Whether you're a beginner photographer just starting to get to know your gear and the basics of photography, or you're advanced enough to master manual camera settings for every shot, learning your craft (or hobby) will take a lifetime.

Luckily, this list of the best free online photography courses has something to offer for photographers of all levels, with all kinds of equipment, from a DSLR camera to a point-and-shoot camera and even those awesome smartphone cameras.

Alison is an online learning destination that offers much more than just photography courses, but the courses they do offer range from beginner to advanced. For example, Introduction to Digital Photography, Diploma in Digital Photography and Advanced Digital Photography all cover different levels of training and include modules that teach everything from composition techniques to lighting, focal length and reading histograms. All classes also offer the option of a digital, printed or framed certificate.

If you’re new to photography, start here. This text-based course is one of the most thorough you’ll find for the newbie with little to no photography knowledge. It was originally created in response to a Reddit request. At one point, the course was livestreamed on the r/photoclass subreddit, where students could get feedback on the course and interact with other aspiring photographers, but it appears the last time the course ran live was in 2017.