Online Photography Courses

Superior resolution, a slower pace of shooting, timeless camera designs that are easy to repair - there are no shortage of reasons to shoot large format film. But for me, the biggest attraction is the unrivaled versatility of a view camera. The amount of control it affords a photographer over the plane of focus, depth of field, perspective distortion, and composition are not only invaluable to a photographer's creative expression, they're just plain fun to use out in the field!

But let's be honest, large format photography can be intimidating, especially when it comes to applying seemingly-complex concepts like the Scheimpflug principle and lens tilts. Without proper training, a nice day out shooting large format can quickly turn to a disappointing evening at the light table. Few sorrows weigh heavier on a photographer's heart than a box of botched sheet film.

And that's why I've created this course.

When understood properly, even the most intimidating topics in large format photography are quite simple to apply with confidence, repeatability, and with excellent results. In this course I will take even the most novice large format photographer through the basics and into the most advanced topics of operating a view camera. You'll learn everything from focal length selection to focus plane manipulation by way of tilts and swings. You'll learn when to use rear tilt/swing vs front tilt/swing, how to determine the perfect spot to focus on, how to tell if your camera movements are actually helping, and much more!

Large format film ain't cheap! So don't waste frames experimenting and hoping you are doing things right. Take the first step towards becoming a master of large format photography today!

Intermediate Shooters

This course is marked for Intermediate shooters, but that really just means you aren't brand spankin' new to photography.

You don't need to be intermediate in your skills as a large format photographer, but you do need to be at least intermediate in your understanding of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. I also strongly recommend you already be very confident in your light metering process (check out my Master Manual Metering for Film Photography course for help on that). Aside from that, this course can be easily digested by large format photographers of any skill level - including those brand new to large format photography.

If you've only ever shot smaller film formats, have never tried large format, or if you've never used a view camera before, that's no problem! This course will teach you all you need to know, starting with the basics. If you've already done a bit of large format photography or have studied it previously, this course may help fills some gaps in your knowledge. I encourage all prospective students to review the course outline above and check out the Free Preview page for a more extensive view of what the course will cover.

This course teaches you all the aspects you need to know to control your large format camera for predictable and successful results - from equipment basics to lens selection to tilt and swings with the Scheimpflug principle. This course does not, however, cover light metering, studio lighting or flash.

If you are interested in any of the following, then this course is for you:

• Understanding the intricacies of large format lenses and focal length selection
• Learning how to apply front and rear standard movements to control composition and distortion
• Learning how to apply tilts and swings efficiently and confidently to control focus and depth of field
• How to determine precise focus and aperture selection to achieve desired results
• Seeing how to operate a large format camera out in the field via live in-the-field demonstrations
• Demystifying the Scheimpflug principle for easy application

If you’re still unsure whether this course is right for you, email me at .

Equipment Requirements:

If you already have a large format camera, great! Any brand camera will be fine for this course and it doesn't matter whether it's a monorail camera, folding camera, or a press camera - any view camera will work with the curriculum. If you haven't yet bought a large format camera, don't fret. You don't technically need to have a large format camera in hand before starting this course. In fact, one or more of the lessons may help you decide what camera to buy, so it might be best to watch the first few lessons before picking out a camera.

My large formats of choice on this course are 4x5 and 6x17, so you'll see example photos and field sessions with those two formats. I do, however, address other formats in the course and the topics covered in the lessons are equally applicable to any view camera, regardless of format. So if you are interested in any of the following film formats, this course is for you:

• 4x5
• 5x7
• 8x10
• 6x17
• 4x10
• Ultra-Large Formats
• Really any format that uses a view camera

Skill Requirements:

You do not need to have any previous training or experience in large format photography. So long as you already have a good handle on exposure basics and light metering, this course will cover everything else you need to know for successful large format photos.

This online photography course is composed of:

• 47 Video Lessons
  • Over 8.5 hours in all
  • 11 in-the-field demonstrations (over 2.5 hours)
• Downloadable Worksheets
• Unlimited email support from Nick Carver
• Lifetime course access

This is a "work at your own pace" course, which means you can take the course at whatever pace works for your schedule. All lessons will be available to you from day 1 so you can study as fast or slow as you wish. To learn more about how the course works, visit this information page.

Throughout the course, you will have unlimited email support with a direct address to Nick Carver. Emails are typically answered within 2 business days depending on my volume of emails. Phone and/or online chat support is also available for an additional charge. Drop me a line for rates at .