MASTER PORTRAIT

PHOTOGRAPHY
From Beginner to Professional

Learn lighting, posing, composition and editing from working photographers. Create images you'll be proud to share and get paid for.

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40,000+ Students
120+ Portrait Classes
4.9 ★★★★★ Average Rating

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Choose a topic and start your photography journey today.
Natural Light Portraiture

Natural Light Portraiture

Start simple with minimal gear but incredible results

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Studio Portraiture

Studio Portraiture

From one light to four. With studio portraiture,
the opportunities are
endless!

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Business Portraiture

Business Portraiture

Whether in the studio or
on location. Take great
business portraits.

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Environmental Portraits

Environmental Portraiture

Create high-quality
images of people at work
on-location.

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Creative Portraits

Creative Portraiture

Let your creativity shine
and take more creative
portraits.

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★ Featured Class

The Fundamentals of Portrait Photography

Build the foundation for lighting mastery and creative control. This class is the ideal starting point for anyone wanting to understand the core principles of portrait lighting - without relying on guesswork or diagrams.

  • How to work with just one light - no modifiers
  • Making the most of small studio spaces
  • Creative DIY tools to shape light and shadows
Explore This Class
DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

Real Students. Real Results.

Join thousands of photographers who transformed their skills.
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Diana Boneva
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Amazing service! The education provided by the platform is very comprehensive and meets industry standards. Thank you so much!
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William David
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Excellent instructor, well explained lessons and very nice results. The best photography courses online!
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Bashar Mardini
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I joined the course back in 2019 and I am still an active user simply because there is no other course, as far as I know, that is as comprehensive as this one.
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Chuck Haynes
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I would give more than 5 stars if I could! This is the most comprehensive team of lighting/photography teaching professionals the world and internet has to offer.
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Nishant Soni-1670
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The best on the planet period
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HOW IT WORKS

Your Journey to Better Photography

Simple steps. Real progress. Lasting results.

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1 - Watch Expert Lessons
Learn step-by-step from working photgraphers with easy to follow video lessons.
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2 - Practice and Apply
Try new techniques and
challenge yourself with
guided Briefs & Projects.
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3 - Get Feedback & Improve
Take part in review sessions
and critiques and ask
questions under each class.
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Start with a Free Gift

Get our Portrait Posing Guide - Tips for posing any subject
GET STUCK IN!

Ready to create portraits you’ll be proud of?

Join 40,000+ photographers and start learning today

Start Your Journey Now 

Unlimited Access     -     New Courses Added Monthly     -     Learn at Your Own Pace     -     Cancel Anytime

Featured Portrait Photography Classes

An ideal starting point for anyone wanting to learn portrait photography
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A handpicked selection of Karl’s favourite portrait photography lessons, chosen to fast-track your lighting skills.

What you’ll learn:

  • Practical, real-world portrait lighting techniques used on professional shoots
  • Proven methods to shape and control light with confidence
  • How to create consistent, professional-quality portraits with simple setups
  • How to get more from minimal gear and work effectively in any space
     

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

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

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

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)

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
Creative Portrait Photography
  • 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

Business Portrait Lighting Setups

Learn how to photograph business portraits & corporate headshots
Business Portrait Lighting Setups
  • 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

Environmental & Commercial 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

Portrait Extras

Lighting walkthroughs to help you understand light and guest interviews
Portrait Extras
  • 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
GET STUCK IN!

Ready to create portraits you’ll be proud of?

Join 40,000+ photographers and start learning today

Start Your Journey Now 

Unlimited Access     -     New Courses Added Monthly     -     Learn at Your Own Pace     -     Cancel Anytime