Photography and Set Design for Creative Visual Worlds
A course by Tabea MathernPhotographer and Visual Artist
A course by Tabea Mathern, Photographer and Visual Artist
Learn to develop creative visual concepts and transform them into set designs for product photography or social media
Are you familiar with the creative process for turning an idea into an image? Whether addressing an important topic or sharing her artistic vision, there's nothing photographer and visual artist Tabea Mathern loves more than rising to the challenge that each project brings. In this online course, she teaches the foundations of conceptual photography and set design.
With Tabea as your guide, learn to harness your inspiration and let your creative eye lead you to your final image. Develop a visual concept, prepare your set, and snap your photos. By the end, you'll be able to depict almost anything you can imagine through conceptual photography, from real products to abstract themes like emotions.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 25 downloads
Materials
8 minutes, 30 seconds
Gathering Inspiration
3 minutes, 21 seconds
Conceiving an Idea and Developing a Mood Board
13 minutes, 51 seconds
Sketching and Preparing the Set
3 minutes, 48 seconds
Preparing and Setting up Props and Set
8 minutes, 22 seconds
Camera Set-up
3 minutes, 42 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start the course getting to know photographer and visual artist Tabea Mathern a little better. She talks about her journey so far, her sources of inspiration and shows you some of the ways she's found ideas in everyday things as well as within her work.
Tabea then goes through the necessary equipment and materials for the final project and shows you how to compile reference materials for inspiration and transform them into visually defined ideas. Get it all down on a mood board and do a sketch to map out your set design.
Now it's time to lose yourself in the photoshoot. Build your set by positioning all the props and setting up the lighting. Once your camera is in place, test a few different arrangements, light sources, and image settings until you have a shot that you're excited about.
To wrap up the course, your teacher walks you through how to edit your photos in Photoshop to really get the most out of each one. Tabea gives some final tips on sharing your photos on social media and other online platforms.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Elegirás un producto (imaginario o real) o una temática que quieras representar en imágenes, desarrollarás un concepto a partir de un mood board, diseñarás un set con medios sencillos, fotografiarás tus ideas y editarás las imágenes para utilizarlas, por ejemplo, en redes sociales.
Who is this online course for?
Beginners as well as anyone with experience wanting to sharpen their artistic eye with conceptual photography who is also interested in the best ways to put products, businesses, and organizations on the map.
Requirements and materials
An interest in design, art, and photography is the only must for this course, along with an open mind ready to have new ideas and see new perspectives. Some basic experience using a DSLR camera or smartphone as well as knowledge of fashion and architecture would be useful although by no means essential.
For materials you need a smartphone with either a good stationary source of light or natural light, or a DSLR with flash and a fixed light. You also need a few things to build your set that your teacher specifies throughout the course and a computer installed with Adobe Photoshop and, if possible, Capture One Pro.
Reviews
- 2 years ago
excelente curso
- 3 years ago
Endlich hat Domestika noch einen Kurs auf Deutsch! Vielen Dank für Information, die die Künstlerin mit uns gerne teilt!
- lchen136PLUS3 years ago
super cool, love it!!
- 3 years ago
Interesting, a good insight into her production process. Recommended.
- 3 years ago
En lineas generales aceptable. De acuerdo que es de iniciación pero lo he encontrado demasiado sencillo.
Her client list includes names like Adobe, Refinery29, Foodspring, Art Toronto, Etsy, Der Spiegel and Stern. Her images, collections, and exhibitions tackle topics close to her heart and sometimes involve collaborations with other artists and designers.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Inspirations
- U2
Preparation and Brainstorming
- Materials
- Gathering Inspiration
- Conceiving an Idea and Developing a Mood Board
- Sketching and Preparing the Set
- U3
Production
- Preparing and Setting up Props and Set
- Camera Set-up
- Configuring the Light
- The Photo Shoot
- U4
Post-production and Other Uses
- Exporting the Photo from Capture One
- Retouching the Photo in Photoshop
- Further Processing of the Photo and Posting on Social Media
- FP
Final project
- Photography and Set Design for Creative Visual Worlds
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
This course is aimed at photographers and creatives with some basic experience who want to develop their visual style further and learn new creative techniques.
Basic photography skills and either an analog or digital camera are recommended. Simple props, craft materials, and image editing software are helpful for set building and studio shoots.
You’ll learn how to design creative sets, craft backgrounds, use props effectively, and apply professional studio techniques to create expressive, surreal photo series.
The course teaches surrealism techniques such as unusual perspectives, symbolism, collages, still lifes, and incorporating everyday objects into conceptual photo projects.
Yes, you’ll learn how to plan, execute, edit, and prepare professional photo projects specifically for magazine publication or social media presentation.
You’ll discover how to gather sources of inspiration, create mood boards, sketch ideas, and develop concepts to craft a distinctive, personal visual language.
Yes, the course explores the Female Gaze in artistic photography and demonstrates how to integrate female perspectives into image composition.