Get off Auto. Take photos you're proud of.
Photography Start is Jim Harmer's beginner video course. It shows you how to shoot in manual mode, get tack-sharp focus and find great light, even with basic gear.
Instant access, no login. 30-day money-back guarantee.
You bought a good camera. Your photos still look like phone shots.
That's not your fault. Auto mode guesses. Sometimes it guesses right. A lot of the time you get blurry kids, a washed-out sky, or a dark face in front of a bright window.
Most beginner classes explain every button and stop there. But buttons don't make a photo look pro. Three things do, and Photography Start teaches all three, plus the manual-mode and focus skills that tie them together.
- Great lightWhere to stand, and when to shoot
- Strong compositionHow to frame a photo so it holds attention
- Simple editingA Lightroom crash course to finish the shot
The quick-start guide your camera should have come with
Five units and 22 short lessons. Every lesson is listed here with its real length. Many were filmed on location, so you watch Jim do it, then try it yourself.
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Unit 1: Level up your photography
Jim has taught thousands of photographers. He starts with the skills that make the biggest jump in your photos.
5 lessons · 69 min
- Leveling up your photography15:30
- Lighting landscapes10:07
- Block method composition18:50
- Creative photography at home: kitchen edition10:35
- Macro (close-up) photography13:34
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Unit 2: Master manual mode Start here tonight
Aperture, shutter speed and ISO, explained so they finally click. Watch it once, practice a little, and manual mode starts to feel normal.
7 lessons · 70 min
- Aperture8:47
- Aperture, continued10:51
- Shutter speed13:34
- Showing motion6:30
- ISO12:48
- Exposure modes11:45
- Exposure compensation6:04
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Unit 3: Get tack-sharp photos
Focus is the #1 technical problem we see in our students' photos, so it gets its own unit.
3 lessons · 33 min
- The fundamentals of focus11:29
- Focus for portrait photography4:29
- Focus quiz16:59
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Unit 4: Gear guide
Learn where you can save money and still get pro results with lower-priced lenses.
4 lessons · 44 min
- Selecting and understanding lenses17:33
- Tripods7:50
- Filters11:00
- File formats8:03
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Unit 5: Technique and portraits
Try flash, shoot a portrait with a model alongside Jim, and finish your photos in Lightroom.
3 lessons · 34 min
- Flash photography9:16
- Portrait shoot with a model11:28
- Lightroom crash course12:54
4 hours 10 minutes in total. Stream it or download it.
Everything you get for $15
The course, plus what helps you use it. There are no upsells inside.
Photography Start
22 lessons · 4h 10m · bonus eBook
The Photography Start course
$90.0022 video lessons in five units, from Auto to manual mode, focus, light, gear and portraits. It usually sold for $90 in 2015.
Bonus: the beginner eBook
$7.99Improve Your Photography: How Budding Photographers Can Get Pro Results by Jim Harmer. A 63-page PDF that sells for $7.99 on Amazon.
Bonus: Jim's lens picks
IncludedThe best second lens, portrait lenses and landscape lens, for Canon and Nikon.
Keep-forever downloads
IncludedDownload every video and the eBook. Watch offline, on any device.
The Improve Photography community
FreeAsk questions and share your photos in our free group.
Total value
$97.99
$15
One-time payment. No subscription.
Get Photography Start for $15- Secure checkout by Stripe. Have a coupon? Enter it there.
- Right after you pay, you go to your course page. There's no login, just bookmark it.
- 30-day money-back guarantee. Questions? [email protected]
Learn from Jim Harmer
Jim is a world-renowned photographer, once listed as one of the 10 most popular photographers in the world. His landscape and portrait work has been featured in some of the world's most popular publications.
He famously graduated law school, passed the bar exam, then gave up law to pursue his passion for photography. Then he founded Improve Photography, which has helped millions of photographers get better.
Improve Photography, the site Jim founded, still gets about 63,800 visits a month from people searching Google for photography help.
30 days to decide. No questions asked.
Watch the lessons and try the techniques. If Photography Start isn't for you, email [email protected] within 30 days and we'll refund your $15.
Questions before you buy
Is this for total beginners?
Yes. It starts from zero. It's made for people who just got a DSLR or mirrorless camera, or who have been stuck on Auto.
Do I need expensive gear?
No. Jim shows how to get great photos with basic gear, and the gear guide shows where you can save money.
Which camera brands does it cover?
The skills (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus and light) work on any camera with a manual mode. The lens picks name specific Canon and Nikon lenses.
How do I get the course?
Right after you pay, you go straight to your course page. There's no account or app. Bookmark the page, and you can stream or download every lesson.
Is this a subscription?
No. It's a one-time payment of $15. If you have a coupon code, enter it on the checkout page.
What if it's not for me?
Email [email protected] within 30 days and we'll refund your $15. No questions asked.
What if I want more than the basics?
Photography Start is also included in Improve Photography Plus, along with every other course. You'll see that option after checkout.
Your next photo can be the one you're proud of.
Tonight you could watch Unit 2 and take your first shot in manual mode. You get 22 lessons, a bonus eBook and Jim's lens picks, all for $15.
Get Photography Start for $15One-time payment · instant access · 30-day money-back guarantee
P.S. Every shoot you do on Auto is a moment you can't take again: the birthday, the sunset, the trip. For $15, less than a memory card, you can learn to get those shots right. Get Photography Start.
