Types of Photography Classes & Education
There are multiple ways that photographers can get educated. You don’t always have to go to an actual school to learn the tricks of the trade. Here are some ways that you can get educated in the photography field.
In the Classroom – Photography Classes Near You
The obvious way to get educated on photography is to enroll in classes at a campus. Many photographers have no college education in photography. However, if you feel that you would learn better in an actual classroom setting with an instructor and assignments, there are many colleges and art schools that you can enroll in.
If you have a family or a full-time job and actually making the time to go to school seems impossible, there are many online schools available as well.
Mentors
Many photographers are happy to be your mentor. They will teach you (one-on-one) things like operating your camera and post processing. They will also allow you to shadow them to see how to work with clients and allow you to have hands on learning.
Having a mentor to teach you their skills and answer your questions during your journey can be very beneficial to you as you learn the art of photography.
Workshops
A lot of highly skilled photographers offer workshops that you can sign up for a fee. They are usually held at one specific location where everyone meets up for a few days and gets a hands on learning experience from the best of the best.
Sometimes workshops don’t require you to travel. Many allow you to sign up for an online webinars. They usually consist of videos or podcasts and are usually broke down into multiple segments. The benefit of these is that you can usually download the segment and watch at your convenience.
Free Photography Classes
Some of the most successful photographers to date are self taught. There is a plethora of photography resources that you can take advantage of.
Google is your best friend when you have something specific you want to learn about. You can search for editing tutorials, software questions/issues, camera setting questions, and even business related questions.
If looking for good free editing tutorials (step by step), YouTube is a great place to start. Many photographers will show you how they edit a photo from start to finish, or just how to do a specific technique.
Many educational websites share videos as well.
There are also many books on photography. You can read up on everything from the history of photography, posing, and biographies from highly successful photographers.
Whether you are wanting to learn in an actual classroom setting or through online resources, there are plenty of ways to learn the art of operating your camera and your business like a pro. Do your research and take advantage of every learning opportunity you can get. And always keep in mind the best way to learn is to practice, practice, practice! The more you shoot, the more second nature it will become to you.
While you don’t have to invest a lot of money into photography education, there is nothing wrong with making that part of your business investments.
Online Photography Classes
- Sue Bryce Education – Join an international community of thousands of photographers learning to build and succeed in their portrait businesses.
- Digital Photography School – DPS is one of the most popular and longest running blogs on the web about photography. Founder Darren Rowse is a digital photography enthusiast who created the site to share tips for photographers who want to get the most out of their cameras.
- SLR Lounge – SLRLounge Education is based on the experience, knowledge and real-world success of Lin & Jirsa Photography, an award-winning photography studio composed of a creative team that shoots over 300 weddings each year with nearly 1,000 yearly client commissions.
- Strobist – Strobist is the world’s most popular resource for photographers who want how to learn to use their flashes like a pro.
- Envato Tuts+ – Free tutorials, learning guides, and online courses to help you learn photo and video skills.
- Creative Live – Online photography courses are a flexible way to improve your photography skills. Watch online photography classes taught by world-class photographers today.
- Lynda – Learn photography online from hundreds of online photography courses from basic composition to advanced shooting techniques. Learn photography from the experts at lynda.com.
- PHLearn – Over 600 FREE tutorials that will help you learn how to master Photoshop, Lightroom, and Photography! Learn how to create incredible images, every time.