If you are interested in taking photos and enjoy photography as a hobby, online photography courses can help you nurture your interest.
Photography is the art of telling stories through photos. One needs skills and techniques to become a good photographer. The composition of the image, correct usage of the light and lens, understanding of the settings of the camera, ability to edit images to give a complete look; are all the things you need to learn to master a career in photography.
Several photography courses are easily available to provide a seamless learning experience and a basic understanding of the primary objectives and skills of photography. Several online educational platforms provide enthusiasts with quality and affordable courses. You can easily avail these courses to learn the basics of photography from the comfort of your home.
In this article, you will get a clear account of the best photography courses online in Udemy and Coursera, respectively.
Best Photography Courses Online On Udemy
Udemy is an online platform that provides exclusive courses in photography, editing, graphic designing, and other areas. Be it an amateur with a smartphone or a beginner photographer with a DSLR, Udemy has a comprehensive range of courses for everyone to choose from.
1. Photography Masterclass: A complete guide to photography
This is one of the best online photography courses in Udemy. This course is designed for beginners and amateurs who have little or no experience in taking photos. If you have a sheer interest in learning about photography, you can always apply for this course. This course will provide you with an online photography course with a certificate.
Course highlights
- Understanding the working and functioning of the camera.
- Master shooting in manual mode while adapting to the camera features.
- Knowing the equipment required and managing them according to your budget.
- Following the practical demonstrations to see how to picture real-life scenarios.
- The correct usage of composure, lighting, and camera settings to produce better photos.
- Learning to edit photos to give them a professional look.
- How to start a business and earn money from photography.
Regardless of your knowledge and experience in photography, this course will teach you to produce world-class photos by integrating various styles and design techniques.
This course will help in honing your skills in using lighting, composing, and editing to create next-level photos. You can learn more about editing photos in lightroom in order to get inner sights about the topic.
Duration & fees
- The course is divided into 38 sections containing a total no. of 354 lectures.
- Total duration: 23 hours and 53 minutes.
- Fees: $ 46.65
2. Beginner Nikon Digital SLR (DSLR) Photography
If you own a camera but are lost in configuring the functioning of the camera options and systems, then this course is meant for you.
Any beginner with little knowledge about camera mechanisms and photography can gain expertise through this course. Doing practical work and observations will help in understanding the concept clearly.
This photography online course will help you to hone your camera skills to an expert level.
Course highlights
- Learning to visualize your pictures like a professional photographer.
- How to use apertures and why choose one aperture over another.
- How to work with all of the modes (Auto, P, S, A & M) and when you will need the types.
- Exposure to the photographer’s tool belt and understanding its impact on your images.
- How to choose the shutter speed and when to use different speeds according to the need.
- Recognizing the difference between in-depth and motion blur.
In this course, you will learn to use all the modes, aperture, shutter speed, and other functionalities of the Nikon DSLR camera through exercises and complete lectures.
You would also learn how to efficiently handle your camera and its equipment.
Duration & fees
- The course consists of 7 lectures
- Total duration: 1 hour & 10 minutes.
- Fees: $ 25.60
3. Your Road to Better Photography
If you already have a camera but are confused about the correct and accurate settings to apply during taking a photo in various situations, then this course is for you.
The main factors that decide your skill as a photographer are your ability to use three things- Aperture, Shutter speed, and ISO.
This course provides detailed explanations about using these features to improve your photography skills.
This online photography course is designed for beginners who want to control the features of aperture, shutter speed & ISO skillfully.
Course highlights
- Gaining creative control over the three features- Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO.
- Understanding the impact of Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO on the image.
- Learning to adjust the lighting in any situation for optimum results.
- Transforming your camera skills from Auto mode to manual mode.
- Integrated with useful exercises and assignments to experiment with your skills and receive honest reviews.
Photographers who are still unclear with the topics of lighting, Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO can take up this photography course online.
Duration & fees
- This course contains 2 sections with 10 lectures of a
- Total duration: 30 minutes.
- Fees: $ 17.07
4. Complete Photography: 21 courses in 1 [Beginner to Expert]
This course is designed to provide you with a-z about photography in one go. If you are a beginner and want to attain expert knowledge in photography and its elements, this course is a perfect match for you. It covers topics like portrait photography, landscape photography, stock photography, photography composition, black and white, editing with Adobe, and many more.
The courses covered under this package are:
- Understanding basic concepts of photography
- Understanding advanced concepts of photography
- Mastering architectural photography
- Mastering HDR photography
- Mastering night photography
- Adobe lightroom basics & advanced
- Adobe Photoshop basics & advanced
- Understanding photography gear and many more topics.
Course highlights
- Understanding basic photography concepts, exposure triangle, ISO, shutter speed, aperture.
- Doing practical projects with photo editing, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe photoshop.
- Learning Macro photography.
- Gaining practical knowledge on photography blogging with WordPress.
- Understanding advanced photography concepts like histograms, light metering, RAW format.
- How to earn money by stock photography.
- Doing practical projects in HDR and night photography.
Duration & fees
- This course is divided into 21 sections consisting of 136 lectures covering 8 hours & 20 minutes.
- Fees: $ 46.65
5. Photography- Become a better photographer- Part 1
This course comes with a bunch of free online courses on photography that you can watch and experiment with before applying. Intermediate and beginner amateur photographers are encouraged to take up this course to learn the tips and tricks of DSLR and compact photography. The course demonstrates many non-technical concepts of DSLR photography with fun explanations.
Course highlights
- Learning a detailed explanation of the camera settings.
- Understanding the importance of light and composition.
- Demonstrations of taking easy outdoor portraits.
- Techniques to get better flash photos indoors.
- Understanding the concepts of image quality, resolution, and different camera types.
- Tips to get sharp and better landscape pictures.
- Working with natural light and sun.
This course will help you to hone your skills as a photographer by having in-depth knowledge of the camera settings and other factors. Flash photography, light usage, usage of lenses, and other advanced options are provided in this course.
Duration & fees
- This course is divided into 11 sections containing 53 lectures of a total duration of 5 hours and 33 minutes.
- Fees: $ 29.87
Best Photography Courses Online On Coursera
Coursera is an online platform that provides export-oriented and flexible online courses about job-related subjects and projects.
It coordinates with more than 200 universities and companies to provide the members of the website with high-quality online education accompanied by job-ready certificates and degrees.
There are specialized plans for courses, professional certificates, degrees, etc. that you can avail yourself for affordable rates. Here are the 5 best photography courses on Coursera.
1. Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization
This is an online photography course designed for beginners, covering the aspects of photography using a smartphone to a DSLR camera. The course will help you to understand the concepts of exposure and composition to integrate creative concepts into your photos. You can build a strong foundation of on-camera knowledge and features with the help of the expert-guided courses packed in one go.
Course highlights
- Learning the camera aspects and applying them to practical work.
- Understanding the camera equipment and other non-technical matters to interpret a professional picture.
- Gaining camera control with the learning of different modes – from auto to program exposure.
- Learning the concepts of exposure modes, light metering, ISO settings, lens options, shutter speed, focus effect, etc.
- Expert guidance on editing skills and tasks on Adobe Lightroom and other smartphone apps.
- Learning to use light in natural and various settings.
- Sharing your work online to get reviews and participation in quizzes and other programs.
- Guaranteed specialization certificate from Michigan State University on completion of the course.
- Working on capstone projects to gain experience as a professional.
Duration & fees
- The course is divided into 5 sub-courses with a duration of about 6 months to complete.
- The course works at a pace of 4 hours/week according to a flexible schedule.
- You can enroll for free in this course and get yourself certified.
2. Camera, Exposure & Photography
This course is the 1st course involved in the Photography basics and beyond but you can opt for this module separately if you wish. If you are willing to attend each module at a time to gain detailed knowledge at a slower pace, then this online course is perfect for you. You will gain a specialized certificate after completion of this course from Michigan State University.
Course highlights
- Understanding the tech terms of the camera in detail.
- Sorting through the functions, menus, camera focus, and craft aspects.
- Learning about the different types of digital cameras along with their differences and characteristics.
- Set up a camera by yourself by integrating the necessary features and options.
- Expert guidance on using the various options and camera modes to make your pictures look stunning.
- Examining the different aspects of vantage points and frames.
- Gaining in-depth knowledge of the creative aspect of photography.
- Additional reading materials and peer discussions and reviews to help you improve the quality of your photography.
Duration & fees
- This online photography course consists of 4 modules designated to 4 different topics accompanied by lecture videos, quizzes, and reading materials.
- The total duration of the entire course is 19 hours that can be covered according to your convenience.
- You can enroll for free in this course, but a fee needs to be paid for full access to the content.
3. Photography Techniques: Light, Content & Sharing
This is the 4th course included in the Photography Basics & Beyond and covers more advanced topics of photography. This online photography course mainly focuses on preparing you for your projects and working as a freelance professional photographer. It looks into deep aspects of content in photography and provides guidelines on how you can improve your skills in that field.
Course highlights
- Learning the various types of photography contents and aspects that need to be applied in various situations.
- Tips and techniques of photography in ambient light at any time- from dawn to night.
- Recognizing the requirements to get a good photo in any lighting condition.
- Learning about essential light and exposure principles.
- Establishing control over aspects like continuous light, built-in flash, and light principles.
- Professionally present your photos, whether in a printed form or online view.
- The aspects of calibration and editing to give your photos a complete look.
- Practical assignments to put your knowledge and understanding into action.
Duration & fees
- This course is divided into 4 modules with content, covering 23 hours.
- You can enroll in this course free of cost, but fees are required to access all features.
4. Seeing Through Photographs
This course is offered by The Museum of Modern Art as a part of their modern and contemporary art and design specialization. This course helps you in having in-depth knowledge about the artistic side of photography. You will be able to understand the meanings and expressions behind photographs and learn the exclusive history of photography from experts of the Museum of Modern Art.
Course highlights
- Understanding the artistic approach to photography and looking through the technical aspects of clicking a picture.
- Experimentation with technological innovation to result in something creative.
- Learning the integration of context in the production, circulation, and reception of photographs.
- Understanding the meaning of a photograph and trying to convey your speech through your work.
- Gaining inspiration on photography and engaging in discussions around the world.
Duration & fees
- This course contains 4 modules of 17 hours.
- You can enroll for free in this course.
5. Principles of Photo Composition & Digital Image Post Production
This online photography course provides you with a professional-level understanding of the design elements that help to produce quality photos. You will be able to master the elements of composition and apply them into practical experiments. This is the 3rd module of the Photography Basics & Beyond provided by Michigan State University.
Course highlights
- Understanding the various elements of design to create a perfect composition.
- Learning to convey content through photographs.
- Organizing the elements in the frame to have a detailed understanding of the composition of pictures.
- Learning fundamental concepts of Adobe Lightroom and post-production techniques in photography.
- Integrating editing tips and techniques in smartphone cameras and apps to capture better pictures.
Duration & fees
- This course consists of 4 modules of 16 hours including expert videos and reading materials.
- You can enroll for free in this course, or pay for further access to detailed features.
Conclusion
Photography has become a popular career path in recent times. More and more people are finding solace in exploring the aspects of photography and taking it up as a professional career. If you are passionate about photography as much as to build a career upon it, an online photography course will definitely come handy.
Photography as a career is not new thus, not easy to achieve. One must remember that every field brings in competition and one must be patient to overcome it. Among various other alternatives available for a career path, if you are motivated enough to give photography a shot, you must find the needed sources to learn and this article is one among them.
If one is interested in the field of mass media that excels from close proximity with photography, they can look into a career in screenwriting, filmmaking, etc.
