Get an in-depth and highly interactive tutorial on how to take better photographs, in this thorough course taught by an award-winning National Geographic photographer.
Fundamentals of Photography
Sometimes we point, shoot a picture, and get lucky. The rest of the time, we wished we knew what we were doing. This is the way how.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Aedes from
Wonderful course.
Thank you, Joel. I found this course to be very useful, my photography skills improved and I certainly know my camera better. I appreciated your very personable delivery and how you spoke so often about your family. I am a GP and your pointers on watching people (and animals), waiting for that moment, having that patience really struck a chord for me. I might even be a better doctor for having taken your course.
Date published: 2024-12-02
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Shamr0ck from
Wonderful subject and lecturer on photography
Going through this course has been a joy for a grandfather. I thought this was just going to be about aperture, focus, F stops, and ISO numbers. But it was so much more. It is about family, special moments, laughing out loud and, yes, a bit of talk about art. I added the last because there is another course here at GCP called The Complete Painter and it talks about many similar topics though one course is about oil painting and the other is about photography. But both are about seeing, thinking, creating and enjoying the world around us. Joel makes photography funny, artful, professional, thoughtful and mostly enjoyable. I am glad to see that there is another photography course called Fundamentals of Photography II with Joel listed as the instructor. That is already on my watchlist.
I don't know when I really began to notice all of the pictures behind Joel as he talks. I don't recall if he ever said so but I am almost certain that all of the pictures surrounding him on the walls are his own. He or someone from GCP can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty certain.
There are many lectures and I am sure that I was laughing at some point in all of them. For some, I laughed so hard that my wife came in to check on me.
And yes, the information on photography is really good. It is well worth your time spent with it!
Date published: 2024-11-15
Rated 5 out of
5
by
RayR from
Outstanding!
I'm fairly new to photography and have looked at other sources of info. This is by far the best!
Date published: 2024-10-22
Rated 5 out of
5
by
CtSandi from
Great Course
This course gives you a wide view of photography with alot of explanation and examples. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in going beyond family snapshots.
Date published: 2023-09-19
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Cakara from
Really helped me with everything about photography
Happy to know more about my camera and how to use it. I’m buying a copy for both my siblings!
Date published: 2023-08-25
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Don Nikon from
Opened my eyes.
I am so happy that I purchased this course. It has opened my eyes to techniques and how to preserve life in photographs.
Date published: 2023-03-15
Rated 5 out of
5
by
GJS1963 from
Great Overview to Photography
This was a great overview on photography. I especially liked how Joel taught about making picture’s interesting.
Date published: 2023-02-14
Rated 5 out of
5
by
ED 81 from
My Camera and the Process of taking Good Pictures
Joel made me learn my camera. I never used half the features. I have tried different things and have a greater comfort. I now have my camera with me at all outings and functions. I'm going to ask my golf league organizers if I can shoot a photo story about our golf league.
Date published: 2023-02-01
Overview
About
Joel Sartore is a professional photographer and a regular contributor to National Geographic magazine. His assignments have taken him to some of the world's most beautiful and challenging environments and have brought him face to face with a diversity of wildlife in all 50 U. S. states and all seven continents. He was recently named a National Geographic Fellow for his work on The Photo Ark, a multiyear project to document the world's biodiversity in studio portraits (see www.joelsartore.com and photoark.com). His photograph of a lion in a tree was voted the best picture by National Geographic magazine in 2011, and also won him a 2012 Veolia Environment award for wildlife photography. In addition to his work for National Geographic, Mr. Sartore has contributed to some of the most prestigious and widely read publications, including Audubon Magazine, Time, Life, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated. Mr. Sartore and his work have been the subject of national broadcasts such as National Geographic Explorer, NBC Nightly News, NPR's Weekend Edition, and an hour-long PBS documentary, At Close Range. He is also a regular contributor to CBS's Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. A noted author and public lecturer on photography to audiences around the world, Mr. Sartore has written several books that highlight his craft and his work. Among these are RARE: Portraits of America's Endangered Species, Photographing Your Family, and Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky.
Trailer
01: Making Great Pictures
What makes a photograph iconic? What three things must every picture have to stand out from any old snapshot? These two questions form the core of Mr. Sartore's introduction to the course. You'll also discover that a great picture doesn't rely on equipment-but on being able to see and think critically about your surroundings.
34 min
02: Camera Equipment—What You Need
To take a picture, you need to have good equipment. Here, get a no-nonsense guide to finding photography equipment-including cameras, tripods, and camera bags-that fits your needs. Also, take an in-depth look at a camera's controls and settings for everything from aperture to shutter speed to ISO (your film's sensitivity to light).
29 min
03: Lenses and Focal Length
According to Mr. Sartore, lenses are the most critical tools of photography. In this lecture, he takes you into the field and shows you different camera lenses in action. Among them: 70-200 mm (good for blurring out distracting backgrounds), rectilinear lenses (great for photographing things with minimal distortion), and wide-angle lenses (perfect for both landscapes and for shooting subjects in t...
28 min
04: Shutter Speeds
Your camera's shutter speed controls how much light enters the lens in a shot. Learn how to become a master at working with this critical tool of photography. You'll discover when to use fast or slow shutter speeds, study each speed's unique effects, and uncover different techniques-such as panning and ghosting-that can add great artistic touches.
32 min
05: Aperture and Depth of Field
What do numbers such as f/1.4, f/2.8, or f/16 mean? Finally make sense of your camera's aperture settings, which can help create eye-popping visual effects and solve specific compositional problems. Then examine some of Mr. Sartore's acclaimed work to see the dramatic relationship between aperture and a photograph's depth of field.
30 min
06: Light I-Found or Ambient Light
In this first lecture on one of the two building blocks of photography, learn how to tap into the power of ambient light, which isn't created in a studio but is found around you. Look at how you should adjust your camera to make the most of found light, and learn the best kind of ambient light to shoot in and why. Explore front lighting, hatchet lighting, and even zebra lighting.
38 min
07: Light II-Color and Intensity
Continue exploring light and photography with a look at color-both the "color" of different types of light and colors as they appear in your photographs. Then, focus on the differences between hard light and soft light, and how to adjust your camera accordingly to maximize the potential of these key photographic elements.
32 min
08: Light III-Introduced Light
Mr. Sartore discusses a tricky type of light: man-made (or introduced) light. You'll learn tips for manipulating different sources of light (including firelight, car taillights, reflectors, and spotlights). Also, you'll start to see your camera's flash setting as not a pesky button but a powerful tool for creating breathtaking effects in your photography.
35 min
09: Composition I-Seeing Well
How do you truly capture the beauty of the three-dimensional world around you? The answer lies within composition-photography's second building block. In the first of three lectures on the subject, analyze a series of pictures to get a basic understanding of how framing works.
31 min
10: Composition II-Background and Perspective
Great composition also involves paying attention to background and perspective. Here, Mr. Sartore offers you numerous tips and strategies for finding the perfect background, examining the benefits and drawbacks of particular perspectives, and avoiding compositional mistakes that can ruin the power of even the most perfectly lit photograph.
28 min
11: Composition III-Framing and Layering
Frames. Leading lines. The eyes of your subject. Layers. Learn how paying attention to-and using-these and other compositional tools can isolate the true subject of your photo and add a strong sense of dimension.
30 min
12: Let's Go to Work-Landscapes
Now start applying the information you've learned. Your first assignment: rural and urban landscapes. Some tips you'll discover include surveying the ground ahead of the prime light you want to shoot in, using wide-angle lenses and a little height to suggest grandeur, and focusing on a subject you can get repeated chances at capturing.
32 min
13: Let's Go to Work-Wildlife
Explore techniques for photographing wildlife, whether it's birds in your backyard or lions on a safari. Learn how to set up a blind to conceal you from your subject, where to find the best places to photograph flora and fauna, common mistakes that wildlife photographers should avoid, and more.
35 min
14: Let's Go to Work-People and Relationships
Using touching photographs of family and friends, Mr. Sartore demonstrates how to use your camera to best capture joy, sadness, anger, and other emotions-without interfering with your subject's behavior.
31 min
15: Let's Go to Work-From Mundane to Extraordinary
A key skill for any photographer is the ability to capture the special aspects of even the most mundane subjects. Focus on developing and strengthening this talent alongside Mr. Sartore, who teaches you how to make great frames in seemingly "boring" places from hotel rooms to hog farms.
34 min
16: Let's Go to Work-Special Occasions
Special occasions come loaded with moments that beg to be captured with a camera. Taking the knowledge you've gained from previous lectures, investigate ways to anticipate and better prepare for candidly photographing the range of emotions, moods, and scenes that can be found at any wedding, party, or holiday event you attend.
34 min
17: Let's Go to Work-Family Vacations
Transform the way you think about and take photographs during vacations. How can you avoid taking the same dull pictures like other tourists? What are some good ways to capture the story behind a famous landmark? Who can you ask for help about the best places for photo opportunities in your destination?
30 min
18: Advanced Topics-Research and Preparation
Despite what you may think, researching is an important part of any well-planned photo shoot. In the first of several lectures on advanced topics in photography, learn from Mr. Sartore's own diverse shoots around the world about ways to research and prepare for photographing in more complicated situations.
32 min
19: Advanced Topics-Macro Photography
Examine how to capture the remarkable (and often overlooked) beauty in miniature subjects such as insects, flowers, eyes-even a pile of money. Learn the best equipment to use, lighting techniques to capture specific features of your miniature subjects, and common mistakes to avoid (such as not getting enough depth of field).
31 min
20: Advanced Topics-Low Light
Low light used to be the bane of Mr. Sartore's profession. Now, it's all he wants to photograph in. Learn how to take advantage of low-light situations by picking the right gear (including lenses that give you wide apertures) and techniques such as using objects to block bright spots in your frame.
27 min
21: Advanced Topics-Problem Solving
In order to be a better photographer, you need to be a visual problem solver. Mr. Sartore, using his own career experiences, takes you through varying levels of difficult situations-such as shooting in Antarctica, on a snowy road, or throughout a massive city-to illustrate the importance of mastering this skill.
28 min
22: After the Snap-Workflow and Organization
Regardless of whether you're shooting with film or on a digital camera, you need an effective system to organize your pictures. Here, get practical tips on everything from storing film negatives and naming your digital pictures to touching up your shots and archiving all of your work.
29 min
23: Editing-Choosing the Right Image
Hone your editing skills by combing through groups of images to select the ones that stand out. It takes time and practice-but once you can narrow your photographs down to the best of the best, you can sharpen your critical eye and improve the way you shoot in the future.
32 min
24: Telling a Story with Pictures-The Photo Essay
Close out the course with a fascinating look at telling stories with your photographs. Using his photo essays on Alaska's North Slope; people at Leech Lake, Minnesota; and dwindling biodiversity, Mr. Sartore leaves you with a greater appreciation of how photographers are not just observers but actual storytellers.
35 min
