Creative Process for Narrative Photography
A course by Paula ThomasPhotographer and Visual Artist
A course by Paula Thomas, Photographer and Visual Artist
Narrative photography is a powerful medium for telling stories. Learn to create a photo series from scratch.
In this online course, you will immerse yourself in the fascinating world of narrative photography at the hands of Paula Thomas, a renowned photographer and visual artist. You will learn to create photographic series that tell captivating stories, fusing fashion and documentary in controlled environments with staging. Become an expert in the construction of visual works with their own content and style.
Discover how to structure your story using resources such as light, color and the direction of characters. You will learn to conceptualize your ideas, create storyboards, organize your inspirations and develop an effective shooting process. In addition, you will explore post-production techniques and presentation of your work. Immerse yourself in this unique experience and unlock your imagination to create memorable visual stories.
What will you learn in this online course?
20 lessons & 29 downloads
What is a photographic series?
9 minutes, 58 seconds
What is a visual narrative?
2 minutes, 46 seconds
Photographic series: narrative resources
11 minutes, 11 seconds
How was the idea born?
2 minutes, 33 seconds
brainstorming
9 minutes, 39 seconds
the storyboard
10 minutes, 4 seconds
What's included in this course?
In this course, you will enter the fascinating world of narrative photography at the hands of Paula Thomas. To start, you will discover what a photographic series is and how to characterize a visual narrative.
Next, you will learn to structure your story using resources such as light, color and the direction of characters. Paula will give you valuable tips to find and conceptualize impactful ideas. You will learn to create storyboards and organize your inspirations effectively.
Then, you'll dive into set preparation and staging, working with characters and props. After the photo session, you will select the most powerful images and submit them to a post-production and ordering process.
Finally, Paula will teach you different formats to present your work and you will be able to investigate beyond the technical possibilities of your camera, developing your own style in narrative photography.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
In the final project of this course, you will have the opportunity to apply everything you have learned and create a sequence for a photo editorial. From conceptualization to delivery, you will be challenged to develop a visually compelling story with meaningful content.
Using the techniques and resources taught by Paula Thomas, you will be able to transmit emotions and synthesize a story through your images. Show your talent and skills in storytelling photography and surprise the world with your own style.
Who is this online course for?
This course is aimed at all those who are passionate about photography and who wish to unleash their imagination to develop memorable visual stories. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or have previous experience in photography, this course will provide you with the necessary tools to explore visual storytelling in a controlled environment.
If you are looking to tell stories through photography, fusing fashion and documentary, this course is perfect for you. Dive into this creative journey and learn a new way of conveying your ideas and those of others through storytelling photography.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, it is recommended to have basic knowledge of photography and be familiar with an image editing program, such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. In addition, you will need to have the following materials: A digital camera, interchangeable lenses or native lenses of your camera, tripod, artificial lighting, installed image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom.
Reviews
- 9 months ago
ottimo
- 1 year ago
Es un gran curso, una introducción positiva al proceso creativo, con unos recursos adicionales muy interesantes y que realmente sacuden los cimientos de la creatividad y la narrativa, un abrazo gigante!
- 2 years ago
Es indudable el cúmulo de conocimientos de la ponente con extraordinario currículum. No sé qué esta ocurriéndome con este curso. No acaba de engancharme. Quizá su aparente simplicidad me ha hecho tener unos visionados excesivamente "light". Creo que es indispensable tomar notas de lo que dice muy sintéticamente y con brevedad. En otro caso, no se recordará nada. Volveré a rehacerlo desde el principio construyendo apuntes.
- 2 years ago
Excelente curso!! Paula explica a detalle y paso a paso el proceso. estoy aprendiendo mucho.
- 2 years ago
It is an interesting course. I recommend it a lot.
In addition to her experience in the field of photography, Paula has worked as a director of photography at VICE and has been a mentor on Behance. She is a member of the Colombian Reojo Photographic Collective and has specialized in addressing issues related to gender and identity, fusing fashion and documentary in her projects.
With a passionate approach to light, color and visual storytelling, Paula seeks to reinterpret emotions and tell stories through her images. Her unique style and innovative perspective make her an inspirational source for those interested in narrative photography and the art of creating visual works with content and style of their own.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- influences
- U2
Prepare everything to tell a story
- What is a photographic series?
- What is a visual narrative?
- Photographic series: narrative resources
- How was the idea born?
- U3
the creative process
- brainstorming
- the storyboard
- Inspiration and mood board
- U4
Let's do it
- Materials and photographic equipment
- Assemble the set and set up the equipment
- The photo session: the characters 1
- The photo session: the characters 2
- The photo session: the still life
- U5
Select, edit and present
- The selection of images 1
- The selection of images 2
- Basic Post Production Settings 1
- Basic Post Production Settings 2
- Build series sequence
- output formats
- FP
Final project
- Narrative photography on studio
What to expect from a Domestika course
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.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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.
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.
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.
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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FAQs
You’ll learn how to conceptualize, plan, and produce narrative photo series using lighting techniques, storyboards, mood boards, art direction, and editing to develop your own style and tell stories through images.
This course is aimed at intermediate learners who already have basic photography skills and want to dive deeper into visual storytelling, art direction, and creating personal photo series.
You’ll need basic photography knowledge, a camera (digital or film), access to editing software, and materials for mood boards or storyboards. Professional gear isn’t required, but you should be ready to experiment and create.
The course guides you through self-exploration exercises, analysis of references, brainstorming, and conceptualization practices to help you identify personal themes and visual resources that shape your unique style.
A storyboard is a visual tool that helps you plan each shot, define color palettes, characters, and lighting, ensuring narrative and aesthetic consistency throughout your photo series.
You’ll learn how to select and apply cohesive color palettes using visual references, digital tools, and project themes to strengthen your images’ message and visual unity.
The course covers natural and artificial lighting, use of diffusers, reflectors, and color temperature control to create mood and enhance visual storytelling in portraits and scenes.