12 Online Photography Courses to Master the Skill in 12 Months

Discover top courses on composition, technique, and editing to improve your photography skills—whether you're a beginner or advanced

A career or hobby in photography is a journey. There is so much to master, from composition, to color theory, specializations, and the editing skills to take your images to the next level. But if you're ready to explore the art of capturing the world and telling its stories, your path to creative development begins here.

We’ve assembled the knowledge and advice shared by Domestika teachers in this comprehensive list of twelve photography courses to master your skills in twelve months. Whether you’re just starting out or already experienced, a commitment to lifelong learning will ensure your journey to continuing creative growth.

Your photography journey is a way to express yourself, explore the world, and tell stories with visual impact. As French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson once said, “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart, and head.” So, what are you waiting for?

In the courses below, you'll get to grips with focus, ISO, aperture, and other key pillars, and make the most of the tools at your disposal—even if it’s as simple as your mobile phone! Shutters at the ready…

Mobile Photography for Beginners

Whether you’re hoping to build a new hobby or expand your professional skills, when you start out you need to work with what you have. With these mobile photography courses, you'll learn how to use natural and artificial lighting, plan and mood board your content, and apply the right filters for your look.

1. Mobile Photography and Visual Identity for Instagram, a course by Mina Barrio

Instagram is a window through which you can look into the lives of other creatives, and share your own. As a budding photographer, it’s a great base, as you can both take photos and share them with one device.

In her course, Mobile Photography and Visual Identity for Instagram, Mina Barrio (@minabarrio), photographer and founder of studio Melon Blanc, shows you how to unlock your imagination to achieve a coherent visual identity and light your photos perfectly.

2. Mobile Portrait Photography for Instagram, a course by Erea Azurmendi

Thanks to Instagram, photographer Erea Azurmendi, better known as @tiempodecerezas to her 146K followers, has achieved milestones she never imagined.

In her course, Mobile Portrait Photography for Instagram, Erea teaches you how to shoot portraits with your smartphone to post on social media and curate a scroll-stopping and inspiring feed that engages your community. Play with natural light and colors, then assemble posts and stories with fun compositions.

Digital Photography Basics

Now that you know some beginner techniques to capture light, figures, and objects in interesting ways, perhaps it’s time to invest in the tool that will really set your photography career off: a digital camera.

The following courses are designed to help you grow your confidence with professional photography equipment.

3. Beginner’s Photography: Basic Camera Use and Theory, a course by Giulia Candussi

With over a decade of experience in capturing photo reportages about human rights, international events, and cultural identity, photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Giulia Candussi (@giulia_candussi) teaches this beginner's photography course to familiarize you with your equipment and the professional approach to photography.

Learn about your different camera and lens options. Understand the sensor, pixels, and resolution. Then, get used to the pillars of picture-taking like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

4. Introduction to Digital Photography, a course by Jesús G. Pastor

Jesús G. Pastor (@jesus_g_pastor), journalist and photographer, has worked for clients such as Nikon and Google. With this Introduction to Digital Photography course, you will learn to use the parameters of a digital camera in manual mode.

The goal is to lose as little time as possible each time you set up, so you can focus on really engaging with your subject and telling a story. Consider exposure, metering, focus, and flash, then learn what to do with your RAW files when you’re done shooting, before taking to the streets to practice!

5. Color Theory in Photography, a course by Yaopey Yong

Color has the ability to transform the way we perceive an image—it is the unifying element of a photograph. In the course Color Theory in Photography, award-winning architecture and landscape photographer Yaopey Yong (@yaopey) helps you explore the world of color theory both as a science and an art form.

Understand how we perceive color and learn about color psychology and harmony rules. Discover camera and image editing techniques to capture all the color data you need and bring out the moods and emotions you want to evoke in your images.

Advanced Digital Photography

Once you are confident using your camera and have composed some great images, perhaps you have an idea of where you’d like to specialize in terms of theme and subject. Or, you’re simply looking to deepen your practice and explore advanced techniques and possibilities. Either way, these specialist courses are the key to unlocking your next step…

6. Street Photography with Your Phone: Color and Composition, a course by Joshua Edgoose

Did you know you can apply expert techniques even to your phone camera? Joshua Edgoose (@joshua_edgoose) specializes in capturing colorful, humorous photos of the world around him and transforms them into dynamic photos that tell a story. His work has featured in publications including The Guardian and It’s Nice That.

In his course Street Photography with Your Phone, Josh teaches you the basics of color and composition, and how to apply them to street photography. Take visually-appealing photographs using detail shots, reflections, subframes, and other creative techniques that will boost your street photography to the next level.

7. Creative Product Photography from Start to Finish, a course by Weekend Creative

Elle and Arabella from the studio Weekend Creative (@weekendcreative) have built a strong reputation when it comes to creating impactful photos for their clients. They’ve worked with brands like Benefit Cosmetics, Anecdote Candles, and many more, using their signature technique balancing light and shadow.

In their course Creative Product Photography from Start to Finish, you’ll shoot your own series of scroll-stopping, dynamic product photographs. Learn how to develop a concept that fits a brand’s needs, create a shoot plan, and build sets for the perfect styled look.

8. The Secrets of Portrait Photography, a course by Bob Wolfenson

Bob Wolfenson (@bobwolfenson) has spent almost fifty years as a portrait artist as well as nude and fashion photographer. His pieces have appeared in books, exhibitions, and publications such as Vogue, Elle, Playboy, Harper's Bazaar, and more.

In his course The Secrets of Portrait Photography, you’ll learn to photograph portraits and create two photo series, one using natural light and the other artificial. Bob Wolfenson shares his methodology, from choosing a theme, ambiance, backdrop, and props, to finding a shoot location and directing models to capture their personality and connection with you.

If you want to master shooting in black and white, this course is ideal—for your final project, you’ll explore both monochrome and colorful options.

Editing and Retouching: Stylize and Finish Your Photos

Finally, you’ve shot product photos and portraits alike, exploring both your inner world and the great outdoors around you. What do you do with all of these images? What’s the best way to present them in print or on social media?

For the final piece of the puzzle, we selected these four courses focused on editing and retouching, from tool proficiency to creative techniques.

9. Adobe Lightroom Classic: A Beginner's Guide, a course by Mikael Eliasson

In this five-course Domestika Basics bundle, Mikael Eliasson (@mikael_eliasson) teaches you how to manage a complete photography workflow in Lightroom Classic.

A beginner's guide to Adobe Lightroom Classic, the course covers how to organize, rate, and manage your images as well as how to process RAW files (and JPEGs) for maximum quality.

You’ll also learn how to move seamlessly between Photoshop and Lightroom, so no layers are lost and all of your effects work perfectly. Finally, get your images ready for export and complete the process in a professional way.

10. Creative Retouching for Portrait Photography, a course by Mikeila Borgia

Mikeila Borgia (@mikeilaborgia) creates expressive and impressive photographs through experimental editing and conceptual art.

Sharing these techniques, in the course Creative Retouching for Portrait Photography you’ll learn how to creatively retouch portraits so that they never go unnoticed. Conduct a portrait shoot in a natural setting, then reconstruct the world around your subject to create a fantasy-like setting that adds drama.

11. Preset Design: Editing Photos with Lightroom for Mobile, a course by Marioly Vázquez

Marioly Vázquez (@cestmaria) runs a creative boutique studio, specializing in visual stories for brands, and has worked with companies including Adobe and Dior.

In her Preset Design: Editing Photos with Lightroom for Mobile course, she teaches you how to design presets in your own style and achieve a consistent aesthetic across your platforms. Discover how to edit photos using Lightroom for mobile and transform your perception of the world.

12. Photograph Retouching and Visual Effects with Photoshop, a course by Mario Olvera

Mario Olvera (@mario_olvera) is a photographer and digital artist with extensive professional experience in photo retouching, strongly influenced by film and video games. His hyperrealist compositions are packed with color.

In his course Photograph Retouching and Visual Effects with Photoshop, Mario teaches you effective Photoshop techniques for retouching and visual effects. Give a sci-fi and fantasy look to your work, in cinematic, high-impact compositions.

Has looking through these courses awakened your passion for photography?

If the answer is yes, the Domestika Plus subscription can help you meet your goals and bring the dream alive. With Domestika Plus you will receive a monthly credit that you can exchange for a Domestika course of your choice, to design your own continuous learning plan. You will have access to exclusive content focused on your creative development, and the courses you choose are yours to keep, whether or not you renew your subscription.

Capture a year of life like never before, with photography courses through Domestika Plus.