Fundamentals of Photography

with Joel Sartore

Overview
Your Instructor
Bonus Materials
FAQS

When many of us take photographs, we simply point our cameras and click. In reality, taking great photographs means viewing the world like a photographer and using the same fundamental techniques the experts employ. Join Joel Sartore, a National Geographic photographer with more than 30 years of experience, and learn the essential skills you need to capture great photographs every day. During class, Joel will guide you through essential camera settings including focal length and shutter speed and teach you how to make the most of a variety of types of light. Then, you’ll discover the steps to beautiful photo composition as you explore skills for framing, finding the perfect background, capturing the right perspective and more. Want to be ready to shoot in any setting? Joel will walk you through capturing a variety of situations, from landscapes to birds in your backyard to people at parties. Plus, you’ll get great tips to help with your editing workflow after shooting!

24 Sessions
12h 35m

Joel Sartore

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. Recently, Joel was named a National Geographic Fellow for his work on The Photo Ark, a multi-year project documenting the world's biodiversity. In addition to his work for National Geographic, he has contributed to a variety of widely read publications, including Time, Life, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. A noted author and worldwide lecturer on photography, Joel has written several books that highlight his craft and work, including RARE: Portraits of America's Endangered Species.

Fundamentals of Photography: The Great Courses - Course Guidebook

Metric Conversion Guide

Bonus materials available after purchase

What is the “Purchase” option all about?

If you are a paid Craftsy Member, you have immediate and ongoing access to nearly every Class, for as long as your Membership Account remains active. To access the Class videos, be sure you’re logged-in to your Account. The “Purchase” option is simply an alternative way for you to own a given Class, beyond your Membership term in Craftsy. When you “Purchase-to-Own” this Class, you can keep it for your personal collection, and can enjoy on-demand video access to this Class even if your Membership expires. You won’t lose access, and you’ll be able to enjoy your library of purchased content without any expiration or condition.

If I’m a paid Premium or Gold Member of Crafty, do I need to purchase the Class to have access?

Absolutely not. As long as your Premium/Gold Membership account is up-to-date and active, access to nearly every Class on Craftsy is included with your Membership. To enjoy a Class, just be sure that you’re logged-in to your Account. Once you’re logged in, all Class video lessons are “open” for you to view. Simply click on any lesson video in the order you wish to view them.

How do I know what the Class covers?

Nearly every Class has a free “Class Preview” video clip. This will give you a flavor for the Class Instructor and the skills or project that you’ll learn in the Class. In addition, each Class Lesson has a brief written summary of its content, including the length of each Lesson video. Lastly, under the Bonus Materials tab, you can see what extra elements are included with the video Class – usually a printable PDF resource, or two, is included. You will get a good feel for the complete Class content by reviewing these various elements.

Do I have to be a Member of Craftsy to purchase a Class?

Absolutely not. Anyone can “Purchase-to-Own” a Class without the commitment of Premium Membership. If you’re not a Member, when you click on the “Get Class Access” button, you’ll be given a couple purchase options. One of those options is to purchase the Class on its own. You would then own the Class and have access to it in your Craftsy account permanently – weather you’re a Member or not. Do keep in mind, however, that as a benefit of Craftsy Membership, you would have access to all Classes on the Craftsy site as long as your Membership is valid.

How do I “Purchase-to-Own” a Class?

First you should decide that the Class is what you want. Review the Class Preview video, and the various written descriptions of the Class and each Lesson before you purchase-to-own, so you have a good understanding of the Class content. When you’re ready to purchase the Class, simply click the “Get Class Access” (or it may show “Purchase Option”) and proceed. You will be given the option to join as a Premium Member of Craftsy, giving you access to this and all other then-active Classes throughout the term of your Premium Membership, or to purchase this one Class only, which you would then have access to perpetually.

How do I access/view my Class?

If/when you are a Craftsy Premium or Gold Member, you will have access to all then-active Classes on Craftsy. In that case, you can simply visit any Class page and enjoy the videos (be sure you’re logged in to your Membership Account). If you are not a paid Member of Craftsy, but have completed a “Purchase-to-Own” transaction, you can access/view your Class by going to the MY ACCOUNT section of Craftsy. Within your MY ACCOUNT, a section labeled “Classes” will appear, including a link to watch the videos of your Class and to access any Bonus Materials included. You can access your Class(es) as many times as you wish, and you’ll never lose access to your Account information. Just be sure to Log In for access to MY ACCOUNT.

Is there a limit on the times I can view my Class?

No. You can view any Class as many times as you want, whenever you want – as long as your Membership to Craftsy is valid and paid, or if you elected to “Purchase-to-Own” a Class.

Can I view a Class on my tablet device or mobile phone?

No problem. All newer-model smartphones or other mobile/tablet devices with an Internet connection are able to play the Class videos. Simply Log In to your Craftsy.com Account to view any Class if you’re a Craftsy Premium Member, or if you elected to “Purchase-to-Own” a Class.

How do I get access to the Bonus Materials for the Class?

Unless you are a Craftsy Premium Member, or until you purchase a Class, the Class Bonus Materials (any PDF download materials, etc.) will not be accessible. Once you join as a Member or purchase-to-own a Class, each individual bonus element is accessible by simply clicking on each item. You’ll find these elements within the “Bonus Materials” tab underneath your main Class viewer frame. As with the Class video, you can access the Bonus Materials as many times as you like – or you can print them out also.

How does the Class Discussion benefit work?

Once you become a Craftsy Premium Member, or purchase-to-own a Class, you’ll have the ability to post a question, comment, or tip in the Class Discussion area. You’ll find the Class Discussion tab directly below the Class video frame. This is not a “live chat,” but a subject matter expert may answer posted questions. The responses may not be from the actual Class Instructor. You’ll be able to see all Class participants’ questions and input to take part in this virtual dialogue among others who have viewed the Class and are willing to share tips, answers, or ideas.

Can I print out Class Bonus Materials?

For any Bonus Materials element that is a PDF Download, yes you can. Found within the Bonus Materials tab, directly below the Class video frame, just click on the icon/button for any of the extra Class elements you want, download the asset, and print with your local printer.

Are there any system requirements to view the Class video content?

Your Class video content is best enjoyed when viewed on a device manufactured in the past few years, with a good broadband Internet or WIFI connection (not dialup). We also highly recommend using the latest version of Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Edge as your Internet Browser. The recommended screen resolution is 1024 x 768 or larger.

Can I get a refund if I don’t like the Class?

If your access to a Class is through Premium Membership in Craftsy, then there is no refund available on any specific Class. A refund on a Craftsy Premium Membership will be applied on a pro-rata basis, within the then-existing term of your Craftsy Premium Membership. If you did “Purchase-to-Own” a given Class, yes we want to make you happy. Even though you will have been able to view all videos and download any Bonus Materials, we have a 100% money-back guarantee on any Class you purchase on an a la carte basis (Purchase-to-Own). This refund is available if you request it within 30 days of your Class purchase. Please direct any refund request to our Customer Service team, using the Contact Us information on Craftsy.com. In an attempt to avoid this situation, please review the Class Preview video and the various other written descriptions of the Class and each Lesson before you purchase, so you have a good understanding of the Class content.