Photographic Portraiture Specialization 02: Artistic Portraits

Portrait with frontal natural light and complementary colors

Now I will show you how I work and direct the model with frontal lighting and a more colorful, modern and geometric style. You will see that, by changing the set and the colors of the session, the story you tell is totally different.

Selection and development

Next, we are going to use Photo Mechanic to select the photos. I'll teach you how to use tags and stars to sort them in order of importance and I'll tell you why to choose one photo or another. Then I'll show you how to develop photos in Adobe Camera Raw.

Light and color editing with Adobe Photoshop 1

In this lesson, you'll learn how to edit the light and color of your photos with Photoshop to get the most out of them and achieve stunning colors. You'll also see what my favorite Photoshop tools are for color work.

Light and color editing with Adobe Photoshop 2

I will now show you the light and color editing process on a warm color set photograph.

Background of the photographic portrait

Module 3

Light can be a brush, a boundary—or a way to break the rules. In this course, Victor Idrogo guides you through the art of expressive lighting to reinvent how you approach portraiture. Explore new ways to bend light, shift perspectives, and create images that feel bold, experimental, and emotionally charged.

11 lessons (1h 51m)

In this lesson I will show you a summary of the history of the portrait. We will understand its importance in the history of art, how we have represented ourselves and how we arrive at less figurative examples. We will end up seeing abstract portraits in painting and the use of color in contemporary photographic portraits.

Here I will tell you about my creative process itself and how it is divided. For this purpose we will think of triggers to create images and seek inspiration in other disciplines. We must always be aware of what generates images in our heads. We will seek to identify the process of each one. In mine I have found up to 4 moments that I call them: Flow, organization, session guide; Execution and edition.

Creative process

Materials and tools

In this lesson, I will teach you the materials we will use in class. We will use hand flashes, studio flashes, LEDs and flashlights of all kinds. We will adapt conventional modifiers such as color gels, diffusers and also modifiers adapted by ourselves as acrylics and gels.

Photo I: Layers of color (Part 1)

In this lesson we will see a basic mix of two types of lights: Continuous and Flash. First we will put our character on a transparent white background and work with color on top of it. We will need two speedlites flashes and a flashlight. In addition to a white acrylic and gold paper.

Photo I: Color layers (Part 2)

We continue with our first photo. We will locate our model and add our second color layer. The second color layer will be applied to the model. The third layer will be with an element in front of the lens. We will need two speedlites flashes and a flashlight. In addition to a white acrylic and gold paper. The final photo will be a flat bust.

Photo II: Darkness and movement

In our second setting I will explain how the continuous light interacts with the flash. We will evaluate the results we will obtain, seeing certain changes in the movement of the model. We will need two studio flashes (or speedlites) and two flashlights or LEDs. In addition to transparent fabric and different colors. This photo is taken in darkness. The final photo will be a vertical whole plane.

Photo III: Double exposure

In this lesson, I will tell you the points to consider for this technique that we will perform in two parts and we will see the taking of the two images that we will gather in the next unit. The final photo will be the mixture of medium whole plane and a foreground.

Integration of double exposure

In this part, we will review the images we made of photo III to integrate as double exposure in Photoshop.

Image selection

In this lesson, we will use Capture One to select our session. We will see selection criteria and make some first adjustments to our images as technical and language / concept reasons. We will review the selection made during the shooting and then choose our final three images considering the language of the project. We will make a pre-armed final edition, compare the images and see the relationship between them.

11m

Revealed in Capture One

Here we will make some basic adjustments to our three images. We will review exposure, contrast and clarity to give them a similar look.

Retouching in Photoshop and Export

In this last lesson, we will edit our images in Photoshop. We will vary the Hue / Saturation and see focus options with high pass. We will export the images for web and networks.

17m

Module 4

Can you really paint with light? For fashion photographer Natalia Gw, the answer is yes—and she’ll show you how. From concept to shoot to editing, explore her full creative process and learn to craft striking portraits using simple tools, natural light, and your own artistic intuition. It’s not about having more—just seeing differently.

11 lessons (2h 1m)

Image Bank

I will start by teaching you the importance of having a reference image bank, first for you, of what you like, what inspires you, what you imagine yourself doing and what we can eventually do.

Mood board

In this lesson I will teach you how to make an mood board for a client or a project. I will show you how I do it step by step, to organize the ideas, the images and all the important variables that you must socialize with the client and with your work team.

Color palette

It is time to choose a variable to direct our project, in my case color is that characteristic that shapes my portraits. Here I will teach you how to develop a color palette from scratch.

The photographic equipment

Let's talk about our photographic team, here I will tell you the essentials that I take with me to my shootings in studio or on location.

Art direction

In this lesson I want to give you the best tips of recursion to create homemade photography sets but that look super professional. In my portfolio I have photos of campaigns and l ookbooks for clients with funds such as fabrics, rugs, curtains or papers. Our goal will be to create an set to match with a background and props easily accessible.

Professional portrait in natural light

To begin with, I will teach you how to use our most essential source of light: natural light. So that we can take advantage of your best moments and know how to respond to the changes and complications that may arise. We will try to isolate our environment or location from our result.

Professional portrait with studio light

Finally I will show you three different studio lighting schemes for portraiture. We will start with a very basic lighting scheme of a light that surrounds our entire set, we will continue with a scheme of two lights for subject and background, and we will end with a scheme of three lights that aims to imitate natural light within our space or studio. I will also show you some ways to experiment using some props that will give us color effects like filters and jellies, or external lights like LEDs, lamps or flashes.

Selection and development

In this lesson I will show you the variables that make me choose or discard the photos of my final projects. We will choose the best photos but we will take into account the most common technical errors to save some photos and correct them later. We will make a selection designed not only on the needs of our client but also on building a complete project for our portfolio.

Now I will teach you how to correct three common mistakes that no one is exempt from making when taking photos. We will rely on Photoshop and Capture One to correct these errors and use photos that seemed discarded.

Common bug fixes

Fine retouching, color and finishing

During this lesson you will learn the way in which I edit the skin in my portraits, there are common and correct ways to do it, but we can also find our own ways to achieve it that are closer to the results of your personal taste, in my case, conserving the naturalness and the real.

20m

Fine retouching, color and finishing 2

Throughout this second part I will show you one of my favorite ways to edit the skin, as it is extremely practical. This technique will help you to make some touch-ups without losing so much naturalness, shadows and lighting.

Composition + balance. What it is and what examples there are.

Module 5

Step into a frame where photography meets classical painting. Lídia Vives shows you how to channel the drama, color, and symbolism of Renaissance art to craft portraits that feel timeless and surreal. Explore her creative process—from concept to digital retouching—and learn how to blend storytelling with bold visual references in every image.

13 lessons (2h 18m)

In this lesson I will explain what composition is by teaching you some examples. You will know the rule of thirds, the law of gaze and symmetry. You will see what is right and what is not, even what exceptions may be in a rule. You will also discover how we should analyze an image to understand its structure. In addition, you will work on the balance of the elements in an abstract sense: the weight of the figures according to their shape, situation, color and size.

The center of interest + format and reframe.

In this lesson I will teach you first to create a center of interest. It is very important to direct the viewer's gaze, and that center of interest is formed by size, center, specific action, location, color, grouping, light and frame, You will also see the different formats that exist and when you should use each of them. You will understand how much you can get to reframe an image and how you should do it. I will explain things like the law of joints and what we can cut and what not in a portrait in the foreground.

The colors and their characteristics.

This lesson is about colors and, to understand them, I will show you what brightness, saturation and temperature are. In addition, I will talk about the symbology of colors so that you learn when you should use each one and what effects they can produce in our image.

The Renaissance portrait.

In this lesson I will explain the characteristics of the Renaissance portrait. What topics are usually treated, what kind of plans, what colors are the most common, how is the light ...

Lighting, set preparation and treatment of models

Before starting our session, it is important to have lighting control, so I will show you what accessories I am going to use and what effects are achieved. I will also explain to you what purpose I work for and why. You will also see how I prepare the set and do the first tests and learn how to treat the models to know what can be done and what not.

Renaissance photo session

Now that we know the characteristics of the Renaissance and we have already prepared the set, we will go on to do the photo session putting into practice everything previously learned.

Revealed in Camera Raw

The first thing we will do in postproduction is the development and we will work with Camera Raw. You can also do it with Lightroom since you have the same tools. You will see how I retouch the color, the contrast, the curves, the aberrations of the lens and the technical characteristics of the image. I will also explain what tools you should not use and why.

Revealed in Camera Raw II

We continue to reveal our photos in Camera Raw.

11m

General retouching

We go to touch up. To begin, I will teach you to work the contrast and leave the image as clean as possible to continue working more comfortably.

The retouching process is thorough, we continue with it.

General retouching II

Skin retouching and Dodge and burn

This is the most complex part and therefore needs all your attention. Here you will learn to perform skin retouching without losing texture by working with frequency separation, with the point correction brush, the clone and dodge and burn skin-oriented buffer. You will also learn to get a general nuance. Next, I will show you the dodge and burn oriented to achieve volume.

In this lesson I will show you the different options you have for working with color, but we will focus more specifically on curves, selective correction and filters. We will apply everything we have learned about colors and teach you some tricks to avoid making mistakes.

Color

20m

Final retouching

This is already the final part of the retouching. We will start to work the smoothie (very subtly), we will also focus our image to achieve sharpness, add texture and finally save it.

Module 6

Photography becomes powerful when it speaks from within. Kristina Varaksina invites you to explore your inner world and turn personal stories into images that resonate with others. Discover how to shape light, color, and emotion to create portraits that go beyond beauty—portraits that feel. Let your ideas find their voice through your lens.

22 lessons (5h 17m)

How to Choose Your Subject

We will begin by considering how to choose your subject and how to look within to make this choice.

In this lesson we’ll take our insights, from the Artist’s Compass, and start building on them using through word association and mind mapping.

Ideation

16m

Translating Words into Visuals

We’ll now look at how to translate all of these word associations and ideas into visuals. How can you represent your thoughts and feelings visually?

Art Direction 1

In this lesson we’ll start considering art direction and making choices for our project.

Let's take a look at the second art direction board.

Art Direction 2

Technical Decisions

It’s important to understand your equipment, to make the right decisions for you during the shoot. In this lesson I’ll talk you through the equipment that I will use and give you some tips.

Setting up for Shoot: Self-Portrait

In this lesson I’ll start my shoot by setting up for my self portrait. I’ll show you how to make sure everything has been considered, before you start actually taking pictures.

Self-Portrait

Now I am all set up and ready to go, it’s time to capture my self portrait.

Setting up for Shoot: Portrait

There is a lot to consider when setting up for a portrait. It’s not just the lighting and environment but also connecting with the model, choosing the right clothing and making sure they feel comfortable.

Let’s go! It’s time to shoot the portraits of our model, Nancy.

Portrait

Curating and Selecting Your Shots 1

You will have many images after a shoot and it’s important to spend time carefully choosing the ones that work. Let me know you my process.

16m

Curating and Selecting Your Shots 2

Let's start cropping and adjusting the tones of the image.

Curating and Selecting Your Shots 3

I will now move on to editing the images of Nancy, from the second shoot.

16m

Curating and Selecting Your Shots 4

In this last part of the lesson, I will edit the last two looks of our model.

In this lesson I will show you how to work with RAW image editing, on the shots that you have selected.

RAW Image Editing 1

Second part of this lesson, where I continue to edit the RAW images with colour grading and correcting.

RAW Image Editing 2

Final part of the editing part of this unit.

RAW Image Editing 3

Retouching: What Should Stay and What Should Go 1

Retouching is my final, but extremely important step. In this lesson I’ll demonstrate how to choose what should stay and what should go.