I’m still fuming about the photography tutorial I watched last week. It promised to teach me how to capture stunning portraits, but when it came to the tricky part – working with natural light – the instructor just glossed over it. “Oh, just find a nice spot with soft, indirect light,” she said, like it’s that easy. I’ve spent years trying to master natural light, and I can tell you it’s not just a matter of finding a nice spot. It’s about understanding the intricacies of light and shadow, and how to work with them to create a mood or atmosphere².
The problem is, most tutorials are designed to make the instructor look good, not to actually teach you something. They’re more concerned with showcasing their own skills and expertise than with helping you overcome the challenges you’ll face. I’ve seen this time and time again in the online courses I’ve taken – the instructor will spend hours covering the basics, but when it comes to the advanced topics, they’ll just skim the surface. It’s like they’re afraid of scaring you off with too much complexity.
Look, I get it. Creating a comprehensive tutorial that covers all the hard parts is tough. It takes time, effort, and a deep understanding of the subject matter. But that’s no excuse for skipping over the toughest aspects of a topic. If you’re going to teach someone how to do something, you need to be willing to get your hands dirty and dive into the messy stuff. Otherwise, you’re just wasting their time.
Take, for example, the tutorials on YouTube that promise to teach you how to use Adobe Photoshop. They’ll show you how to do some basic edits, like adjusting the brightness and contrast, but when it comes to the advanced techniques – like using layers and masking – they’ll just give you a cursory overview. It’s like they’re afraid of overwhelming you with too much information. But the truth is, if you want to master Photoshop, you need to be willing to put in the time and effort to learn the advanced techniques³.
I think part of the problem is that many instructors are more concerned with building their personal brand than with actually teaching. They’re more interested in creating a slick, polished video that showcases their personality and style than in providing real, actionable advice. And that’s a shame, because there are so many talented instructors out there who are passionate about teaching and willing to put in the time and effort to create high-quality tutorials.
One of my favorite instructors is Tony Northrup, a photographer who creates in-depth tutorials on YouTube. His videos are always thorough and well-researched, and he’s not afraid to dive into the tough topics. He’s got a video on using the Nikon D850, for example, that covers everything from the basics of aperture and shutter speed to advanced techniques like focus stacking and panoramic photography⁴. It’s a masterclass in tutorial design, and it’s a great example of how to create a comprehensive and engaging tutorial.
Why Most Beginners Get Frustrated
The thing is, most beginners don’t know what they don’t know. They’ll watch a tutorial that promises to teach them the basics, and they’ll feel like they’re getting a good grasp of the subject. But then they’ll try to apply what they’ve learned, and they’ll hit a wall. They’ll realize that there’s a lot more to the topic than they initially thought, and they’ll get frustrated. It’s like trying to build a house without a foundation – it might look good on the surface, but it’s going to collapse as soon as you try to add any weight.
I’ve been there myself, plenty of times. I’ve watched tutorials that promised to teach me how to do something, only to realize that they’ve left out the most important parts. It’s like they’re trying to sell me a dream, rather than actually teaching me something. And it’s frustrating, because I know that I’m not getting the whole story.
The Importance of Feedback
So what’s the solution? How can we create tutorials that actually teach people something, rather than just glossing over the hard parts? I think the key is to focus on feedback. Instructors need to be willing to listen to their students, to hear their concerns and address their questions. They need to be open to feedback, and willing to revise their tutorials based on what they’ve learned.
It’s not easy, of course. Creating a tutorial that’s based on feedback requires a lot of time and effort. You need to be willing to put in the work, to listen to your students and respond to their needs. But the payoff is worth it – when you create a tutorial that’s based on feedback, you’ll find that your students are more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to succeed.
For example, I’ve been taking online courses on Coursera, and I’ve been impressed by the level of feedback and support. The instructors are always willing to answer questions, and they’re open to feedback and suggestions. It’s a two-way conversation, rather than a one-way lecture. And it makes all the difference – I feel like I’m actually learning something, rather than just being talked at.
Creating Better Tutorials
So what can we do to create better tutorials? First, we need to focus on the hard parts. We need to be willing to dive into the tough topics, and to provide real, actionable advice. We need to be open to feedback, and willing to revise our tutorials based on what we’ve learned. And we need to be honest with our students – we need to tell them what they can expect, and what they’ll need to do to succeed.
It’s not easy, of course. Creating a comprehensive tutorial that covers all the hard parts is a tough task. But I believe it’s worth it – when we create tutorials that actually teach people something, we’ll find that our students are more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to succeed. And that’s what it’s all about – creating a love of learning that will last a lifetime.
Check out the work of instructors like Peter McKinnon, who creates in-depth tutorials on YouTube⁵. He’s got a great video on using the Canon EOS 80D, for example, that covers everything from the basics of aperture and shutter speed to advanced techniques like time-lapse photography and astrophotography. It’s a great example of how to create a comprehensive and engaging tutorial, and it’s a testament to the power of feedback and iteration in the tutorial design process.
Honestly, I think we need to rethink the way we approach tutorial design. We need to focus on creating tutorials that are comprehensive, engaging, and based on feedback. We need to be willing to dive into the hard parts, and to provide real, actionable advice. And we need to be honest with our students – we need to tell them what they can expect, and what they’ll need to do to succeed.
It’s time to stop glossing over the hard parts, and to start creating tutorials that actually teach people something. It’s time to focus on feedback, and to be willing to revise our tutorials based on what we’ve learned. And it’s time to be honest with our students – to tell them what they can expect, and what they’ll need to do to succeed.
You can find more information on tutorial design and feedback on the website of the [National Center for Biotechnology Information](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/).
Footnotes:
¹ See, for example, the work of instructor Chris Orwig, who creates in-depth tutorials on photography and post-processing.
² For a great example of how to work with natural light, check out the photography of Joe McNally, who has written extensively on the subject.
³ Adobe Photoshop has a range of tutorials and resources available on its website, including a comprehensive user manual and a series of video tutorials.
⁴ Tony Northrup’s YouTube channel has a range of tutorials and videos on photography and post-processing, including a comprehensive guide to using the Nikon D850.
⁵ Peter McKinnon’s YouTube channel has a range of tutorials and videos on photography and post-processing, including a comprehensive guide to using the Canon EOS 80D.
