9 free online photo classes that can help sharpen your camera and editing skills

If you’re curious about developing new skills or looking to try something fun during some downtime, photography is often an excellent hobby — especially for first-timers.

In addition, there might be health benefits: Research from Harvard suggests that learning a replacement skill can help reduce stress — and maybe even simpler than simply relaxing. And when that new skill is photography, you furthermore may gain an ingenious outlet to bust stress for the long-term. Photography is some things that you simply can learn indoors or in your backyard, and if you do not have a more advanced camera to find out with, you’ll even start (in some cases) by learning with the camera that you simply already have: a smartphone.

As a knowledgeable photographer, I’ve compiled an inventory of a number of my favorite online learning platforms that I’ve used personally, also as other outlets with great student reviews. And, I narrowed the list right down to free online photography classes, suitable for any budget.

Here are 8 online photography classes that you simply can signup for free:
Learn to use your DSLR or mirrorless camera
Nikon School Online
Nikon
Signup via Nikon School Online
Nikon School Online offers a spread of self-paced video classes for multiple skill levels, from the most recent beginners to advanced topics. and through the month of April, the classes are accessible for free of charge.

The classes are lead by Nikon Ambassadors, an inventory of respected professional photographers and videographers. the present list of 10 classes ranges from quick 15-minute videos to hour-long advanced classes. The classes are going to be, of course, geared toward photographers using Nikon gear, but many of the ideas and classes will apply to non-Nikon cameras.

Take your photo skills from hobbyist to pro
Professional Photographers of America Online Classes
Professional Photographers of America
Signup via Professional Photographers of America
Normally a part of a paid membership, Professional Photographers of America has opened access to all or any of their online courses free of charge. The move is merely temporary, but photographers and little business owners will now have access to the courses, without a paid membership, for 2 weeks. The classes require a free account, but a couple of junk emails may be a small price to pay to access the classes designed for helping professionals further their work.

PPA classes are ideal for professional photographers or hobbyists looking to form that leap to becoming professionals. The classes cover a variety of topics, from creating a contract and flying a drone to lighting and posing.

Join virtual seminars with pro photographers
B&H Event Studio
B&H
Signup via B&H Event Space
B&H Event Space regularly hosts seminars and classes that you simply can watch face to face. But with new in-person events canceled, there’s still an outsized backlog of previous events available to observe on YouTube (which, of course, also means they’re free). Unlike most YouTube videos, these aren’t quick ten-minute clips, but workshops that are typically an hour or more.

Hosted by professional photographers — often well-known artists — these talks cover intermediate to advanced topics, like wedding photography and lighting techniques, but several classes also offer more insight into the fundamentals. The speakers for these talks rotate, so this is often an excellent place to find out from multiple photographers, who all may have different creative processes and unique teaching styles.

Learn the essentials and advanced techniques
KelbyOne
KelbyOne
Signup via KelbyOne
Created by photographer Scott Kelby, KelbyOne is a web learning platform that features a wide selection of classes for various skill levels. Currently, KelbyOne is hosting free weekly webinars and an inventory of the platform’s top classes free of charge. Other classes will still require a subscription, though that’s currently discounted also.

Classes on KelbyOne are taught by many various expert photographers, including Kelby himself. Some classes cover broad essentials, while others take a deeper check out a selected sort of photograph, look, or technique.

Learn Photoshop, straight from the source
adobe photoshop tutorial
Adobe
Available via Adobe
What better thanks to learning Photoshop than from the manufacturers of the program themselves? Adobe’s Photoshop free tutorials are like bite-sized classes — you watch a brief video, then read a text summary. The format is ideal for spending a couple of minutes each day learning the program. Most tutorials include sample files you’ll download and go hands-on as you watch.

Adobe’s Photoshop tutorials are excellent for beginners, but there are enough tutorials to slowly build up your skills. From editing your first photo, to layer masking and removing objects from a photograph, the tutorials cover common edits and assist you to get familiar with Photoshop’s long list of tools. and do not stop at Photoshop: inspect tutorials for Lightroom and other Adobe software.

For students, gain access to many classes free for 2 months
Skillshare
Skillshare
Signup via Skillshare
Skillshare classes cover a good range of topics, including photography. The platform is currently offering a free two-month subscription to students with a .edu or .k12 email address. Skillshare also features a limited number of two-month “scholarships” to users in need, which may be applied for online during the month of April. (Skillshare always offers a free 14-day trial for brand spanking new members.)

Photography classes on Skillshare range from learning the way to take better selfies to masterclasses in photo editing. The video classes are taught by different professional photographers and a few classes even have accompanying materials to download.

Learn how to urge off auto mode with a free photography class
UDemy
Udemy
Signup via Udemy
Udemy’s online learning platform features a few photography classes free of charge. While the complete catalog covers a variety of skill levels, the free classes are ideal for beginners with topics like getting off of auto mode and building a web portfolio. Free classes are limited without features sort of a Q&A, but the videos are quite enough to urge started.

Udemy always features a few free classes and that they can all be found within the Udemy Free Resource Center, which makes them easier to access.

Watch live photography classes from big-name photographers for free of charge
CreativeLive
CreativeLive
Signup via CreativeLive
With quite 1,500 classes, CreativeLive may be a major online learning portal for creatives. The platform’s live classes are always free, while the library is often accessed later for a fee. The company’s live schedule includes several classes each day — including re-airing of classes — so there are often tons to settle on from. Currently, the corporate is additionally offering a couple of wellness and psychological state classes free of charge.

CreativeLive classes are taught by major names within the industry. Spanning topics from beginner to advanced, the platform features a big variety of topics — you only need to time it right to urge a free live class.

Get started in Photoshop and Lightroom with fun video tutorials
Phlearn
Phlearn
Signup via Phlearn
Whenever I would like to brush abreast of a Photoshop or Lightroom topic, I usually find myself watching a video from Phlearn. Founded by photographer Aaron Nace, Phlearn is a web platform dedicated to learning Photoshop and Lightroom techniques. Phlearn videos tend to be a touch more right down to earth and more enjoyable to observe than your average YouTube tutorial.

While Phlearn may be a paid community, the platform is additionally an honest resource for free of charge tutorials. Unlike other platforms that may allow you to watch one or two lessons free of charge, the list of free tutorials on Phlearn is long and even includes a full 30 Days of Photoshop series to urge you started within the photo editor.