Nikon is jumping on the back-to-school season — only the school isn’t a physical place. This week it’s expanding its educational programs by introducing online classes.
Nikon School has offered hands-on workshops nationwide for over 30 years, and now, a selection of its workshops won’t face any geographic barriers. The new Nikon School Online is slated to offer a range of classes from basics to advanced techniques.
Similar to what Canon does with its Digital Learning Center, the online learning portal launches with three different classes, with additional courses to be added in the future. In Hands-On with the SB-5000 Speedlight, Nikon Ambassador Joe McNally walks students through using the hot shoe flash from the basic how-to explanation to both studio and on-site shoots.
Another class delves into the challenge of photographing kids and pets, with Tamara Lackey, also a Nikon ambassador, leading the online classes. Photographing Children and Pets covers topics from posing to lighting.
For the newest Nikon DSLR users, a 15-minute class walks through the features and basic techniques, offering a visual learning tool that goes beyond the instruction manual. The Getting Started with Your Nikon DSLR course also covers Nikon accessories and the new SnapBridge app.
The online classes also allow photographers to learn at their own pace — the classes released today will remain accessible until 2021, according to the website.
“Without traditional geographical constraints, Nikon School Online can reach a wider variety of photographers eager to get the most of their images and video,” Kosuke Kawaura, Nikon’s director of marketing and planning, said in the official announcement. “From amateurs using their first DSLR to enthusiasts eager to master their technique, these new online classes will educate passionate photographers and inspire them to capture the things they love.”
Photographers who register their Nikon Speedlight (or have already registered their Speedlight) by the end of September will receive a free redemption code for the Speedlight class. Otherwise, both the flash and kids and pets class sell for $50, with the quick start for $15.