Why should you do A Year With My Camera?
AYWMC is the only free, online beginner's photography course that assumes beginner photographers know nothing when they start. NOTHING.
1. We start before the beginning
The first thing you do in AYWMC is take a photograph of a white piece of paper, and of a black piece of paper. All courses should start here, but I haven't found another one that does. If you don't know why the camera does what it does (no spoilers), then you will always struggle to put the rest of what you learn into context.
But by kicking off with the ultimate "OMG I had no idea that would happen!" moment, you will never forget that first lesson. And you will be able to frame all the following lessons around it, making it a hundred times easier to remember what you are learning.
2. You don't need to read your manual
Well, you do need to read it, but you don't need to read all of it. AYWMC tells you exactly when you need to pick up the manual, and exactly what you need to look up. So you can dip in and out of the manual as you go, without having to sit down and read it from cover to cover. Everything else you need to know is taught on the course.
3. We are really nice
There aren't many online photography groups that are not aggressive, competitive, shouty spaces. Not this one. In AYWMC nobody shows off, nobody assumes they know what's best, nobody insists there's only one way to do things. We are supportive, encouraging and entirely open to new ideas.
4. You make steady progress
You can't learn photography in a weekend, but you can learn the fundamentals in only 6 weeks, if you do the small project each week. Your brain may hurt, it might take you a couple of tries to get right, but you will get there, and you will be able to shoot off auto.
I asked the last group who started AYWMC what they could do after the first 6 weeks that they couldn't do when they started the course. This is what they said:
“I can attempt shots on manual! I see the world around me in a different way and constantly look for unusual photo opportunities. ”
“I can stay off auto! I used to live on it because I was scared I’d miss the good shot. Not any more.”
“After years of trying, I am finally taking most of my photos on manual and loving the results.”
Join AYWMC here. The email version is completely free. It only starts 3 times a year, in January, April and September*. You'll be off auto mode after the first 6 weeks, and then spend the rest of the year growing your confidence, your creativity and your personal style.
* update 2020: we now start every other month except August and December
If you're a bit suspicious, and are wondering why it's free, read this post: Why Is A Year With My Camera Free?