Photo by Elicus, used under CC license

As part of its Open Learning Initiative, Harvard University offers a digital photography course through ALISON, a global online learning community that aims to provide free high-quality resources to help learners develop certified workplace skills. Course categories include financial literacy, business, digital literacy and IT, health literacy, and languages.

The photography course has 12 modules that help learners gain extensive knowledge and understanding of digital photography. They cover topics such as exposure settings, how to read and use the histogram, how light affects a photograph, how the camera sensor and lenses work, and how to process images using computer software. The course also teaches what not to do when taking a photograph.

The course is for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of digital photography, and to learn how to process and produce digital photographs. The estimated time needed to complete all 12 modules is 10 to 15 hours.

To qualify for the certificate, you must study and complete all modules and score 80% or more in each assessment. At the end, a link to buy the certificate will appear in your account.

ALISON’s page for the photography course lists three learning outcomes for anyone who successfully completes it: understanding how your digital camera works, knowing what exposure settings to use when taking a photograph, and gaining knowledge about best practices for processing photographs.

The course has good ratings and reviews from users. Cristina Padilla from Mexico says, “I found this course really useful and easy to understand.” Joseph McGrath from Ireland finds it “perfect for beginners or as a refresher course”.

To read more or to sign up for the course, click here.