One-to-one camera lessons: format, length and preparation
Own camera, own questions: how photography teachers can set up private lessons at home, outdoors or by video, choose lengths and prepare with the student.
6 min read
Offer private lessons in a few clear formats, one service each: a lesson on the student's own camera at a place you choose, a practice lesson outdoors, and an editing lesson by video. Ask in the booking note for the camera model and what the student wants to learn, so you can read the manual or prepare examples beforehand. Then keep your lengths simple, such as 90 minutes for a camera lesson, and suggest a follow-up only when there is a clear next step.
Why private lessons need preparation
A student who books a private lesson usually arrives with one camera, one set of menus and one goal: stop shooting in auto, take sharper portraits of the children, get the most out of a new lens. Menus differ from one brand and model to the next. Knowing the model in advance lets you find the right buttons before the lesson, not during it.
Formats and lengths
| Service | Example slot | Example price | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learn your camera | 90 min | €70 | Café, your studio or the student's home |
| Practice outdoors | 2 h | €85 | A park or street chosen together |
| Editing lesson | 60 min | €50 | Video call, screen sharing |
| Follow-up lesson | 60 min | €50 | For students you have already taught |
Lengths and prices are examples: set your own. On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page, and each slot belongs to one service with its own start and end. A student who picks "Editing lesson" only sees editing slots.
What to ask in the booking note
- camera brand and model, and lenses;
- what they want to learn, in one line;
- what they photograph: family, travel, pets, sport, landscapes;
- for editing lessons: software used, computer or tablet.
The public form asks for first name, last name, email and phone, and has that optional note. You receive it in your new-booking email. Ask students in the description to charge their battery, bring an empty memory card and the camera manual if they have it.
Choosing where to meet
Say in the description where lessons take place. If you teach at the student's home, ask for the address in the note and group home lessons by area on the same day, with travel time between slots. For outdoor practice, pick a place with varied subjects and light, and name it in the description or agree on it by message after the booking.
From one lesson to a short series
Some students want one lesson to get started; others want to progress over several weeks. At the end of a first lesson, suggest a next step only if it's clear, for example an outdoor practice session two weeks later, once they've tried the settings. Book it together from your calendar: first and last name are required, email and phone optional. If you enter their email, they get a confirmation and calendar file.
If you sell packs of lessons, Book doesn't take payments: explain in the description how a pack is paid, and book each lesson from your calendar as it's agreed.
Building your week
Private lessons fit around group courses and photo walks. Evenings and weekends suit students who work; weekday daytime suits retirees and parents during school hours. Create your lesson slots on the weekdays you choose, repeated each week until an end date. Book shows times in your time zone, which helps for video editing lessons with students elsewhere.
Students can't move lessons online: they contact you, and you move or cancel from your bookings list. Book doesn't email them about changes, so confirm the new time yourself. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.