Self Portrait Specialization

Influences | Laura Zalenga

In this lesson, I want to share my main influences.

Influences | Sofie Sund

If you'd like to explore the artists that have molded my style, in this lesson, I will show you some of my favorite artists and tell you why I find them inspiring.

Influences | Angela Garcia

There are many references that inspire me when thinking about photography, but now I will show you some of the artists that have influenced my self-portrait work.

Module 2

What if your emotions could take shape in a photograph? Guided by Lídia Vives, you’ll explore the power of self-portraiture as artistic expression. Learn how to turn feelings into striking, symbolic images—blending narrative, aesthetics, and introspection to craft portraits where you become both the subject and the storyteller.

24 lessons (4h 29m)

Referents of the Self-Portrait

In this lesson you will see some artists of the self portrait that I like and that I think could serve as inspiration.

Style Guide for Self-Portrait

In this lesson I will teach you some tricks to have your own style and I will explain what mine is like and why it is like that.

Finding Inspiration and Making the Mood Board

In this lesson I will explain how you can find inspiration and how you could make your mood board.

Finding Props

In this lesson, I will teach you some tricks to get the props you will need for your self portrait.

Materials

In this lesson I will show you what materials I am going to work with for my photo session. You will see what possible materials we have, how they work, when you should use them and when not.

Learning to pose

In this lesson, you will learn the most important things in a self portrait; how to pose so that your image works and looks good on camera.

Prepare the set: props and lighting

We started with the photo session. You will see how we prepare the set with all the material that we are going to use (both props and lighting) and do the art direction.

Shooting: close-up

We started with the photo session. You will see how we apply what was previously learned and I will teach you to focus and frame well. We start with a close-up photo.

Shooting: medium shot

Now we are going to take a photograph of a medium shot. We will review how to change camera settings, how to position the tripod, and how to modify lighting accessories.

Development in Camera Raw 1

We will start with the development. In this lesson I will teach you how to prepare your image so that you can later retouch it with Photoshop.

Development in Camera Raw 2

We continue learning how to prepare our photography in Camera Raw.

Development in Camera Raw 3

We work on the last details of our photo in Camera Raw, before moving on to Photoshop.

16m

Cleaning the image 1

Now that you've developed your image, I'll show you how to clean it using the plaster and clone pad in Photoshop. I will also show you how I make the photomontage.

We continue cleaning the different elements of our image. In this case we will pay special attention to the retouching of a part of the hair and lips.

Cleaning the image 2

16m

Cleaning the image 3

We continue with the cleaning of our image working with elements such as the septum, the eyes or the flowers in the background.

19m

Cleaning the image 4

We continue cleaning. We continue working on adding and retouching the flowers in the background of our photograph.

Before starting to retouch the elements of the photo, we have just cleaned with the integration of the background flowers.

Cleaning the image 5

In this lesson, you will see various methods to do a good skin retouch.

Skin retouching 1

We continue to learn how to retouch the skin in our image, paying special attention to the face in this case.

Skin retouching 2

18m

Contrast and color 1

In this lesson, you will learn how to apply contrast and color to your photo.

We continue to learn how to configure the color and contrast of our photography.

Contrast and color 2

Liquify filter, focus and texture

We can now put the finishing touch. Here I will teach you how to model with the smoothie and refocus and add texture.

19m

Saving your Photo

In this lesson you will see the different ways to save your final photograph.

Submit your photograph

Now that you have your photograph ready, you just have to print it! Here I will show you different supports and why do I recommend each of them.

Module 3

There’s something quietly powerful about turning the camera on yourself—not to pose, but to observe. Through the gentle guidance of Daniella Benedetti, you’ll explore how to build self-portraits from fragments of daily life. These small, familiar scenes become an intimate canvas for expressing your identity with honesty, subtlety, and emotion.

13 lessons (2h 20m)

Different paths for a project

In this lesson we will see different photographers around the world working with self-portraits and intimate life storytelling. We will see how each of them addresses different styles and photographic solutions.

Five key questions to think about your project

Next, I'll help you find your personal inspiration. I will show you what my internal processes were and, finally, I will leave you some questions so that you begin to understand what part of you you want to portray.

How to create a mood board for the project

Now we are going to organize our favorite references and then create a detailed mood board with these images. This is a very useful process that will later serve as a guide for taking our photographs.

Materials

In this lesson I am going to talk to you about some of the different materials that we can use when taking our photographs. These materials will be our allies and will help us to obtain our final results. I will give you different options to work with.

From praise to trial and error: recursion

In this lesson we are going to learn to be resourceful with the materials and equipment that we have at our disposal, since many times when we are doing our projects, inspiration or the perfect moment for a photo catches us off guard and with few elements at hand. Here we will learn that we can do a lot with very little.

Self-portrait shooting: keys

In this lesson you will be able to accompany me, see my way of working closely and you will accompany me in the construction of my final self-portrait. I will show you how I set my camera according to the light I have available, you will see how I build the frame of my image and how I prepare for my performance in front of the camera.

Self portrait shooting: how to include another person in your photo

Sometimes to take these types of photographs we need the help of some extra hands. That is why in this lesson we will see how we can guide third parties to help us create our photography. We must learn to direct and control the situation.

Image selection 1

In this lesson I will guide you through the process of selecting the final photograph. We will see why some images work better than others and you will accompany me in my own discarding and selection process towards my ideal final photo.

We continue with the process of selecting the images that we have taken during the shooting.

Image selection 2

Basic development in Lightroom 1

Next, we will do a basic development of our photo in Lightroom Classic. We will see the main tools to give a special touch to our photographs and, in addition, I will explain how some filters work and we will see how we can handle them to give a special touch to our photo.

Basic development in Lightroom 2

We continue to review the step by step process of editing the photos we have taken.

Manual intervention of the image

In this lesson I will show you how, on some occasions, I manually intervene my images in the form of a diary. This is a new part of my work that I have been exploring for a few months, so together we will explore the manual and digital intervention of our images with text and drawing.

Storytelling and personal life

Now we are going to create a visual story with the photographs taken during the course and with other photographs from our archives. The idea is to add a context to our images, so we will create a story behind our images with the goal of creating a photographic project or series.

Where to Find Inspiration

Module 4

Ever felt that looking outward through a lens could bring you closer to yourself? Laura Zalenga invites you into the vulnerable, creative process of self-portraiture, where emotion becomes narrative. Through natural light, outdoor settings, and conceptual thinking, you'll explore how photography can express what words often can't—your inner landscape, captured visually.

15 lessons (2h 57m)

In this lesson, I will show you how I search for inspiration on different online platforms (such as Pinterest and Instagram - which are free) and how I collect them on boards with different topics or themes. We will look into which keywords work best depending on each concept. This is important to find and define your style and to create an image-pool you can browse for future concepts.

Two Ways of Finding Your Concept or How I Found the Concept for 6 of My Portfolio Images

The most important thing to say here is there is no guaranteed step-by-step plan to find a concept. Because there is no right or wrong. A concept is an idea. And an idea is a very abstract thing as we all know. When an idea becomes an idea? This is the difficulty and the beauty of it. In this lesson, I will show 6 of the most popular of my photographs and explain where the inspiration for them originates, how the concept came together, and how I executed them. And some fun stories around them.

In this lesson, I will share some photos from locations I found directly around the house to show that it is possible. You will be to doing the same in your surroundings, as a practice task. Also, I will provide you with examples from my neighborhood that aim to inspire you to do the same in your neighborhood and look for the corners that have potential but are normally overlooked, like facades, plants, stairs, or special light situations.

Scouting Locations

In this lesson, you will see what’s in my bag - cameras (Sony A7rii + Sony A7iii), lenses (35mm 1.4 + 85mm 1.4 + 24-70mm 2.8), and accessories (various objects not related to photography; and how I use them). We will also go over my standard settings and technical details such as connecting the camera to a phone.

My Equipment

Practice Self-Portrait Technique

In this lesson, I will show you the different technical set-ups to take a self-portrait. From just having a phone with a timer to having an advanced camera that uses a phone as a remote control to take the photo. You will see that any camera with a self-timer gives you the possibility to take a self-portrait.

Practice Posing

In this lesson, I will show you how to practice and experiment posing by showing you how I experiment with posing. We do that because posing is the language of the body and even subtle changes make a big difference.

In this lesson, we will learn how different natural light situations affect the object we are looking at. We will learn which form of natural light to use best for what expected result. This will help you later on when you have to define which time of the day/ which weather to shoot your final project with to have the result you hope for.

Examine Lighting

Examine Composition, Crop, and Ratio

In this lesson, we will look at different compositions and crops of images and how they change the balance and the effect of an image. We will compare different crops and compositions using the same sample image to see what difference these make to the given image.

Setting Up the Location

In this lesson, I will be covering all the things related to the location: an exploration of the venue, preparation, and equipment set up. In this case, I will be using a camera connected to a phone, which in turn will pose as the remote control to shoot with. Generally speaking, the chosen location is usually fine but sometimes it needs some work to be done to minimize the work we later have to do in editing.

Test Photos - “Trial and Error”

Here, I will start shooting the first photos to test the light, the composition, the poses, and how the location works in-camera. Test shoots are important in order to get the basics right without ruining the outfit already, or become cold before the actual photos are done.

The Final Photos

In this lesson, I will use the feedback gained in the previous lessons to shoot the final image. This time I will use the actual outfit and the practiced poses, paying attention to the light, the angle of the shot, and even experimenting with different views on the location.

Lightroom - Selecting Images

In this lesson, I will show you how I review my images in Lightroom. We will select the best photos from the shoot by making the selection smaller and smaller and we talk about what makes them "the best".

Lightroom - Basic Editing: Game of Trial and Error

In this lesson, we will look at the basic edit in Lightroom. We will look at the composition and potential of other crops. We will look at the contrast, the overall color, and the individual color tones. Lastly, we will export the image to Photoshop.

Photoshop - Final Touches 1

In this lesson, divided into two parts, we will use Photoshop to give the final touches.

Photoshop - Final Touches 2

It is all about details and visually ‘cleaning’ the image to make it more clear.

21m

Module 5

Colors that speak. Light that reveals more than form. Guided by Sofie Sund, you’ll explore how artistic self-portraits can reflect your emotional world. With just a camera—or even a smartphone—you’ll learn to craft expressive images that blend intuition and technique, using color, light, and everyday elements to create work that feels personal and alive.

15 lessons (2h 40m)

Feeling Inspired

To start with, I will talk about how you can draw inspiration from your own feelings and memories, and what you can do to get yourself feeling inspired.

Experimenting with Colors

How can colors be used to express feelings? In this lesson, I will teach you about basic color theory, like the color wheel, color schemes and what different colors can symbolize in photographs. I will also define the three colors I will be focusing on for the course project.

Without Light, There Is No Photo

In this lesson, I will talk about how you can experiment with lighting in your photographs and you will learn some basic theories of light.

The Equipment

What materials will you need for this course? In this lesson, I'll show you what equipment I usually use when shooting self-portraits, and other materials that can be fun to experiment with for your photos.

Brainstorming and the Mood Board

I will now demonstrate how to create a mood board to prepare and plan your photos. This is an important step in defining the direction of your piece.

Setting up the Scene

Next, I will provide an example of how to set up your equipment and get ready to shoot your photos. I will also give you some tips and tricks to keep in mind while preparing your set.

The First Photo: Shaping the Light

How can you manipulate light to create interesting effects? In this lesson, I will show you what's possible by experimenting with the shapes and shades of my lighting.

The Second Photo: Experimenting with Long Exposure

In this lesson, I will capture a second image. You will learn how to use long exposure to achieve a different and interesting effect in your photo.

18m

The Third Photo: Working with Natural Light 1

Let's shoot the last image! In this lesson, I will work with natural light using both my camera and phone to show you the difference between the two.

The Third Photo: Working with Natural Light 2

I will now move to my phone to introduce you to an alternative way to capture your photos. You will learn how to set up your phone—including the placement and internal settings—to achieve the maximum effect.

Selecting and Editing on a Phone 1

I will now look through all the photos I captured with my phone and bookmark the ones that stand out to me, ready to make a final selection of those that I will take forward.

Selecting and Editing on a Phone 2

In the second part of this lesson, I will continue to show you my editing process. I will walk you through two different apps that I like to use.

Selecting and Editing with Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop 1

It's time to edit the photos I took with my camera! I will show you my editing process on a computer. First, I will do some basic editing in Camera Raw, and then move on to Photoshop.

Selecting and Editing with Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop 2

I will now work with the remaining photo, tweaking elements such as exposure, color, contrast, size, and so on to optimize the result.

The Final Result and Sharing Your Work

I'm happy with the edits I've made. Let's look at the final results! I will talk about what you can do with your photos, and how to share them with others once you've finished them.

Do you want to know everything you will need to take this course and take self-portraits? In this lesson, I will show you the possible tools and materials that you will use, from the most basic things like the camera to the editing programs once you have already taken your photos.

Module 6

Imagine stepping into every role behind and in front of the lens—stylist, director, model, and storyteller. Through the lens of Ángela García, you’ll explore fashion self-portraiture as a space for experimentation, identity, and visual narrative. Learn how to craft striking, editorial-style images that blend technical precision with bold, personal expression.

11 lessons (1h 4m)

equipment and tools

The mood board and the concept

Now I will show you how I choose the concept of my photo session and, from there, I will show you how to create a mood board that will serve as a reference.

Self-knowledge and posed

As you already know, your project will consist of taking self-portraits. For this reason, it is very important that you experiment in front of the mirror to get to know yourself in more detail: your gaze, your hands, your arms and, ultimately, everything you are going to photograph. I'll show you how to do some self-awareness exercises, and then I'll teach you some key portrait posing tips.

Fashion editorial makeup

Now you will learn about fashion makeup, from its definition to why it is so important in the artist's discourse. I will also teach you simple and practical techniques that you can perform.

Styling for the session

It's time for you to become your own stylist for your self-portraits! In this lesson, I will teach you how to take as a reference what you have proposed in your mood board and how to apply it in a simple way in your photo shoot.

The makeup

Now I will do the makeup for my photo session. First, I'll show you the products I'll be using, and then I'll show you step by step how I do my makeup in front of the mirror and some simple strokes that work great in fashion photography.

Stage

Although the settings for fashion portraits can be complex and elaborate at times, they are usually simple, since the focus is on the model, her makeup and styling. In this lesson, I'll teach you simple ways to create the background and scenery for your photo shoot and small details that will elevate your results.

the photo session

It's time to pose in front of the camera and take the pictures! In this lesson, you will carry out your photo session and apply everything you have learned so far.

Now you will start by processing the photographs in Adobe Lightroom and make a selection of the ones you like the most and the ones you think best convey your concept. Then, you will proceed to retouch them in Adobe Photoshop and in Lightroom as well.

Edit the photos