Free and Cheap Online Photography Classes - Insider

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

If you're interested in developing new skills or looking to do something fun during quarantine, photography can be a great hobby — especially for first-timers.

In addition, there could be health benefits: Research from Harvard suggests that learning a new skill can help reduce stress — and can be even more effective than simply vegging out. Photography is something you can learn indoors or in your backyard, and if you don't have a more advanced camera to learn with, you can even get started (in some cases) by learning with the camera that you likely already have: a smartphone.

As a professional photographer, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite online learning platforms that I've used personally, as well as other outlets with great student reviews. 

Nikon School Online offers a variety of self-paced video classes for multiple skill levels, from the newest beginners to advanced topics. 

The classes are lead by Nikon Ambassadors, a list of respected professional photographers and videographers. The current list of 10 classes ranges from quick 15-minute videos to hour-long advanced classes. The classes are, of course, geared toward photographers using Nikon gear, but many of the tips and classes can apply to non-Nikon cameras, too.

As part of a paid Professional Photographers of America membership, you get access to all of their online courses. PPA classes are ideal for professional photographers or hobbyists looking to make that leap to becoming professionals. The classes cover a range of topics, from lighting and posing basics to flying a drone. 

B&H Event Space regularly hosts free online seminars and classes, including a large backlog of previous events. Unlike most YouTube videos, these aren't quick ten-minute clips, but workshops that are typically an hour or more.

Hosted by professional and often well-known photographers, these talks cover intermediate to advanced topics, like wedding photography and lighting techniques, but several classes also offer more insight into the basics. The speakers for these talks rotate, so this is a great place to learn from multiple photographers, who all may have different creative processes and teaching styles.

Created by photographer Scott Kelby, KelbyOne is an online learning platform that has a wide range of classes for different skill levels. Currently, KelbyOne is hosting weekly webinars and a list of the platform's top classes for free. Other classes still require a subscription, though that's currently discounted as well.

Classes on KelbyOne are taught by many different expert photographers, including Kelby himself. Some classes cover broad essentials, while others take a deeper look into a specific type of photograph, look, or technique.

What better way to learn Photoshop than from the makers of the program themselves? Adobe's free Photoshop tutorials are like bite-sized classes — you watch a short video, then read a text summary. The format is perfect for spending a few minutes a day learning the program, and most tutorials include sample files you can download if you're on the go.

Adobe's Photoshop tutorials are excellent for beginners, but there are enough tutorials to slowly build up your skills. From editing your first photo, to layer masking and removing objects from a photo, the tutorials cover common edits and help you get acquainted with Photoshop's long list of tools. And don't stop at Photoshop: Check out tutorials for Lightroom and other Adobe software.

Skillshare classes cover a wide range of topics, including photography, for $19 a month (or $8.95 a month/a $99 annual fee). 

Photography classes on Skillshare range from learning how to take better selfies to masterclasses in photo editing. The short video classes are taught by different professional photographers and some classes also have accompanying materials you can download.

Udemy's online learning platform has a handful of affordable photography classes. Many are ideal for beginners, with topics like getting off auto mode and building an online portfolio. 

Udemy also provides access to a few free photography classes through its Free Resource Center, including an introductory course and photography fundamentals for beginners.

With more than 1,500 classes, CreativeLive is a major online learning portal for creatives. The platform's live classes are always free, on top of their paid photo courses. The company's live schedule includes several classes a day — including re-airing of classes — so there's often a lot to choose from. 

CreativeLive classes are taught by major names in the industry. Spanning beginner to advanced topics, the platform has a wide variety of offerings — you just have to time it right to get a free live class.

Whenever I want to brush up on a Photoshop or Lightroom topic, I usually find myself watching a video from Phlearn. Founded by photographer Aaron Nace, Phlearn is an online platform dedicated to learning Photoshop and Lightroom techniques. Phlearn videos tend to be a bit more down to earth and enjoyable to watch than your average YouTube tutorial.

While Phlearn is a paid community, the platform is also a good resource for free tutorials. Unlike other platforms that might let you watch one or two lessons for free, the list of free tutorials on Phlearn is long — and even includes a full 30 Days of Photoshop series to get you started.