Course overview

Award-winning photographer, author and teacher Michael Freeman guides you through the foundations of photography — from using your camera and working with light to mastering composition and framing. Based on the influential Bauhaus Basic Course, this programme gives you the skills and confidence to create images with meaning and style, while building your own portfolio.

You'll learn:

Master the art of composition to create powerful, expressive images
Use light, frames, and framing to transform your photographs
Apply balance, rhythm, and contrast for visual impact
Develop your own style and portfolio as you learn

The course includes:

8 on-demand video lessons with Michael Freeman
Lifetime access to videos, notes, and your interactive classroom
Downloadable lesson notes for easy reference
Practical photography assignments (Expert Level includes personal feedback from Michael)
Learn anywhere, on any device — mobile, tablet, or desktop
Small online classroom to connect and share ideas with fellow students

Time to complete

On average, the course takes around 28 hours to complete, including:

4 hrs 15 mins of video lessons
30 mins of course notes per lesson
2+ hrs of assignments per lesson
15 mins of classroom interaction per lesson

✨ Choose Expert Level to receive one-to-one feedback from Michael on your photos and assignments.

“ Great experience! Very professional and caring team focused on making the process of learning pleasant and outcome-oriented. All claims made in the description were met with success. I felt that the design, content, delivery, admin and IT, everything about the program was well-coordinated, responsive, functioning well and leaving participants free to learn. The class model works well. Nice! I learned a lot. ”
-Jean Bogais

Watch course trailer

Lesson summary

Photo Composition

Composition has a purpose in both art and in photography. It has three possible jobs: Create Order, Direct the Viewer, Create Interest. Michael Freeman will teach you how to compose your photo, and you'll be submitting 2 new photos to demonstrate your composition skills. Lesson length: 27 minutes Assignment: Take a series of photos demonstrating creation of order, distracting the viewer's attention and adding interest (i.e. through unexpected content)

Frame and Framing in Photography

Learn how to frame your photograph. Michael will show you how to choose which part of the image to include and what to exclude, and how to divide a scene. You'll learn where the main subject of your photo should be and be taking photos alongside Michael and your classmates to demonstrate frame and framing techniques. This class includes cropping techniques, stitching, vertical framing, creating frames within frames, how to use negative space and understanding historic ratios. Lesson length: 29 minutes Assignment: Take a series of photos based on the theme of frames/framing. You can either uses lines in the image, make a vertical framing, place an object in an extreme off-centre position or create a symmetrical and precise composition (choose 3)

Contrast and Balance

Michael will teach you the fundamental concept of contrast and balance in photography. You'll learn and practice how to contrast between elements and parts of the image, from brightness and texture to sensation and meaning. You'll explore different kinds of balance, from static to dynamic, and finally the conceptual balance between content and the graphics of the image. You'll be taking photos which demonstrate your understanding of contrast and balance in a photograph. Lesson length: 30 minutes Assignment: Take 3 photographs demonstrating contrasting qualities, balancing different sized subjects, deliberate imbalence or using vectors to direct the attention of the viewer

The Viewer's Eye

You'll learn how to use the viewer's eye in your photography. Michael will explain the the psychology of perception as an aid to composition, and how to consider the different visual weight of subjects. You'll see how to use eye scan-paths (and what the viewer's eye sees in a photo, and in which order), how to attract (or repulse) an audience, perspective and how to use repetition and rhythm in your photography. You'll take photos to show how to satisfy or challenge your audience. Lesson length: 30 minutes Assignment: Take 3 photographs which demonstrate either an image in which a small figure is distinctly noticable, one of the 'Gestalt laws', a row/group of similar subjects or a 'flattened' image with little perspective

The Graphic Elements

You'll learn how to use graphic elements and visual vocabulary in your photography, and you'll discover why Cartier-Bresson viewed photos upside down. Michael will take you through using lines, shapes and vectors in your photos. You'll be practicing by uploading your own example photos with graphic elements. Lesson length: 34 minutes Assignment: Submit 3 photographs demonstrating either a single subject as a single point, two subject which are distinct enough to have a graphic relationship with one another, lines dominating the composition, use of an implied triangle or an image containing strong vectors

Photographic Elements

Michael will take you through the mechanics and optics of the camera and lens You'll learn how to use the camera and lens to create their own graphic elements and effects in the image. This lesson includes an in depth look at focus (deep, shallow, tilted), shutter and motion, focal length and the family of lenses, from wide-angle through standard to telephoto. You'll demonstrate what you've learnt in a series of photos showing focus, lens use and motion. Lesson length: 37 minutes Assignment: Submit 3 photographs demonstrating either deep focus, shallow focus, frozen motion, or motion blur.

Composing with Light and Colour

This lesson takes you through the use of light and colour in your photography. Michael will demonstrate high-key and low-key photography composition, you'll learn the art of chiaroscuro and you'll be exploring the use of colour including pastels, muted colours, and colour-accents. You'll practice with a set of your own photos which demonstrate your use of light and colour. Lesson length: 36 minutes Assignment: Submit 3 photographs demonstrating either a high-key image, a low-key image, chiaroscuro, colour domination, a two-colour scheme, colour accent, a scene in which all colours appear muted or a processed black and white image

The Process of Shooting

In the last lesson you'll learn how to find images and create a portfolio of images that satisfy your audience. Michael will show you how to analyse your images, how to plan your photography and anticipate and create reactive shots. You'll learn how to use juxtaposition, create expressive photos and use a documentary approach in your photography. Lesson length: 30 minutes Assignment: Submit 3 photographs demonstrating either a reaction shot of an unplanned moment, juxtaposition of two subjects, still-life or a situation where you could anticipate what would happen, but not able to influence

Choose how you want to learn

meet the expert

Michael Freeman

The world's top author of photography books.

Why choose Learning with Experts?

Start whenever it suits you, and immerse yourself in motivational lesson tutorials with expert guidance.

Enhance your learning and personal growth with lesson assignments. Each course includes an optional assignment at the end of every lesson.

Drop a friendly message or respond to your assignment feedback. Our world-class experts are just a click away, ready to help you!

Stay informed about your own progress and those of your peers, and take joy in celebrating achievements along the way.

Chat and share ideas with passionate communities of learners from around the world.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between PEER and EXPERT options?

At Peer and Expert level, you get access to the same core content and features:

Video lesson tutorials led by your expert tutor
Downloadable lesson notes
Option to practise what you learn with lesson assignments
Group learning within an online interactive classroom of up to 20 classmates
Lifetime access to videos, notes and classroom

If you choose Expert level, you get all of the above plus the following:

Personalised assignment feedback and coaching from your expert tutor
Opportunity to interact with your expert tutor through a private messaging system
Certificate of completion.

What is an online classroom?

Our online classroom has been developed to allow you to learn from our experts in a sociable environment alongside up to 20 other students. After each video tutorial led by your expert, you will be encouraged to practice what you have learned with optional assignments - these can be seen by the other students in your class, who are free to share their own thoughts and questions with you.

You will be encouraged to take part in an ongoing class discussion where you can discuss ideas, post images or work, and comment on each other’s assignments. It’s a great way to learn from other like-minded people who share your passion from all over the world.

This means not only do you benefit from people who are outstanding in their field, but also from a close-knit group of like-minded people whom you can learn alongside. Group learning has shown to greatly improve not just the experience of studying, but also how well you retain the knowledge, and we have built our classroom experience around this fact.

When can I start my course and how long will it take?

You can start your course any time within 12 months after receipt of your purchase confirmation email. Once you start, you’ll have lifetime access — meaning you can revisit the lesson videos and notes whenever you want.

Our courses are designed so that you can study at your own pace, some prefer to binge learn while others like to spread their studying over a longer period of time - it’s completely up to you. To give you a rough time frame, each lesson video is approximately 30-40 minutes long, and we recommend that you spend around an hour on each assignment.

How often can I speak with the Expert?

If you opt for the Expert version of your course, the time you have to interact with your tutor is limited to course length. You will have one week per lesson to chat to your tutor and to have your assignments marked, and during this period you can ask them as many questions as you would like.

To find out the length of each course, head to the product page and look at the Course outline to see how many lessons it contains. e.g. a four lesson course assumes that you will have completed the assignments within four weeks.

Your tutor interaction period will start as soon as you enter the classroom. If you find that you are struggling to complete the assignments in the allocated time or you wish to put this function on hold, just get in contact with one of the team via the support button and we will help you out.

Support and full FAQs

If you need any help with a course, be it one you’ve started already, or one you are looking to purchase, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support email address.

You can also use the orange speech bubble on your page to start a conversation with us.

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Photography Foundation