Some photographers may start their journey with school, mentoring/internships or even with their parents help at an early age, but what about those who are looking to jump in for the first time? There can be a lot of information you may not even know you needed to know. But there’s a lot of photography resources for beginners, both paid and free out there. Each has it’s pros and cons. I’ve gathered up a bunch and listed them below, check it out.
Photography Resources for Beginners – Paid and Free
Everyone has a different take on the amount of time and money they wish to spend on learning resources. Some people find paid resources better than free ones. Others prefer books over video lessons. You can read through these listings and determine those that best fit your learning style.
1. Paid: Digital Photography School
Digital Photography School has a range of niches to choose from. That’s one thing every new photographer will need—options to explore! This resource provides resources for every level of photographer, from beginners to experts. They have landscape photography, portraits, and mastering night-time shots among the various courses.
Beginners should consider this resource because it provides a welcoming community of photographers. When you are learning a new skill, guidance from experts can help you a lot. You will have access to helpful articles, courses, and forums to help you progress as a photographer.
2. Paid: Udemy
Udemy is an educational marketplace, perfect for those looking for photography resources for beginners. Millions of people enroll in Udemy’s photography courses to learn from experts in the field. Although the platform has a range of different niches, photography stands out because of the many interested students.
It has free & paid photography resources, but we recommend the paid ones. They have a high standard of learning at an affordable cost. On top of that, the teachers are industry experts with real-life experience, and you get to interact with them during the course.
3. Paid: Tutsplus
Tutsplus is a platform for new photographers to learn through various classes. The choices are overwhelming because of an abundance of tutorials, but they have learning guides that will help you choose the right classes.
You won’t feel pressured to join a class right away. The learning guides can help you understand your classes before you dive in. Moreover, there are supplemental eBooks and tutorials to guide you. So, if you are more of a visual learner, you can benefit from video lessons. If not, helpful books are there to help you learn photography.
4. Free/Paid: SLR Lounge
Another premium resource for beginners is the SLR Lounge. It has paid courses for photographers, but the free trials are also well worth it. SLR Lounge covers a range of photography niches to teach new learners. They offer courses on weddings, nature, portraits, etc.
SLR Lounge is recommended because the courses cover the topics in depth, covering all the intricacies of equipment and lighting. It is the ultimate learning experience for a beginner who is ready to excel in photography.
5. Free/Paid: Coursera
Coursera is similar to that of Udemy, with a slight difference. The courses offered are not from individual experts but accredited educational institutions. The platform has various photography courses and specializations available for beginners to advanced levels.
Among the many photography resources for beginners, Coursera is unique because learning is free on the platform. However, the exams and accreditation certificates require you to pay for them. The courses are interactive lessons with videos, text, and quizzes.
6. Free: Strobist
Strobist has extensive learning options for photographers who wish to learn about lighting, set-up, aperture, exposure, etc. It is attractive for most beginners because of the database of classes offered at no price at all. To make their courses more appealing, Strobist combines them with book lessons.
The books are pretty helpful, considering the wide range of topics they cover. Their website is another resource for photographers with well-written and informative articles. If you are facing difficulties learning some photography skills, you can explore Strobist and learn the essentials.
7. Free: Popular Photography
If you do not want to spend money on a course or tutorial, this is one of the free photography resources for beginners. Popular Photography caters to novices interested in learning photography skills. They help beginners facing specific issues with the help of their online community.
You can learn about lighting, composition, and gear from experts interested in helping newcomers. The doors of Popular Photography are open to anyone who wants to learn about the ever-changing landscape of photography. It’s a database of photography resources, so you will find what you are looking for!
8. Free: Phlearn Photography Section
Phlearn is yet another website with 100+ free tutorials that you will find overwhelming at first. Unless you know the tutorial you are looking for, these photography resources for beginners are great to learn what you need to know as a photographer. The titles alone will teach you how much there is to learn about photography!
The website has a photography section with interviews and contests that help you get acquainted with the basics. As a beginner, you can tackle the introductory tutorials before advancing to more exciting and complex skills.
9. Free: YouTube
Feel like I can’t have a photography resources guide without listing YouTube here. It should go without saying but YouTube is a great option for free learning, you just got to make sure you find the right channels.
Here’s a few of my favorites, in no particular order:
Summary
Some of the best resources for photographers have been covered in this article. When it comes to finding great resources to learn a new skill, it’s always best to consider as many options as possible before choosing one.
Photography is not a difficult skill, but it can be hard to learn for some. With the right resources, the learning process will be relatively smoother. Now, it’s up to you which resources you select to start your career and take your hobby to the next level!
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