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THE Photography Masterclass: Complete Course on Photography (Udemy.com)

Learn how to create amazing images for beginners & advanced photographers. The only photography course you need.

Created by: Chris Parker

Last updated April 2026

Our take

Based on the ratings of 2,293 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in April 2026. No course pays to be reviewed.

Chris Parker's photography class runs about 28 hours over 242 lectures. It begins with camera basics, exposure and lenses, then moves to light, composition and editing. After that come add-on sections on running a photography business and a wedding photography block of nearly seven hours. The syllabus shows the camera and lens sections alone add up to more than seven hours, while the composition lessons are short, often just a few minutes each. It was last updated in April 2026.

Reviewers like the pacing and the step by step walkthrough of ISO, aperture and shutter speed. One new camera owner said disjointed YouTube videos had left them lost, and this gave them structure. A long-time photographer says they are still learning new concepts. Parker's teaching is called clear, with good examples and analogies. The complaints are consistent too. Some say the opening feels like an ad for commercial software, and a linked website is sometimes broken. Several find the early material too basic, one dislikes the AI tool emphasis, and another wanted more photography and less editing software.

The rating breakdown is healthy. Of 2,293 ratings, 1,375 are five stars and 690 are four, with only 46 at two stars or below. With 48,705 students, it is a well-trodden pick. The editing lessons include GIMP, a free alternative to Photoshop. Beginners and rusty hobbyists look like the best fit; experienced photographers may want something narrower.

Best forBeginners with a new camera who are confused by ISO, aperture and shutter speed and want them explained slowly.
Skip it ifYou already shoot in manual and want advanced technique, or you dislike software promos at the start of a paid course.

Pros

  • Step by step walkthrough of ISO, aperture and shutter speed that new camera owners find easy to follow
  • Reviewers call Parker's explanations clear, with good examples and analogies
  • Editing covered in Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP and Darktable, including GIMP as a free alternative
  • Updated April 2026, with a large student base of 48,705 and mostly four and five star ratings

Cons

  • Opens with what some reviewers call an ad for commercial software, which annoyed several of them
  • Early sections feel too basic to some, and short clips can seem like YouTube videos
  • Business and wedding sections take up a lot of the runtime and may not matter to hobbyists
I just bought a camera and trying to understand ISO, aperture and Shutter speed seemed to be super confusing when watching disjointed youtube videos. This course has set the pace and structure quite well
Alan Raju Mathew, a student

Listed as beginner, and that fits. It asks only for a camera, any kind. Semi-experienced shooters may find early sections slow.

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What you will learn

  • Learn how to take back creative control from your camera
  • Learn the 4 easy steps to mastering Exposure
  • Learn my secret weapon for nailing the Exposure in camera
  • Learn an often overlooked camera setting and see light in a, well, different light
  • Learn my creative decision process for choosing specific camera settings
  • How to read a Histogram for perfect exposures every time
  • Understand the 4 key secrets to successful photos
  • Know how to use Composition for better photos
  • How your camera's Tonal range limitation can affect what you want to create… and how to overcome it
  • The first lens you should buy and why
  • The difference between soft and hard light, and why you may want to use one over another

Course content

37 sections · 242 lectures · 28 hours of video 4 quizzes, 7 assignments, 24 articles

  1. 1Photography Essentials Quick Start Guide 4 free previews12 lectures · 1 quiz · 1.2 hours
  2. 2Instantly Improve the Quality of Your Images2 lectures
  3. 3How To Get the Most From This Photography Class3 lectures · 3 min
  4. 4Key Ingredient 1: Camera Masterclass Part 16 lectures · 14 min
  5. 5Key Ingredient 1: Camera Masterclass Part 2 9 free previews18 lectures · 7 quizzes · 1.7 hours
  6. 6Key Ingredient 1: Camera Masterclass Part 34 lectures · 27 min
  7. 7Full Creative Control15 lectures · 1.1 hours
  8. 8Lens MasterClass1 lecture · 1 min
  9. 9Key Ingredient 1: Lenses 1016 lectures · 43 min
  10. 10Key Ingredient 1: Lens Issues13 lectures · 1.2 hours

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • Perfect for, new or semi-experienced photographers
  • Struggling to create the photos you want? This class is for you.
  • Need a photography refresher? You'll learn more than you ever thought possible.

What you need before you start

  • Any camera will do (it's not your camera that is the problem)

How it compares

Against the other 275 rated Udemy courses in Photography on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.4 out of 5higher than 31% of them
  • Reviews2,293#23 of 276 by number of reviews
  • Length28.1 hourslonger than 98% of them
  • Last updatedApril 2026more recently than 85% of them

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Course Description

This photography course changed this photographer's life...


"After more than 20 years of taking photos as a hobby, I decided that I wanted to know more about photography and finally leave "Auto-mode" behind me.

Should have done this much sooner: Chris explains everything in a simple manner but very thoroughly, and now; finally, all the puzzle pieces fall into place.

Great course, highly recommended."

Martijn Tilgenkamp



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Highlights...

Master Photography | 28Hr Complete Guide Includes 209 Page Companion PDF

*** 28 hours of photography video tutorials

*** 200+ Photography E-book w/150+ images to use with this Photography Masterclass

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Have you ever found yourself thinking or even telling someone close to you...

"The struggle is real. I look at other photos and think, mine will never be that good?"

It doesn’t have to stay that way. Your photos can drastically improve once you understand the 4 core ingredients for creating amazing images.

So, what are these 4 ingredients? They’re equipment, light, composition, and editing.

How can this photography masterclass help you master these ingredients and, most importantly, transform your photos into something incredible?

  • First, let me introduce myself. I’m Chris Parker, and I have 35 years of experience as a professional photographer, along with 15 years of teaching others how to elevate their photography skills.

  • In this masterclass, I’ll guide you through each ingredient step by step, breaking down every concept so you’ll fully understand how to apply it. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll learn for each of these game-changing elements.


Jeff D. Jones

"Chris Parker is amazing. He explains everything, so it's crystal clear the first time, so you don't have to keep replaying the lessons to figure out what he was talking about. I've been a photographer myself for over twenty years, and I feel that to stay fresh, it's a good idea to take these "refresher" courses like Chris.

I highly recommend this course to anyone and everyone who is interested in photography."



INGREDIENT 1: EQUIPMENT

It’s not the gear that you have that allows you to create great images… it’s knowing how to get the most out of what you have!

If you master Lighting and Composition, you’ll be able to create spectacular images whether you have a smartphone, a $500 DSLR, or a $10,000 Mirrorless camera.

But before you can master Lighting and Composition, you need to understand how your camera AND lenses work, their limitations, and more.



Desislava Toteva Garcia

"This course is extremely helpful!! I love the way you explain everything, + I love your vibe!! 100 % recommended!!"



With that knowledge, you’ll elevate your photographic knowledge beyond 90% of photographers in the world.

When you complete this section, you’ll understand…


  • How to read a Histogram for perfect exposures every time

  • You’ll know the difference between Dynamic and Tonal range and how that affects your exposure and…

  • How your camera's Tonal range limitation can affect what you want to create… and how to overcome it

  • The first lens you should buy and why

  • Why your camera gets exposure wrong and how to fix it

  • How to take full creative control over your camera and shoot in Manual mode (easy… step-by-step instructions)

  • Why I don’t recommend Manual Mode for beginners and I’ll reveal a better alternative!

  • How to get sharp images every time

  • Why lenses aren’t always perfect and how to avoid imperfections

  • You’ll discover the difference between Focal length and Field of View and their purpose in creating amazing images

  • Why you should consider the Crop Factor before buying a lens

  • How lens Aberrations can negatively affect your photos and how to overcome them



Shelly Woesthoff

"I really liked the interactive camera demonstration indoors and outdoors. Makes it much easier to wrap your mind around the different settings when you can see it in real-time."



Start by mastering the camera gear you have. Then, move on to mastering…


INGREDIENT 2: LIGHT

Although this is the second ingredient... it's actually the number one ingredient to master. Why should it be number one?

Well, without it, you wouldn’t be able to create an image. It’s like trying to create a photo with your lens cap on. How do you think that will work out?

With Light, you can tell a story by shaping the light based on your creative vision. Light can be soft or hard, and can even be of different colors.

Harnessing light is essential for creating amazing images. Once you complete the Light mastery section, you’ll understand…

  • The difference between soft and hard light and why you may want to use one over another

  • Where light comes from and why it’s important to your photography

  • How your camera sees light and its limitations

  • The 3 behaviors of light and how they can alter what you capture

  • How contrast can change the mood of your image

  • The 4 characteristics of light and how they can affect the quality of your images

  • And more



Ryan Lehoullier

"Phenomenal course. Clearly, a lot of time and effort went into it. The course is informative, with quality content and valuable information. Thank you for this."



This section is in the process of being re-recorded and will also include new content. See (below) the last section for more information.


INGREDIENT 3: COMPOSITION

Now that you’ve mastered Light and are a master of your camera gear, it’s time to elevate your photographic prowess by mastering composition.

This will include…

  • A true understanding of what composition is and how it can make your images better

  • 10 composition rules that will improve your images instantly

This section is in the process of being re-recorded and will also include new content. See (below) the last section for more information.



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Instructor Details

Chris Parker

30 years experience as a pro photographer.  Teaching photography, Photoshop, Lightroom, and Topaz Photo AI.  

In the last 30 years, I've photographed thousands of portrait sessions and 500+ weddings. I'm also a graphic designer and a lifelong user of Photoshop (since 1991) and Lightroom (since 2007).

Helping photographers achieve their creative vision since 2010.

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Reviews

4.4

2,293 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

By Udemy User on 7/9/2026

great information communicated clearly and engagingly however I would prefer longer, more college like video lecture rather than what feels more like youtube clips. Im also quite disappointed with the emphasis on AI tools, i paid to learn how to take and edit proffessional looking photographs by enhacing my skills, not by having (very expensive) AI do the work, it feels lazy.

By Rubert on 1/10/2026

I am very impressed with the quality and thoroughness of the course. The instructor gives in depth explanations about the camera and covers all the important topics. I can definitely say that this course has elevated my photography understanding in terms of technical knowledge, creative thinking and best practices. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to level up and become a professional in the industry!

By Björn Martin on 1/6/2026

It started with kind-of-an ad for commercial tooling. Then it suggested to go to a website that seems to be broken every now and then. So I was THAT close from refunding since I never ever experienced something like that with a Udemy course before. The narration, however, has a great pace and I'm confident this will be a good course for me after all. So I'll stick to it and see where it goes.

By Philip E Larkin on 4/5/2025

I have been dabbling in photography for a lot of years and have tried taking courses in the past. This course, so far, has been paced and has presented information that I find interesting and useful. I am retired now and on a limited budget, so I find some of the editing software to be prohibitively expensive to acheive the effects that Chris has demonstrated so far. I will figure it out!!! I hope.

By Gerald Andersen on 1/15/2024

So far, this course is Amazing! I just finished section one the Photography Essentials Quick Start and have learned more than what I have in complete courses on photography. I am extremely excited to continue and finish the entire course as well, as take more of Chris’ classes. Best and most comprehensive instructor I have studied with so far.

By Crystal Premo on 10/27/2023

This is a good course for a beginner in photography. My understanding of different topics were reinforced by the examples, practices and tips given by the instructor. The Instructor Chris Parker was very knowledgeable in teaching the basic of photography. I really enjoyed the class, although I missed a lot of weeks due to getting sick.

By Ives T on 2/19/2023

Absolutely loved this, what I was looking for and beyond ( seriously beyond) in a Masterclass . I wish I had this course before I enrolled into an online (non Udemy) very costly course a while ago , that probably had a quarter of the information Chris had shared into this Masterclass . So this surprised me even though I knew the essentials , there was still some info that was never given or brought to my attention . So Thank you .

By Kendra Pierce on 12/6/2022

This course is great and if you intend on shooting wedding photography, there's a lot of content on it at the end of the course. First part of course is fantastic general knowledge on the full process of photography and editing but the last 6+ hours is more specialized for wedding photography and wedding photography business...all great content but I feel like that part could have been a separate course and shouldn't have been included...but if that's what your looking for it's on here.

By Kaje Matthie on 11/26/2022

This course has been very valuable, my artwork in photography has improved extremely quickly because of the quality information being presented simply enough to easily grasp.

By John L Smith on 6/24/2022

A lot of useful information could have been five stars but no mention so far when talking about apertures and DOF about the amount of your image that in focus in front of your point of focus and the amount that is in focus behind your point of focus which can be quite important when selecting your aperture - or have I jumped the gun? Should mention I have been an enthusiastic amateur photographer for longer that the instructor and am the competition secretary for my local camera club !! Thanks for your reply but I think you are missing my point - you may cover apertures in later lectures but so far no mention has been made of the fact that no matter what aperture you choice when you focus the image 66% of the image will be in acceptable focus beyond the point of focus and 33% will be in focus in front of the point of focus. This can be an important factor especially in wildlife photography when you want your subject to stand out from both the background and foreground or for that matter any other subject matter.

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Quality Score

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Overall Score : 88 / 100