Learn Portrait and Fashion Photography
Take images that stand out, grab attention, and make you the photographer people want to work with.
Explore our range of classes that bring two of photography’s biggest topics together to help you learn the techniques, skills, and approaches that will make your work turn heads.
Learn to create stunning images in a variety of locations with world-class pros
From rugged, wind-swept portraits in natural light to high-end fashion shoots in professional studios, learn from world-renowned photographers who teach you the techniques you need to consistently produce your best work.
Classes For Every Level, To Follow At Your Own Pace.
Just starting out and want to learn the basics? Or are you an advanced pro ready to master specific lighting techniques and gain insights into working with professional models? Find the right class to help you reach your next level, in your own time.
When you’re ready, test your learning, skills, and confidence, and receive personalised feedback, with our ‘Working to a Brief’ assignments.
Get Started
With a monthly subscription, join our thriving community of Visual Artists who enjoy full access to our platform of resources; classes, LIVE workshops, Working to a Brief, competitions and resources to help you learn, create and thrive.
Explore Our Portrait and Fashion Photography Classes
Natural Light Portrait Photography
Learn how to shoot stunning natural light portraits- 19 Classes
- 4 Hours content
- Level: Basic
From single subjects, couples, families, and children - develop an understanding of all things natural light photography
What you’ll learn:
- Making the most of natural light
- Ideal camera settings and lenses
- Useful equipment and when to use it
- Photographing children indoors and on location
- Posing individuals, families and couples
- How to use reflectors & diffusers to control natural light
Introduction: Keeping the Focus on Your Model
Location Scouting
Balancing the Exposure of the Natural Backlighting and Model
The Train Carriage
Portrait Photography with Natural Light: Autumnal Orchard
Opportunity Photography
Indoor Portrait Photography
The Dark Forest
Photographing Kids Using Natural Light
Identifying and Photographing Indoor Locations for Portraits
Utilising Available Space and Natural Light Indoors for Portraits
Photographing Portraits in the Warm Evening Sun
Emerald Forest
How to Photograph Portraits in the Midday Sun
Family and Group Portraiture
Couples and Engagement Photography
Posing Your Subjects: Single, Couple or Group Shots
Suggested Gear
Image Review and Lightroom Adjustments
One-Light Portrait Lighting Setups
Don’t have a lot of studio lights? No problem…- 10 Classes
- 3 Hours content
- Level: Basic
Don’t have a lot of studio lights? No problem…
This section shows 10 creative examples of how to use just one light and basic modifiers for portrait photography.
What you’ll learn:
- Techniques for controlling light in a small studio
- How to control light and shadow
- Working with and posing your subject
- Creating lighting effects such as rim lighting, soft light and shadows
- Lighting setups for close-up and full-length portraits
Simulating Sunlight With a Studio Light
Simulating Sun and Shadow With a Studio Light
One-Light Surround Lighting for Portraiture
Bold Single Soft Light for a Three Quarter-Length Portrait
Portrait Beauty Lighting With One Light
Soft Single-Light Portrait
Rim Lighting Photography for Stunning Portraits
Dramatic Single-Light Portrait With Harsh Shadows
Very Soft Single-Light Portrait With White Background
Contoured Single Soft-Light Portrait
Two-Light Portrait Lighting Setups
Master creative portrait photography with two studio lights- 11 Classes
- 4+ Hours content
- Level: Basic - Intermediate
There’s a lot you can do with just two studio lights. All you need is the right knowledge and little creativity.
What you’ll learn:
- How to make a small studio work for you
- Balancing multiple lights to create different effects
- How to create hard, dramatic lighting for portraiture
- How to create soft, contoured lighting for portraiture
- Shooting creative portrait photography with a moving subject
- Setups for both full length and close up portraits
Male Rim-Lit Portraiture
Two-Light Portraiture
Stunning Two-Light Beauty Set
Dramatic Portraits
‘Deep Umbrella’ Techniques
Two-Light Harsh Fashion Lighting
Stunning Soft and Contoured Lighting
The Rectangular Ring Light
Two-Light Male Portrait
Moody Two-Light Control
Enchanting Two-Light Result
Soft Side-Lighting and Fill
Three-Light Portrait Lighting Setups
Creative portrait photography set-ups with three studio lights- 10 Classes
- 3+ Hours content
- Level: Intermediate
Test your skills and learn how to get creative with these 10 examples of three light setups for portrait photography.
What you’ll learn:
- Techniques for controlling light in a small studio
- Lighting setups for close-up and full-length portraits
- Incorporating flare for creative effect
- Lighting techniques for high-key portraits
- Using v-flats for portrait lighting
- Combining natural light & studio flash (working with mixed lighting)
Male Full Length Portraiture
Bright and Stylish
Strong, Bold and Dynamic
Three-Quarter-Length Portrait With Soft Light and Shadows
Contoured Beauty Lighting
Angelic Lighting Result
Sexy and Sensual
Polyboard Lighting
V-Flat Full-Length
Three-Light High-Key Fashion
Combining Natural and Artificial Light on Location for Portraits
Four-Light Portrait Lighting Setups
Creative portrait photography set-ups with four studio lights- 12 Classes
- 3+ Hours content
- Level: Intermediate - Advanced
The creative possibilities are endless if you’re using four studio lights, and in this course you’ll see exactly what you can do.
What you’ll learn:
- Learn how to apply lighting theory to add that extra level of creativity
- Photographing moving models
- Lighting techniques for high-key portraits
- Using v-flats for portrait lighting
- Creating mood with lighting
Creative Portrait Photography
Learn how to shoot more creative portraits
- 10 Classes
- 12+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
Learn how to shoot more creative portraits with this series of classes, covering everything from Hollywood-style lighting to gelled lighting with bold, eye-catching colours or black and white portraiture.
What you’ll learn:
- Creating mood and emotion in a photo
- How to shoot black and white portraits
- Using specialist lighting modifiers for portrait photography
- Gelled lighting for creative portrait photography
- How to create a simple set for portrait shoots
- Long exposures and multiple exposures for portraiture
Male Portraiture with DIY Canvas Backdrop
The Power of the Matt-Black Studio Box
Splash Portrait Photography for 3D Animation
Creative Portrait Lighting 2.0
Creative Portrait Lighting 3.0
Creative Portrait Lighting 1.0
Creative Moving Bodies Photoshoot
Creative Portrait Lighting Techniques (Part 2)
Creative Portrait Lighting Techniques
Painterly Portraits and Lighting Lessons with Urs Recher
Shooting Black and White Portraits
Business Portrait Lighting Setups
Learn how to photograph business portraits & corporate headshots
- 11 Classes
- 7+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
Whether you’re working in the studio or on location, learn effective lighting setups and techniques to help you create business portrait photos and headshots your clients will love.
What you’ll learn:
- How to photograph business portraits & corporate headshots
- Business portrait lighting setups for studio & location shoots
- How to photograph subjects with glasses
- Pre-shoot considerations for business portraiture
- How to balance mixed lighting (natural light & studio flash)
- Flattering lighting for older subjects
How To Take Group Photos
Portraits of People Wearing Glasses
Studio Business Portrait
Small Office Space Portrait
Instant Business Portrait
Business Portraiture and Headshots
Business Portrait Theory
Soft Lighting for Older Male Portraits
How to Clean Paper Backgrounds in Photoshop
Clamshell Lighting for White Background Business Portraits
Broad Lighting Setup for Older Male Business Portrait
Umbrella Lighting for Mature Business Portraits
Environmental Portraits
Learn how to create high-quality images of people at work
- 6 Classes
- 2+ Hours content
- Level: Basic - Intermediate
Environmental portraiture is a genre of photography that’s often in high demand, used for anything from annual reports to websites.
Learn how to create high-quality images of people at work with this series of classes.
What you’ll learn:
- Effective planning for photographing people at work
- Equipment & lighting modifiers for shooting on location
- Balancing natural light & studio flash in tricky situations
- Techniques for communicating with your subject
- Setting the scene & composition techniques for location shoots
How to Photograph Environmental Portraits
Environmental Portraits: Farrier
Environmental Portraits: Cake Designer
Environmental Portraits: Sommelier
Environmental Portraits: Carpenter
Environmental Portraits: Electronics worker
Bowers Concrete Environmental Portraiture with Alex Wallace
Blind Manufacturer Environmental Portraiture with Alex Wallace
Outdoor Lifestyle Photography with Alex Wallace
What’s in My Camera Bag? – Alex Wallace
Portrait Extras
Lighting walkthroughs to help you understand light and guest interviews
- 10 Classes
- 4+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
For portrait photographers looking for a little extra, we’ve collected a series of additional classes to help you further develop your skills.
These include a selection of lighting walkthroughs to help you understand light as well as informative guest interviews with professional photographers, including top wedding photographers and celebrity portrait photographers.
What you’ll learn:
- Portrait photography tips
- Understanding light
- How to identify light in a photo
- Guest interviews with pro portrait photographers
Photo Critique: Corporate and Business Headshots
Conversations With David Stanbury: Creating an Experience (Wedding Photography)
Photo Critique: Portraits 2 (Part 2)
Photo Critique: Portraits 2 (Part 1)
Photo Critique: Portraits 1
Interview With Portrait Photographer Tom Oldham
Interview With Wedding Photographer David Stanbury
Hair Sweep Lighting Walk-Through
Angry Man Lighting Walk-Through
The Emotion of Light
Getting Started in Fashion Photography
Tackle any fashion shoot with confidence and bring your creative ideas to life
- 8 Class
- 2.5 + Hours content
- Level: Basic
Successful fashion shoots are a balance between lots of different things, from concept and styling to teamwork and lighting. This course provides the foundation you need to tackle any fashion shoot with confidence and bring your creative ideas to life.
What you'll learn:
- How to put together the right team and work together
- Developing concepts and communicating ideas
- Sourcing props and outfits economically
- Camera and lens choices for fashion
- Networking and building a portfolio as a fashion photographer
Introduction to Fashion Photography
Developing Concepts and Establishing Your Style
Growing Your Network and Building Your Fashion Photography Portfolio
Sourcing Clothing and Styling for Fashion Shoots on a Budget
Sets, Props and Locations for Fashion Photography
Cameras and Lenses for Fashion Photography
Lighting Modifiers for Fashion Photography
Building Studio Blocks and Frames
Studio Fashion Photography
Bring your creative ideas to life
- 30 Classes
- 20+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
Learn how to bring your creative ideas to life with these in-depth fashion photography classes aimed at teaching you how to get great results when in the studio and on set.
What you'll learn:
- Developing creative concepts for fashion photography
- Working with, and getting the best out of your models
- Building sets and creating DIY props
- Equipment and lighting for fashion photography
- Creating images in a variety of styles and moods
Apricot Fashion Shoot
Deep Blue Fashion Shoot
Solar Flair Fashion Shoot
Solar Flair Fashion | Post-Production
White Blocks Fashion Shoot
White Blocks Fashion | Post-Production
Sixties Fashion Shoot
Sixties Fashion | Post-Production
Rebel Colours Fashion Shoot
Rebel Colours Fashion | Post-Production
Legs Up Fashion Shoot
Legs Up Fashion | Post-Production
Fast-Flash Jelly Headshots
Dual Lighting Fashion Shoot
Dual Lighting Fashion Shoot | Post-Production
A Monochromatic Moment in Time Fashion Shoot
A Monochromatic Moment in Time | Post-Production
Coloured Gels Fashion Shoot
Photographing a Model In Motion
How to Photograph Legs
Theatrical Light Fashion Shoot
Retro Sci-Fi Fashion Shoot
Pop Fashion Shoot
Matching Hues Fashion Shoot
Innocence Fashion Shoot
Clean Cut Fashion Shoot
Fantasy Fatale
Liquid Fashion
Liquid Fashion Retouching
Model Paint Blast
Model Throws Paint
Fashion Photography Using Laser Lighting and Flash Photography
Futuristic Fashion Photography
Falling Girl: Photographing a Model in Motion
Knockout Creative Techniques
Lighting and Making a Small Set
On-Location Fashion Photography
Learn how to create your own stunning fashion images using natural light or studio flash
- 17 Classes
- 3+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
On-location fashion photography presents you with a whole host of challenges and hurdles to jump, but when you know the right skills, the results can be truly breathtaking and the perfect images to really make your portfolio stand out from the rest.
What you'll learn:
- Identifying interesting locations
- Equipment for on-location shoots
- Balancing daylight and studio flash
- Creative thought process for interesting fashion images
- Lighting techniques for shooting on location
Conceptual Fashion Photography: Hazards of the Perfection Paradigm
Photographing Fashion on the Coast With Flash Lighting
Fashion Photography on Location
Seascape Fashion Photography
Flash and Natural Light
High-Speed Sync Location Lighting
Backlighting Sun and Flash
Streetwear Fashion Photography – Skater Girl
Stunning Location Lighting
Simple Fashion on Location
Location Soft Lighting
Lingerie Shoot on Location
Softening Harsh Sunlight for Natural Light Fashion Photography
Fashion Photography on Location Using Speedlights
Simple Sunset Fashion Shoot
Combining Natural Backlighting With Flash on Location
Flash on location
Beauty Photography and Retouching
Master your control of lighting in these in-depth beauty photography classes
- 21 Classes
- 12+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
Broaden your knowledge and jump into the world of beauty photography and retouching with this series of classes which explore the unique intricacies of beauty photography and retouching to get ad campaign-worthy results.
What you'll learn:
- Lighting for beauty photography
- Creative props and accessories
- Refining your images in Post with skin retouching
- Choosing the strongest final image
- Working with your model to get the best results
Stripbox Beauty Shoot
Hard-Light Beauty Shoot
Hard-Light Beauty | Post-Production (Part 1)
Hard-Light Beauty | Post-Production (Part 2)
Hard-Light Beauty | Post-Production (Part 3)
Parabolic Reflector Beauty Shoot
Parabolic Reflector Beauty | Post-Production (Part 1)
Parabolic Reflector Beauty | Post-Production (Part 2)
Parabolic Reflector Beauty | Post-Production (Part 3)
Projection Spotlight Beauty Shoot
Projection Spotlight Beauty | Post-Production (Part 1)
Projection Spotlight Beauty | Post-Production (Part 2)
Bright and Gritty Beauty Photography
Dark and Edgy Beauty Photography
Beauty Photography
Introduction and Beauty Lighting
Forming Graduated Beauty Lighting
Master Beauty Dish Lighting
Beauty-Style Advertising Photography
Lips and Nails Close-up
Beauty-Style Photography Retouch: Getting Started
Beauty-Style Photography Retouch: Colour Adjustments
Beauty-Style Photography Retouch: Liquifying, Burning and Dodging
Beauty Retouch 2: Initial Clean-up
Beauty Retouch 2: Adding and Removing Hair and Liquifying
Beauty Retouch 2: Shine Removal and Lip Definition
Beauty Retouch 2: Remove Fine Hairs, Blemishes and Liquify
Beauty Retouch 2: Eye enhancements
Beauty Lighting Techniques
Modern Fashion Fantasy Shoot
'Fashionscape'
- 19 Classes
- 5+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
In these documentary-style fashion photography tutorials Karl Taylor and his team take you as a fly on the wall through the process of capturing a series of fashion images on a trip to Iceland.
What you'll learn:
- What it takes to plan a fashion shoot
- How model castings and test shoots work
- Combating the challenges of fashion photography
- Shooting in difficult conditions
- What post production is needed on fashion shoots
- How to create large scale prints of your images
Pretrip Planning
Model Castings
Logistics Meeting and Test Shoot
The Challenges of Shooting Fashion on Location
Ice Lagoon Shoot
Light on the Horizon
Storm on the Horizon
Skogafoss Waterfall Shoot
Fashion Shoot at the Site of the DC3 Plane Crash
Dramatic Fashion Shoot in a Surreal Landscape
Surreal Fashion Photography: Alien Worlds
Dramatic Backdrop
Highland Roads
Photographing a Model in Action: Ascension Shoot
Soft Moss Fantasy
Fashionscape: Funny Outtakes!
Fashionscape: Overview and Post-Production – Part 1
Fashionscape: Overview and Post-Production – Part 2
Producing Large Prints
Fashion Extras
- 6 Classes
- 9+ Hours content
- Level: All Levels
We’ve collated a series of additional stand-alone classes to help you take your understanding of fashion photography one step further.
These include a series of critiques on members beauty and fashion images as well as interviews with experts in the industry.
What you'll learn:
- How to determine what is wrong in an image
- What it is like to be a professional portrait and fashion photographer
- How to get started with a career in fashion photography
- The life of a fashion stylist and working on set
EXPLORE MORE CLASSES
Art & Illustration
Photography Essentials
Landscape Photography
Travel Photography
Lighting Theory
Portrait Photography
Natural Light Portraiture
Fashion Photography
Beauty Photography
Food Photography
Product Photography
E-Commerce & Packshot Photography
Cosmetics Photography
Bottle and Beverage Photograph
Jewellery Photography
Automotive Photography
Filmmaking
Post-Production
3D CGI
Makeup Artistry
Business & Marketing
Live Workshops
CREATE
Learn by doing. Apply what you’ve learnt and create your best work by participating in our Working to a Brief, taking part in our weekly challenges and winning prizes in our competitions.
Learn more about our Working to a Brief
View this week's weekly challenge
View our latest competition
THRIVE
Connect with a global community, join LIVE workshops, get certified with levels and become a master of your craft.
View our live workshops
Get certified with LEVELS
Only $19 / Month
Flexible memberships (with no commitments) giving you unlimited access to all classes and workshops, feedback on your work, support from our friendly team, and heaps more…
Start Learning
Cancel online anytime
Learn. Create. Thrive.
Unlimited access to 1000+ classes covering photography, lighting, post-production, CGI, filmmaking, and more PLUS our brand-new certification program LEVELS.
Monthly Plan
$19.00/month
Cancel Anytime
Unlimited Access to All Classes
Learn at Your Own Pace
New Classes Added Every Month
Live Workshops Every Month
Critiques, Competitions, Community
Get Certified with LEVELS
Multiple Languages
Discounts on Top Brands
5.0 Google Reviews Rating
Expert Support
Best Value
Annual Plan
Save 50%DEAL ENDS SOON!
$9.50/month
Cancel Anytime
Unlimited Access to All Classes
Learn at Your Own Pace
New Classes Added Every Month
Live Workshops Every Month
Critiques, Competitions, Community
Get Certified with LEVELS
Multiple Languages
Discounts on Top Brands
5.0 Google Reviews Rating
Expert Support
Lifetime Plan
with Portfolio Review$1490.00
Lifetime access
Lifetime access
Unlimited Access to All Classes
Learn at Your Own Pace
New Classes Added Every Month
Live Workshops Every Month
Critiques, Competitions, Community
Get Certified with LEVELS
Multiple Languages
Discounts on Top Brands
5.0 Google Reviews Rating
Expert Support
Portfolio Review and Certification
Karl Taylor
Co-founder and CEOI founded Visual Education in 2007 an award-winning online education platform dedicated to helping visual artists from around the world expand their knowledge and enhance their skills.
We have trained thousands of visual artists like you and helped them succeed on their creative paths. We are committed to providing you the very best education, skills, techniques, tools and support that you will need to thrive in the visual arts and we are thrilled to welcome you onboard.
Trusted by thousands of users and companies worldwide
Start today and get these FREE bonuses!
