Part of the Martin Osner Photography School and Art Academy

Free guides

Free photography guides for beginners

Short, plain guides from Martin Osner on the things every new photographer runs into: auto mode, exposure, manual control and file formats. Read them in any order.

Close up of a camera mode dial showing the P, A, S and M settingsGuideThe truth about auto modeWhy auto mode gives you flat, average pictures, and what changes the day you leave it.Read the guideA photographer at the viewfinder, drawn over with a network of thinking linesGuideThe camera can't think, that's your jobA new camera and disappointing pictures? The camera measures light. The decisions are yours.Read the guideA camera and lens lying on a desk beside a keyboard, in teal tonesQuiz, on the school's siteHow well do you really know your camera?Ten questions on manual mode and the basics every photographer should be able to answer.Take the quiz ↗A camera showing its settings screen, held beside a laptop, in black and whiteGuide, on the school's siteRAW vs JPGWhat a RAW file keeps that a JPG throws away, and when each one is the right choice.Read the guide ↗

Ready for the whole picture, in order? The Photography Essentials course takes you from auto mode to full manual control.