Online Photography Course
Basic Photography for eBay and Online Auctions

What You Get

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	Benefits: You get direct feedback on your photos from world-acclaimed, professional photographers. You can learn photography in this way from anywhere in the world.
Learn at your pace, with structure. Be guided by a real pro instructor. Get your photos critiqued every week. Join students from around the world. Go far beyond any book or DVD. Make great pictures, again and again!

Instructor

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Jenni Bidner

Jen Bidner is an instructor with BetterPhoto.com. She has 20 years experience in the photo industry as an editor, author, and photographer. She is the author of over a dozen books. Jenni is the former editor of Petersen’s PHOTOgraphic magazine and Outdoor & Travel Photography magazine. She is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) with a BS from their Professional Photography Department

Bidner is the author of over a dozen books including:

• Love Your Dog Pictures: How to Take Great Photographs of your Pet (Amphoto)
• Is My Dog a Wolf? (Lark Books, Juvenile)
• Is My Cat a Tiger (Lark Books, Juvenile)
• The Amphoto Complete Guide to Photography (Amphoto)
• The Kids’ Guide to Digital Photography (Lark/Sterling, Barnes & Nobles)
• Dog Heroes: Saving Lives & Protecting America (Lyons Press)
• Kodak’s Most Basic Book on Digital Printing (Lark/Kodak)
• The Lighting Cookbook for Fashion and Beauty Photography (Amphoto)
• The Lighting Cookbook (Amphoto)
• Guide for Models: Inside Advice from Industry Pros (Lark Books)
• Making Family Websites (Lark Books)
• Best of Nature Photography (Amherst Media)
• Kodak Pocket Guide to Digital Photography (Kodak/Silver Pixel Press)

In addition, Bidner’s words and pictures have been published in numerous major magazines and newspapers worldwide.

In her spare time, Jen Bidner is a K-9 Handler with a volunteer search & rescue unit in the Chicago area, working with her two dogs Ajax and Yukon to find lost and missing people. Her award-winning book Dog Heroes: Saving Lives & Protecting America (Lyons Press) features her photographs and stories of search and rescue dogs.

A Couple of Photos by the Instructor

© Jenni Bidner

© Jenni Bidner

Course Outline

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Lesson 1: Getting Started Fast
Learn to avoid the most common mistakes, and discover the Seven “S” Strategy for Shooting Success. You’ll get started fast and be shooting products for your assignment. We’ll cover the best ways to utilize photographs to increase sales, taking bidder psychology into account.
Assignment: Photograph an object utilizing the techniques discussed in the lesson.

Lesson 2: The Portable Studio
Forget spending hundreds of dollars for eBay-oriented portable lighting studios. You'll learn how to make your own out of common household items. And it will work better, be more versatile, and cost only a few dollars in supplies! You’ll be amazed at your results when photographing objects ranging from tiny jewelry charms to dolls and antique teapots. 
Assignment: Create a portable studio and photograph an object utilizing the techniques discussed in the lesson. Include a close-up of a detail.

Lesson 3: Dark & Light Items
Especially light or dark products can be hard to photograph. We’ll explore how you can improve your results through exposure, lighting direction, and type of lighting. Special emphasis will be given on how to show details in clothing for sale, including the texture and drape of the fabric. Proper exposure techniques will be discussed with emphasis on difficult white or black objects.
Assignment: Photograph a dark item and a light item, utilizing the techniques discussed in the lesson.

Lesson 4: Advanced Topics
In the first three weeks, you learned techniques that give amazing results for most of the objects you’ll probably want to sell. In our final class, we’ll tackle the more difficult subjects (like glassware, reflective objects, and crystal jewelry), as well as learn professional secrets for perfecting your photographs by further controlling the lighting and the camera.
Assignment: Photograph an object utilizing the techniques discussed in the lesson.

© Jenni Bidner

© Jenni Bidner

Requirements

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Any Digital Camera Inexpensive pocket/mini tripod (approx. $15) Common household items Simple image-editing software

FAQ

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This class is intended for any person who wants to take better pictures of their products for online auctions. You might be a great snapshot photographer, but the techniques needed for this type of product photography are totally different. My lesson plans will introduce the subject in simple language. All the techniques are appropriate for any camera. Sidebars will be provided that provide information for people with cameras that have more advanced features. 

No, but it will be easier if you have a digital camera. If you plan to sell a lot of items online, you may find the price of a digital camera is significantly less than the cost of film and processing. There are excellent point-and-shoot models available for under $130. Check with your accountant - a digital camera may be deductible as a business expense.

If you’re not ready to make the jump to digital, you can use a film camera, but you will need to digitize the pictures in order to upload them (to BetterPhoto and to the online auction).  You can have a Photo CD made of the pictures when you bring them in for development or you can scan the prints yourself. I can provide you with a special lesson plan to help you do this. But be aware you will need to leave extra time for the minilab to make the Photo CD or to scan the images yourself.  

If you run an online auction business, this course may count as a tax deductible business expense. Check with your accountant.  

Simple photo software may add to your experience, but it is not required. Software improvements will be discussed in general terms, but having and/or using photo software is not needed to complete the assignments. I’ll teach you how to make a mini studio (including lighting) out of common household items. If you don’t happen to have these items on hand, you’ll be able to purchase them inexpensively. 

Of course, you can use it. But after studying the lessons and seeing your classmates’ pictures, you might find you prefer my methods. But don’t worry - you can always take a picture of the expensive kit using what you’ve learned, and then sell it on eBay! 

© Jenni Bidner

© Jenni Bidner

No, you do not need to be online at any specific time. The lessons are sent to your email and you are also provided the Campus Square - where you interact with your classmates and instructor. This is also where you upload your photos to be critiqued by your instructor. The instructors are very punctual and respond quickly.

Absolutely! Students can ask questions in the special Q&A forum set up in the course's Campus Square, or can ask the instructor via email.

Yes. We are confident that you will fully enjoy our courses. All the same, for our 8-week classes, we offer a 100% money-back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent out. If for any reason, you are not satisfied and let us know that you would like to withdraw before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent, you will be promptly refunded.

For our 4-week courses, we offer a 100% money back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent out from BetterPhoto. If for any reason you are not satisfied and you let the ordering department know that you would like to withdraw before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent, you will be refunded within 7 days. After the second lesson has been sent out, no refunds will be given.


If you have further questions about this course, feel free to contact us via the Contact link below.

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