When learning about photography, it’s a good idea to expand your knowledge any way you can. If that’s your attitude, then you will love these free photography ebooks.
They are packed full of information, tips, and vital knowledge that will help you improve your photography skills. Whether you’re a beginner or pro, there are new things to learn in these photography ebooks.
In exchange for the freebies, you may be asked to give your email address or sign up for a mailing list. (You can unsubscribe immediately after.) But with others, you can download them straight away!
This collection of ebooks covers a wide range of topics. You can learn about different aspects of photography, from photography lighting to candid street photography.
© Chris Dodds
Must-Read Free Photography eBook Resources
Don’t download all the ebooks at once. You’ll be overwhelmed with information. Take your time to look through our list to see what sparks your interest.
Look for one that appeals to you and your style of photography, then you can expand from there. You can always return to this page to download more ebooks at a later date.
1. Lighting 101 – David Hobby
We consider this ebook essential reading for any aspiring photographer. David Hobby is an experienced professional photographer with tens of thousands of pro gigs under his belt. He’s also a great teacher, and he’s poured all his experience and knowledge into this fascinating ebook.
David teaches you everything you need to know when getting started with photography lighting. He tells you what type of equipment you’ll need (and don’t worry, he’s very budget-conscious). You’ll learn how to get the correct lighting in different settings. And he covers lighting for a wide range of genres.
Unfortunately, it’s no longer available for digital download. But thankfully, David has turned the whole book into a blog, so you can still access the information online. Click the link below to see David Hobby’s excellent blog.
Access Blog: Lighting 101
© David Hobby
2. Ultimate Field Guide to Photography – National Geographic
A brilliant starting point for any enthusiastic photographer, the National Geographic’s field guide is a must-read.
As all good manuals should, it starts with the fundamentals. It teaches you how to correctly expose your images. It has information on different types of lenses and what they’re good for. You’ll learn about all the useful camera modes so you’re ready for any situation.
They even cover flash photography, telling you how to bounce or diffuse your flash light for a more natural finish. The ebook also has info on composition, color balance, and depth of field. You’re guaranteed to be a better photographer after reading this educational resource.
Download eBook: Ultimate Field Guide to Photography
3. Overcome Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography – Eric Kim
Shooting street photography can be daunting at first. You’re surrounded by strangers and you don’t know how they are going to react to you taking pictures in public. But as long as you stay within the laws of the country you’re in, you shouldn’t have any trouble.
Renowned street photographer Eric Kim encourages new shooters to get out on the street and start taking pictures. He gives you practical advice that helps you build confidence. By the end, you’ll be a fearless street photographer that never misses a moment in the urban jungle.
Read and Download eBook: Overcome Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography
© Eric Kim
4. Good Photos in Bad Light – Darwin Wiggett
Light is the most essential element in photography. But sometimes you don’t always have control over the light in your scene. Sometimes the light is good and you don’t have to worry. Other times the light is bad and difficult to work with. That’s when you need Darwin Wiggett’s help.
Wiggett’s ebook teaches you how to make the best of a bad situation. By the end, you’ll never have to worry about bad lighting again. You’ll always be able to capture stunning images not matter what the lighting conditions.
Download eBook: Good Photos in Bad Light
5. Eleven Ways to Improve Your Photography – Craft & Vision
Once you’ve got a grip on the basics, this ebook from Craft & Vision is the perfect next step. It explores ideas around composition, and how you make your photos more interesting and engaging.
Learn how to direct the eye and find more dynamic images. Refine your photography style and work collaboratively with others to help improve your work.
It’s an engaging and eye-opening ebook that’s full of wonderful examples. You need to give this a read through if you’re stuck in a photography rut. It’ll breath new life into your photography practice.
Download eBook: 11 Ways You Can Improve Your Photography
6. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography – Eric Kim
Eric Kim's second entry on this list is a very different kind of book. Instead of teaching you technique, it distils what he learned from studying the greats—Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, Vivian Maier, Daido Moriyama, and more.
Each lesson is short and practical. You get the photographer's approach, a set of their images, and a takeaway you can use on your next walk. It teaches you how to see rather than which settings to dial in.
It is a big book, and you do not have to read it in order. Dip in, take one lesson out with you, and come back for the next. It is released free and open-source, so there is no email sign-up and no catch.
Download eBook: 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
7. Photographing Strangers – Photzy
The hardest part of street photography is not the camera work. It is walking up to someone you have never met and raising a lens to your eye.
This short guide from Photzy tackles that head-on. It covers how to read a scene before you shoot, how to ask (and when not to), how to handle a refusal gracefully, and how to keep working once the nerves settle. There are worked examples throughout, so you can see what the photographer was thinking at the moment of the frame.
It pairs well with Eric Kim's books above. Where they build your eye, this one builds the nerve to use it. You give an email address to get the PDF, and you can unsubscribe straight after.
Download eBook: Photographing Strangers
8. Thirteen Tips for Wildflower Photography – Steve Berardi
This one’s a bit niche, but flower photography is a great way for new photographers to learn the basics. It’s a must-read for genuine wildflower enthusiasts, but any photographer can learn a thing or two in this concise yet detailed ebook.
It tells you how to master light in wild situations. It helps you with focusing so you can capture detailed close-ups. The book also covers depth of field, editing, and shooting in windy settings.
Read and Download eBook: 13 Tips for Wildflower Photography
9. Introduction to External Flash Photography – Photo Extremist
Using a camera flash is a great way to give yourself more light in dark situations. But using a flash correctly can be tricky, which is why this Introduction to External Flash Photography is so important.
Used incorrectly, flash light gives you overly bright, cold light that look too intense and washed out. But a little bit of knowledge goes a long way with flash photography. And even after a quick read through of this ebook, you’ll have a better understanding of how to use your flash more effectively.
It mainly looks at using flashes for portrait photography, but much of the information is transferable. It isn’t the longest ebook on the list, but definitely worth reading if you want to use a flash.
Read and Download eBook: Introduction to External Flash Photography
© Sean McGrath / Photo Extremist
10. Five Easy Steps to Shoot in Manual – Kimberly Gauthier
It’s easy to get stuck on auto mode when you’re just starting your photography journey. But the quicker you move to manual mode, the faster you’ll improve. That might seem daunting, but this ebook from Kimberly Gauthier is a brilliant companion when you’re making those first tentative steps on manual mode.
It’s a great learning document for beginners. She starts with the basics, covering aperture, ISO, and shutter speed in detail. The book is well paced, and she doesn’t skip over anything important. She allows you to take things as slowly as you need to without feeling stupid.
This is the ebook you need if you want to explore photography beyond auto mode.
Read and Download eBook: My Five Easy Steps to Shoot in Manual Mode
11. Essays on Inspiration, Creativity, and Vision in Photography – Scott Bourne
This ebook from Scott Bourne is a collection of 10 excellent essays on photography. He doesn’t look at anything technical, like camera settings or light equipment. Rather, Bourne examines the creative side of photography.
He starts the collection with an essay on storytelling, telling the reader how to build narrative through image. You have essays on finding inspiration, seeing, and clarity.
These might sound like high-minded concepts for photography essays, but Bourne’s writing is surprisingly accessible. He’s not pretentious and the writing is easy to follow and understand.
The essay collection is an eye-opening read, and we recommend it to anyone wanting to expand their creativity and push their work to a new level.
Read and Download: Essays on Inspiration, Creativity, and Vision
© Scott Bourne
12. Three Tips for Maximum Photo Sharpness – Photzy
This Photzy guide is a short, practical fix for soft images.
Capturing sharp images might seem simple. You focus on what you want to focus on, and that is it. But there is much more to it. This guide works through the three things that actually cost you sharpness: camera movement, missed focus, and the settings that quietly undermine both.
It also covers sharpening in post, and where the line sits between a genuinely sharp file and an over-sharpened one. It is a quick read with a real improvement in quality at the end of it.
Download eBook: Three Tips for Maximum Photo Sharpness
13. Motivational Essays on Photography – Scott Bourne
It doesn’t matter if you’re beginner or a season vet, all photographers find themselves in a rut from time to time. Thankfully, we have Scott Bourne, back again, to give us a kick up the backside with his motivational essays.
This is a joyful piece of work from Bourne. It’s brimming with positivity and genuinely helpful advice on how to get yourself out of a rut and find inspiration.
You don’t have to read them all at once. Each essay has value as a stand-along piece. But you can rely on this collection, serving as a life-vest when you don’t feel creative. Dipping into one or two of these essays will be enough to get you up and shooting with renewed vim and vigour.
Download eBook: Nine Motivational Essays on Photography
© Scott Bourne
14. Photojournalism, Technology, and Ethics: What’s Right and Wrong Today? – Scott Baradell
The life of a photojournalist isn’t an easy one. Not only does it involve travel, danger, and hardship, but there are also ethical questions you need to think about.
Scott Baradell’s ebook is the perfect introduction if you’re interested in practicing photojournalism. He doesn’t shy away from the issues confronting photojournalists and their profession in the modern world.
New technology and a suspicious public make life difficult for honest news photographers. But Baradell’s book helps you navigate these stormy waters.
Baradell sets out an ethical framework for photojournalists to follow in the 21st Century. You might find issue with one or two points, but it sets a basis for the discussion.
Read and Download ebook: Photojournalism, Technology, and Ethics: What’s Right and Wrong Today?
15. How to Become a Confident Photographer – Photzy
This Photzy guide is about the confidence side of photography rather than the technical side.
It covers the same ground: what actually erodes a photographer's confidence, and the practical steps that rebuild it. There is advice on working in public, on handling clients and subjects, and on the internal comparison habit that quietly stalls a lot of good photographers.
The tone is direct rather than motivational-poster, and the suggestions are things you can act on the same week. If a lack of confidence is holding your work back, this is a short read with a real payoff.
Download eBook: How to Become a Confident Photographer
16. Creative Black and White – Harold Davis
Color photography has been around for nearly 100 years, yet people still love black and white photography. Black and white images have a timeless quality, and taking B&W images tests your photography skills in new ways.
Harold Davis’s wonderful ebook gives you an in-depth introduction to the art of black and white photography. But it’s not just for beginners. The book has 238 pages and covers everything from composition and framing to RAW processing and editing.
It’s full of stunning examples of Davis’s black and white photography. The ebook inspires and educates, so it’s a must-read for photographers working in any genre.
Read and Download: Creative Black and White – Tips and Techniques
17. How to Promote Your Photography Brand From Home – Photzy
Wedding photography is one of the most lucrative fields, helping photographers generate income throughout the summer months. But starting any photography business is hard, and the work does not arrive on its own.
This Photzy guide covers the promotion side from a standing start, without a studio or a budget. It works through building a portfolio that attracts the clients you actually want, defining who you are selling to, and using your own site and social channels to turn attention into enquiries.
It is concise and practical, and it applies whether you shoot weddings, portraits, or products. Any photographer trying to get their name out should give it a read.
Download eBook: How to Promote Your Photography Brand From Home
© Tom the Photographer
Conclusion
Any aspiring photographer should be looking for any resource they can kind that will help them improve. And as we’ve seen, there are plenty of free photography ebooks brimming with valuable tips and information.
These ebooks are so fantastic, it’s hard to believe these generous photographers are giving them away for free. But they are, and we need to make the most of it.
Do you want even more free photography resources? Check out our top list of photography books to improve your skills.
And are you looking to improve your photography even more? Of course, you are! So read our Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography.
