10 Free Online Photography Classes for Beginners in 2023

Want to try photography as a hobby or new skill? From using your camera to mastering color and light, learn digital and analog photography with expert-led lessons

The earliest surviving photo comes from 1822: so the art of capturing light in still images has been changing our world for two centuries. Now, it’s estimated that one billion photos are taken each year. If you're keen to join in and start your photography journey, you may be looking for tips to make the most of your equipment so you can quickly and confidently develop your style.

Whether you want to go professional or just have fun, to celebrate World Photography Day (August 19), we’ve compiled ten photography lessons free to watch for a limited time. With the guidance of top photographers, you’ll learn about basic camera use, color psychology, composition, lighting, and more.

These free classes will be available until August 26, 2022. After that date, you can access the classes by signing up to each teacher's full course. Click the red links to access the free class page, and click the play button on the video player to watch.

1. Free Class: Lens Types

Giulia Candussi (@giulia_candussi) is an Italian photojournalist with over a decade of experience producing reportages about human rights, environmental issues, and cultural identity.

In this class on the different types of lenses available, Giulia explains how to assess which lens will last a lifetime and produce the best photos, regardless of which DSLR camera body you have. Her full course will take you through the process of working with your first digital camera.

2. Free Class: Drive Modes for Manual Photography

Once you understand the basics of your camera, you might want to explore its manual features, and that’s the basis of this class by Debbie Castro (@debbiecastrow). She specializes in conceptual documentary photography, and has exhibited in New York City, London, and photo festivals in her native Ireland.

In this class on drive modes for manual photography, she introduces the options you have to shoot single, multiple, or timed images. In her full course on manual mode for digital photography, Debbie takes you from choosing a camera to setting up your composition with exact control.

3. Free Class: Understanding Light

Phil Sharp (@sharp_phil) is an award-winning portrait photographer who specializes in headshots for actors. He has worked with clients including BBC iPlayer and The British Journal of Photography.

In this class on understanding light, Phil explains why natural light is a good starting point for portrait photography, and what considerations you might have with studio and artificial light. It’s part of his full course on capturing profound headshot images.

4. Free Class: Color Psychology

Color “evokes an emotional response in our subconscious, and that emotion could be linked to a memorable life experience that we have,” says Yaopey Yong (@yaopey), an architecture and landscape photographer who specializes in the use of dreamy, emotional color.

This class on color psychology in photography focuses on the brain’s reaction to certain colors, and the cultural associations we make. It’s part of his course of color theory for photographers, where you’ll learn harmony rules and color psychology to create images that evoke emotion.

5. Free Class: Composition and Perspective

Lifestyle and travel photographer Julia Nimke (@julia_nimke) has done commissioned work for clients such as Adobe, Fujifilm, and Sony. Her work has been featured in magazines like Condé Nast Traveller and Time Out New York.

In her free class, you’ll discover how to use composition and perspective to tell a story, learning how they contribute to building the narrative of your image. In her full course you’ll learn to capture storytelling images of different spaces and how to turn them into a portfolio.

6. Free Class: Translating Words into Images

Once you’ve built a foundation for your photography practice, it’s time to think about which subjects and styles could become your signature. Award-winning photographer Kristina Varaksina (@kristina_varaksina) captures photos of faces and bodies that tell a story about the people they belong to. She’s worked with the BBC, Harper’s Bazaar, and more.

In this class, you’ll work on translating your concepts and ideas into visual form, to help you plan the color, lighting, and composition of your photographs. It’s part of her full course that walks you through how to find your artistic voice.

7. Free Class: Testing Photos with “Trial and Error”

Laura Zalenga (@laurazalenga) is a German freelance photographer with a passion for creating self-portraits filled with emotion. What began as an experimental way of exploring and capturing feelings quickly became a full time career, with clients like Adobe, Disney, and Sony.

Her lesson covers how to take practice shots using a reduced version of your final set-up: ideal if you have complex outfits or props that you don’t want to risk disturbing before you’re ready to capture your final images. In her full course, you’ll experiment with creating artistic self-portraits.

8. Free Class: Photos with Handheld Props

Photographer and art director Lauren Naylor Orso (@lnaynay) has worked with brands around the world, including Prada, British Vogue, and Levi’s. She combines the steps of setting a brief and following it, with both the planning and creative perspectives in her Domestika course.

In this free class, Lauren demonstrates how to incorporate handheld props to distort and transform your photos. Try experimental elements like a plexiglass sheet or bowl of water and enjoy the playful effects possible.

9. Free Class: Creating Flat Lays

Emma-Jane Lewis (@ej), a professional photographer based in the UK, creates inspiring, detail-focused photographs that capture the essence of jewelry, accessories, and clothing made by top designers.

Here, Emma-Jane explains how to create an impactful flat lay photo shoot, following your plan and choosing the right props. The lesson comes from her course on lifestyle brand photography, helping you create engaging product images by planning, styling, and directing a photoshoot.

10. Free Class: Saving and Sharing Your Work

Now you hopefully have some images you love, what’s the final step? From preparation to post-production, in his course on interior photography James Rajotte (@rajotte_james) creates unique spatial images, and here he shares the last step of the process.

In this free lesson, James shows you how to save and share your images, including tips for different formats and platforms.

Remember, these online classes will be available to watch for free until August 26, 2022. After that date, if you want to see the classes you will need to sign up to the teacher’s full course.

Capture unforgettable moments with these resources

1. Boost your photography skills and learn about everything from basic theory to photography for Instagram with Domestika's online photography course bundles.

2. For more free videos, check out these 20 photography tutorials packed with tips and tricks.

3. Get inspired by the winners of the 2022 World Press Photo Contest.

4. Learn how to use presets in Lightroom to create a consistent look to your portfolio with this tutorial.