If you make things by hand, the photos you post often decide whether a shopper stops or scrolls. For craft maker photography, choosing a course to improve those shots can feel as hard as choosing a camera. These four DVD courses all come from the National Geographic / Great Courses world of instruction, but they take different paths: one pairs a printed guide with video, one is a National Geographic 12-masters course, one is a low-priced lecture set, and one is a sealed fundamentals course with a workbook.
Quick take
The right pick depends on how you like to learn. If you want print material beside your screen, the National Geographics Masters Of Photography Course Guide Book & DVD Video Series pairs a guidebook with video. If you want the smallest price tag, the GREAT COURSES - MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Video DVD gives you a full course with a guidebook. If you want a sealed package that covers the basics, The Great Courses Fundamentals of Photography 4-Disc DVD Set w/ Book, New Sealed is the choice. And if the National Geographic 12-masters edition matters most, the Masters of Photography DVD 2014 National Geographic 12 Masters Course is the one to pick.
Price comparison
| Course | Format | Price | Price bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| GREAT COURSES - MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Video DVD | DVD + Guidebook | USD 11.95 | |
| Masters of Photography DVD 2014 National Geographic 12 Masters Course | DVD | USD 12.99 | |
| The Great Courses Fundamentals of Photography 4-Disc DVD Set w/ Book, New Sealed | DVD + Workbook | USD 14.95 | |
| National Geographics Masters Of Photography Course Guide Book & DVD Video Series | Book + DVD | USD 18.00 |
The bars show that the sets sit close in price, so your learning style should drive the decision.
Decision matrix
- If you want a guide to read while you watch: choose the National Geographics Masters Of Photography Course Guide Book & DVD Video Series, or go with the Great Courses Fundamentals set, which includes a workbook.
- If you want the smallest price and a guidebook: the GREAT COURSES - MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Video DVD gives you a full lecture set plus a guidebook.
- If you want a sealed, beginner-friendly package: The Great Courses Fundamentals of Photography 4-Disc DVD Set is the only new-and-sealed set here.
- If you want the National Geographic 12-masters edition: the Masters of Photography DVD 2014 National Geographic 12 Masters Course is the set with that edition in its name.
Product notes
National Geographics Masters Of Photography Course Guide Book & DVD Video Series
Read-along learners will feel at home here. This set pairs a textbook with video, using National Geographic Photographers as the author team, and the guidebook gives you a durable reference for your craft photography library. It's the most book-forward option in this group. The trade-off is price: it sits at the top of the range, which makes sense only if you'll actually use the printed guide. If you watch lessons on a screen and rarely crack open a book, a lower-priced disc set gives you the same kind of video instruction for less.
Masters of Photography DVD 2014 National Geographic 12 Masters Course
The 2014 edition is the headline here. If you want the National Geographic 12-masters course, this DVD set is built around that roster from the same year. The standard DVD case, English-language dialogue, and Region 1 formatting make it a straightforward choice for a US-based buyer. The condition, though, is Very Good rather than new, so the set is best when you care more about the content than archival packaging. It's a middle-price option that balances the 2014 edition with a lower cost than the book-and-video combo.
GREAT COURSES - MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Video DVD
This set is the low-price entry point in the group, and it still includes four discs, 24 lectures at roughly 30 minutes each, and a course guidebook. If you want to learn without spending extra, that combination is hard to beat. The Like New condition means it's not a factory-sealed product, so collectors looking for a pristine set may prefer the sealed Fundamentals box. But for a first photography course or a quick refresher on light and composition, these structured lectures give you the core information at the smallest outlay.
The Great Courses Fundamentals of Photography 4-Disc DVD Set w/ Book, New Sealed
This is the set to open when you want everything in one box. It's brand new and sealed, with four DVDs, a course workbook, and a full lecture series taught by National Geographic Fellow Joel Sartore. The beginner-to-advanced structure makes it a natural first course for a craft maker who wants to understand camera controls. The catch is that it's a fundamentals course, so if you already know the basics, parts of the curriculum will be review. The price sits in the middle of the group, which feels fair for a sealed set with a workbook.
Final recommendation by use case
For craft maker photography, the right course is the one you'll actually watch.
- Bring the National Geographics Masters Of Photography Course Guide Book & DVD Video Series home when you want a guidebook to keep beside your craft photography workspace.
- Pick the GREAT COURSES - MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Video DVD when low price and a structured lecture course are your priorities.
- Choose The Great Courses Fundamentals of Photography 4-Disc DVD Set w/ Book, New Sealed when you value a sealed, all-in-one package that starts with the basics.
- Select the Masters of Photography DVD 2014 National Geographic 12 Masters Course when the 2014 edition and the 12-masters roster are what you seek.
