Udemy Photography Review

Photography is always popular, always growing, and it is one of the most sought after programs in art schools around the world. There are those who study it, and even go so far as to acquire a PhD in the field.

A friend of mine who studied told me that, in the past, artists had to be half a doctor. Learning all about human anatomy and structure. Observing nature and its conditions. Nowadays, she says, everyone is walking around with an advanced camera and photography studio right in their pocket.

There are nearly 500 courses in the Udemy photography category. These include courses such as DSLR Video Production – Start Shooting Better Video Today ($199), The Essential Guide to Photoshop Elements Layers ($36), The Complete Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 Course for Beginners ($199), and Event photographer: Start your own business fast for newbies ($59).

Modern Day Photography

Modern Day Photography

The different categories in the photography section are:

Course Review: Photography Masterclass – Your Complete Guide to Photography

The featured courses are split up into: top free courses, top paid courses, new courses, mention-worthy courses, and become a better photographer. There is also the top student pick, which is Photography Masterclass: Your Complete Guide to Photography, by instructors Phil Ebiner and Sam Shimizu-Jones.

Instructor Phil Ebiner

Instructor Phil Ebiner

The course has nearly 14,000 students and a solid 4.5 out of 5 star rating, based on over 150 reviews. It has over 200 lectures in it, which come out to about 11 hours of video content. It is a course that is meant for beginners, but not limited to them. While ranking the different photography courses, Udemy singled this masterclass out, and named it the number one course in its category.

Students will learn how a camera works, and gain a command of the manual settings. Students will learn the best tools and ways to make money with photography, for those who are interested in turning a hobby into a profitable hobby.

Professional photo-editing, composition, history of photography, lights, even smartphone – you can find it all here. This course is for anyone and everyone who wants to learn how to take better photos, how to become skilled in the field, how to document things in a nicer way, and how to make money selling your work.

Instructor Sam Shimizu-Jones

Instructor Sam Shimizu-Jones

Phil Ebiner is a video creator, online entrepreneur, and Udemy best-selling instructor. Sam Shimizu-Jones is a cinematographer and photographer, with a passion for documentary films and directing.

The course starts out with the basics of photography and its history, then moves on to understanding the camera and its lenses, lighting, and shot design. The course also goes over different types of equipment and accessories which students might need if they are interested in becoming better photographers. The course also touches on modern photography, and shows students better ways to take photographs using a smartphone.

There are several quizzes which appear at different points in the course. They are there to help students internalize what they have learned. There is also a concluding lecture to each section, which is part of what makes this particular course so accessible.

Course Review: The Art of Black and White Photography

Another very popular course is The Art of Black and White Photography, by instructor David J. Nightingale. The course has nearly 8,000 students enrolled. It has a very high 4.8 out of 5 star rating, based on over 170 reviews, and is recommended for anyone who wishes to learn the technicalities and aesthetics of black and white photography.

The requirements for the course are having Photoshop. Ideally, the version would be CS3 and above, but those with CS2 or below will be able to work with most of the techniques and tools which are provided in this course. The main thing lacking would be the Black and White tool which Photoshop introduced with CS3. No prior knowledge or experience with Photoshop is necessary, but it might certainly add. The powerful and sometimes-complex techniques which are shown throughout the course are taught step-by-step.

The course costs $149, has over 20 lectures, and 6.5 hours of content. Nightingale, the instructor, is an award winning and internationally acclaimed photographer. He maintains a photoblog which ranked as the 16th most influential in the UK, and his work has appeared in London, Dubai, Bulgaria, and Florence.

After 15 years of teaching, and authoring three books, Nightingale decided to leave his position and focus on photography. In recent years, he has been creative director for Chromasia, a company which specializes in photography and post-production training. Chromasia provides high-quality workshops and photo tours around the world.

Nightingale knows photography, and better than that – he knows how to teach it. His course is informative, educational, practical, and it serves as a great introduction for several techniques. It goes into great detail about the different black and white conversion tools which are available, the lighting and skin tone of a subject, ways of enhancing a subject’s eyes, and advanced toning techniques which will help transform your photographs from okay to stunning.

Photography is not an easy business to get into, and it can be very difficult to make money in the field. However, using the different techniques which Udemy’s instructors show and teach, photography could be just what you are looking for. Whether you are interested in supplementing your day job, or start a new career from scratch, Udemy’s courses are an excellent start.

Underwater Photography

Underwater Photography

The “other” section of Udemy’s photography page includes some more great courses, such as Newborn Baby Photography Class ($97), Essential Makeup Tips for Photos and Videos ($38), Underwater Photography – Amazing water images in no time! ($99), and the Complete guide of Cleaning a Digital Camera Sensor ($299).

Those interested in photography, in becoming a better and more professional photographer, in learning new skills, proper use of light and shadow, angles and frames, and tips and tricks for the latest software – this is the course for you.

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