Where to Find the Best Online Photoshop Courses, Classes, and Training

Photoshop is one of the most popular graphic and photo editing and creating software available. If you’re interested in starting a career as a photographer or graphic designer, or if you’re simply interested in developing Photoshop skills for personal use, then you might want to consider enrolling in online Photoshop courses.

In this article, you’ll learn about some excellent online Photoshop course options, along with the associated certificates, providers, and prices. When choosing which course is right for you, it’s important to consider your reason for pursuing Photoshop knowledge and skills, as every course offers something unique. 

What Is Photoshop?

Photoshop is a computerized photo and graphic editing and creating tool that is most commonly used for photo retouching and editing. This paid application can be used on Windows and Mac OS. Photoshop professionals also use this tool to develop video content, graphics, labels, and other visual content.  

Why Online Photoshop Courses Are Important for Professional Development

Photoshop is important for professionals in design industries to learn because it’s the most desired and reputable editing software among employers. Many professionals will advertise their Photoshop skills to employers or clients to gain reputation and authority in related fields. Photoshop also provides functions that are seldomly available in other editing software.

Should You Attend a Coding Bootcamp to Learn Photoshop?

A Photoshop bootcamp is one of the best hands-on ways to learn Photoshop. Bootcamps usually last a few weeks to several months and offer flexible learning schedules to accommodate a variety of students. Additionally, many bootcamp programs include career services and certificates upon completion.

Overview: The Best Online Photoshop Courses, Classes, or Training

Listed below are some of the most reputable online Photoshop learning options. When choosing a Photoshop course, class, or training, it’s helpful to consider your reason for pursuing Photoshop skills, as program lengths, prices, and certificates vary.   

In Detail: The Best Online Online Photoshop Classes, Courses, or Training

Photoshop Tutorials | Adobe

• Learning Format: Tutorials
• Level: Beginner/Advanced
• Subjects Covered: Photo editing, Selections, Layer mask, Photo Composition, Retouching

Adobe, the creator of Photoshop, offers a plethora of free Photoshop tutorials that are tailored to user-level, purpose, device, and other customizations. It also features YouTube video tutorials from partnered Photoshop experts, along with a variety of hands-on projects for practice using Photoshop.  

Beginner tutorials cover using Photoshop on an Ipad, tips and tricks, photo editing, layer masking, photo compositing, removing objects, design, and practice projects. Advanced tutorials include advanced tips and tricks, Ipad application, combining photos and images, advanced design, and a variety of subtopics. 

Key Takeaway: An advantage of this learning option is that the provider is the creator of Photoshop.

Photoshop Bootcamp | American Graphics Institute

• Learning Format: Full Course with Hands-on Training
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Workspace, Files, Selections, Painting and retouching, Color correction, Content-aware tools, Layers, Compositions, Layer Styles, Smart objects, Interactive images

American Graphics Institute (AGI) offers a licensed and bonded certificate program for Photoshop. The associated instructors are top-notch experts who have collectively written more than 50 books on design, development, marketing, and publishing tools. Additionally, AGI is a member of the Better Business Bureau.

The course is offered through online live lectures or flexible scheduling. It covers Photoshop fundamentals and basics, organizing and managing Photoshop files using Adobe Bridge, Photoshop workspace efficiencies, making and using selections, painting and retouching, color correcting, content-aware tools, layers, and many other tools for photo, web, and video uses.

Key Takeaway: This course is from a very prestigious institute, and is offered privately or in group settings, through live online classes or flexible scheduling..

Photoshop: An Introduction | City, University of London

• Learning Format: Full Course with Hands-on Training
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Basic concepts, Selection tools, History palette, Transforming an image, Composition, Layers, Colourising, Pen tool, Montaging, Channel palette

This introductory Photoshop course is offered by City, University of London, and is designed to cover the basics of Photoshop use for photography and graphic design, in alignment with industry standards. In addition to the editing capabilities of Photoshop, students will also learn how to create their own digital artwork using this software. 

Throughout this course, you’ll learn about basic concepts, selection tools, the history palette, transforming images and selections, layers, dropping shadows, batch processing, colorizing, the pen tool, montaging, and using the channel palette. 

Key Takeaway: This course requires a working knowledge of Windows or Mac operating systems, and awards passing students with a City, University of London certificate.

Photoshop for Web Design | Linkedin Learning

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Intermediate
• Subjects Covered: Project setup, Responsive Design, Process, Collaboration, Image considerations, Exporting

This online course instructor, Emily Kay, is a community college instructor in San Diego and a professional web developer and graphic designer. The course focuses on Photoshop’s application to graphic design and web development and can be paid for upfront, or accessed through a restricted, one-month trial. 

The course is broken up into six sections, in addition to the introduction and conclusion. Sections include setting up your project, designing, processing, collaborating, considering images, and exporting assets for development. During the course, you will work on a real-world project, which requires the use of templates, layouts, and exportation to the web. 

Key Takeaway: This specialized course is ideal for aspiring web developers and graphic designers.

Photoshop 2021 Essential Training: The Basics | Linkedin Learning

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Customize canvas, Layers, Color and Brush, Layer Mask, Blend Mode, Smart objects, Filters

Julieanna Kost, the instructor for this course, has worked at Adobe for over 25 years and has used her experience and knowledge to provide a well-rounded Photoshop basics course. It is specifically designed to teach students how to apply Photoshop tools and concepts to photography and graphic design.  

This course is divided into learning modules, which include opening files, documents, navigation, customizing the photoshop interface, digital image essentials, adjusting canvas size, layers, color and brush essentials, working with layer masks, making selections, as well as a variety of other related concepts and skills. 

Key Takeaway: This course is available for free and provides beginners with a wide range of basic skills and a range of tools to get them started.

Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp | Noble Desktop

• Learning Format: Full Bootcamp Course 
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Retouch images, Create graphics, Visual effects

Noble Desktop offers an online Photoshop bootcamp program that begins with basic concepts before progressing into more advanced material. This 18-hour course teaches students to fluently use Photoshop for a variety of applications, and they are awarded a certificate of completion, at the end. 

The program costs $975 but is free to retake within a year. Students who are funding the bootcamp themselves, rather than through company reimbursement, also receive a $100 discount. It provides live hands-on training from industry experts and guarantees the curriculum is up-to-date and meets the highest of industry standards.

Key Takeaway: This bootcamp is ideal for students without prior experience, who wish to become intermediate users.

Photoshop 2020 For Digital Photographers | Photoshop Secrets | Photoshop Cafe

• Learning Format: Training
• Level: Beginner 
• Subjects Covered: key features in Photoshop 2020

Photoshop Cafe offers a Photoshop training program that includes 89 comprehensive videos, the latest techniques, key new features of Photoshop, secret tricks and tips, cheat sheets for several Photoshop functions, and a money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied by the end of the training program. 

Photoshop Cafe also has a section on its website that offers free resources, including Photoshop basics tutorials, Lightroom tutorials, as well as weekly Photoshop tips and tricks. This particular training is designed for digital photographers, although there are a variety of other Photoshop training programs with other concentrations. 

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Find Your Bootcamp Match

Key Takeaway: This training offers a wide array of resources with a variety of concentrations, and includes a money-back guarantee to dissatisfied participants.

Using Photoshop and After Effects to Create Cinemagraphs | Pluralsight

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Intermediate 
• Subjects Covered: Photoshop fundamentals, Channels, Layer Masks, Tips and Tricks, Vector Masks, Clipping Masks

This intermediate course offered by Pluralsight focuses on creating cinemagraphs using Photoshop. Cinemagraphs are a hybrid of photographs and animation and can be created with an advanced level of Photoshop use. 

The course begins by covering the basics of cinemagraphs, and exploring the pros and cons of GIFS. It progresses into the simple creation of cinemagraphs using Photoshop, and advances to using after-effects in a cinemagraph. Pluralsight requires an annual paid subscription. Students can choose from the core library or expanded library.

Key Takeaway: This course is ideal for field professionals who want to advance their Photoshop skills. 

Online Photoshop Certification Course | Shaw Academy

• Learning Format: Certification Course
• Level: Beginner 
• Subjects Covered: Composition, Logo design, Photo enhancement

Shaw Academy offers a fully online Photoshop certification course that’s centered around creating unique compositions, designing logos and other graphics, mastering photo enhancements, and developing Photoshop skills and tools for a variety of uses. 

It accommodates all skill levels because the first module visits basic concepts and tools, before progressing to more advanced features. This course is 16 weeks long, and includes 32 lessons, 4 modules, and is globally recognized. The first module is for beginners, and the second, third, and fourth are for intermediate, advanced, and proficient users. 

Key Takeaway: This course allows you to prepare and take a certification exam.

Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course | SkillShare

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Beginner 
• Subjects Covered: Postcard Design, Cut a person out of an image, Selecting hair, Text and image interaction, Oil Painting, Retouching

SkillShare facilitates online Photoshop courses delivered by Adobe certified instructors. The Essential Training course includes 89 lessons and is designed for beginners without prior experience using Photoshop. Lessons begin by covering basic Photoshop concepts and skills, and gradually advance to complex, hands-on projects and assignments. 

By the end of the course, students will be able to emulate their desired visual styles, professionally retouch photos, mask anything, create graphics from scratch, distort and manipulate photos, and everything in between.   

Key Takeaway: This course is ideal for beginners who wish to quickly enter photography or graphic design. It also provides 2,193 projects for students to practice their new skills on, which is a unique course feature. 

From Beginner to Photoshop Pro | Stacksocial

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Photoshop fundamentals, Tool Functions, Portrait Retouching

Stacksocial offers a beginner course for Photoshop users with very basic experience. This course takes four hours to get through, allows lifetime access, includes a certification, and can be accessed through web or mobile streaming. 

Although basic experience is helpful, it isn’t required. Similarly, despite being a beginner course, intermediate Photoshop users can also benefit from the material covered. Once you purchase the course, you have 30 days to redeem or return it before losing access or payment completely.  

Key Takeaway: Once you buy and redeem this course, you have lifetime access to the content.

Adobe Photoshop CC – Advanced Training Course | Udemy

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Advanced
• Subjects Covered: Selection and Mask, Fixing Images, Cropping, Aligning, Distorting, Color, CC Libraries, Typography, Artboards, Retouching

This advanced course offered by Udemy, allows learners to obtain specialized photo editing techniques using Adobe Photoshop software. It provides 16 hours of on-demand video, 70 downloadable resources, lifetime access, and a certificate of completion.

Throughout this course, students will master sections and masking, preferences and workflow, fixing images, distorting images, CC libraries, typography, Artboards, retouching, layers, visual styles and effect, video and animated GIFS, web design, 3D, and several other advanced techniques and skills.  

Key Takeaway: This course is ideal for anyone in or entering web development, graphic design, or photography, and looking to gain advanced skills. 

Photoshop and Photography Digital Art Compositing Course | Udemy

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Vintage Studio Scene, Dunes and Smoke Scene, University Architecture Scene, Rundown Building Scene

Udemy offers a beginner Photoshop course with a concentration in photography. The course is four hours long and includes one downloadable resource, lifetime access, four articles, and a certificate of completion. It does not include the software and recommends students have or invest in a camera for the final project.

The introduction covers getting Photoshop, Creative Cloud and Mac vs PC, Photoshop fundamentals, and relevant photography terms. The rest of the course consists of five projects, which include a vintage studio scene, dunes and smoke scene, rundown building scene, and the final project. 

Key Takeaway: This is a specialized course for photographers, which offers mostly hands-on learning.

Photoshop Bootcamp | Udemy

• Learning Format: Bootcamp Program
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Design and editing, Photo compositing, Logo design, Poster mockup

Udemy facilitates a Photoshop bootcamp which is provided by Instructor Derrick Mitchell. The bootcamp includes eight and a half hours of on-demand video, 27 downloadable resources, full lifetime access, and a certificate of completion. The software does not come as part of this bootcamp package and will need to be purchased prior to the start of the program. 

The bootcamp program covers photo compositing, making logos, creating packaging mockups, designing social media graphics, rock band poster design, movie poster design, poster mockups, photo editing, and Photoshop tools and interface overview. 

Key Takeaway: Students learn by participating in real projects.

Ultimate Adobe Photoshop Training: From Beginner to Pro | Udemy

• Learning Format: Full Course
• Level: Beginner
• Subjects Covered: Layers, Photo Edition, Selections, Smart Objects

Over 140,000 students have taken this beginner Photoshop course by Udemy, and have awarded it with nearly five stars. It includes 15 hours of on-demand video, two articles, 236 downloadable resources, full lifetime access, and a certificate of completion.

This course covers layers, editing photos, cloud documents, raster layers, Artboards, selections, creative layer styles, shape layers, working with smart objects, creating a character, repairing photos, text layers, improving photos, and a conclusion.

Key Takeaway: This course can take complete beginners and turn them into experienced users. Students are required to have Photoshop, but the instructor can assist students with obtaining it.

Online Photoshop Classes, Training, or Courses: Which Is the Right Option?

When considering whether you should pursue an online Photoshop class, training, or course, it’s important to know the differences. Courses are in-depth, often take longer to complete, and consist of a series of lessons. Training programs are typically hands-on and might include several short lessons. Classes are usually a few hours and focus on one topic.  

How to Choose the Right Online Photoshop Course, Class, or Training Program

Certificates

If you want to obtain a certificate, your best option would be to take a course or training, as most classes don’t provide certificates of completion. Whether or not you desire a certificate will likely depend on your reasons for pursuing Photoshop. If it’s for a professional reason, certificates are important and help to prove your qualifications. For personal reasons, it’s entirely up to you. 

Learning Style

Most students have a preferred learning style. Some prefer hands-on learning, while others enjoy lectures and video tutorials. Classes tend to include more lectures and less hands-on involvement. Courses often combine theory with hands-on projects and activities. Training programs are typically very hands-on and include some general theoretical lectures. 

Availability

It’s important to consider your availability. Courses often require the longest commitment, but usually offer schedule flexibility. Classes require the least amount of time, and can often be completed any time after purchase. Training programs typically require less time than courses, but more than classes, and have set start dates with minimal flexibility.

Photoshop Course Certificates vs Certifications

A certificate acts as recognition upon successful completion of a course, class, or training. A certification refers to the validation of your knowledge by an entity that’s authorized to grant such an award. To obtain a certification, you usually have to pass an exam. Alternatively, to obtain a certificate, you usually have to complete an associated course, class, or training. 

Importance of Photoshop Certifications

A Photoshop certification is very important for photographers and graphic designers, as this recognition validates their knowledge of the software. Hiring companies within the field also value, and sometimes require, Photoshop certifications.

Why You Should Take Online Photoshop Courses or Classes

Photoshop is the most reputable and popular photo and graphic editing and creating software available. As it has naturally become an industry standard, many clients and employers will filter photographers, web developers, and graphic designers based on whether or not they use Photoshop. 

Additionally, there are very few editing and creating software that include all of the functions and capabilities that Photoshop has. As a result, the quality of your work benefits from learning Photoshop. Even if only for personal use, you’re unlikely to find another software that measures up.