Self-Portrait as a Personal Diary
A course by Daniella BenedettiIntimacy and Fashion Photographer
A course by Daniella Benedetti, Intimacy and Fashion Photographer
Explore aspects of your identity by photographing yourself in everyday situations and visually capturing your innermost feelings
Weave personal stories and show your innermost identity through a series of photographic self-portraits. Join Daniella Benedetti, everyday life and fashion photographer, as she accompanies you each step of the way.
In this Domestika course, learn how to take self-portraits in everyday situations as a means of expressing yourself through visual diaries. Discover the power of your images and the potential they have to reach out and connect with others.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 19 downloads
Different paths for a project
12 minutes, 9 seconds
Five key questions to think about your project
12 minutes, 47 seconds
How to create a mood board for the project
4 minutes, 40 seconds
Materials
2 minutes, 15 seconds
From praise to trial and error: recursion
6 minutes, 17 seconds
Self-portrait shooting: keys
11 minutes, 31 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by getting to know Daniella Benedetti a little better and hear more about her professional background. She talks about her influences and what she has learned from each of them, revealing the most important elements of this style of photography.
Look for inspiration as a way of finding your own voice and developing a truly personal project.
Then, look at the benefits of trial and error and get straight into some exercises to help you loosen up as a photographer. Daniella talks you through the pros and cons of analog photography as well as emphasizes the fact that solutions can always be found for taking a great photo without needing sophisticated equipment.
Now it's time to get your camera out! Put everything you've learned into practice by following the creative footsteps of your teacher before exploring some useful techniques and tricks for taking your own photographs.
Choose your most powerful images and give them a final lift using the Develop module in Lightroom Classic. To finish up, add manual details and some notes to give your photo series an "everyday" look.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create a series of personal photographs based on your private life to explore the different facets of your identity.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for lovers of the self-portrait genre, those who want to use intimate photography as a means of expression, and anyone who wants to learn how to create visual diaries.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, basic photography knowledge is essential.
As for materials, you need a camera and a computer with Lightroom.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Gostei do curso, é quase como uma reportagem em vídeo das várias fases desde o início até ao final do trabalho, adicionado com alguns extras como o trabalho de outros fotógrafos e uma síntese no final.
- 6 months ago
me ha gustado, es interesante y lo recomiendo
- donatakramarzPLUS11 months ago
Amazing! I love the realness, so refreshing and inspiring!
- 1 year ago
Muy inspiradora. Me hubiese gustado que tenga indicaciones para fotografía con celular ya que no tengo cámara.
- 1 year ago
It is an interesting course. I recommend it a lot
Photographing intimacy has always been her first love, and she's brought it into the world of fashion through her work with brands such as Adidas and Mercedes Salazar, as well as into the editorial world collaborating with magazines like Billboard and Vice.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Inspiration
- Different paths for a project
- Five key questions to think about your project
- How to create a mood board for the project
- Materials
- U3
How to carry out your self-portraits?
- From praise to trial and error: recursion
- Self-portrait shooting: keys
- Self portrait shooting: how to include another person in your photo
- U4
The final touch your image needs
- Image selection 1
- Image selection 2
- Basic development in Lightroom 1
- Basic development in Lightroom 2
- Manual intervention of the image
- Storytelling and personal life
- FP
Final project
- Self-Portrait as a Personal Diary
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.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll learn how to create honest self-portraits, explore your personal identity, alter images, build visual narratives, and develop photographic projects that blend emotion and symbolism using contemporary techniques and everyday materials.
Yes, this course is designed for students with intermediate photography skills who want to dive deeper into creative, self-referential, and personal visual storytelling techniques.
It’s not required—you can use digital cameras, film cameras, or even your smartphone. The course shows you how to make the most of whatever tools you have and encourages experimentation.
You’ll need a camera (digital, film, or smartphone), a tripod or makeshift stand, access to natural light, materials for hands-on photo alteration (like paper, tape, markers), and a computer with basic editing software.
Through self-portrait and autobiographical photography, you can express emotions, experiences, and personal symbolism, crafting a unique and authentic visual story about your intimate life and context.
The course covers acting techniques, symbolic composition, natural light use, manual photo intervention, collage, visual storytelling, and digital editing to create personal photo series.
Yes, the course includes tips and techniques specifically for making self-portraits and personal projects using just your smartphone and household items.