STYLING + PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS

Online course | Guided

Course starts April 16 2018

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Take your photography and styling to the next level with structured lessons, videos, Q&A’s and individual feedback on your photos

When I first started on my food photography journey nearly six years ago, I spent hours upon hours scrolling through the internet trying to understand my camera, photography, lighting and styling. It was a looooong, confusing and at some times extremely frustrating process.

What I yearned for was an online resource where I could learn everything I wanted to know, get feedback on my images to help me grow, and be able to ask the questions I couldn’t find the answers for.

So this is the resource which wasn’t available when I started out, but IS available to you now – all the photography and styling resources you could want, the answers to your questions and feedback that is specific to YOU!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Food Photography + Styling Masterclass follows a similar structure as my self-paced online course, but with additional content including weekly videos, Q&A’s and option of feedback on your work.

Each week you will receive a series of guides, which will include text, photos and videos, and (optional) exercises.

You’ll receive access to a Facebook group where you can ask questions, submit the weekly exercises, receive feedback, and a weekly Q&A.

At the end of the course, there will be a major assignment where you will be given a photography brief to shoot for. You will be able use all of the skills you’ve gained throughout the course to take your photos, and then submit them for individual, detailed feedback.

There will also be bonus material throughout, including a peek into how I style, shoot and edit end-to-end.

 

WEEK 1 (April 16) – Shooting in manual

Week one is all about learning to shoot in manual. We’ll go through how to understand the manual settings on your camera so that you can shoot in manual with confidence.

WEEK 2 (April 23) – Photography fundamentals

Week two will start to delve into the foundations of photography – backgrounds and props and how to use them as well as camera angles. You’ll also receive a guide on how to create a basic photography set up.

WEEK 3 (April 30) – Natural lighting

Week three we will delve into lighting one of the most – if not THE most – important aspect of food photography. We’ll go over why lighting is so important, the benefits of shooting in natural lighting, how to understand and manipulate light, and how to find the best light (ie – the best place to shoot!) in your home.

WEEK 4 (May 7) – Styling + composition

Week four is where we will start getting stuck into the really fun stuff and the styling side of photography. We’ll go over styling basics, composition, plating, and how to draw the viewers eye in.

WEEK 5 (May 14) – Advanced styling + story-telling

Week five will build on some of the styling basics we touched on the previous week, and look at a few advanced techniques, as well as looking at story-telling, and how to develop your own style.

WEEK 6 (May 21) – Wrap up and major assignment

The final week will be a wrap up week, final questions, and your major assignment which will allow you to practice and apply all of the skills and techniques you’ve learnt throughout the course.

THE DELIVERY

Each week, you will receive access to a brand new module for the week, a series of instructional tuition, images and videos.

There will be weekly exercises, a Facebook group where you will meet the other Masterclass members and share images, ideas and support.

There will also be a weekly Q&A and feedback via the Facebook group, as well as a major assignment at the end where you will combine all of the knowledge you’ve learnt throughout the course and will apply it to make a series of photos which you will receive individual, detailed feedback on.

THE MASTERCLASS IS NOW CLOSED

Testimonials

I cannot tell you how incredibly valuable this course was for me. As someone who’s had no formal training or education in photography, you’ve not only given me a solid foundation of the essentials of food photography and styling that I desperately needed but also tools and guidance that will continue to support me as my skills improve.
Although this course is online and self-paced, it was interactive and engaging all the way through. For someone who admittedly was not very enthusiastic about photography at the start, I have to say your beautiful, playful, and professional photo and video “How-To’s” won me over. What could have been dense and dry content, you made an absolute pleasure to read, watch, and learn about. Thank you Dearna!
Katie Schmidt

Whole Nourishment

I loved the content in this course and learned an incredible amount. All of the skills are transferable to any type of still photography – not just food! Since the brain process images 60,000 times faster that text, being able to capture beautiful imagery is truly an invaluable asset to anyone creating original photographic content in the online space.

Cherie Bobbins

Cherie Bobbins

I found these guides so inspiring! As an amateur food photographer, the guides helped me to advance on what I knew already and to experiment with new techniques. From using shadow boards to editing in Lightroom,everything in the guides is relevant and useful, I would recommend them to anyone wanting to get into food photography/styling or to advance their existing skills .

Gabrielle O'Dea

Nourish The Day

What equipment do I need?

At a minimum, it is recommended that you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera and lens. You will have access to an equipment guide once you join which will talk through other equipment you might wish to purchase if and when you feel ready too, with budget-friendly and DIY options included as well.

Do I need Lightroom or Photoshop?

The Styling + Photography Masterclass does not cover photo editing, and therefore you will not need any photo editing software specifically for this course. If this is what you are interested in photo editing, tis is covered comprehensively in the Editing Guides.

Can I get feedback on the photos I've taken?

Yes you can! You will have the opportunity to submit your weekly photos for feedback via the Facebook group, as well as have a weekly Q&A where you can ask questions.

At the end of the course, you will receive a mock photography brief for which you will produce a series of images to submit and receive constructive feedback on.

 

Will we cover artificial lighting?

As I personally prefer to shoot exclusively in natural lighting and believe it produces a more beautiful, natural image, all teaching is based around learning, utilising, manipulating – and loving! – natural light.

We therefore do not touch on using artificial lighting in food photography.

Do I need Facebook to do this course?

To get the most out of this course, it is recommended that you use Facebook. The weekly Q&A’s will be conducted through Facebook, as well as getting to meet, chat and share images, ideas and feedback with other members.

Please note that while individual, personal feedback via email will be given for the major assignment; weekly feedback will only be available via the Facebook group and is not possible via email.

I have no photography experience, is this course for me?

Yes! This course is aimed at those with a beginner/intermediate level skills in photography and styling, and you do not need any prior photography experience to taking this course.

 

Is it worth joining if I only have an iPhone?

Maybe. While some of the content is relevant to general photography and styling, the first week focuses solely on how to use manual settings on a DSRL. There are also some other lessons which will draw on how to get certain “looks” using these manual settings, which simply can’t be reproduced using a smartphone.

That said, there is a lot of content which can be applied regardless of your camera, including most of the Styling lessons, as well as some of the general photography ones. If you are thinking of upgrading to a DSLR soon, then you will definitely find value in this course, and as you have life-time access, you can come back to the manual camera lessons once you purchase your DSLR. If you are unsure, please send me an email before purchasing.

How long will I need to set aside each week.
To get as much out of the course as possible, I would recommend spending a minimum of 4 – 5 hours each week, which includes reading the guides, watching the videos, doing the exercises, and participating in the Facebook group discussions.
As with most things, you will get out what you put in, so the more time you can spend doing the exercises and practising the techniques in each guide, the better 🙂
What is the difference between your other Styling + Photography course, and the Masterclass?
The Styling + Photography guides are a self-paced course which go through each of the main areas of styling and photography, and can be done at your own pace.
The Masterclass draws on similar material, but also contains a lot of additional resources such as a weekly Q&A, weekly intro video, and extra tips through the Facebook group. You will also have the chance to get feedback on your images each week through the Facebook group, as well as receiving more detailed feedback on your major assignment.