I've spent some time poking around Lynda.com recently. I was psyched to conduct this review and giveaway. I considered a membership about a year ago but hadn't yet taken the time to register. I was missing out. Big time.

People often ask how I find the time for studying photography and my response is honest. I learn late at night. I'm exhausted but it's worth it. My eyes burn but I love learning. Before I was a mother you'd often find my nose buried in a book informally studying everything from manufacturing processes in Chinese factories to ancient languages such as Aramaic.

I'm a nerd and on a never-ending quest for knowledge. Lynda.com appeals to me for many reasons.

• Online learning that is accessible via computer, iPhone, or iPad. If you aren't an Apple fan don't fret their mobile site is slick and ready for you to use.

• Crazy amount of classes. As of today there are 1456 courses and 82,000 tutorials.

• New courses are added weekly. My queue/learning wish-list has grown with each Lynda.com email I receive.

• Close captioned transcripts. This is huge for me because I can't always watch the videos (can't find headphones and a child is sleeping nearby). I can search transcripts to find exactly what I'm looking for.

• Affordability. The monthly subscription is $25 with no long-term commitment. You can save even more by paying for a full year in one payment. The choice is yours.

• Variety. You can take courses in photography, web design, video, design, business, and a ton more. There are even some pretty fantastic documentaries to watch.

I took my time studying Lynda.com so I could give my readers as much of an overview as possible but it was difficult. There are so many classes I want to take. Now! I decided to focus on one so I could show you the results of my Lynda.com studies.

Here is what my food photography looked like before the Lynda.com course. These are from my mason jar butter tutorial I have since updated with my new photos.

Oh. That's pretty bad. Haze? On food!?!

Sigh. 

Here is a shot I took yesterday after completing the course (to see the rest check out this post):

You won't be seeing any of my shots in Martha Stewart Living but it's a vast improvement.

Right?!?

I am pretty proud of myself even though it took me two hours and lots of lost patience but it's finally starting to click for me. I owe it to this course.

Obviously my goal is to give you an honest and well-rounded review. I tried finding something I felt could be improved or changed but haven't found anything yet. I am extremely impressed with the service. The courses are taught by top-notch professionals who don't use confusing jargon. You can choose from beginner, intermediate, or expert level courses depending on your skill set.

Check out Lynda.com and see what they have to offer.

Giveaway: I am so excited to offer TWO of you a one year subscription to Lynda.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was given a Lynda.com annual subscription in order to conduct this review. All opinions expressed above are honest and my own.