Nikon gives free DSLR photography courses with online lessons

Might a lockdown be the time to perfect your photography skills? Photo / Persnickety, Unsplash

Like many travellers – you might have bought a camera for that once-in-a-lifetime trip but never really mastered much more than turning it on, and the odd blurry beach portrait. Now might be the time to actually learn how to use it.

Camera manufacturers Nikon are offering free digital photography classes, you can learn from anywhere.

With a third of the world under some sort of enforced travel restriction due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are all spending a lot more time inside. According to Google, more Kiwis than ever are using this time to learn a new hobby or take up an online course, with a 133% rise in interest. Photography, being a prime example.

Easy to pick up hard to master: Photography is skill that requires a lot more time to perfect than we often have to give it. So why not learn a little bit more about the perfect landscape shot, while you're dreaming of your next trip post self-isolation?

Nikon is now offering ten online courses that allow you to emerge from lockdown a better photographer.

Learn how to use your camera before you head back outdoors. Photo / Supplied, Nikon

Between 15 minutes and an hour, the video lessons normally cost from $25 to $80. However, until the end of April all ten courses are completely free.

The lessons on offer include environmental portraiture by photographer Joey Terrill and a crash course in DSLR video by YouTuber Kitty Peters. So, you can hone your travel video skills at the same time.

The camera company announced it would be giving the lessons away for free at the beginning of the month, saying: "In these uncertain times, we can do that by helping creators stay inspired, engaged and growing."

'Learn the different way of seeing' with Joey Terrill. Photo / Supplied, Nikon

One must-do for travellers is Taylor Glenn's dynamic landscape photography course that in just 43 minutes promises to "transform your photography—no matter what type or brand of camera you shoot." Although you may need to wait a while to put your photography skills to practice.

One course you can get up and running with is the Discovering Macro Photography course. This lesson in taking photographs of tiny objects aims to teach you a "different way of seeing, of engaging your mind" when taking photos.

One set of frustrated travel photographers have already been using this technique to recreate their favourite photo destinations inside. Check out this photo by Erin Outdoors, of what might look like the Waitomo Caves but is in fact a tiny landscape made from Goretex and model railway figures.

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The beauty of the ✨Glowing Gore-Tex Cave✨ ✧ Yesterday this idea was nagging at me all afternoon. I believe that ideas come from somewhere beyond us. When they ask you to pay attention to them, I’ve found that it is best to listen! I heard “create a glow worm cave tonight”… and so… here we are. Is it creativity or just quarantine? Gotta say I believe it’s the creativity. ✧ The set-up for this is tin-foil on a cutting board, 2 books with rain jackets draped over them, paper with holes poked in it, a smart lightbulb set to teal behind that, train figures, and the rock they are standing on is a hunk of rose quartz. Inspired by how it feels to be in a glow worm cave in New Zealand. ✧ Got an idea relentlessly poking at you? That idea wants to be out in the world. Put it into action 🐛 #ErinsGreatIndoors #OurGreatIndoors

A post shared by Erin Sullivan (@erinoutdoors) on Apr 8, 2020 at 10:44am PDT