Would you like to learn photography online? You can learn about the technical and creative aspects of photography as well as business information practically all online. There is so much information available in the public domain that learning about photography online is now easier than ever.

Online and Distance Education

For the very beginner photographer, checking out some of the distance education programs available in the photography industry is a great start. As a past NYIP student, I highly recommend their programs for someone starting out. It is a “learn at your own pace” program and allows you to soak up the information as much as you want before moving on to the next topic. You can also check out the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and your own local colleges. For online learning, Lynda.com is a fantastic educational tool with several short video style workshops.

• Lynda.com Online Tutorials
• New York Institute of Photography
• Art Institute of Pittsburgh
• Hallmark Institute of Photography
• School of Photography

Photography Workshops

Watch for workshops either local to you or within a day’s drive that you can attend. These photography workshops are usually led by actual photographers with real world experience and can point you in the right direction to learn more about photography.

Photography Communities

Join some of the photography communities available online. These communities have online forums filled with professional photographers that are helpful and willing to guide you. You can also find technical articles about photography techniques as well as resources you can download. Some of these communities are free while the more advanced ones sometimes charge an annual access fee. Check the resources below for some popular photography communities.

• Pro4um
• Photo.net
• The Photo Forum
• Photography on the Net

Educational Videos

Check out some of the educational videos for photography available on YouTube.com. Simple go to the YouTube.com website and use the search field on the home page to find “photography tutorials”. Look at not only the videos in the search, but also the related videos that will display down the right side to find even more useful videos.

• Portrait Photography Secrets DVD
• Photography 101 Instant Video
• Jump Start Your Photography 3 DVD Set
• The Skilled Photographer 3 DVD Set
• The Ultimate Photographer 3 DVD Set

What Photographers Inspire You?

Browse through the work of other photographers whose work you admire. There are some very talented photographers and most all of them have websites online. You can start with Google.com and just search for “portrait photographers” or any other type of photographer that you wish to learn more about. Looking at other photographers work will allow you to study their technique, their posing and their lighting.

Photography Books

If you haven’t done so already, take a look through Amazon.com at some of their photography books. While many do have to be ordered and received at your home to read, some are now available through Kindle. Either way, order what works for you and research everything you can through books. Read my guide on the top 5 books to improved your photography skills for some recommendations.

With the so many online options to learn photography, you can begin improving your photography skills, learning basic camera functions and even develop your own photography style in no time!