Review · Learning
Udemy Photography Masterclass review
A single, very long beginner photography course on Udemy covering camera settings, composition, lighting and editing.
By the HearSmart research desk · Updated November 12, 2026
- Performance (40%)
- 8.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.5
- Value (35%)
- 8.8
The Photography Masterclass by Phil Ebiner, William Carnahan, Video School and Sam Shimizu-Jones is one of the largest single photography courses sold online. The course page lists 55 sections, 709 lectures and 127 hours 20 minutes of video, with dedicated sections on exposure, composition, focus and depth of field, camera settings, white balance, lighting and flash, and mobile photography. It is written for absolute beginners and says a smartphone is enough to follow along. Extras include a 276-page guidebook, Lightroom presets, a student community and a book of 52 weekly challenges. Udemy shows a 4.6 rating from 79,019 ratings and 416,794 students, and the course was last updated in October 2026. It can be bought on its own or watched through Udemy's Personal Plan, which lists access to 28,500+ courses. Udemy showed Polish zloty from our location, so the US price is pending. The size is both its strength and its catch: plan a route through it rather than watching it end to end.
Who it is for
self-starters who want one big course to keep
Price
See vendor pricing (USD check pending).
US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.
Key features
- 55 sections, 709 lectures and 127 hours 20 minutes of video
- Sections on exposure, composition, focus and depth of field, white balance, lighting and flash, and mobile photography
- 276-page guidebook and Lightroom presets included
- Weekly photo challenges and a student community
- No prior knowledge required; a smartphone is enough to start
Strengths and weaknesses
- Strength: Udemy shows a 4.6 rating from 79,019 ratings and 416,794 students
- Strength: Last updated in October 2026
- Strength: Also included in Udemy's Personal Plan, which lists 28,500+ courses
- Weakness: Price could not be checked in US dollars from our location
- Weakness: Feedback is through a community and challenges, not a personal mentor
- Weakness: At 127 hours, beginners need to choose which sections to skip
Key facts
- Length: 127h 20m, 709 lectures
- Rating: 4.6 from 79,019 ratings
- Students: 416,794
- Extras: 276-page guidebook, Lightroom presets
- Level: Absolute beginners
Where it ranks
Udemy Photography Masterclass is No. 4 in our Best Online Photography Courses verdict.
Alternatives we scored
Visit udemy.com · Questions or corrections: editorial@hearsmart.org