A6629 - Portrait Photography – Beginners

Header
Start Date: 25/09/2025      End Date: 27/11/2025        Start Time: 18:30      End Time: 21:00        Hours per Week: 2.50      No of Weeks: 9
Fees:      £164.00 (tuition)     £295.00 (overseas)     £64.00 (concessionary)
Tutor: Rick Cordell        No of Places: 11
Shadwell Centre

Course Overview

Course Overview
On the Beginners Portrait Photography course, you will start to learn how to create effective portraits of a range people within the studio environment. On the Beginners course you will be introduced to basic incandescent and studio flash lighting techniques and how to use your camera and lens creatively. You will be introduced to the work of various portrait photographers to draw inspiration from and learn how to direct your subject. Through the weeks, the course will consist on a series of lectures, demonstrations, and practical sessions in the studio. This course is intended to progress you onto the Intermediate Portrait Photography course the following term.

Objectives

Objectives
Objective 1
Objective 1
Understand how to set the camera up and its basic operation in the studio.
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 2
Understand basic health and safety requirements in the photo studio.
Prosp User 3
Objective 3
Objective 3
Use basic lighting to make portraits and start to direct the subject to make an image.
Prosp User 4
Objective 4
Objective 4
Start to understand how different focal length lenses affect the image.
Prosp User 5
Objective 5
Objective 5
Be aware of some well-known portrait photographers.
Prosp User 6
Objective 6
Objective 6
empty
Objective6
Objective 7
Objective 7
empty
Objective7
Objective 8
Objective 8
empty
Objective8
Objective 9
Objective 9
empty
Objective9
Objective 10
Objective 10
empty
Objective10

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements
Some understanding of photography is required. You may have completed our Learn Creative Digital Photography course or similar level programme.
Prosp User 8

Equipment Required

Equipment Required
A digital camera capable of shooting in a manual mode. A memory stick. A notebook and pen.
Prosp User 9

What courses can I go on to?

What courses can I go on to?
The Introduction to Portrait Photography is intended to prepare you for the Intermediate Portrait Photography course the following term. There are also a range of photography courses held at Idea Store Learning that will further develop your photographic knowledge such as: Creative Digital Photography Intermediate. Your tutor will help guide you onto an appropriate course.
Prosp User 10

What examination is there?

What examination is there?
At the beginning of the course an initial assessment takes place to identify your level of experience knowledge or current skills, and you will be asked to complete and sign a health screening questionnaire.

The tutor will carry out informal assessments to check your understanding, there is no exam.

You will complete a self-assessment at the beginning, middle and end of the course and you will participate in regular self assessment.

Your tutor will let you know how you are getting on throughout the course, to help you work to your full potential.

At the end of the course you will receive written feedback.
Prosp User 11

How will I know I am making progress?

How will I know I am making progress?
You will have an ‘Individual Learning Plan’ where the course learning outcomes are shown and where you can set individual learning goals and monitor your own progress against these.

You will need to evaluate your own progress and manage your time.

Your tutor will give you ongoing feedback and how to make improvements in your work and will keep you informed of your progress.

Video recording might be used as a reflective tool.
Prosp User 12

Other Info

Other Info
In general, we will not allow late entries to any course after the first two weeks. To maximise your chances of benefiting from the course fully we expect you to attend all scheduled sessions and that you should do so punctually and are ready to start learning at the start of the class.
Prosp User 13

Extra Support

Extra Support
If you have declared a learning difficulty, disability or support need whilst enrolling and you require support/assistance in class or to complete your course, please discuss your needs with your tutor at the first lesson.

If you intend to take an examination and feel you have an additional learning need or special requirements, you must declare them to your tutor within the first 2 weeks of your course.

If you are studying in an online group, then you can arrange a one-to-one online discussion with your tutor, after the session, or by email.

Where we aim to make reasonable adjustments to support our learners, please note we are unable to provide any type of in class or in person support if your course takes place online.
Prosp User 14