Photography For Moms – $39 Beginner Online Class
Alright, Momma, be honest. What has you looking for a photography for moms guide or course? Did you happen to purchase a camera, or receive one as a gift, with the hope of taking beautiful photos of your family?
Do you currently feel that you’re not using your camera the way you had hoped?
Is your camera, perhaps, collecting dust on a shelf rather than capturing precious everyday moments?
(If you ended up here for another reason, leave a comment at the bottom of this post. I’m curious to hear!)
I’ll be honest, my assumptions come from my own lived experience (more on that later) and hearing from mom friends about their own experiences not using their cameras as they had hoped.
This is why I created an online class to help you finally learn how to use your camera!
TL/DR: Photography For Moms
If you’re seeking to learn photography for moms in order to take better photos of your family or pursue a new hobby, start by learning how to use basic camera settings such as exposure (controlled by aperture, shutter speed, and ISO), white balance, focus, and focal length. After mastering camera settings, learn how to use different types of light and composition to create more visually appealing images.
What the Intro Photography Class Covers:
Curious about what information is included in the online photography class I recommend for moms? Here is a summary of the contents:
Section 1: Exposure
Learn all about Exposure: what it is and the settings that control it. We’ll dive into settings such as aperture, ISO, and shutter speed as well as how to measure light.
Section 2: Additional Settings
Next learn about other crucial camera settings such as white balance, focus, and choosing the best focal length for what you’re trying to capture. We’ll also discuss file options.
Section 3: Light
Light plays a HUGE role in photography. Just like paint is a painter’s medium which he/she controls with tools like paint brushes, light is the primary medium of photography which is captured and manipulated by a camera! We’ll discuss different types of light and how to use them!
Section 4: Editing & Developing
You’ve taken your photos. What do you do with them now? This section provides an introduction to editing digital photography in Lightroom. If you’ve photographed with film, this section will give you some pointers for how to get the film developed!
Section 6: Composition
Did you know that there are simple rules you can follow to help make your images more visually appealing? This section will introduce you to some of these basic compositional rules!
Section 7: Appendix
In the appendix, you’ll find additional information like how to load film if you’re learning to use a film camera and extended explanations of tools like incident light meters.
Why Join This Beginners Photography For Moms Course?
Sure. You could spend hours googling and watching Youtube videos in order to piece you photography knowledge (or what I like to call your “photography brain”) together. But if you are a mom in any stage, I know you have a lot on your plate. Therefore, I’ve sought to simplify the process of getting started and provide all the beginner photography information in one simple, easy to access space.
The course is presented in a combination of video demonstrations, voice-over slides, and printable handouts.
I did my best to keep most of the videos to around 15 minutes (although a few are a bit longer) so that you can easily watch them on your phone while doing the dishes or waiting in the car for your child to get out of tutoring or practice.
Rather than piecing it together, the course is structured logically. One subject will build off of another subject. The information will also be repeated in several context to ensure that you really understand the content.
I personally have benefited so much for learning from other photographers throughout my own photography journey! Like I’ve said before, sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know! Having another photographer teach you can be so much more effective than guessing about the holes in your own understanding.
“Thank you for the very CLEAR and organized method of teaching!” – Elaine D
How Long Is This Course?
If you’re looking for a photography for mom’s course, I imagine time might be a concern. Wondering how long it will take to complete the course?
This particular course currently has videos that will take roughly 4.5 hours to watch in all. (I say currently because I may add on additional videos in the future in response to student questions.)
However, do also know that to truly learn photography, you’re going to need to get your camera out and practice. There’s no way around it. Every photography has to take the time to get used to handling their camera, changing settings, and experimenting. Experimentation and exploration can also be a huge part of the fun of photography! There are always new things to try and learn!
About the Photographer – Why I love Photography For Moms
Wondering why I’m qualified to teach this class? Well, I’ve been exactly where you are!
I actually never intended to become a photographer. I often joke that I’m an “accidental photographer”. Photography was never part of my life plan. I never even took a photography class in high school or college.
However, I did always enjoy taking photos of my friends and travels. When my point and shoot fell off of our rental car in Ireland (oops!), my husband suggested I invest in a nicer camera for our travels. It was then that I purchased my first camera with an interchangeable lens. However, I kept the camera in “auto” and really didn’t know how to get the best out of it.
It wasn’t until we had our first daughter and I totally failed to schedule newborn photos (ironic considering I’m not a newborn photographer, I know!) that I finally dove into actually learning photography. My husband suggested I take a photography class at a local community college. He clearly could tell I needed to get out of the house during the postpartum period and do something fun!
You know that feeling of not knowing what you don’t know! That’s what the beginner course felt like. I had no idea that there was so much to photography beyond composing the image and taking it. I really enjoyed learning and new skill and was totally hooked!
The next few years I practiced and practiced photography on my growing family. Then friends started asking me to take photos of their families. Unexpectedly, I started a business that has grown and flourished through the years right along with my skills! I ended up leaving my job in healthcare to grow my business while enjoying the flexibility of being present for my kids.
(In case you’re wondering, my background was actually as a pediatric occupational therapist for 10 years. I dropped to practicing part-time with the birth of my first child. Why is this relevant to teaching photography? Well a big piece of OT is learning how to break down tasks in to small, manageable steps. I hope to put this background to work while teaching your photography!)
Is the Beginner Photography Class Only For Moms Who Want to Start a Photography Business?
Not at all! In fact, this online photography class doesn’t teach anything about starting a business. It only covers the basics of photography. My goal is to teach you how to use your camera and employ basic photography skills.
I certainly don’t expect your path with photography as a mom to look anything like mine! You have your own journey to take. If your really just interested in photography as a hobby, this course is very much for you! Moms need hobbies like everyone else. I personally have found that photography has a beautiful way of encouraging me to be present in the moment and truly see!
Taking beautiful photos of my own family has brought me way more joy that running a photography business. My children love the images too! I make a yearly photo book filled with pictures from our year. They regularly pull them off the shelf and enjoy reminiscing about past times together both ordinary and adventurous. I absolutely love that I have been able to give them the gift of beautiful family photos of their childhoods.
Many of the photos I have taken of them are also displayed around the house. Did you know a research study from 1975 actually found that displaying photos of your children helps increase their self-esteem and sense of belonging? I think we’ve got that one covered around here!
Does this Beginner Online Class Teach a Specific Style?
This course does not teach a specific style of photography. Again, I’ve intentionally kept the information very general and beginner level so that you can take photography and run with it in any direction that you choose! The course teachings the fundamentals of how to use a camera and basic next level techniques like using light and composition.
However, do I share my own opinions and approaches in this course? Of course! I can’t help it while teaching. I’ll give you my 2 cents on how I like to use camera settings and light to create the images that I create!
Just know that my goal with this course is not to create little clones of my style. You have your own voice and artistic eye! My aim is to give you the basic tools to start developing your skills. As you progress, you may find yourself being drawn to a particular style or genre of photography. When you get to that point, there are so many other courses out there from other photographers to help you along in the next phase of your photography journey!
If I Don’t Already Have a Camera, Are There Beginner Cameras That You Recommend?
This section includes affiliate links, meaning I receive a small commission for any products purchased through my link.
You do need to have a camera handy as you complete this photography course!
Now, all of us photographers certainly have our preferences when it comes to different types of cameras. I mainly shoot Sony digital cameras so this will affect my answer.
I personally I think Sony’s a6000 crop sensor cameras like the Sony a6400 are pretty perfect for beginners. This is the camera that I recommend to my friends. It’s wonderfully portable and compact. Crop sensor cameras in general are smaller, making you more likely to take it on outings with your family. Instead of buying a camera body bundled with a lens (usually what’s called a “kit lens”), I would recommend splurging for the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 (versatile for everyday) or Sony 50 mm (great for portraits with creamy background blur) lenses if you are able for better image quality.
Other popular beginner camera picks include the Nikon Z50ii and Canon Rebel Series. Read my full list of recommended beginner cameras here.
If you’re interested in film photography, the Nikon F100 and Canon AE-1 are often recommended. However, you will have to purchase these used as they are no longer manufactured. (I personally have the Nikon f100.)
Wondering what digital camera I use? Since I’m a professional photographer, I have chosen to invest in a full frame camera. I currently use the Sony A7iv with a variety of lenses. Feel free to email me if you’re curious for more information about my set-up!
Do you recommend any other equipment for beginner mom photographers?
I have intentionally designed the course so that you can get started with the equipment you already own.
However, I will also be showing you how to use additional equipment to help you meter your light and set white balance. The course will discuss grey cards and incident light meters, like my favorite the Expodisc. These extra pieces are optional, but you may want to invest in some accessories once you’ve seen them demonstrated in the course.
I will also discuss file storage options and how to edit images using the program Lightroom.
What If I’m a Mom, but I’m interested in other photography genres besides family photos?
Wondering if this course is for you if you’re a mom who is interested in other genres like landscape photography or macro photography?
While I must admit that my teaching is colored by my own lived experience, I have sought to keep this course very general so that you can run with this basic photography knowledge in any direction that you choose! The basics of photography and how to use a camera can be applied to lots of different settings and styles.
What Is the Refund Policy For the Online Photography Course?
I have purchased my fair share of online classes and products. Some have been great. Some have been not so great. I know there’s probably a little concern that you may not get what you were expecting. So are you wondering about the course’s refund policy?
First of all, know that I first and foremost want you to receive what you need in order to be successful in your photography journey. If it turns out that this course is not be the right fit for where you are in your learning, let me know! The full refund policy can be viewed by clicking the “terms of serve” a the bottom of the purchase page.
In partial summary (you can read the whole thing on the purchase webpage): “If the Product You purchased is not what you were expecting, you can request, within 14 days of your purchase of the product, that we will refund to your original payment method. We will not provide any refund if You request it after the 14-day guarantee time limit has passed. In order to request a refund, please email here: Via email with a subject line ‘Refund Request’.
Still have questions about this photography for moms beginner course?
Don’t hesitate to email me at hello@kelleyhoaglandphotography.com or send me a DM on Instagram! I’m happy to chat.
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