In the days before mirrors, baseball players would collect their own baseball cards so that they'd always know what they looked like. Enjoy the preservative nature of photographs with today's Groupon: for $199, you get an at-home Fundamentals of Digital Photography course from the New York Institute of Photography (a $398 value).

Currently celebrating its 100th anniversary, the New York Institute of Photography is one of the world's largest and oldest photography schools, offering comprehensive courses to students of all levels. With today’s Groupon, students will receive the 16-lesson Fundamentals of Digital Photography course, which includes beautifully printed packets, seven audio CDs, two DVDs, and a certificate of completion. During this 4-to-12-month course, lens-wielders will learn key concepts, such as different lens types, camera exposure modes, digital darkroom techniques, how to snap exceptionally blurry pictures of supernatural creatures, and landscape photography. The institute’s interactive training style keeps flashes charged, with two exploratory photo projects and a personally assigned photography expert who'll critique the student’s work, answer any questions, and never, ever, ever blink.

Reviews

The New York Institute of Photography, the oldest photography institution in America, celebrated its centennial in 2010; Shutterbug magazine featured the occasion:

• As it has evolved over 100 years to meet the demand for practical instruction, NYIP has grown into a renowned institute featuring multi-media distance education courses in all things photography to aspiring professionals and passionate amateurs throughout the world. Today, no other photography school offers instructional materials of the scope and quality of NYIP, and no other distance education program offers the personal attention that is the hallmark of NYIP’s program. – Shutterbug