Portrait Film Photography: Capture the spirit of your community
A course by Kendall Bessent , Photographer
Discover the fundamentals of portrait photography with an analog camera and learn how details can be used to create evocative portraits
Discover the fundamentals of portrait photography with an analog camera and learn how details can be used to create evocative portraits
Portrait photography is a powerful tool for telling stories, not only about the individuals involved, but their collective as a whole. For photographer Kendall Bessent, who specializes in analog film, portraits allow him to explore the complexities of his community and highlight their experiences. He’s collaborated with publications such as Teen Vogue and The New York Times, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and i-D, as well as in exhibits by Fotografiska NYC.
In this online course, he teaches you the fundamentals of portrait photography using analog film. Learn camera techniques and how to create evocative images by experimenting with lighting, styling, props, and set design. Capture the spirit of your community and share their story with the world.
What will you learn in this online course?
12 lessons & 12 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (3)
- 304 students
- 12 lessons (1h 6m)
- 12 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Shoot a series of portraits that captures the spirit of your community using a set you’ve designed.
Who is this online course for?
Anyone with an interest in analog photography and storytelling.
Requirements and materials
Basic knowledge of photography and image editing software are required.
As for materials, you need an analog camera, models to photograph, and some common household items to build a set, as well as a computer with an editing program.
Reviews
A course by Kendall Bessent
Atlanta-born Kendall Bessent is a photographer and creative director based in New York City. He never planned to pursue photography, but it’s something he fell into, and later, in love with. He eventually went on to study this art form in college. Through his work, he explores the complexities of the Black experience and Black emotion with the aim of instilling self-love and confidence in people who look like him.
Kendall has collaborated with publications such as Teen Vogue, The New York Times and The Cut, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and i-D, as well as in exhibits by Fotografiska NYC. He was also selected for a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Art & Style list in 2022.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Preparing a Photo Session
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Why Analog?
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Developing the Mood
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The Build-Out
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U3
Working on Set
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Getting Crafty with Set Design
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Lighting
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Working with Wardrobe
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Working with Analog Cameras on Set
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The Photoshoot
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U4
Finishing Touches
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Film Developing: Scanning vs Darkroom Prints
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Toning and Color Grading
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FP
Final project
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Portrait Film Photography: Capture the spirit of your community
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
emiliodvs
So goooood!
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diegoiurbinav
I found all that i was looking for of this course.
kemrinpa
I loved his approach to the photoshoot. Not everything needs to be super expensive to make it look gorgeous set.