Looking to improve your photography skills? A photography course could be just what you need. With all the content available these days, it’s easy to find and learn from both free and paid photography courses online. You don’t even need a host of expensive or ultra-technical photography equipment to jump right in. The challenge is knowing which online photography courses are best.

We’re here to help. Here are 16 of our favorite paid and free online photography courses that will help you level up your photography skills to build your portfolio.

Top Free Photography Courses

Karl Taylor Photography: An Introduction to Photography

With three modules, this free course features everything you need to improve your confidence as a photographer. Included are 10 video classes, an ebook download, and a photo quiz.

Udemy, Chris Bay: Introductory Photography Course

If you want to get off “Auto” mode and increase your knowhow of what’s possible with your camera, then this is the class for you. Learn all the basics from how your camera works and dialing in techniques to adjusting your settings and tips for framing.

Alison: Diploma in Digital Photography

This free course will give you step-by-step instructions to use the most advanced features of your camera. As cameras continue to advance, this course takes you through the cutting-edge technology of new cameras to get you up to date as well.

Cambridge in Colour: Digital Photography Tutorials

Learn how to photograph through these free visual tutorials covering how your camera works, qualities of digital photos, advanced concepts, camera types & accessories, camera lenses, filters, and so much more for the creative artist in you.

Photography Course: Photography for Beginners

Jam-packed with essential content, this course offers 34 lessons to help you understand the basics of light and how your eye understands lighting. After this free online photography course, you’ll be ready to expertly use the camera to better catch what you’re seeing with your naked eye.

Upskillist: Photography Course Online

Want to have a better understanding of how lens types and camera modes can affect your final photos? This free course goes over how to work with natural light and control the depth of field for better composition.

EOS Training Academy: Essential EOS: Free Canon camera skills course

Want to learn more about your Canon EOS camera? This course will help you understand the key features and settings, so you can unlock the full range of your camera’s abilities while also improving your photography skills.

Shopify Learn: Product Photography for Ecommerce

Is eCommerce and product photography your niche? This free course offered by Shopify will help you better display the products you’re photographing and, in turn, help build your brand as an ecommerce photographer.

Top Paid Photography Courses

iPhone Photography School: How to Take Incredible iPhone Photos That Leave Everyone Speechless

iPhone cameras have come a long way in the last 10 years. If you’re looking to take photos that people won’t believe weren’t taken with a DSLR, this course is tailor-made for you. As they say, the best camera is the one that’s always in your pocket!

Magnum Photos: The Art of Street Photography

In this online photography course, seven world-class photographers and three industry experts provide their knowledge and insights with 10 video lessons for the art of street photography.

Nikon School: Getting Started With Your Nikon DSLR

Using a Nikon DSLR or thinking about acquiring one as your main camera? Start taking great photos right out of the box with this online photography video course. Easy to follow, this course will help you photograph and record HD videos with a focus on what’s striking to the eye.

The School of Photography: Studio Lighting Course

If you want to learn the ins and outs of studio lighting for portraiture, this course will help you set up your own professional studio with a limited budget and space. You’ll learn different lighting set-ups and what equipment you can buy to elevate a home studio.

Creative Live: How to Start a Photography Business

You might be a talented photographer, but now you’re not sure how to start a business with that talent. This course will give you everything you need to know for developing a photography business plan, researching competitors in your area, building a strategy, and managing all the tasks from marketing to accounting to sales. Paired with our checklist for starting a photography business, this course will help put you on the fast track to running your own business.

Coursera: Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialization

No matter what type of camera is in your hands, this lesson plan from Coursera will help you understand exposure and composition of photography while exploring concepts that will help you build your own style.

Skillshare: Outdoor Photography: See, Shoot, & Share the Beauty Around You

If you love capturing and sharing the beautiful outdoors through your photography, this course should appeal to you. You’ll learn how to shoot outdoor scenes with a focus on architecture and design. Take photos from an architect’s eye, focusing on lines, shapes, and patterns of the natural and man-made worlds.

Laurence Norah: Travel Photography Course

This 10-week course covers everything you need to know for the travel photographer in you. Understand composition and what settings you can and can’t control in the different landscapes around you. Use whatever camera is best for you on the go and learn how to hone your skills in editing, time-lapse photography, astrophotography, and others.

Once you’ve improved your skills with some of our favorite online photography courses and you’re ready to get started, Agency Access’ database of over 90,000 contacts can help you get in contact with professionals that can help you gain more experience in the industry. Stay updated with Agency Access’s email newsletter (in the sticky header up top ☝) to learn more about taking your photography to the next level. In the meantime, keep learning and leveling up your photography prowess.