Vintage Camera by Cuba Gallery on Flickr
A couple months back I decided that I really wanted to do a Diploma of Photography.
I was feeling as though I’d reached a stage in my photography where I would benefit from proper instruction. Proper instruction for me though would mean an online or distance education course, because the nearest colleges that teach photography are hours away.
So I found a few Australian-based diploma’s that I thought looked alright and was about to apply until…
…I talked to one of my work colleagues about it. She was keen to join me. We figured that if the both of us studied the same course at the same time, then we’d be able to bounce off one another. Brilliant!
She went home, did a little research and sent me an email with some links. And she said to me: “Do some more research in to the courses you’re considering.”
So I did.
My research showed me that
the camp is very divided when it comes to doing photography courses.
Some say they are worth the money and time. Others say you’ll learn more simply by reading books and practising. All agree that $1000 is a lot of money to be throwing at an online course.
A little more research later….
…and I’d found a whole bunch of resources online, for free.
The quality, of course, varies, as does the content. When you don’t have a grand to be spending at whim, then you can find the time to afford the time to pick through and see what suits your needs.
Here are my top 10 picks for free online photography courses:
- Canon’s World of EOS – learn(I’m a Canon girl, so this is the logical place for me to start!)
- PhotographyCourse.net(with beginner, intermediate & advanced courses available)
- FreePhotoCourse.com(they advise you approach your learning with a serious attitude)
- Karl Taylor Photography(they offer a free course with video and PDF, plus paid courses as well)
- Photoflex Lighting School(geard more toward lighting, but very well explained.)
- Digital Photography from Stanford (if you want technical, then this is the course for you!)
- Cambridge in Colour – a learning community for photographers (visual tutorials that emphasize concept over procedure)
- GeoffLawrence.com(love their 1-2-3 cameras difficulty level indicator!)
- TutorialsStock.com(really keen to read Define Yourself as a Photographer on this site)
- 31 Days to Better Photos(& 31 Days of Photo Tips – the 2 courses I’m working through first.)
And this is where you would find me if I had the time and the money to do a proper photography course. Here at the Photography Studies College in Melbourne – living and breathing and soaking up all the photography-y goodness that I possibly can.
