website also includes an extensive blog that covers many aspects of photography, such as lighting, composition, and more.
Digital Photo Mentor also hosts frequent podcasts about how to enhance your photography skills, featuring conversations with industry professionals such as Michael Kimmell (photographer), Mattia Schulz (artist), and Thomas Hartwig (editor).
The content is straightforward to explore and contains a wealth of valuable tips, methods, and tools for any aspiring photographer. The site also provides a variety of other forms of educational content, such as articles about various cameras and full-length courses to help you become more comfortable with your camera gear or learn how to take better images in general. The site offers paid private tutorials and online courses that range in price.
8. Udemy
Udemy is a fantastic platform for learning photography. You will learn the fundamentals of digital SLR photography, how to use your camera, and how to take stunning landscape images. Udemy also offers video editing, 3D modeling, and web design classes comparable to, if not better than, those given by other companies.
Udemy is ideal for beginners due to its inexpensive pricing structure: most of their monthly courses cost between $10 and $20! In addition, they provide lifelong access, so once you’ve taken a lesson from them (or another provider), you can return at any time to rewatch past courses or take new ones.
9. Reddit Photography Class
The Reddit Photography Class is an accelerated learning experience for novice photographers covering all aspects of photography.
This course covers various topics related to photography, including but not limited to: types of cameras, exposure techniques, film versus digital, digital processes, shutter speed, and more. You can learn the most effective strategies to distribute your work to others.
You can learn at your own pace through the 30 courses focusing on theoretical concepts and real-world applications of photography.
All the courses offered are free.
10. Photo.net
Photo.net is one of the largest online photographic forums, with over 2 million members and a membership base that is constantly expanding. This website provides tutorials on various photography-related topics, including lighting, composition, and Photoshop editing. There are several photographers available, from amateurs to experts.
Photo.net is a reasonably active community with forums where users share their work and discuss photography-related issues, such as equipment evaluations and critiques of other photographers’ photographs placed in one’s portfolio section for free.
You’ll find that Photo.net has more than one million members who publicly share their work on the site; you’ll see what they’re shooting in real-time as they upload their photographs to the gallery section. You can also learn from them by following their tips and techniques through their galleries.
11. Tutsplus
Tutsplus is an excellent website for photography education. It provides tutorials on operating various cameras and lenses and detailed information on shooting in the studio or outdoors.
If you’re looking for something in particular, such as how to snap better portraits or improve your photo editing, Tutsplus also has some fantastic resources.
This site doesn’t just discuss photography; they demonstrate it! They also provide helpful videos like demonstrating just what occurs when a DSLR camera is used to take a photograph.
This makes things much simpler for people unfamiliar with cameras or even those who are.
They offer both free and paid courses.
12. Fstoppers
Fstoppers is a website that teaches photography and videography. The site contains much information about photography fundamentals, which is helpful whether you’re just starting or want to improve your skills. It also offers excellent articles about various types of cameras, lenses, and other photographic equipment.
The best thing about Fstoppers is that they provide fantastic tutorials presented by some of the top photographers in the world. You’ll discover how they master their art form by seeing them in real-time with their tools.
There are instructors from all backgrounds. You can find portrait photographers, landscape photographers, commercial photographers, wedding photographers, a photographer for music festivals, and so on. Fstopper courses range from between $79 to $299.
13. CreativeLive
CreativeLive is a platform for creative professionals to learn online that offers more than 200 classes. The website provides many digital photography, video production, and graphic design courses.
Professors with extensive industry experience teach the courses. Some courses are free to view and learn from, however, other premium courses cost $13-$39 per month (or up to $495 per year).
Premium access provides you unrestricted access to all premium content on CreativeLive for one month or the duration of your subscription (e.g., six months). If you need extra time, you can purchase additional months at any time throughout your membership period.
When choosing a CreativeLive course, you should consider whether it’s worth paying for access because many of them only offer limited access. This means you won’t be able to watch the full courses without first purchasing a subscription plan—even if the courses are advertised as “free”.
14. Coursera
Coursera is a well-known website for photography education. It provides a wide selection of online and on-site courses in its California location. If you want to get started with photography but don’t know where or what tools are available, Coursera is a great place to start!
This website contains over 50 courses that will teach you everything from basic abilities like capturing light and composition to advanced topics like HDR imaging and virtual reality creation.
The best feature of these courses is that they’re free unless you want to receive a certificate which you’ll have to pay for. You only need the internet connection required by the instructor’s platform (Google Chrome browser), which means anyone can learn new skills like this regardless of economic level or technical expertise.
Moreover, Coursera courses are specifically developed for photographers who aren’t aware of where or how to begin their careers as artists. The school offers a wide range of classes for beginners to pros.
15. Skillshare
SkillShare is a platform for online learning that allows users to enroll in any classes of their choice for a fee. Since 2011, the website has provided access to over 2 million courses. In addition, it has professional ties to prominent photographic firms such as Hasselblad, Leica, and others.
SkillShare offers free trials, but after this period expires it costs $49 per month or $399 per year to maintain an account. You may also purchase gift cards on Skillshare. There are numerous classes available on a vast number of topics, including photography and videography.
This website also has a community forum where students can raise questions or comments regarding their instructors’ work and receive assistance from other community members.
Conclusion
You do not need to be an expert in your field to learn new things or improve your skills. Many websites can help you improve your photography skills and, better yet, there are options for any budget. This list will help you find the best option for your needs.
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