Spring is on its way, and what can be a better time to capture the world in all its glory? Photography can be a great hobby for teens and young adults, as it’s a great way to express one’s artistic side- whether capturing the emotions of people or the serenity of nature, photography is a wonderful past time to sink your teeth into. Just teaching photography basics to kids can be the catalyst required to kickoff a passionate career or a  fulfilling hobby for kids and teens.

In this article, we’ve compiled the best online resources for budding shutterbugs who are looking to enter the world of photography. 

Here Are Some Of The Best Online Photography Classes Teaching Photography Basics To Kids

Digital Photography School

Teaching Photography Basics- Digital Photography school

Founded in 2006, Digital Photography School is a site dedicated to both beginners and professionals alike. Its content mostly focuses on how-to articles ranging from photography tips and advice to editing techniques and software.

Since its inception, DPS has attracted millions of readers worldwide. What’s more, Darren Rowse, its founder, started a Facebook group that has over 120,000 members. Beginners can greatly benefit from this as perspective is crucial when it comes to photography. People are actively sharing information about photography and their knowledge can be a treasure trove for anyone who’s just starting out.

Digital Photography Review- Photography for beginners

Teaching Photography Basics- Digital Photography review

For over two decades, Digital Photography Review has been one of the most consistent sites out there who are dealing with cameras. The site is run by a group of experts who share a common love and understanding for anything involving photography.

The information found on DPReview is extensive, to say the least. And similar to DPS, the site has accumulated a large following on the web who continuously visit the site for new information regarding cameras, emerging techniques, new technologies, and more. Their discussion forum is also a great source of information and scrolling through their challenges ca

n spark inspiration to both beginners and experts alike.

Digital Camera World

Teaching Photography Basics- Digital Camera World

Although not as old and established as DPS and DPReview, Digital Camera World is still one of the most consistent sites to produce engaging content about photography. It caters to both beginners and experts by providing reviews on cameras, lenses, gears, and smartphones with awesome snappers.

DCW is also keeping up with today’s standards by building its foundation on several social media platform including Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Pinterest. It’s Facebook page alone boasts over 750,000 likes and it’s also continuously engaging its audience by launching several photography challenges.

Camera Jabber

Teaching Photography Basics- Camera Jabber

Camera Jabber is well-known for its up-to-date articles and reviews about photography products that have recently been released. The site is also an authority for any accessory involving photography, as well as upcoming phones that have stellar cameras.

From Canon and Nikon to GoPro and Apple products, Camera Jabber is a site that can help you wade through the noise to find the perfect equipment that suits your needs. Unfortunately, the site is purely educational and doesn’t have any online groups that can provide additional insight into the hobby. 

42 West

Teaching Photography Basics- 42 West

42 West is the learning resource and blog managed by Adorama, one of the leading photography and video gear sellers online. The blog offers plenty of materials about a wide variety of topics, from smartphone photography to A-list film production.

Young shutterbugs will find the blog useful as it provides definitive guides, gear recommendations, and even tutorial videos from experts. Learners can count on 42 West to provide the most actionable tips since the blogs and resources are made by seasoned pros. 

Best Photo Editing Software for Young Shutterbugs

As a photographer, it’s not enough to be adept at only capturing images. Your skill needs to encompass the editing sphere as well to further polish whatever composition you’ve produced.

In this section, we’ll be talking about the best editing software for beginners. We’ll also briefly touch upon the strengths of each software and what advantages they can offer to help bring out the artist in you.

Luminar

Teaching Photography Basics- Luminar

Topping this list is Luminar, a new editing software that became widely popular among professional photographers due to its friendly user interface and useful features. Luminar is really suited for beginners as exploring its various options can easily give newcomers a quick tip or two.

What’s more, Luminar can be purchased through a one-time payment, unlike Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom where you have no choice but to pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee to avail the software. On top of that, Luminar is also compatible to use with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, adding more flexibility to an already awesome product

Photolemur  

Teaching Photography Basics- Photolemur

Coming in second place is Photolemur. Similar to Luminar, this photo editing software doesn’t need subscription fees and is only a one-time payment product.

Unlike the Luminar, however, Photolemur is friendlier to beginners since enhancing your composition is as easy as clicking one or two buttons. That’s right. There’s literally no need to familiarize yourself with Photolemur from the get-go as the AI behind the software will take care of everything.

Simply click on the photo and the AI will take care of everything from polishing the background to removing blemishes on selfies. It also supports third-party plug-in support so you can still use it in tandem with other photo editing software.

Lightroom

Teaching Photography Basics- Lightroom

Despite Lightroom being a subscription-based product, there’s no denying that it’s still an incredible software to polish photos. It’s beginner-friendly but Lightroom also provides in-depth tools that will help in enhancing details of a composition.

There’s even a Lightroom Mobile version of the software for anyone who’s constantly on the road and doesn’t have the luxury to edit photos on their desktop on a regular basis. Even though Luminar and Photolemur are on the top two of this list, Lightroom isn’t beneath those two. In fact, of the three, Lightroom is still the better product due to a host of features that it offers.

Comprehensive Guides Focused On Teaching Photography Basics To Kids

Here are some of the best guides that have information on how to teach photography to beginners.

For the New Newbie: Intro to Photography Class (r-photoclass)

 

Teaching Photography Basics- Digital Photography school

 

 

Also known as Reddit Photoclass, this guide started out as a request from the Reddit community, which eventually turned into a comprehensive guide by scientist-turned-adventurer Alex Buisse. This guide has been created with the intention of teaching beginners who have zero knowledge about photography, so if you’re someone who fits that description, then this is for you.

The guide covers extensive photography topics from gear and equipment navigation to the post-processing and basic discipline of the hobby. Buisse also provides homework for each section that’s being discussed that will enforce the knowledge with hands-on experience.

Basics of Photography: The Complete Guide

Teaching Photography Basics- Basics of photography

Although not as extensive as Buisse’s class, this guide is still a valuable resource to dive into as it touches upon topics that focus on how to familiarize yourself with your camera. Assist settings, composition techniques, the editing process, and a host of other disciplines are covered by this guide

Also Read: Baby on the Subway: Interview with Musical Artist Camille Harris

It also goes beyond the beginner guide and lands on the intermediate levels, which can be useful for beginners who are already ahead of the pack. Keep in mind, however, that photography truly shines when you got the basic down to the letter. So it’s best to start from the beginning to maximize the guide’s teachings.

Learn Photographic Exposure Best Practices

Teaching Photography Basics- Learn Photographic Exposure Best Practices

 

 

Where the first two guides offer in-depth discussions about the various topics of photography, this one covers only one aspect: exposure. Beginners will be learning about ISO, aperture, and shutter speed and the importance of each one to incorporate emotions into a composition.  

Also Read: Travelling with kids: 10 kick-ass benefits you should know!

With overexposure and underexposure considered as one of the most common mistakes a beginner can make, learning to use the aforementioned camera functions will help you avoid this pitfall. Combining what you learn here to Buisse’s class regarding the same topic will be beneficial in your journey of becoming a talented photographer.

Cambridge in Color

Teaching Photography Basics- Cambridge in colorLast, but certainly not the least, on our free photography guide list, is Cambridge in Color. What makes this tutorial truly shine is how well all the information has been put together, arranged in such a way that doesn’t overwhelm beginners with technical terms.

If you’re confused about terminologies, simply head over to that specific section to familiarize yourself with the jargon. After that, you can explore how to use your camera, the disciplines governing the practice, and how to properly edit your photos.

Photography, at the heart of it, is the art of invoking emotions out of your audience. Whether you’re aiming for a darker theme or an image that captures the joy of the moment, always ensure that you’re using all the techniques you have learned to produce a gripping composition. And while it’s going to take a while for you to master all of them, simply acquiring the skills to capture emotions is reward enough on its own. Now, go out there and express yourself to the world.

 

Also Read: 6 Simple Ways To Help Kids Build Smart Money Habits