Fine art photography: restaging paintings

What is the course about?

On this practical photography workshop you will learn how to use studio lighting, composition, and props to recreate the drama and atmosphere of painted masterpieces. As well as learning about framing, colour, shadows and a range of photographic techniques you will learn about directing a shoot and creating a strong narrative element within your image.

What will we cover?

- Simple studio lighting techniques
- Composition according to colour, texture and shadows
- Light quality and light direction in studio photography
- The still life, narrative, and symbols
- Art directing people using props
- Using manual exposure and studio flash.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Apply manual exposure settings with studio lighting
- Experiment with light quality and light direction using studio flash
- Explore narrative and symbolic characteristics of the still life
- Direct people and use props effectively
- Use existing paintings as a source to compose and art direct photographs.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This is an intermediate course . You will be expected to have knowledge of the manual exposure controls of the camera.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group activities and discussion. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will be taught using a range of techniques including demonstrations, small group practical exercises, group and individual assistance, hand-outs and image crit. Please note the City Lit uses Apple Mac computers in the Photography studio.
The course also uses Google Classroom (an online teaching resource) for you to share comments with your class, download course material and upload images for group crits.
Google classroom login help.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You will be required to bring objects and props in order to create your compositions.
Please bring your camera (if you have one) to the classes and you may wish to bring a notebook and pen. The City Lit has a range of Digital SLR cameras, lenses, tripods, and studio lighting which you are welcome to use during the taught hours of the class. It would be useful to bring a memory stick (or portable hard drive – please note: PC formatted hard drives can be read by Apple mac computers, but not written to).

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

The City lit has over seventy different practical and theoretical photography courses. Browse the web site for inspiration.