From advice for shooting still life and lifestyle photography to editing techniques, improve your photography skills with these top tutorials for beginners

Whether you’re a phone photographer or you use a DSLR camera, learning simple photography techniques can take your pictures to the next level.

In this list of tutorials, professional photographers share their quick tricks and step-by-step explainers to help you learn new skills for all kinds of photography styles. We’ve covered everything from how to photograph a meal and tips to take great product shots for social media, to guidelines for fashion shoots, self-portraits, photographing sunsets, and lots more.

Spark creativity and learn how to capture incredible images as you dive into the world of digital and analog photography, with experts to guide you.

Flat lay, still life, and product photography tutorials

1. Discover quick tips for shooting great still life photos at home

Still life photography is the art of shooting inanimate objects, typically a small group arranged into an artful or stylish composition. Creative still life photography doesn’t require a big budget or a professional studio—but there are a few quick tips that will take your home still life shots to the next level.

Victoria Jane (@victoriajane_photography) is a lifestyle and still life photographer based in Brooklyn. Often shooting in her own home, she uses natural light, shadow, and vibrant colors to illuminate compositions that combine flowers, fruit, vegetables, and ceramics or glassware.

In this tutorial, she teaches three top tips for shooting still lifes at home.

2. Learn how to take perfect flat lay photos

A popular style of photography for products and food (seen all over social media!) flat lay images feature carefully laid out compositions, taken from a bird’s eye view.

However, if you’ve ever tried composing and shooting flat lay photos yourself, you’ll find that getting your photo right can be trickier than it looks. Lifestyle photographer and video content creator Darren Rowlands (@darrenrowlands) knows all the tricks for striking compositions and getting a great flat lay photo.

In this flat lay photography tutorial, he teaches you how to turn a box of random objects into a beautiful flat lay composition.

3. Learn how to style and photograph food

Food styling isn’t a new craft, but in today’s social-media driven world where thousands of meals are snapped and shared every day, it’s arguably never been more important. But when it comes to getting the perfect food photo, there’s a lot to think about.

You need to understand how to arrange a dish in front of the lens—considering elements such as light, color, and composition—to create delicious-looking results.

Chef and food stylist Jodi Moreno (@jodi_m_moreno) has had her recipes and work featured in Bon Appétit, Vogue, and more. Here, she teaches you how to style and photograph a meal for two, using your phone camera.

4. Pick up top DIY product photography tips

As a creative freelancer or business owner, one of the big challenges is working out how to market your products on a budget.

When it comes to digital marketing—whether you’re sharing via social media, your own website, or e-commerce platforms—high-quality product shots are one of the most powerful communication tools. Great images help your product stand out and can persuade customers to purchase your brand over another.

In this tutorial, Instagram product photographer and content creator Beatriz Tormenta (@beatriztormenta) shares tips for creating professional-looking product photographs.

Portrait, fashion, and lifestyle photography tutorials

5. Explore three easy self-portrait techniques

Whether you’re after a new headshot or capturing moments on your summer holiday, with a few quick tricks and some basic tools, you can create high-quality self-portraits wherever you are.

Laura Zalenga (@laurazalenga) is a photographer who’s passionate about the art of self-portraits. In this tutorial, she teaches three ways to set up a self-portrait photoshoot easily and effectively, depending on what tools you have available.

6. Learn creative DIY hacks for striking fashion photography

You can easily inject some extra flair and drama into a photoshoot without having to spend a lot of money—in fact, even really simple props can take your photos to the next level.

A beauty and fashion photographer based in California, Lauren Naylor Orso (@lnaynay) has worked with Prada, British Vogue, and Levi’s. Managing fashion photoshoots from start to finish, Lauren crafts the concept, styles the outfits, takes the photographs, and finally, edits the photos in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

Here, she shares some of her DIY hacks for dynamic and dramatic fashion photography.

7. Shoot show-stopping drag queen photography with three top tips

Vibrant portrait photographer David Ayllon (@davidayllon) and RuPaul’s Drag Race star Scarlet Envy (@scarletenvy) team up in this tutorial to share their advice on how to photograph show-stopping drag queen portraits.

As the duo explains, drag queen photoshoots are typically very collaborative, which means the relationship between a photographer and model is especially important. Watch the video below and click through to the full tutorial (via the link above) to learn about everything from the basic equipment you’ll need to lighting advice, and how to create atmosphere.

8. Discover quick tips for engaging lifestyle photography

With the purpose of sharing an organic snapshot of your subject’s life, one of the main goals of lifestyle photography is to capture natural-looking images, with a strong visual impact.

Before you next go out to snap phone your shots for social media, check out this tutorial from photographer and content creator Alba Duque (@albaduque_). She shares her essential tips to make your lifestyle photos more striking.

9. Light portrait photographs like a pro with a beauty dish

Lighting is fundamental to achieving professional-looking photos; how you use it will affect your photograph’s quality, tone, message, emotional impact, and much more.

To light portrait photography, a beauty dish can be a very useful tool. It creates a focal point for the light, illuminating the model and creating contrast between light and shadow for flattering results.

In this tutorial, NYC-based fashion and beauty photographer Julia Robbs (@juliarobbs) offers simple and easy-to-follow advice to create stunning portrait shots using a beauty dish.

10. Learn how to take photos of models using natural light

While understanding how to use equipment like a beauty dish can elevate a photoshoot and your final result, you might not always have access to such tools. For this reason, it’s also important to learn how to take portrait photographs using natural light.

Using only a phone camera and creative direction, here publicist, photographer, and art director Nay Jiménez (@nayjimenez) shares top tips for at-home model photo shoots with natural light. She teaches you key factors to experiment with, including the angle, focus, and more.

Nature photography tutorials

11. Get to grips with the basic dos and don’ts of landscape photography

When working in the great outdoors, your shot can look completely different from one moment to the next. And, no matter how spectacular your scene is, to take a photo that does it justice, there are lots of different factors you’ll want to consider.

In this tutorial, photographer and videographer Álvaro Valiente (@alvarovaliente_) walks you through the basics of nature photography for beginners. He shares a checklist of five key factors to think about, including the time of day, perspective, and how you use lenses.

12. Master top techniques to photograph a sunset

We’ve all been there: looking at the stunning sunset before us, and trying to hold on to that moment through a camera lens only to be left with a shot of overexposed skies. Sunsets are a popular photo subject, but low lighting, a short window, and their wide range of colors make them difficult to capture.

In this tutorial, photographer Nico Ferreyra (@nicoferreyra6) guides us through how to prepare, plan for, and successfully photograph sunsets.

Basic camera technique and photo editing tutorials

13. Explore the basic camera settings you’ll need for artistic photography

If you’ve just got yourself a new analog or digital camera, to get the most out of your photos, it’s important to take the time to learn how to use it properly.In this tutorial Spanish photographer and teacher Irene Cruz (@irenecruzfoto), teaches you basic tips to use your camera’s essential settings. You’ll learn to control your speed, aperture, and ISO settings to create artistic photos.

14. Learn how to sharpen your images in Photoshop

There are lots of reasons why you might want to sharpen images before you share them with the world. For example, it can help compensate for blurring caused by equipment or make pictures more vivid.

Here, photographer Mikael Eliasson (@mikael_eliasson) teaches you how to easily sharpen an image in Photoshop using the High Pass filter.

15. Discover techniques to retouch skin in Photoshop

Whether you want to reduce shine or dark circles under the eyes, in this photo editing tutorial, photographer and graphic designer Nina Bruno (@ninabruno) teaches you how to retouch photos in Adobe Photoshop to add a polished finish to your image.

16. Learn how to do freeze motion photography

No matter how fast your subject moves, a camera has the power to capture a single moment. Freeze motion is a technique that enables you to capture moving objects by using your camera’s setting to suspend the movement that is happening in your photo.

In this tutorial, photographer Jesús G. Pastor (@jesus_g_pastor) teaches you two freeze motion photography techniques—one to freeze the entire scene, and another for freezing only the most dynamic subject in your photograph.

17. Learn editing skills for striking architectural photos

The backdrop to your subject, the sky is one of the most important elements in architectural photography—which is why it’s got to look good.

In this tutorial, architectural photographer Daniel Garay Arango (@danielgarayarango) teaches you how to use Photoshop to edit the sky in architectural photographs for professional (and spectacular) results.

18. Discover photomontage techniques for artistic storytelling

Telling a good story through pictures relies on a few basic tools: a camera, Photoshop, and lots of imagination.To help you get started, here Carlos Herrejón (@carlos_herrejonn) explains the basic elements to create an artistic narrative with photography and creative editing. He covers everything from conceptualizing your ideas to essential factors to consider, and tips for evoking emotion.

19. Experiment with analog intervention techniques for photo art

If you want to try something new, get experimental with your printed photos by following this tutorial from visual poet and educator Danny Bittencourt (@dannybbittencourt).

Sharing some of her favorite analog photo intervention techniques, she shows how using simple materials like coffee, candle wax and rusty water can produce unique and beautiful photo art.

20. Make a DIY pinhole camera at home

Continue practicing analog techniques and make your own DIY pinhole camera. In this tutorial, photographers Lola Barcia and Marinela Forcadell—better known as Fotolateras Fotolateras (@fotolateras)—take you through the process, step by step.

To get creative, all you’ll need is a few simple materials: a metal box, black paint, black adhesive tape, aluminum adhesive tape, and a drill.

21. How to Use Presets in Lightroom

In this enlightening tutorial, the talented photographer Teresa Freitas (@teresafreitas) unravels the magic behind using presets in Lightroom to elevate your photo editing game. As a seasoned professional with a keen eye for detail and aesthetics, Teresa takes you on a journey through the art of photo editing, making the process not only efficient but also creatively fulfilling.

Discover more top resources to learn about photography

– Improve your technical skills and learn how to express yourself through the lens with Domestika’s photography course bundle offers.

– Get inspired by the winners of the 2022 World Press Photo Contest: see their incredible photos and learn the stories behind them.

– Learn how to take incredible photos with your phone. Discover five top tips and advice for overcoming the challenges of phone photography.