The core settings we cover in this course - aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance - are fundamental to all DSLR or mirrorless cameras, no matter their age and we discuss any possible limitations of older cameras specifically in the lesson on ISO.

While newer cameras might have some fancy features, your older camera is completely capable of taking professional photos of your work (this class is not suitable for using a point & shoot camera that does not allow you to shoot in fully manual mode).

By taking Beyond Auto, you’ll know exactly how far you can push even your old camera and be able to make an informed decision about whether or not you actually need to spend that $1,000++ on something new.

Absolutely! This course is specifically designed for makers who feel intimidated by their camera's settings. We start from the very beginning, breaking down each setting one at a time. If you can find the 'on' button and know what model of camera you have, you're ready to start!

Not at all! While the course explains what to look for if you are shopping for equipment, you can achieve beautiful results with any DSLR or mirrorless camera and the lens it came with. It's about learning to use what you have effectively.

The course is designed to fit into any maker's busy schedule. Each lesson focuses on one setting at a time, and comes with guided practice suggestions to ensure you see the fastest impact in the least amount of time. Many students see improvement after just the first lesson!

On average, we suggest assuming Beyond Auto will take you 6 hours to complete.

Whether you decide to do that all in one day or break it up one lesson at a time is entirely up to what works best for you!

Yes, phones are incredibly convenient, but they're also constantly making automatic adjustments that lead to inconsistent results. Every time you move slightly or the light changes even a little, your phone recalculates everything - from brightness to color to focus - which is why you can take three photos of the same piece and get three completely different pictures.

Instead of fighting with your phone's automatic adjustments and spending hours editing, using your regular camera will allow you to capture consistent, professional images right from the start that need minimal editing - saving you time during and after!

Your access to the course materials is endless! As long as the Maker’s Playbook exists, you’ll have access to your course materials and let’s put it this way… Self-employed artists, like myself, aren’t known for retiring early ;-)

This means if there are every any new updates or bonus material added to Beyond Auto in the future, you’ll receive that too at no additional cost!

All course materials are recorded and with lifetime access, you can truly take this course at whatever pace works for you.

Well first: Do  you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera? If not, start with MPSS — it's built to work with your phone and will make an immediate difference. 

If you do have a dedicated camera available, then ask yourself this: If you look at your photos and think the setup feels off, start with MPSS. If you look at your photos and think the camera isn't doing what I want, you're in the right place.

But the most honest response to this question: Eventually, take both. Because they solve completely different problems.

MPSS is about what happens in front of the camera. Composition, props, color, creating a look that's cohesive and intentional… You can go a long way with your phone using those skills. Learning what makes a photo work is valuable no matter what camera you're holding.

But your phone has a limit because it only functions in auto. To achieve consistent, professional-looking cell phone photos, you have to work within its rules, not yours. 

If you’re looking for total control for creative decisions like photographing on an all-white background or getting moody images? Well, that’s where manual mode comes in. When you're in control of your camera settings, you're in control of everything.