As of today, there are so many Free Photography Courses that beginners in the market can consider diving into. Not forgetting, across the planet, many people are still stuck in isolation. And, as such, it can be really hard to stay creative as a photographer in times like this. Fortunately, I’ve found some great, free courses that are in the release.
Especially, by skilled photographers and artists from around the globe. And not just from the normal ‘Tom, Dick, and Harry,’ no, it’s a collection of courses from eloquent photo masters from around the world. So, in this article, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced photographer, there are plenty of resources that will help you fulfill your artistic craft skills.
And, by the time you know it, you too are already a pro photographer. Photography is nothing new. It has been running from generation to generation even before the invention of the computer. By definition, photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images. More so, by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film.
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Not to mention, it’s employed in many fields today; including science, manufacturing (e.g., photolithography), and even business too. As well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational purposes, hobby, and mass communication. For more information, you can read and learn more about what photography entails in detail.
Give your creativity a boost by learning a new skill for free! Before we discuss some of the best free photography courses for your time in isolation, let’s first learn more about what it entails to become a lead photographer. Of course, nothing comes on a silver plate. For one thing, photography is quite a demanding career. But, it pays quite well to those worthy.
How To Get Into Photography
Normally, people take pictures with their cameras all the time, but not everyone can call themselves a “photographer.” It usually takes a new level of interest for any shooter to want to get into photography and make it a hobby or a career. At the same time, potential expenses and the vast amount of information that you’ll need to acquire can be overwhelming.
More so, for any aspiring photographer, or anyone embarking upon a beginner photography career. So, what’s the first step to take, to get into photography, and even become the best there is? Any photographer will tell you that there’s no single road to get into photography. There are, in fact, many ways to kickstart your amateur photography journey.
Don’t worry, it’s pretty easy. And no matter which tip you start off with, as long as you support your drive to grow in the field, your passion and interest will definitely take you places. If you want to get started in photography the right and easy way, there are a few tips that you’ll need to look out for.
#1: Find Your Inspiration
Do you find yourself taking portraits the most? Do you fancy abstract imagery or stunning landscapes? Perhaps you would like to get into event photography? Or do you simply want to capture every moment and object that catches your eye? Whatever it is that made you want to get into photography, hang on to it and use it as your inspiration to grow and follow your newfound passion.
A good way to find your inspiration is to figure out what you already like to do. If you love traveling, you can start by being a travel photographer. Similarly, if you’re into sports, you can try action and sports photography. Feel free to try out different types of photography that may interest you! In addition to various Free Photography Courses for all.
#2: Get A Good Camera
Once you’ve got a pretty good idea of what you want your subject to be, the only other thing you really need to start taking those amazing stills is a good camera. Today’s amateur photographers are lucky to have a wide variety of cameras that they can get their hands on. Just a few years ago, there was a very significant gap to close.
Mostly, between compact point-and-shoot cameras. As well as more professional DSLR cameras in terms of image capability and price. Anybody who’s just learning photography now can purchase budget mid-pro mirrorless cameras that are not only very lightweight but also highly capable of delivering professional, magazine-quality images.
But, whatever you choose, it’s important that you learn how to use your camera, and that it fits your preferred type of photography. As they say, the best camera is the one that you have with you.
#3: Compose Yourself Carefully
In photography, it’s obviously quality over quantity. Just taking hundreds of pictures won’t make a great photographer, overnight. Especially, if the shots are not well thought of. Before holding the camera up near your face and clicking the shutter, take a few seconds to study the scene. Have a proper focus on your subject, and carefully frame your shot.
If at all, don’t just take photos of everything — as professionals say it, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). A simple tilt or movement of the camera to the right is capable of adding a story and appeal to a photo. So, make sure that you use that viewfinder well. You can then introduce your perfect shots without worrying that the outcome will be awkward.
The job of the gallery is to make a killing from your sales. So, never make any hasty or rushed decisions that are unnecessary. Eventually, you’ll receive a commission check by the date agreed upon in writing. If you do not get along with a curator or gallery owner, do not be rude or disrespectful. As agreed, remove your work at the end of the exhibition.
As such, you can bring your arrangement to an end in a highly professional manner. Always remember, you do not want to burn any bridges. Obviously, now that curators and gallery owners’ network is bigger than your startup – with many connections you mint from if you impress them too. And, of course, you don’t want to prevent yourself from receiving good referrals in the future.
#4: Try To Go, Manual,
Speaking of getting to know your camera, you really ought to make the most out of those hard-earned bucks you spent by getting over your fear of the unknown and going full manual. You may need to spend or invest a lot of time to better understand camera functions and features, especially the exposure triangle — namely Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO.
But, the results do pay off and show up in your photos. Manually adjusting your settings opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities and image outputs. If you want to capture those kinds of photos with breathtaking, blurry backgrounds and spectacular night shots, going manual is the way to go.
In galleries, sometimes there are things called “pop-up” galleries where a curator might create an exhibition space in a public space or an empty business space. It’s good to do your research on the web for potential opportunities to get included in exhibitions in pop-up galleries in your area by finding out requirements, which may be posted on websites.
#5: Attend Showcase Workshops
There’s a lot that you can learn from a photography workshop or tutorial, even if you don’t have a camera or are not all that interested in getting into amateur photography. Workshops teach you everything from camera settings, and framing rules, to more advanced lessons like professional lighting and photo editing. Besides, there’s a nitty-gritty of it all.
For one thing, it gives you a whole new perspective on taking pictures and what really makes a photo visually appealing. It’s really the best option for getting a proper and comprehensive education in photography. Galleries are a wonderful exhibition experience, especially when it’s your own solo exhibit. But, don’t knock group exhibitions in galleries.
Simply, because they too can be excellent exposure – especially for those starting out in exhibiting their work. To work with a gallery, it’s important to make as many visits to the gallery openings as possible. Not only to network but to view what types of work each gallery subscribes to showing. Meet with the curator and/or gallery owner, be polite, and ask more.
Make sure you express interest and if they are interested in hearing more about your work, talk about your work. More often than not, you will need to make an appointment to do this sometime after the opening reception you are attending.
#6: Learn How Lights Work
One of the most crucial factors that can make or break a photo is light. Therefore, it’s important that a photographer learns how to use it to his or her advantage. You can make do with ambient light — like diffused sunlight or any existing indoor lighting — to capture well-exposed images. Learn how to position your subject or add light sources correctly.
For sure, doing so can hugely give your photos a different touch and feel. When you’re just starting out and don’t have access to light modifiers (studio lights) and slave flashes yet, it helps when you can “read” the direction of light and manipulate it using props. Such as reflectors and DIY light filters to manually create beautiful highlights, shadows, etc.
Or even silhouettes within a scene. In addition, you should also try and make sure that you can identify your work easily and then provide an inventory list for the same. Be sure to mark each piece of your work with the title, medium, and size of the artwork or photograph. For photography, I also like to include where the photograph was taken.
Even if it’s at an art fair or such where you can include a print bin of loose matted prints, make sure the price is well stated as well. Keeping in mind, all of this can be put on a label on the back of your work. It’s also important to give an inventory to the gallery — so that they may price your work. This is typically due when you deliver the work to be hung.
#7: Get Socially Active
Experience really is the best teacher. You can study and tinker with your camera settings all you want, but the only way that you’ll really learn photography is to bring your camera everywhere and make time for shooting.
After all, what better way to practice and apply what you’ve learned than by actually going out there and taking pictures? You’ll be surprised by how much you’ll discover about your camera and your own artistic capabilities when you decide to have your camera within reach during your free time and organize shooting activities with fellow photographer friends.
As you get socially out there, it’s also good to remember that respect is a great virtue — can never be bought. In that case, make sure that you truly respect others’ work as well as Gallery’s Marketing strategies — however how unreal they are. Bear in mind, that a gallery will send out their own marketing literature and such with their own logo, etc.
Never send out any marketing material of your own using the gallery’s information or logo without obtaining their permission first. Our team prefers to do this in writing to cover the backside. And then, no matter what the case is, stay out of the sales process. If a gallery is dealing with selling your work, do not interfere in the sales process when a sale is made.
#8: Invest Your Time
Like with any hobby or profession, learning and growth take time. Rushing to become a pro will not only put unnecessary pressure on you as an amateur shooter but will also keep you from enjoying what you do. Don’t force yourself to be like other more advanced shooters or purchase expensive gear that you won’t be able to utilize anytime soon.
And, on one side, you should always try to slow down your progress and take the time to learn all that you can. Whilst, experimenting and maybe even discovering your signature style of shooting before going big or asking for talent fees. While, on the other side, it’s also good to have examples of your work ready, at all times.
There’s even more to that than you may think. For instance, when a curator or gallery owner requests images of your work – send them ASAP. After all, you do not want to chance not being included in promotional materials. And as a result, not having your work reviewed by the media.
Likewise, never expect a gallery to prepare your work for you. Thus, you must always prepare and have your work “gallery-ready.” Meaning, framing your pieces and stinging them up on the back with wires and eye-hooks, etc. Sometimes a gallery will have its own hooks for walls to hang pieces on a wall.
#9: Expand Your Gears
Besides having that mouth-watering photography room, the number of gears at your disposal is yet another great advantage. After getting the hang of shooting even with your camera on full manual mode, you’ll want to level up.
And then, improve the quality of your photos. If you’re particularly into adding a better focus on your subject and improving the quality of your background blur (or bokeh), you may want to get your hands on wide-aperture lenses.
Aside from additional lenses, you may want to purchase external flashes for those instances when there’s not enough ambient light; a handy tripod for more convenient shooting at slower shutter speeds; or even a battery grip that allows you to have extra power for prolonged shooting. Some Free Photography Courses will guide you more on that as well.
#10. Find A Mentor
Apart from finding your inspiration, find someone who can inspire you. That person can be a workshop teacher, a friend, or anyone you know who has been doing photography for quite a while. A mentor can teach you camera and photography tricks, give you lots of useful tips, share learning experiences, and answer any photography questions you have.
You can even tag along with your mentor, observe his work environment and how he executes his shots, and maybe even assist in doing some second-shooter tasks to help you gain more experience. Who knows, someday, you’ll also have the honor to pass your knowledge on and be a mentor to another amateur photographer.
Also, if you are in the photography service industry, it’s a “must” to have your own website to show your portfolio. As well as to list more information about your services and/or to have an appointment booking system. While there are many web tools out there to show, sell and fulfill your work for sale, it’s also definitely invaluable to have your own site.
That’s if for nothing else than to have a more personalized web presence. You can put your artist biography and resume on the website – making it a lot easier for gallery owners and/or potential buyers to view your background. It’s also a great place to show samples of your work with a link to another website/platform for sales and fulfillment.
The Best Free Photography Courses, Accessories & Toolkits
In reality, many photographers first think to themselves, “I want to show my work in a gallery.” However, galleries are not the only venue where one can exhibit and sell their work. There are numerous opportunities for getting your work out there for viewers and collectors to see and purchase. The best way to start is by utilizing some of the Free Photography Courses.
As an example, to take photographs on ships or to work in ports and cover maritime transportation requires a full range of photographic know-how. Including portraiture, landscape, product, aerial, architecture, corporate — even adventure-photography skills. And that’s just on the first day! Besides free photography courses, know about all needful tools.
There are so many Free Photography Courses you can consider for your time in isolation. Especially, if you are starting as an amateur photographer. In that case, you can consider some of the following as your beginning point.
Best Free Photography Courses:
- Leica – #stayathomewithLeica
- Nikon School – Free For The Entire Month
- Harvard University-Digital Photography Exposed
- Best Online Photography Courses By Photolemur – [Updated]
- Free Online Photography Courses | Certification Classes
- Lighting Essentials – Free Ebook And Videos By The NSW University
- LinkedIn Learning (Formerly Lynda.com) Free Courses For Library Members
- The Museum Of Modern Art (MoMA) -Photography Courses
- Photocritic Introduction To Photography
- Skillshare- Flat Lay Photography Course
By all means, for digital photographers, a well-calibrated and accurate photography monitor is an indispensable tool for solid practice. Regardless of whether you like to print your photos or share them exclusively online, a photo monitor you can trust will make a big difference. Particularly, in terms of how anyone views your photographs, yourself included.
Photographers love their gadgets, and gadgets are fantastic go-to’s when the gift-giving season rolls around. There’s certainly no shortage of toys on the market, but it’s overwhelming figuring out what’s worth buying. If the photographer in your life hasn’t provided you with a wish list, it feels like a shot in the dark trying to pick out what they need.
This List Might Help You:
- White-Balancing Tools
- Replacement Camera Straps
- External Hard/Solid State Drives
- Memory Card Readers
- Memory-Card Wallets
- Accessories Cleaning Toolkits
- Filters & Camera Bags
- Onset Tripods & Stabilizers
- Collapsible Reflector Discs
- Water Proof Covers
Besides just helping to achieve accurate colors and contrast, a finely tuned monitor is also more enjoyable to work on and contributes to a seamless all-around workflow. Additionally, when looking for a monitor, also consider size and resolution as additional variables, with larger screens being easier to edit on.
Especially, when dealing with multiple images or windows. That’s it! A Free Photography Courses Guide as well as How To Get Into Photography. I am sure you are now ready to kickstart your amateur photography journey. If you take your mind off of getting into a gallery, the possibilities of where to show your work are endless.
More Useful Resource References:
- Best Monitors For Photographers
- Where To Show And Sell Your Photography – Adorama
- The Secret Industry – Shipping and Maritime Photography: The B&H Photography Podcast
- Subject, Self, And Gear: Take Better Wildlife Photos Without Buying Anything
- 60 Different Types of Photography You Need to Know!
You may not sell your work in some types of venues, but exposure can be just as important. For one thing, it can lead to the sale of your work later down the road. As a “creative”, get creative!
Etsy and eBay can be good places to upload your work for sale as many people know of its existence and as a place to go for niche items. Websites like Zazzle allow you to upload your work, set your prices, and allow people to affix your images too. Not only for postcards and stationery for purchase but also for novelty items such as pillows and playing cards.
So, what’s your take on our today’s topic? Do you think the Free Photography Courses listed above are juicy enough to get you going? We’ll you can let us know some of your opinions, suggestions, contributions, or even questions below.
But, if you’ll need more help, you can always Consult Us and let us know how we can sort you out. Likewise, don’t forget to share this guide with your friends and other great web readers like you. You can also Donate to support what we do.
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