All those amazing magazine images and cover photos don’t come straight out of the camera. It’s post-processing that gives them this polished, high-end look. Photoshop is the industry-standard software used by professional photographers and retouchers worldwide to achieve the stunning results. To help you learn these professional retouching techniques, I’ve rounded up the best online Photoshop courses for photographers that also provide a certificate upon completion!
Let’s be honest: a photo that comes straight out of the camera usually doesn’t look that amazing. High-resolution devices reveal every little detail, including blemishes, redness, dark circles under the eyes, stray eyelashes, and excessive skin texture.
All of that is completely normal for humans, but usually we don’t want to see it in our photos. But it’s not just portraits. Landscape, travel, and product photos also benefit from a few retouches to look more stunning.
That's why photographers need an editing program that allows you to remove all the unwanted "imperfections" and retouch images to give them that glamorous touch.
Photoshop is one of the most powerful editing programs used by professional photographers and retouchers all over the world. The software has heaps of advanced features to edit skin, adjust lighting, brightness, remove stray hairs, add digital makeup, and much more.
Understandably, this amount of advanced editing tools doesn’t make Photoshop the easiest software to learn.
When I started out as a digital artist and photographer, I set out to learn Photoshop all on my own. Lots of experimentation, trial and error, and a couple of free online Photoshop tutorials.
If you don’t have Photoshop yet, you can start a free 7-day Photoshop trial here. And if you are a student or a teacher, you can go ahead and claim your 70% discount here.
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Eventually, I made my way through. But you can make your life much easier if you take a more guided approach to learning Photoshop.
That's why in this post, I've picked out the best online Photoshop courses for photographers that'll help you come to grips with all the editing and retouching features quick and easy.
I’ve included classes for both beginners starting from zero to more advanced users who already have some experience with the program.
All selected courses are taught by experienced experts, have lots of happy students enrolled, and provide you with a certificate upon completion.
With that said, here’s what I got for you:
Is it possible to learn Photoshop online?
Yep, it’s absolutely possible to learn Photoshop online, at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home. ʕᴖᴥᴖʔ
You don’t need to sign up for an expensive photography school to learn retouching. Nowadays, you can attend expert-led online courses for less than $50.
Experienced instructors teach you all the professional photo retouching techniques to transform your shots into stunning, glamorous fashion photography—step by step, from A to Z.
The good thing is that online courses let you learn whenever you have time. So even if you’re working, still going to school, or a busy parent, you can choose to follow the video lessons whenever they fit into your schedule.
Which is the best site to learn Photoshop?
The best sites to learn Photoshop let you study at your own pace, offer lifetime access to the classes you’ve paid for, and provide on-demand courses taught by renowned experts in the industry.
That said, Udemy is one of the best sites to learn Photoshop because the platform features hundreds of courses for all levels. Many of the top-rated courses are taught by Adobe-certified instructors, include plenty of hands-on projects, and have excellent reviews from hundreds of students.
A lot of times, Udemy courses are available at significant discounts, allowing you to purchase individual classes at a very affordable price. ʕᴖᴥᴖʔ
What is the best online Photoshop course for photographers?
The best online Photoshop course primarily depends on your skill level, whether you’re just starting out or already have some experience in photo retouching.
Generally speaking, a good course focuses on real-world photography examples and teaches you a non-destructive workflow, using layers, masks, smart objects, and so on. It progresses from the basics to more advanced features, step by step with a structured curriculum.
Below, I've picked out the best online Photoshop classes for photographers with different skill levels, from complete beginners to advanced users.
The courses focus on different aspects; some provide a broader introduction, while others focus more on high-end portrait and beauty retouching.
All of the classes are top rated, are taught by experienced instructors, and include plenty of hands-on projects.
Just take a look through the list and see which one best fits your current skill level and creative ambitions!
3 Best Beginner Photoshop Courses for Photographers
A complete, photography-focused Photoshop course that takes you from raw processing to professional retouching and color grading.
- 8 hours on-demand video
- Taught by professional retoucher
- Certificate of completion
This comprehensive Photoshop for Photographers course provides a great introduction from basic editing to advanced post-production techniques. It starts with Camera Raw and image processing, then moving into professional cleanup, masking, contrast control, color grading, and realistic skin retouching.
The course is taught by an internationally published retoucher who explains every step clearly and offers lots of hands-on practice. It’s a great choice for photographers of all levels and kinds, including portrait, landscape, travel, and lifestyle.
A straight-to-the-point portrait retouching course that teaches professional Photoshop techniques to achieve high-end results.
- 2 hours on-demand video
- Taught by professional retoucher
- Certificate of completion
This essential portrait retouching course focuses on professional retouching techniques to turn your headshots into stunning portraits. It covers raw conversion, non-destructive cleanup, dodge & burn, contrast control, and selective color adjustments.
The course is intentionally straight to the point, with practical demonstrations, exercise files, and workflow-speeding tools. It’s ideal for portrait photographers and retouchers who want to improve fast and achieve high-end results without overprocessing.
A masterclass in Photoshop and Lightroom retouching to create magazine-quality images and make an income as a retoucher.
- 3.5 hours on-demand video
- Taught by professional retoucher
- Certificate of completion
This Complete Guide to Photo Retouching teaches you professional, non-destructive beauty retouching techniques in Photoshop and Lightroom. You’ll get familiar with all essential skills, such as frequency separation, dodge & burn, RAW editing, skin cleanup, color grading, and image sharpening.
→ Do You Need Lightroom If You Have Photoshop? [Find Out Which Is Better]
Seasoned photographer and retoucher Sheldon Evans explains how to preserve natural textures while enhancing portraits, eyes, lips, and overall image quality. With over 35 video lessons, downloadable resources, and high-resolution RAW files for practice, you can be sure to gain hands-on experience and develop a complete workflow for magazine-quality results.
This masterclass is suitable for beginners and professionals alike, providing students with the practical knowledge and confidence to attract higher-paying clients and turn retouching into a source of additional income.
3 Best Advanced Photoshop Courses for Photographers
This advanced online Photoshop course for photographers takes a deep-dive into high-end beauty retouching as used in fashion and magazine covers.
- 7.5 hours on-demand video
- Taught by professional retoucher
- Certificate of completion
This masterclass in advanced high-end beauty retouching makes you familiar with all the advanced techniques used in fashion advertising and magazine covers. You’ll learn how to preserve natural skin texture while achieving glamorous results through frequency separation, dodge & burn, facial shaping, and detailed retouching of skin, eyes, lips, hair, and nails.
The instructor walks you step by step through a complete high-end beauty retouching workflow in Photoshop in over seven hours of instruction. This online Photoshop course for photographers is for you if you want to push your skills to magazine-cover level and produce world-class beauty and fashion images!
A complete Photoshop retouching course for photographers, from RAW processing to polished final results.
- 9 hours on-demand video
- Taught by professional retoucher
- Certificate of completion
This professional retouching course is one of the best online Photoshop courses for photographers who want to learn how to edit portrait, beauty, and outdoor images. Marcin Mikus walks you through the full editing process, from RAW processing in Camera Raw and Capture One to advanced retouching techniques with masks, dodge & burn, contrast control, and selective color grading.
With over 80 lessons totaling nine hours of instruction, the course equips both aspiring photographers and experience retouchers with the skills needed to produce polished, professional-quality images across multiple photography genres.
The perfect online Photoshop course for photographers to achieve clean, natural, magazine-cover-quality retouching results.
- 6 hours on-demand video
- Taught by professional retoucher
- Certificate of completion
This high-end beauty retouching course is the perfect fit for photographers and retouchers who want to elevate their work to a truly professional level. Six hours of instruction will guide you step-by-step, with real studio images and workflow-enhancing actions, to retouch every detail, from skin and hair to nails and final finishing touches.
The course emphasizes efficiency and precision, while maintaining natural skin texture, facial features, and color harmony. By the end of the course, you’ll have acquired both the technical skills and aesthetic understanding needed to produce high-end beauty images as found in fashion advertising and magazine work.
