Free Photography Courses & Certifications Online

Do you consider yourself creative, and do visual arts attract you? Are you good at taking pictures of your friends and your family? Do they usually praise your artistic gifts? If the answers to these questions are yes, you should consider taking photography courses.

Photography seeks to incorporate traditional, digital, and newly created tools to encourage the development and transformation of different spheres of society through creative and innovative visual products.

The word photography is derived from the words of Greek origin: phos (light) and grafis (writing), which means to write or draw with light. Photography is the technique of capturing permanent images with a camera through the photochemical action of light or other forms of radiant energy and then reproducing them. The photographic process is complex and has taken years to develop and reach today's technological level. Photography is a form of expression that plays a fundamental role in society, serving as a means of information, validation, and entertainment.  

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Types of photography

While the significant responsibilities are mentioned above, the exact job role of a photographer depends on the type of photography s/he is in. Some popular types of photography to pursue a career include -

1. Landscape photography
2. Wildlife photography
3. Travel photography
4. Portrait photography
5. Event photography
6. Fashion photography
7. Food photography
8. Sports photography
9. Wedding photography 
10. Industrial photography
11. Maternity and newborn photography
12. Photojournalism 

Essential Photography and Tools

Photography Courses Eligibility 

Certificate and Diploma Programmes 

If you are looking forward to learning photography after class 10+2, you can opt for certificate courses in Photography.  

Undergraduate Degree Programmes

Candidates seeking a photography career can enroll in undergraduate degree programs after completing 10+2. Popular full-time degree photography courses include BFA/BA photography and MFA/MA photography. Specializations are available in cinematography, fine arts, filmmaking, etc.

Online Photography Courses 

Online Photography Courses are available at certification levels and usually don’t require any minimum educational criteria to enroll. However, basic knowledge of colors and cameras is a requisite for most online photography courses.

Top Online Photography Courses  

Cameras, Exposure, and Photography by Coursera

Rating - 4.7 (4,776 ratings)

Students enrolled - 238,981 

In the Cameras, Exposure, and Photography course, you will learn how to choose a suitable camera and the qualities of the other types of digital cameras you might be considering. You will learn about the essential functions that most digital cameras have in common.  You will also go beyond the "technical" matters and learn about how you can make exciting pictures by emphasizing the aspects of Frame and Vantage Point to interpret old subjects in new ways.  

Photography Beginners: DSLR Photography Camera Settings by Coursera

Rating - 4.5 (1,595 ratings)

Students enrolled - 7,253 

Learn how to use your camera and what photography settings you need. You will also learn how to adjust your photography settings to blur the background for lovely portraits. The course will explain all the critical photography settings you need to know, how to adjust them and how to choose the correct photography settings in any given situation, from dark rooms to bright sunny days.

Top Online Photography Colleges 

Who should take up Photography Courses?

Consider taking photography courses if:

1. You like and are interested in art and photography
2. You are a creative person and can handle multiple projects simultaneously
3. You are curious, have a lot of imagination, and pay attention to details that generally not everyone would notice
4. You have skills or experience using editing programs like Photoshop, Premier, and Lightroom
5. You see yourself communicating your idea of ​​the world through images
6. You have the facility to adapt to varied work environments and with little financial certainty
7. If you are willing to receive all kinds of criticism, from the most constructive and positive, that help improves your work to the harshest
8. You see yourself working in a photographic studio or creating your studio

Books to Learn Photography

1. Read this if You Want to Take Good Photographs by Henry Carroll
2. BetterPhoto Basics by Jim Miotke
3. Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography by Tony Northrup
4. Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
5. The Digital Photography Book Volume 2 by Scott Kelby
6. The Creative Digital Darkroom by Katrin Eismann and Sean Duggan
7. The Photographer's Story: The Art of Visual Narrative by Michael Freeman
8. The Digital Photography Handbook: An Illustrated Step-by-step Guide by Doug Harman

Photography is a timeless career. The role of a Photographer goes far beyond taking photos and/or developing them. As a photographer, you have to make sure that the image that reflects your work is the one that represents your artistic capabilities, your vision, and your creativity. To succeed in this field, you need to be passionate about photography, learn the latest tools and techniques and do a lot of practice.