"Thank you so much, Joy, for this wonderful class. I learned a great deal more than I expected to from an online course. Your lessons flowed so well from day to day and you provided encouraging and extremely helpful feedback to help us develop our own photographer's eye. I already had one of my blog readers ask about your course when I posted a few of my photos last Friday. I'll definitely sing your praises to others and will take another course if you offer one."
Ever wish you could take prettier, "more professional" photographs of your pets, a wild animal passing through your back yard, a child playing at the beach, a vase of flowers, your evening view, the changing seasons? Do you feel that a photography course would be too technical and full of jargon for you, but think you would enjoy one that is more creativity-focused? Would you like to create more artistic images of nature and the world around you to share with your friends and family, or just add some beauty to your life and home?
I've created a ten-lesson online course (plus two bonus mini-lessons) that will help you with all of the above goals. Perhaps even better, it will help you relax into a photographic routine, adding some meditative time outdoors for you to simply appreciate the beauty available in front of your camera lens. Whether you're a professional blogger who would like to add more attractive photographs to your posts, a "creative type" who would like to learn within a community of like-minded students, or you just want to take better pictures on your next vacation, this course will help you move forward.
"Once again, Joy, today's lesson was super helpful. This will completely change how I work with my photos. Thank you!"
-- Debi Huang
"Joy Sussman, you rock!
What an awesome photography class.
I am feeling so very much more creative, and excited about the future!"
-- Kat Denton
How does this online course work?
- This is a self-paced course. Shortly after you submit your payment, you will receive the 10 lessons (plus two mini-lessons) via email. (I send them out personally, so if it's the middle of the night in the eastern United States at the time when you purchase the course, then you would receive the lessons when it's morning here. Please keep in mind that there's a real person on the other end of the transaction, not just an automated button, so I'll deliver the lessons as quickly as my schedule allows, usually within a couple of hours.) After you receive the lessons, you can pace yourself by reading one lesson each day (which I highly recommend to give yourself time to absorb the material and work through it), or you can set aside a block of time (such as a weekend) to read through a few lessons at a time, or all of them at once. It's really up to you and your schedule!
- All enrolled students will have the opportunity to share their photos, comments, and creative thoughts in my private Facebook group, Writing with Light Photography Club. You'll also be able to ask me any of your photography questions there. You will have access to the group for as long as you remain a member in it, even after you've finished the lessons.
- If you'd rather share on Instagram instead of Facebook, you'll receive information on doing so. (Any sharing is optional.)
- You'll receive a beautiful, downloadable book (PDF file format) of all lessons, for your personal reference, to keep forever.
Course Overview
Lesson 1: Starting Your Journey to Better Photographs
- The basic equation for a good photograph
- Which cameras and lenses to use?
- Suggested photography books and art history resources
Lesson 2: Better Composition: How to Set Up and Frame Your Shots
- Horizontals, verticals, and the Rule of Thirds
- When should you shoot subjects at the center of the frame?
- Seeking out "natural frames"
- When and how to recompose the shot in post-processing
Lesson 3: Better Lighting
- Using natural light
- Flash photography and editing tips for lighting
- Back-lighting, sun flares, and other challenges
Lesson 4: Better Focus (and Better Softening)
- How and when to sharpen or soften the focus while shooting
- Depth of Field explained in easy terms
- Experimenting with the Bokeh Effect
Lesson 5: Better Angles
- How and when to shoot from above and below
- "One subject, many shots"
- How to use Leading Lines for a more compelling shot
Lesson 6: Better Close-Ups
- Macro photography in a nutshell
- How to shoot subjects up-close
- How and where to look for subjects
Lesson 7: A Better Final Product: Post-processing
- How to use low-cost online tools and apps
- What to focus on when you edit
- Protecting your work
Lesson 8: Interview with Photographer Laura Karin: "Finding the Quiet Moment." Laura has her own photography business in Florida, where she shoots portraits and fine art photographs for private clients and businesses.
Lesson 9: Photographing Nature in the City
Lesson 10: Putting It All Together
- How to manage your digital photographs
- Social media for photographers
- Helpful ways to further develop your photography
Bonus Mini-Lesson 1: Looking Closer
Bonus Mini-Lesson 2: Nature Indoors
What You'll Need:
- A digital camera or a smart phone (it doesn't matter what type).
- Access to a computer where you can upload your photographs.
- A Facebook account, if you want to join my private photography group, share your photos, and ask me any questions about them. (This is optional, but highly recommended.) If you do not currently have a Facebook account and do not want one, you could open an account just for this course and close it right after you complete the lessons. However, I think you'll find that sharing your work will greatly add to your enjoyment and understanding of the lessons, and you'll meet like-minded photography friends in the group to help you learn and grow. You can also choose to share via Instagram instead (or not share at all).
Before you begin the lessons, you should know how to upload photographs from your computer (or smart phone) to an online page. Never done that before? This link explains how to upload photos to Facebook, with step-by-step visual directions and a YouTube tutorial.
"Your class has been very helpful. Thank you for offering this course and for your patience and sympathetic help!
Looking forward to keeping in touch!"
-- Lorraine H.
"This is way too much fun. House-cleaning is going on the back burner!"
-- Jerri DeCarolis
Frequently Asked Questions
What level photographer is this course intended for?
Whether you're a beginner or you have some years of experience behind the lens, this course will help you find the art within the frame, and to enjoy the meditative moments available to you when you photograph nature and the world around you. It also will help you connect to a community of people who love photography and want to learn more about it.
Will there be any assignments?
There are 10 lessons (plus two mini-lessons), but you are under no obligation or schedule to complete them. The assignments within the lessons are merely suggestions to improve your experience in the course and get constructive, positive feedback from me in our private Facebook group. Do as much as you wish, but please know that the more you participate, the more you will get out of the course.
What if I miss a daily lesson?
There is no set time for you to be "in class." You will be emailed the lessons within the password-protected site, and you can check the lessons at your leisure. If you miss a day or two of reviewing lessons and posting your photographs, no worries! Catch up and post to the online group when you can.
What if I have a full-time job?
That's fine! And it's one of the best parts of participating in an online course instead of a traditional course in a classroom. If you miss a day or two of lessons due to a heavy work schedule, just catch up when you can. This is basically a self-paced course, so you will get out of it what you can put into it.
How do I pay for this course?
You can securely pay with PayPal at the bottom of this page when enrollment is open. Click the yellow "Buy Now" button. (If you don't have a PayPal account, it's free to open one and easy to sign up.)
What if I'm not located in the United States?
I'm happy to welcome students from around the world, and since it's an online course, there is no specific time for you to be "in class." Previous sessions have included students from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia.
PayPal will convert any foreign currency to U.S. dollars.
Do I need to buy anything?
No. Suggested texts will be recommended to you, but you can find them at the library (which I fully recommend) or preview their contents online when available through Amazon. In addition, I will recommend some cameras and lenses that I personally use, but you don't need to buy anything at all, aside from the course itself. I will be suggesting free online editing applications and free apps for smart phones.
Will refunds be offered?
(I'm including this just for legal reasons--nobody's ever requested a refund. In fact, quite the opposite: I've been told by a few students that the course was worth more than the price they paid for it!) Due to the digital nature of this course and the already-low price, I cannot offer refunds, so please ask me any questions or let me know any of your concerns before you register, by emailing me at [email protected]. Depending on your own background and personal experience with photography, there may be certain days when you might already know some of the information being shared in the lesson. However, you still will be able to connect to the group, enjoy the class community, and share your images and experiences with photography.
"I stumbled onto your Facebook page and as I love to find lovely images, it led me to your website where I learned of your class. I got excited about it, and it was a doable price range. It's been well worth it! I feel like I got more than I expected! I'm really glad I took your class. Just sayin' it again..."
-- Phyllis Johnson
- In 2015, I was one of seven Honorees worldwide for the Photo of the Year from BlogHer Voices of the Year. Here's the story: Nervous, Honored, Grateful!
- In 2016, I was an Honoree for the BlogHer Voices of the Year, for a post I'd written about my son. You can read more about that here: The Opposite of Crickets.
- In December 2016, I was selected as a Judge for the 2017 Voices of the Year from BlogHer (Photography/Short Video/Eye Candy categories).
- My photographs and written work have been published five times in national magazines. In Spring 2017, Artful Blogging magazine contacted me to write an article for them about my creative process. Here's the announcement about its publication: The Heart-Warming Thrill of Getting Published. Bella Grace magazine published a full-length article about my work in Fall 2017.
- Since July 2012, I've been the sole photographer at the blog JoyfullyGreen.com. If you are unfamiliar with my blog, I encourage you to take a look through the archives at my photographs, as well as the collection of my favorites available for purchase at society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. Although I started my blog in July 2012 as an eco-blog, I quickly realized that the part of blogging which gave me the most joy (no pun intended) was finding the "perfect" picture to accompany my posts.
- In March 2014, I introduced my first online photography course -- this one! Since then, I've added several online photography courses to my teaching roster, including Beyond Auto Mode: How to Really Work Your DSLR Camera; Soul Focus: Finding Peace Through Photography; Soul Focus 2: Delving Deeper into Mindful Photography; and Pocket Photography: Making Art with Your Phone.
- I've been taking photos for over four decades, ever since I was a little girl and received my first Kodak Instamatic camera for a Christmas present at the age of 7. Before my senior year at Vassar College (where I majored in Art History), I was a photography counselor at Wesleyan University's Center for Creative Youth in Middletown, CT, where I helped instruct high school students in photography (including darkroom development--anybody remember those days?). I have taken traditional courses in Black and White Photography, Landscape Photography, and Digital Photography in Philadelphia, as well as Visual Art and Design courses at Parsons School of Design in New York.
The fee for this course is $95 (U.S.) and includes all of the following components:
- 10 comprehensive lessons and 2 bonus mini-lessons
- Lifetime access to our private photographers' group on Facebook where you can post your photographs and discuss them with me and fellow students. Any questions on the lessons? I'll be there to help!
- A beautiful, downloadable book (PDF file format) of all the lessons for your personal reference, to keep and refer back to whenever you like.
- Ongoing advice and guidance from me about your photographs during your coursework and beyond. (Just because you finish the course doesn't mean your development as a photographer ends, so I regularly check in with my previous students in our Facebook group.)
Ready? Let's begin!
With gratitude,
Joy Sussman
P.S. Any other questions? Please don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected]