This course was really amazing for me. I'd been shooting almost everything in aperture only mode. Jim takes you on an adventure of learning the manual mode of your camera. Then he teaches about the components of great composure. From landscape to portrait to all things in between. And then he teaches the art of editing. I really can't say enough about the course. Don't get me wrong here, it's work. IMO you get out of it what you put into it. The facebook group was really good for me as well simply to get feedback. Jim participates in it which is really helpful. If you sign up and you commit to the course you'll learn a ton. I promise. Plus you'll shoot more. And the more you'll shoot the more you'll learn. The more composures you'll see. The more you'll learn what you like and don't like in post editing. I am an absolute fan of Jim, his teaching style, and how he changed photography for me. This course is well worth your time, your money, and your effort. I reference the lessons frequently.

This wonderful course took me from knowing absolutely nothing about photography to the point that I am absolutely hooked. Jim’s course is the perfect solution for me to become a better photographer.

I decided to do this course as I’d been self-taught for many years but felt I needed to go back and learn the fundamentals. I never understood how using Manual could change everything I’ve ever now - I now know how to set the correct exposure and how the aperture, shutter speed and ISO correlate. My camera hasn’t moved from Manual since! Composition was a huge eye-opener and I now understand how simple tweaks to my position in relation to a scene can yield an image that draws people in. I now take photos I am truly proud of and want to show off.

When I began the course, I was a novice photographer who used Auto mode for all my images. I occasionally tried Aperture Priority, but I was totally intimidated by Manual. A year later, thanks to this course, I completely use and understand how to use Manual, but more importantly, I understand several techniques for composing an effective image. Thanks to Jim's excellent teaching style, and the effective resources that he provides, I now feel like a competent photographer. I have actually won several competitions, was asked to display an image in a local photography gallery and have been asked to show 8 images in an upcoming gallery show. A year ago, I never would have believed that I could do all of this. The pace of Jim's course, his calm teaching style, the practice assignments, and the regular feedback provided by Jim make this the most effective photography course I have ever taken.

I had previously done a 'getting to know your camera' course prior to enrolling in this course.

After seeing some of the comments from people on the face book page at the start of the course I was concerned that I would be out of my depth.

I started the course, with my camera beside me and as Jim mentioned settings I checked what I had and adjusted my camera accordingly.

I found the lessons REALLY INFORMATIVE and very easy to understand. I made notes along the way. Due to time constraints I did not manage to get all of the assignments done, but did do all of the videos.

I am now practicing what I have learned and will be re-doing the videos to ensure there is nothing I have missed. There are so many things that my camera could do that I never knew about before. The feedback on the face book page was amazing also.

It took me longer to do the course than the 31 days, but that was due to my work commitments.

I thoroughly recommend this course (and have done so to others personally) and I am now looking at the night photography course in the near future.

My photography has really improved and I would really recommend this course. You can watch the videos over and over again then when putting it into practice and it does not work,as you thought it should, you can ask Jim on the special Facebook Group page and he always answers. Great also to have the comments from others doing the course.

It’s made me enjoy my photography a lot more as I understand the whole process a lot more. Jim spoke in terms I could understand, and the beauty of it was I could watch each lesson as many times as I wanted until I completely understood it. Jim was a great teacher.

The course took me from only shooting in auto to fully using manual. Jim's lessons are clear and easy to understand. His guidance is invaluable. Thank you, Jim!

Before Jim's course I used to struggle with getting the right settings and getting the results I wanted. It would be a case of hit and miss and I would often become frustrated and think I wasn't ever going to be a good photographer. After the course I had a better understanding of the settings and how to get the shot I wanted by just changing the exposure compensation if needed. Now when I go out I know I can go home with good photos.

The course has helped me in a lot of ways. I needed help understanding the controls on my camera better. The instructions and the assignments helped make things a lot more clear to me. I tried photographing some new things that I didn't know how to do before. I enjoyed photographing at night so much that I've even been inspired to trying astrophotography! Thanks so much!

My photography has become more vibrant. I am especially thrilled with my ability to compose landscape photographs and to edit so the clouds pop right out and add interest to the photograph. I enjoyed Mr. Hamels' teaching style - he is easygoing and understands that not everyone is technically proficient nor wants to be a professional photographer.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this course. Jim's way of teaching is clear and so easy to understand. I have done a number of online courses & found a lot of the information goes over my head. Each of the topics were beneficial and flowed in a logical way that allows you to develop your knowledge on the journey. The project at the end of each topic was a great way to test out what I had just learned and improved both my technique and confidence at the same time.

Just wanted to let you know how happy I am that I took it! Jim's explanation of all the different aspects of photography was very clear and explained well. You are given opportunities to try them out and he comments on your photos when you have questions or he just is amazed at what you have done! This is an awesome class and the support from the group is just as fantastic. You gain new friends as well!!

I had done other photography courses but was unable to grasp it. Jim Hamel takes you through it step by step & you don't have to take the next step until your ready. Made learning so much easier. Thanks Jim & DPS :-)

As someone who has been 'snapping' for a long time, with some pleasing results, I found a need to understand why some images worked better than others. I had previously felt that the technical aspects of photography were 'too hard' for me, but I liked the sound of this self-paced course and dived in. The support and encouragement along the way was extremely helpful. I now have a new camera and lenses, shoot only in manual and am a much more conscious image maker. If only it had cured my camera shyness! I thoroughly recommend this course.

I have tried reading other books or taking other photography classes before but I always found them either too overwhelming or confusing. Jim Hamel explains the basics REALLY well. I never understood how to use different shutter speeds or apertures (which number do I even try? ?), but Jim gives examples and baselines for specific situations, which is extremely helpful for someone starting. It is by far the best book and class on basic photography I have ever read or taken. I also like the fact that Jim gives an outline at the beginning, a detailed explanation, and then a short, broken down summary with all the key points of the chapter at the end. I love Jim’s simple and clear explanations. I think that photography is very complex but this is a great way to start without feeling completely overwhelmed. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is starting with this beautiful hobby. I think Jim Hamel is great and I hope he will do other courses in the future.

I have taken other on-line courses and found them not to as comprehensive as 31 Days to Becoming a Better Photographer. Since I took this course may photography has reach a whole new level. I am more confident in my camera settings; I have learned how to look and analyze the scene before I take the shot and not to be afraid to experiment. The concept of doing a daily photo after each lessons helps to put into practice what you have just learned. Jim Hamel is a wonderful instructor and I like that he is available for questions and answers back quickly. I have recommended this course to others that are just beginning. I also love the Facebook Group. It is such a supportive place for not just beginners but for photographers of all levels as we can always learn from each other.

This course helped me understand all the things that I had struggled with before. The format was such that I never felt under pressure and the interaction with others on the course helped tremendously. Jim does a great job. Explains things in terms that stick. The videos and notes are great resources.

For some years I was interested in photography and was just going about taking snaps without having the concept of aperture, iso, and shutter spead. I also had no idea about composition, leading lines etc etc. I did Jim Hamel’s photography course and it was the best spent money as I was able to learn so much from him. I would recommend anyone venturing into photography to do his course.

Jim Hamel is an excellent teacher of the course. He is very hands on and will critique your photos, helping to make me a better photographer. Jim provides detailed packets on each days course. I continue to refer to these cheat sheets to capture better pictures every day I go out to shoot. I have seen a marked improvement in my photography & even have received many new followers on Instagram as well as added comments from my friends on FB. This course is great for beginners as well as those that may require a brush up. As I mentioned before, Jim taught the lesson well. Have signed up for additional classes with him. Thanks for the great learning experience.

I have taken any number of photography courses over the years, and most are pretty good. But THIS course, in a word, is simply outstanding! Jim Hamel has a very pleasant and straightforward way of discussion photography concepts and their application to taking and editing pictures; it's both informative and entertaining. The first half of the course focuses on understanding and using features of your camera that many (myself included) "sorta" understand or don't understand at all. The second half is the application of these tools and techniques - including several sections on photo editing - to produce excellent pictures. I cannot recommend this course highly enough!

Jim's course was great! I became comfortable with manual mode, the exposure triangle, back button focus. I try to think about composition whenever I take a shot and I have a much better understanding of the different qualities of light. I now understand how important post processing is to the make a photo the best version of itself. He taught me the tools I needed to start and continue in my journey to become a photographer, rather than just a snapshot shooter.

I wasn't sure at first that I could keep up with a weekly course, but the lessons are sort and focused. It's easy to replay them if you miss a point. Sharing your photos with other people who are doing the same task is very helpful. The Facebook page was useful for asking questions, getting feedback, and sharing photos. Jim Hamel was very fast in his replies and comments. I would recommend this course to a beginner or intermediate level photographer.

The main thing that I did learn from this course is how to use all the buttons properly in a Manual position. Before the course and the great teacher Jim Hamel I was not able to do it. I am very happy that I participated in this course, and also to see how many people have the same interest and all the sharing we did have on the FB page. Thank you to Jim Hamel and DPS

This was an excellent course and I would highly recommend it. I primarily use my iPhone, but understanding the basics of photography, lighting, motion, optimal time of day for shooting, plus the excellent course information on photography software (Lightroom/ PhotoShop) was invaluable.

Jim Hamel used this course to start with foundational basics, and then built on them to really expand my understanding of how to improve my photography. So many helpful topics, from composing shots, to post-processing corrections. Just an all-around helpful course, both for the novice as well as experienced photographers. Thanks, Jim!

Would recommend this course to everyone. It’s been great that you have Jim’s videos for ever and can go back and refer to them at any time. Jim replies to any questions very promptly and has now started putting further more advanced photography videos on You Tube.

I took the course during the first round and it was amazingly helpful!! In fact I still refer back to the videos from time to time for a personal refresher! Sign up you won't regret it!