Photography classes can expose you to foolproof strategies you need to build a profitable photography business and sharpen your skills.
You know this, and that’s probably the reason you’re here…
…to find the best online photography courses that fit your budget and experience level.
There are tons of online photography courses—both free and paid ones. So I reviewed almost every class I could find and cherry-picked the gems.
The result?
A list of the top 45+ courses every photographer can take from the comfort of their home.
Ready to choose your first (or next) photography class? Let’s take a look at the best available options.
Table of Contents
- Why photography classes are worth it
- Premium vs. free photography classes
- Free online photography classes
- Online photography classes for beginners
- Photography classes on building a successful business
- Best photography classes for polishing your craft
- Photography classes on tools/gadgets
- Best photography classes for kids
Why photography classes are worth it
You will need more than a camera to create remarkable photographs.
New concepts are emerging. So, if you’d like to update yourself and sharpen your skills to fit the new, rising demands in your niche, you’ll need to enroll in some photography classes.
Award-winning expert photographers are the instructors of most of the courses I featured in this guide.
Many of these professionals have done (and still do) iconic works for some of the world’s leading brands. So, when you take their courses, you’ll discover secrets to their incredible work and thriving career.
No one hits professionalism overnight. But, enrolling in certain photography classes will accelerate your pace—as you journey towards growing your career.
So…
…are photography classes worth it?
Yes. Totally!
Premium vs. free photography classes. Which should you choose?
It doesn’t matter whether you pay for a class or get it for free. The main question should be, “how valuable is the course?”
The free and paid courses in this guide will be beneficial to photographers looking to develop themselves. And, there are lots of gems in the free classes as there are in the premium ones.
So, regardless of costs, carefully pick a few courses on the list, review them, and enroll in the ones that fit your needs perfectly.
Top 45+ online photography classes taught by experts
The best free online photography classes
Are you looking for a free online photography class? Here are the top ones to check out.
1. Learn Photography by Australian Geographic Photographer Chris Bray
In this free photography class, award-winning photographer Chris Bray walks beginning photographers through the fundamentals of photography.
2. Photography Tutorials | How to Take Better Portraits For Beginners
You should check out this free course if you want to improve your portrait photographs. It covers tips on composition, lighting, and editing.
3. How to Take Amazing Photos with Your iPhone
This free photography course will teach you how to take excellent shots using an iPhone. It’s an ideal resource for beginner iPhone photographers and hobbyists looking to improve their skills.
4. Creative Photography Challenge
This free course features a series of short, snackable videos showing various photography techniques. You’ll discover lots of new concepts to try out.
5. Camera Buyer’s Guide
Not sure of the camera to purchase? The Camera Buyer’s Guide course will provide you with the details you need. You’ll discover the different camera types and camera recommendations.
The best online photography classes for beginners
If you are a beginner photographer looking to master the fundamentals of photography, below are ten courses you should check out.
6. Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization
You’ve got a camera. Now, it’s time to learn its functions and discover fundamental principles that’d help you throughout your career.
This course covers the camera key functions and discusses composition, exposure, and a few photography techniques you should know.
7. Fundamentals of Photography
Every beginner photographer needs to have a good knowledge of the technical basics of the camera.
In the Fundamentals of Photography course, you’ll learn about the camera types, shutter speed, camera lenses, exposure, lighting manipulations, and many more.
8. Posing 101
You need to master posing to take better shots. The Posing 101 course reveals foolproof tricks photographers can use to compel their subjects to pose in specific ways.
You’ll learn posing techniques, the best poses for different genders, and how to pose people in group shots.
Posing 101 is a practical photography course. Using models to illustrate her posing concepts, the instructor provides sufficient examples to help you in the field.
9. The Photography Starter Kit for Beginners
You need no expensive gear to start a photography career. Have just a DSLR camera? That will do.
The Photography Starter Kit for Beginners course shows beginner photographers how to take amazing shots with no expensive camera add-ons.
You’ll also discover essential photography terms and learn about subjects like flash photography, camera/subject positioning, and lighting manipulations.
10. DSLR and Mirrorless: The Fundamentals of Photography
This course will teach you how to take amazing shots on a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
You’ll learn about the three key elements that determine exposure (aperture size, shutter sound, and ISO) and how to balance them like a professional.
You’ll also learn about camera modes and controls (and how to adjust them) and discover a few photo editing techniques.
11. Beginner Canon Digital SLR (DSLR) Photography
Want to utilize your DSLR camera efficiently? This beginners course is for you.
The course covers details about shutter sound, aperture, the camera’s operation, and how to use the shooting mode dial. There are also exercises to help you comprehend better.
12. Photography Beginners: DSLR Photography Camera Settings
It’s one thing to own a camera and another to configure it correctly. This course will guide you through the process of setting your DSLR camera correctly.
You’ll discover how to adjust the camera’s essential functions (ISO, shutter speed, viewfinder, and aperture).
13. The Ultimate Photography Course – Beginner to Advanced
This photography course features heaps of information you’ll need to build a photography career from scratch.
The class begins with photography fundamentals like the parts of a camera, lenses, and camera accessories. As you proceed, you’ll learn how to build your photography and land your first client.
The course will also teach you how to take specific shots (like wildlife, nature, architecture, and landscape).
14. Photography Fundamentals Taught by a Photography Pro
This course is for beginner photographers looking to improve the quality of shots they take. You’ll learn about exposure, composition, and the importance of light (and its characteristics).
15. iPhone Photo Academy
It’s great if you have a DSLR camera and expensive accessories. But should the lack of these things hinder you from starting a photography career? Hell no!
When you enroll in this class, you’ll learn how to start a career in iPhone photography.
You’ll discover how to take top-notch photos with your iPhone, mobile editing techniques, and other information you need to become a successful iPhone photographer.
The best online photography classes on building a successful photography business
Want to build a thriving photography business? Check out the courses below.
16. Start Selling Your Photography: Getting Started with Stock Photography
Ever knew you could make lots of money selling stock photos online? Yes, you can.
This course reveals everything you need to know to start a stock photography business.
You’ll discover some of the top stock photography companies that accept photo submissions.
You’ll also learn how to take top-notch stock photos, edit them to meet most companies’ standards, and the right way to submit your photos to top stock photo directories.
17. Creating a Successful Wedding Photography
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a successful wedding photographer? Your dream is about to come true.
This course provides a roadmap for building a successful wedding photography business.
You’ll learn numerous photography tips for posing and capturing wedding couples and how to capture the wedding ceremony.
You’ll also discover advanced editing strategies, lessons on wedding albums, and sales and marketing strategies (including tips on interacting with clients professionally).
18. Commercial Photography: Thriving in a Competitive Industry
As more photographers emerge, you’ll have to think out (and implement) strategies that’ll help you thrive amidst the stiff competition.
Created by an expert photographer with 26 years of experience, this covers strategies that can help you succeed in a competitive industry.
The course features lessons on improving your photography skills, creating a unique brand, building a portfolio, and pricing/promoting your services.
19. The Business of Professional Retouching
You can make good money as a professional retoucher. Want to discover how? You’ll uncover the secrets in The Business of Professional Retouching course.
The course, created by two internationally recognized retouchers, covers everything you need to know to start a successful retouching business.
You’ll learn the basics of retouching, tips for better communication with clients, how to price your services, and many more.
20. The Method to a Successful (and Fulfilling) Photography Career
This course is ideal for anyone looking to start a profitable photography business from scratch. You’ll discover successful photographers’ daily routines and systems, goal-setting tips for photographers, negotiation tips, and how to stay motivated.
21. How to Become a Freelance Photographer
You don’t have to work as a full-time creator to earn good money.
This course uncovers the common problems hindering photographers from going freelance and the best solutions. It also reveals some mental hacks that will help you become a better freelance photographer.
You can’t discuss freelancing without considering ways to attract clients. So, this course also covers strategies for building a thriving community, building an audience, creating and sending proposals to brands, and increasing your exposure.
22. A to Z of Selling Your Photos
If you want to make money selling your photos to top brands, you should check out this course.
The course, created by an award-winning photographer and contributor to National Geographic, reveals strategies for building a thriving photography career (and landing gigs with top brands).
The course reveals various ways to make money as a photographer. You’ll find lessons on networking, branding, client acquisition.
23. How to Start a Photography Business
You can build a profitable photography business in only 12 weeks. Yes, this course reveals the entire process! So if you’re looking to launch your photography business the right way, consider taking this photography course.
The course features lessons on writing a business (and marketing) plan, creating short- and long-term business strategies, and crushing sales sessions.
You’ll also learn about branding, portfolio building, content marketing, and other methods for landing clients.
24. The Photographer’s Guide to SEO and Online Marketing
There are numerous ways to increase your exposure, land photography gigs, and sell your photos online.
As a photographer looking to excel in a competitive industry, you will increase your chances of success when you understand (and can implement) various business growth strategies.
In this photography class, you’ll discover ways to outshine your competitors by utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, social media, and word-of-mouth marketing to get more exposure and land more gigs.
25. Shooting for Brands
Leading brands are always looking for top talents. This constant search creates an opportunity for photographers to sharpen their skills and pitch their services to multiple recognized brands.
Shooting for Brands is a course that reveals all you need to know to land gigs with top brands.
The instructor, a professional photographer who has worked with Apple and TOMS, shares his best tips and hacks for building a thriving business. He reveals his gear, photography hacks, and infallible strategies for pitching ideas to big brands.
26. The Business of Photography
The Business Of Photography course will expose you to foolproof strategies for marketing your services and landing new gigs. You’ll learn tips for diversifying your income stream, pricing your services, and building your first team.
The best photography classes for polishing your craft
Want to sharpen your skills in specific photography niches? Check out these handpicked photography courses below.
27. Product Photography: Style and Edit for Stronger Images
Top product photographers have mastered the art of showcasing a brand’s identity and telling their stories through photographs. After taking this course, you will also be able to take better product photographs.
This product photography course will show you how to create product photos that appeal to a target audience. You’ll also discover helpful tips on lighting, selecting the right props, and editing your images like a pro.
28. Mastering Architecture and Real Estate Photography
This photography course will help sharpen your real estate and aerial photography skills. You’ll learn multiple ways of shooting real estate and architecture photographs.
The course also reveals various lighting techniques, the best pieces of equipment to use (and how to use them), and multiple ways to edit your real estate photos.
29. Master Mobile Photography Bootcamp
The Master Mobile Photography Bootcamp is a value-packed, go-to resource for hobbyists and photographers ready to use their mobile phones for serious photography.
The course explains mobile photography and reveals tricks anyone can use to take stunning pictures using their mobile device.
You’ll discover techniques for capturing winning multiple-perspective shots, recommended apps for mobile photographers (and how to configure them), and tips on editing photos on mobile devices.
30. Portrait Photography Fundamentals
The Portrait Photography Fundamentals course is ideal for anyone who wants to improve their portrait shots. After taking the course, you’d have mastered lighting, posing, composition, and post-processing techniques.
31. Lifestyle Family Photography
You’ll need more than posing and lighting tips to create exceptional images of real family moments. The Lifestyle Family Photography course will equip you with the knowledge you need to create memorable lifestyle photographs.
You’ll learn the basics of lifestyle photography, how to harness natural light sources in homes, and ways to execute gigs professionally.
The course is ideal for newbie photographers, professionals, and parents who want to capture beautiful everyday moments.
32. The Essential Aerial Photography Workshop
This photography class is a perfect resource for people passionate about aerial photography. It covers tips on choosing the best gadgets, researching and planning a flight route effectively, and selecting and managing gear in flight.
You’ll also discover how to capture beautiful photos from a plane and helicopter, how to take drone shots, and tips on safety and choosing clothing gear.
33. The Automotive Photography Workshop
Want to learn automotive photography from a professional photographer who shoots for top brands like Aston Martin and Mercedes Benz? Check out this course.
The course exposes everything you need to know to build a successful photography career in the automotive niche.
You’ll discover tips for building a brand, attracting clients, taking fantastic shots, and editing your photos like a pro. Also, the course features loads of real-life examples, so you shouldn’t struggle with replicating the instructor’s concepts.
34. The Art of Street Photography
Taught by ten expert photographers, the Art of Street Photography is an ideal, value-packed course for anyone who wants to build a career in street photography.
The course reveals strategies for taking top-notch street photographs, developing your photographic voice, and editing your photos. You’ll also see clips showing the instructors in the field, making modeling their methods unchallenging.
35. Adventure Photography Pro
Adventure Photography Pro is a top-rated, value-packed photography class for hobbyists and adventure photographers looking to step up their game and build a thriving business.
The course contains lessons on equipment setting, visual storytelling, portfolio building, prospecting, audience building, and more.
36. Newborn Photography Bootcamp
Newborn Photography Bootcamp is the perfect resource for anyone desiring to turn their passion for newborn photography into a profitable business.
The course will teach you multiple ways to pose newborns, tips for handling newborns (including hacks for getting them to sleep), and how to edit newborn photos.
37. Visual Appeal: The Art of Model Photography
Want to take model photography gigs and execute them effectively? Consider taking this class. The course is ideal for photographers looking to improve their model shots.
The course contains lessons on choosing a model, finding a perfect location, taking excellent shots, and editing color and monochrome.
38. Drone Photography | Shoot Professional Photos With Any Drone
This course will equip you for success in the drone photography space. The class spotlights the instructor’s best tips for taking remarkable drone shots regardless of experience level.
You’ll discover loads of lessons on drone photography, like how to take better drone shots (in daytime and nighttime) and the best drone camera settings to use
39. Travel Photography: Seeing, Shooting, and Editing
Travel photography isn’t solely about photographing a place but telling the story of a destination through images. This course covers everything you need to know to become a successful travel photographer.
After taking the course, you’d have discovered the thought patterns of top travel photographers, the best camera and camera accessories you should get, and how to edit your photos using simple-to-use tools.
40. Photographing the World
Photographing the World is a course for landscape photographers looking to step up their game and build a profitable photography business.
You’ll learn how to photograph amazing landscapes around the world (regardless of climates and seasons).
The course also features lessons showing the instructor’s photography gear, favorite editing tools, and studio post-processing techniques.
41. iPhone Photography: How to Shoot & Edit Conceptual Photos on Your Phone
This course reveals a ton of pro-level strategies for creating compelling conceptual photos using an iPhone. You’ll learn how to brainstorm creative concepts, take superb iPhone shots, and edit your conceptual images.
42. Underwater Photography
This is a one-day photography workshop for those who like to learn in the field. Led by Backscatter Photography Pros, you’ll suit up, boot up, and giant stride (or backward roll) in one of Cabo San Lucas’ local dive sites to learn the tricks of trade, working on your own photos after the dive in their Backscatter Photography Center. These courses are tailor-made to suit your needs, ensuring you leave with the knowledge and skills required to capture the perfect underwater photo.
The best photography classes to help you master your photography tools/gadgets
Want to learn how to use your new camera or camera accessory properly? Check out the courses below.
43. Nikon DSLR Photography: Getting Started with Your DSLR
This course covers everything you need to know about Nikon DSLR cameras. You’ll learn about the camera parts, ways to use scene modes and effects, how to adjust the camera settings, and more.
44. Photography Starter Kit for Canon DSLR Beginners
This course is ideal for anyone who just purchased their first Canon DSLR camera. You’ll learn about the Canon camera buttons and functions, the mode dial options, how to adjust the camera’s settings, and more.
45. Drone Flying 101
Drone Flying 101 provides all the lessons you’ll need to fly your first drone successfully.
In addition to step-by-step instructions for flying a drone, the course also features lessons on airspace, the basics of meteorology, and the FAA regulation.
The best photography classes for kids
Have kids who are passionate about photography? Below are the best photography classes for kids.
46. Photography for Kids – A Fun Beginners Course
This photography class teaches kids how to use the basic features of cameras, select the best photo resolution, take sharp photos, and do many more amazing things with cameras.
47. Photography for Kids: Project-Based Beginner Photography
This course is a top-rated photography class for kids who want to learn how to take excellent pictures. It features lessons on the history of the camera, basic camera techniques, and numerous photography techniques.
It’s time to 10X your photography skills and income
This guide comprises the best photography classes online.
You have no more excuses for not honing your skills and building your dream business.
Define your needs. Decide on your budget. Pick a course.
Who knows? You might soon become an award-winning photographer and the creator of a top-rated photography course—for the coming generation of photographers.
Need more helpful photography resources? Check these out:
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The Beginner’s Guide to Editing Instagram Photos (The Pro’s Way!)
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Step-by-step Guide: How to Become a Photographer
Looking for an intuitive, beginner-friendly tool for making quick photo edits? TRY COLORCINCH FOR FREE.
