10 years ago, Chelsea and I made a 7-hour photography training DVD/BluRay series. Since then, a lot has changed in photography (you'll see a lot of HDR in this video haha), but the fundamentals have remained the same, and those lessons still hold true.

I think the timing is right because YouTube and TikTok have degraded the study of the art of photography down to clickbait and 30-second “tips.” This is a structured and in-depth lesson. Bookmark it, put down your phone and pay attention. Your time will be rewarded.

If you think others should learn the basics of photography, share this video.

0:00:00 INTRODUCTION
0:01:19 PART 1 – QUICK TIPS
0:18:31 PART 2 INTRODUCTION – COMPOSITION
0:19:22 Have a focal point
0:20:30 Simplifying photographic compositions
0:24:05 Tips for travel photography
0:25:56 Rule of thirds
0:28:57 Space rule
0:31:03 Viewing angle (focal length)
0:33:44 Control background
0:37:43 Scale display
0:39:15 Using lines as composition elements
0:43:18 Models in photography
0:49:38 Symmetry in composition
0:52:57 Depth display
0:56:57 Creating panoramas
1:01:29 Abstract photography
1:03:55 Black and white photography
1:20:24 Photographic composition practices
1:22:27 PART 3 INTRODUCTION – LIGHTING AND FLASH
1:23:27 Hard and soft light
1:28:47 Reflected light and color casts
1:32:30 Steering light (front light, side light, rear light)
1:46:09 Lighting quiz
1:50:38 Golden hour
1:56:05 Using photographer’s ephemeris
2:07:23 Using Flash for photography
2:09:51 Using the fill flash
2:13:12 Using bounce flash
2:15:13 Flash modifiers
2:20:04 Using High Speed Sync (HSS)
2:24:06 White balance
2:34:49 Taking photos in bright sunlight
2:37:55 Using flash exposure compensation
14:40:30 Flash and lighting practices
2:45:10 PART 4 INTRODUCTION – CAMERA SETTINGS
2:45:17 Parts of your camera
3:10:53 Focus types: manual focus, autofocus, continuous AF
3:21:44 Autofocus with Back button
3:25:18 Fine focus
Shutter modes 3:27:50 (single shot, continuous shutter, delayed shutter)
3:31:36 Understanding shutter speed and shutter priority mode
3:40:03 Avoiding camera shake
3:47:39 Portable long exposures and the reciprocal rule
3:52:35 Aperture, f/stops and depth of field
4:09:51 ISO
4:14:25 Auto exposure and exposure compensation
4:24:51 Exposure compensation and histograms
Exposure triangle 4:34:36 (aperture, shutter speed and ISO)
4:48:10 Raw vs JPEG for image quality
4:59:43 Hands on understanding camera settings
17:18:29 PART 5 INTRODUCTION – TROUBLESHOOTING PHOTOGRAPHY PROBLEMS
5:18:48 Troubleshooting Blurry Images
5:32:41 Testing your camera's autofocus system
5:50:18 Removing blocked lens filters
5:51:58 Troubleshooting motion blur
17:59:17Diffraction
6:01:34 Checking lens sharpness
6:08:21 Noisy images
6:14:17 Color issues
6:18:52 Washed out images
6:21:44 Chromatic aberration (fringing)
6:23:01 Dust spots on lenses and sensors
6:34:44 Twisted Horizons
6:36:44 Bad battery life
6:40:00 Lack of space on memory card
6:40:49 Flash Battery Life Troubleshooting
6:45:00 Troubleshooting flash sync issues
6:49:02 Lens flare troubleshooting
6:50:05 Summary

Please take the opportunity to connect and share this video with your friends and family if you find it useful.