Woman at a beach shower with water cascading, standing in the sunlight near the ocean at sunset.
Text saying 'FIND YOU' on a gold background with a vertical orientation. 
summer murdock

Learn free

Illuminate Classes is excited to introduce our library of Free Classes. Designed to inspire and educate photographers of all levels.

Whether you’re curious about new techniques like freelensing, want to know how to create artistic images with motion blur using your phone, or you’re looking to refine your creative voice, these self-paced classes are available immediately. It's the perfect way to learn something new, refresh your skills, and fall in love with photography all over again. 

A child's face peeking up from the bottom of the frame with a blue wall and bokeh light reflections in the background. 
lindsey bergstrom

Free
Mini Classes

Want to start learning right now? Mini Classes are perfect for learning a specific skill in a quick, approachable way at your own pace.

A young girl standing in front of a wall, with sunlight creating shadow patterns of trees and leaves projected onto her and the wall.

The Magic of Freelensing 

Discover the magic of freelensing—a technique where you detach your lens from the camera body to create dreamy blur, light leaks, and striking slices of focus. In this class, you'll learn how to experiment with this technique, embrace imperfection, and unlock a whole new world of creative possibilities, no fancy gear required.

class by summer murdock
Learn FREE now
View of two children sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, blurred underwater shot from a person's perspective standing on the pool deck showing their toes, with a blue 
class by celina bailey

In Motion: Creating Artistic Motion with Your Phone

⁠Learn how to create images with motion blur to add emotion, movement, and atmosphere to your photos - using only your phone.

Learn FREE now
A woman in traditional attire sitting on a motorcycle, holding a spear above her head, smiling widely. 
CLASS by CORNELL WATSON

Dragging the World You See

Shutter dragging is all about adding a little razzle-dazzle to your photos using slow shutter speeds.  In this class, you’ll learn how to combine those slow shutter speeds with intentional camera movement to create light trails and ghosting effects.

learn free now

“The classes I've taken at Illuminate have made the biggest impact on my photography skills out of any other education I've invested in. I can singlehandedly point to these courses as the reason that I am where I am now as an artist.”

A blue background with a black square in the top left corner. 
erin, usa
A pixelated digital image with blocks of black, yellow, light blue, and grey colors.
A yellowish-green surface with a black screen or object on top and a black rectangle in the upper right corner.

Quick Fix Classes

Need an inspiration fix right now? Watch any of these classes immediately. 

A lavendar graphic 
creating a website with impact

Marketing help without the ick.

In this free class watch Bec as she reviews photographer Lissa Watson’s website using a framework that you can also use on your own website. This conversation is valuable to all artists that want to get better at marketing without losing their soul in the process. 

art as resistance

It’s a cliche - but it’s true - Art Matters. 

Now - more than ever.

In this group discussion Summer and Bec, along with teacher Celina Bailey, discuss why continuing to make art that communicates deeply, that allows for escape, that finds joy and lightness in little moments is a form of protest AND a way to self-nurture.

art in the age of ai

AI is everywhere.

The question for artists isn’t if it will affect us, but how we respond.

 In this conversation Summer and Bec are joined by photographer Maryam Salassi to discuss what’s changing for the better, what’s being lost, and what we want to protect as artists in a time of accelerating technology.

A light blue graphic

Craving something a little more personal?

Check out our Interactive Classes.

Interactive Classes include daily interaction with teachers and, if you join as a Guided Student, you’ll also receive personalized feedback on your assignments and images. Classes are intentionally kept small to ensure you get plenty of support, feedback, and genuine connection throughout your learning journey.

Whether you’re looking to dive into light and composition, sharpen your editing skills, or explore more playful, experimental techniques, there’s an interactive class that’s just right for you.

Browse classes here
A person, likely a child, taking a shower behind a foggy glass door covered with water droplets. The person appears to be naked and is holding a showerhead or their hand near their face.
A young woman with blonde hair lying down on a red pillow, looking at the camera with a slight smile.
A young child with blonde hair looking out of a lower window, with trees and sky reflecting on the glass, framed by a red window frame on a wooden wall.
Two women embracing and sharing a kiss on the cheek outdoors, smiling.
Two young children playing with water on a grassy backyard lawn, with a plastic playset and outdoor furniture in the background on a cloudy day.
A family portrait of five members sitting on a sofa in a living room with two framed black-and-white portraits hanging on the wall behind them.
Two children are urinating in front of a toilet, one standing and one squatting, with their pants pulled down.
A young girl with long wavy hair wearing a green parka with a fur-lined hood standing between two dark wooden buildings with green window and door frames, decorated with string lights, during overcast weather.
Close-up of a young woman with blonde hair and light green eyes, looking at the camera with a gentle smile, outdoors with blurred background.
A person with curly brown hair swims underwater in a clear, light blue pool with their arms extended forward.
A person standing on a beach surrounded by seagulls, with some flying and others on the ground, near the shoreline with waves and a cloudy sky.
Close-up of a yellow-orange flower with several pink buds in a dark background.
Two young women on a porch of a house; one lying down with head resting on the other's lap, the other sitting with knees bent, both looking at the camera. Shoes are on the ground nearby, trees in the background.
Smiling elderly woman with curly gray hair reaching towards the camera under a clear sky
Two children with blonde hair standing by open windows, looking outside at the ocean with a boat on the water.
A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes looking through a window with reflections and trees outside.
Two women are in a steaming outdoor hot spring bath, facing each other, with snow and mountains in the background and the sun shining brightly.
Four women lying on their backs on blankets outdoors, with their heads close together, relaxing and talking.
A monochrome blue art print depicting a person with long hair, sitting with their arms crossed and head bowed, surrounded by a large flower shape in the background.
A piece of paper with handwritten text faintly visible, overlaid with blue and white spray paint patterns, creating an abstract background.
Several children are lying on a bed. One girl with red hair and glasses is sleeping with her head resting on her hand in the foreground. Two younger girls are lying next to each other behind her, one with a large bow in her hair. A doll with curly ha
A woman in underwear and a child in overalls standing and crouching on a muddy lakeshore, with a lake and foggy landscape in the background.
A woman standing in the doorway wiping a cloth, looking into a bathroom where a man is bathing a child in a bathtub. A young girl is sitting on the floor inside the house, looking towards the camera.
A yellow taxi cab driving past a corner building with large windows and a sign that reads 'PARK' on the upper part. Pedestrians are visible in the background near the crosswalk, and a traffic signal with a stop hand is also seen.
A torn piece of plastic with a woman's face printed on it, surrounded by a galaxy or starry sky pattern.
Two hands holding yellow flowers against a blurred pastel background.