Photography Essentials Course – Master the Fundamentals with Martin Osner

Start your photography journey with Martin Osner’s Photography Essentials Course, designed to teach you the fundamental principles of photography. Whether you’re a beginner or need a refresher, this course will help you understand the photographic system, manual settings, and exposure, so you can take full control of your camera—no auto mode, no program mode, just you and your creativity. If you're unsure where to start, this is the foundation you need.

Why Start with the Photography Essentials Course

Many photographers skip the fundamentals and later struggle to connect the dots. This course ensures you build a solid foundation, preparing you to shoot in full manual mode—no auto, no program settings, just full creative control.

To make photography education accessible, we offer a pay-what-you-can-afford pricing model, so cost is never a barrier to mastering the essentials. If you’re unsure whether you need this course, ask yourself: Do I genuinely understand how my camera works?

Start Your Photography Journey – Enroll Now and Pay What You Can

• No barriers. No limitations. Just quick, simple instructions.

• Master your camera and take control of your photography.

• Join now, sign up, subscribe and begin your journey with Martin Osner.

Do You Really Know the Fundamentals? Take This Quick Quiz

Think you have a solid grasp of photography basics? Many amateur photographers jump ahead without fully understanding the fundamentals—only to struggle later. Take this short quiz to see if you're ready to move forward or if the Photography Essentials Course is the perfect place to start.

So often, we see photographers marking themselves as "competent" in advanced classes, only to realize they’ve overlooked critical fundamentals—hindering their growth.

Before moving forward, take a moment to test your foundational knowledge.

Are you truly ready for manual mode?

• Do you understand how the photographic system works?

• Can you operate your camera confidently without Auto or Program mode?

• Have you had to rely on trial and error to get by?

• Do you grasp the essentials of exposure, metering, and camera settings?

This quick 10-question quiz will help you determine if you have a solid grasp of photography fundamentals or if the Photography Essentials Course is the right place to start.

Score 70% or higher? You’re on solid ground.
Scoring lower? The Photography Essentials Course will fill in the gaps and set you up for success.

QUESTION 1

What are the three key settings that make up the Exposure Triangle in photography?

Ready to Test Your Photography Knowledge?

Here are 10 fundamental questions that every photographer should be able to answer. Take a moment to go through them and test your understanding of the essentials. It will not help if you google the answers. Once you've finished, you’ll find a link to check your answers and assess your score.

QUESTION 2

Name three factors that affect Depth of Field in photography.?

QUESTION 3

What type of light meter is commonly built into DSLR and Mirrorless cameras?

QUESTION 4

In fully automatic mode, if you photograph a white card, a black card, and a grey card under the same lighting conditions, what exposure result can you expect?

QUESTION 5

What do the following camera mode abbreviations stand for?

ISO, Tv, Av, M, and B

QUESTION 6

What is a "stop" in photography?

QUESTION 7

Can a RAW file be edited?

QUESTION 8

What does this marking on a lens indicate? 35-105mm 1:3.5-4.5?

QUESTION 9

Which of these two apertures is the smallest? f8 or f5.6 and by how much?

QUESTION 10

Which of the following aperture settings typically produces the sharpest resolution? F2.8, F8, or F22

Ready to Take Full Control of Your Camera?

No more Auto mode. No more guesswork. Just you and your camera, fully in control.

From Confusion to Confidence – How This Course Transformed My Photography Journey

I was excited to dive into photography when I bought my mirrorless camera. I went through the camera manual, but aside from a few settings, most of it didn’t make sense. Frustrated, I decided to use Auto mode—but that didn’t feel right. The whole reason I bought the camera in the first place was to learn photography properly. Then I came across Martin Osner’s 13-minute YouTube video, where he explained the photography process so clearly. That led me to the Photography Essentials Course, and I’m so glad I took it! The step-by-step explanations made everything finally click. Now, I confidently use my camera in full manual mode, and I’ve even signed up for the Advanced Photography Course to keep growing. Highly recommended!

Elena Rowel Garcia, Spain

★★★★★

★★★★★

After doing photography for so many years, I enrolled in Martin Osner’s Advanced Photography Course to improve my skills. But right in the first few lessons, I realized I still did not fully understand the photographic system—some concepts didn’t make sense. Since the Photography Essentials Course was promoted, I figured I’d try it. I paid a small amount, thinking that if it weren’t worth it, it wouldn’t matter. Well… I am now ashamed of what I paid! Martin and Ralf, you should have a way for people like me to go back and pay what it’s truly worth—but since you don’t allow that, I’m writing this review instead to tell everyone: Start with this course. It’s brilliant value and exceptional teaching. I only wish I had taken it sooner!

James Martinez, Miami Florida USA

Start with this Course; You will not regret it!

Frequently asked questions about the Essential Photography Course

Will this course be on promotion indefinitely?

No, it will not. The pay-what-you-can promotion is available for a limited time. Take advantage of it while you can!

We know choosing the right course is a big decision. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about Martin Osner’s Essential Photography Course. If you still have questions, feel free to contact us.

After enrolling, how long will I have access to the course?

You receive lifetime access to all course materials. This means you can learn at your own pace, revisit lessons anytime, and refresh your knowledge whenever needed.

What if I find the course too basic?

We are confident you won’t. The feedback we’ve received has been excellent—even from advanced photographers who used it as a refresher. No matter your level, you’ll always learn something valuable.

Will I Get Personal Feedback on the Online Course?

No, this is a self-study course with structured exercises to help you practice and apply what you’ve learned. While there is no direct feedback, the course is designed to guide you step by step toward mastering the fundamentals.

I need to register and subscribe to the main Art Academy website. Is this correct?

You’ll need to sign up on the Art Photography Academy website to access your library and follow the class.

What if I decide to continue learning after this course? What is the next step?

That’s great! Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, the next step is to refine your skills with Martin Osner’s Advanced Photography Course. If you're interested in exploring creative expression, you can also start your journey into Art Photography.

Explore Advanced Photography
Begin Your Art Photography Journey

Does Martin Osner teach this course live?

No, this is a pre-recorded course, allowing you to learn at your own pace and revisit lessons anytime.

Do I Need to Understand Photoshop to Take This Course?

No, you don’t. This course focuses on understanding photography fundamentals like exposure, manual settings, and camera control. While editing is an important part of photography, this course is all about mastering your camera first.

Do I need a specific camera to take this course?

No, but we recommend using a DSLR or mirrorless camera that allows complete manual control to get the most out of the lessons. Having your camera’s user manual at hand is also helpful so you can easily reference specific settings.