Horse Photographer Christina Handley Expands Offerings With Online Photography School

Christina Handley, a well known supplier of photography to the horse publications in the US and Canada, has launched an online photography school, www.learntotakephotos.com with Virginia native Laura Cotterman. The online photography courses are targeted for equine and outdoor photographers, two subjects that the pair knows very well.

“The world of photography is rapidly changing. All of a sudden it seemed like everyone had a digital camera!” says Handley. It didn’t take Handley long to realize that she could turn her talents to teaching enthusiastic photographers to take beautiful photos of horses. Her buoyant personality and simple love of photography shines through and makes the learning experience delightful.

A professional horse photographer since 1996, Handley has seen her career progress through event photography to editorial and commercial work and now making the logical next step in the progression to teaching. 2008 was a big year for Handley and Cotterman with over 40 consumer magazine and advertising catalog covers to their credit.

The icing on the cake was the Horse Illustrated December 2008 issue featuring the Belgian Draft horse breed. Handley’s photos graced the cover, centerfold and breed feature article. “It was a big achievement for me to see a body of my work in print like that in Horse Illustrated,” says Handley. “Horse Illustrated does a beautiful job. The photos looked fantastic.”

That big name recognition among horse lovers is paying off. The online photography courses are proving very popular. For example, the short course in winter snow photography has attracted dozens of students from all over the US and Canada.

The winter photography short course includes tips for finding subjects, protecting your gear and getting good exposures in the snow. “Exposure is the trickiest part of photographing snow scenes,” says Handley. “We teach step by step how your camera sees the snow and how to get a correct exposure.”

The online photography course consists of a written lesson with lots of examples and a photography assignment. Students upload their photos and receive helpful feedback and advice. The learning environment is supportive, fun and creative. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions, discuss ideas and participate. There is a Q&A area where students can get advice and have a dialog with the teachers as they work on their assignment.

Plans for the future include adding other instructors and online courses. In addition to instructor taught courses the school will be offering on demand learning tools like tutorials, workshops and training in video and eBook formats.

Learn to Take Photos offers a free short course each month for new students. With ongoing enrollment students can join anytime. Upcoming courses include Digital Photography 101, Making Photo Collages, Winter & Snow Photography, The Business of Equine Event Photography and Silhouettes. The complete schedule is available on the website.

About Christina Handley Stock

Christina Handley Stock is a respected provider of rights-managed equine, farm and agriculture stock photography. The stock archive represents the work of photographers Christina Handley and Laura Cotterman. The archive has over 16,000 photos online in a searchable database and offers instant high resolution downloads to editorial and commercial customers.

www.christinahandleystock.com

About Learn To Take Photos

Learn To Take Photos is an online photography school taught by well known horse photographers Christina Handley and Laura Cotterman. Students learn photography, get to know new people and share ideas in a fun, encouraging and supportive environment. Learn To Take Photos’ online photography courses are designed for adult learners and are self-directed, creative and motivating. Students have one-to-one access to an expert photographer.

www.learntotakephotos.com